13 Larry Nassar Sexual Abuse Victims Seek $130M From FBI Over Botched Investigation
After a botched FBI investigation that could have prevented further sexual abuse of gymnasts at the hands of disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar, 13 survivors seek $10 million in claims each for a total of $130 million in damages against the FBI.
According to the Associated Press, the tort claims attempt to hold the government agency responsible for the sexual assaults that continued to occur after July 2015, after the FBI was made aware of the abuse.
“We spend so much energy and resources encouraging children to come forward when they have been abused,” attorney Jamie White said. “So the fact that people came forward to the most powerful law enforcement agency in the world and were rebuffed — it’s a slap in the face.”
Per the Justice Department’s inspector general, the allegations brought forth to the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office were met with a failure to respond “with the utmost seriousness and urgency that they deserved and required.” The FBI made “fundamental errors” after becoming informed of complaints against Nassar and decided to open a formal investigation months later.
“No one should have been assaulted after the summer of 2015 because the FBI should have done its job,” said Grace French, founder of The Army of Survivors. “To know that the FBI could have helped to avoid this trauma disgusts me.”
Nassar, a former Michigan State University sports doctor and USA Gymnastics doctor, was arrested over a year later in November 2016, during an investigation by Michigan State University police.
“This was not a case involving fake 20-dollar bills or tax cheats,” White said. “These were allegations of a serial rapist who was known to the FBI as the Olympic U.S. doctor with unfettered access to young women.” He further commented the former doctor proceeded with a “reign of terror for 17 unnecessary months.”
The attorney also revealed that over 100 women were abused following July 2015 and expects more claims to be filed against the FBI.
FBI Director Christopher Wray stated he’s “deeply and profoundly sorry” for their mishandling of the case and the trauma caused.
Nassar is currently serving up to 175 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexual abuse to 10 of more than 265 women and girls who have come forward.
Entertainment Lawyer Lisa Bonner Wants To Guide You Through The ‘LegaliTEAS Of Entrepreneurship’
Lisa Bonner has held numerous titles throughout her career: entrepreneur, travel writer, and entertainment attorney working in film, music, television, digital, and production.
Bonner, who serves as the managing attorney of Bonner Law PC, knows everything about starting a business from a legal perspective. She has represented and advised clients in negotiating recording and publishing agreements, royalty recovery, and other potentially difficult matters.
She’s now imparting that knowledge to those in the media and content creation game with her new book, The LegaliTEAS of Entrepreneurship: The Relentless Pursuit of Excellence and Balance in Starting Your Own Business (BookLogix, $19.99).
(Image: Amazon)
The author told BLACK ENTERPRISE, that she often ran into family, friends, and clients who always had a question on a range of topics. Eventually, the idea of putting all the answers in one place came to her.
“The book was spawned because I am an entrepreneur and I know how to run a business and when you’re not in this aspect of it from a legal or money point of view, a lot of times you don’t know what you don’t know,” Bonner says
“Because this is what I do for other people and myself,” she adds. “And I’m working with people who might come to me with a lot of questions about topics that are really, in my opinion, the foundation and the basics of starting a small business. What do you need to start a small business? What’s the difference between an LLC and a corporation? What sources of funding are out there?
“I just decided that it was something that needed to be written but I also know that there are a million books out there on entrepreneurship so I really wanted something to differentiate my book from the millions of small business advisors out there.”
The COVID-19 pandemic motivated a wave of Americans, specifically minorities and Black women, to start a business. Additionally, the Black Lives Matter movement and a focus on equity led to numerous small business accelerator and grant programs where entrepreneurs could receive funding and technical assistance in creating a digital platform and marketplace.
In her book, Bonner talks about her own experience, how to avoid the pitfalls, and what to work on immediately—and what can wait until a business has established itself. Every chapter speaks to a part of running your own business and features what Bonner calls “tea time.”
“It talks to you from start to finish about how to run a small business, but throughout each chapter, we have tea time where I sit and talk to the reader and give them first-person stories about sanity, balance, wellness, and being careful who you get in the business with. But they all lead to a chapter about starting and running a business,” Bonner says.
One situation Bonner details is when she worked at a firm and discovered one of the owners was arrested in Canada. Because Bonner was not an equity partner in the firm, she was not liable, but she uses it as an example to make sure you know who you’re doing business with.
The book also includes more business advice and knowledge, including what paperwork to fill out when establishing your business, how to get started and develop a fanbase, and how to protect intellectual property, employees, budgets.
In addition to the book and her firm, Bonner also has a podcast, Laws of Entertainment, which provides an insightful look at the laws, trends, and topical issues of all things entertainment. She can also be found on Twitter.
Black Enterprise to Present Town Hall On Wellness, Health Disparities, and How Black People Can Live Better, Longer Lives
The latest installment of the BLACK ENTERPRISE Economic Equity and Racial Justice Series, April 28, will feature solutions presented by leading experts in public health, fitness, and nutrition.
BLACK ENTERPRISE, the No. 1 multimedia resource for African American entrepreneurs and business leaders, presents the latest installment of the BLACK ENTERPRISE Economic Equity & Racial Justice Town Hall Series: “Wellness & Healthcare Disparities – How Black People Can Live Better and Longer” on Thursday, April 28, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. EST. Gilead Sciences serves as the Wellness & Health Disparities Town Hall sponsor.
Panelists for the Wellness & Health Disparities Town Hall session include Fit Beyond 40 Founder and NASM Certified Personal Trainer Kirk Charles; Gilead Sciences Director of Corporate Citizenship and Public Affairs, Shanell L. McGoy, Ph.D., M.P.H.; Women’s Health Dietician and The Flourish Heights Podcast Host Valerie Agyeman, R.D.; and Public Health Expert and J. Dow Fitness Founder; CEO Jacqueline Dow, Dr.Ph., M.S.P.H. The town hall will be moderated by author and TV personality Ian Smith, M.D., and remarks will also be delivered by BLACK ENTERPRISE CEO Earl “Butch” Graves Jr.
Healthcare in America is often discussed as if everyone gets the same high-quality care. However, because of racial disparities in the American healthcare system, that is too often not the case. The uneven distribution of resources between racial communities results in grossly underequipped and understaffed hospitals—especially in the African American community. Food deserts disproportionately affect Black communities, making fresh, healthy foods less accessible. These inequities in health and wellness result in the loss of millions of African American lives; a reality tragically played out during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Against this daunting backdrop, our virtual town hall discussion focuses on specific, solution-focused questions: What can we as Black people do—in our homes, families, and communities—to overcome the barriers to greater levels of health and wellness? What actions can we take today to live better, longer lives?
“Disparities in health and wellness are directly correlated to the nation’s racial wealth gap, the root cause of America’s systemic inequality,” says Graves. “Too many Black people deal with chronic illness or die prematurely during what should be our peak earning years, creating a persistent drag on Black wealth creation. We can do more than just say, ‘Health is wealth;’ we must proactively change our habits and mindsets to produce both and press corporations and government to support better health outcomes for Black people.”
Wellness & Health Disparities Town Hall panelists will also explore the impact of the following related issues:
· COVID-19 in the Black community
· Unequal distribution of funding for hospitals and other medical resources
· Eliminating food deserts
· Increasing access to reliable health information
· Rebuilding trust between healthcare providers and Black patients
· Actions that Black people, families, and communities can take to improve the quality and longevity of Black lives
“Wellness & Healthcare Disparities – How Black People Can Live Better and Longer” is the latest of an ongoing series of virtual roundtable sessions featuring top corporate executives, entrepreneurs, subject-matter experts, and thought leaders. The roundtable discussions will examine a range of challenges confronting communities of color, with the goal of yielding strategic plans to galvanize Black Americans to act. The sessions seek to advance the state of the Black community, help position Black professionals to gain more C-suite and board positions, increase capital and procurement opportunities for Black-owned businesses, and ensure corporate America’s accountability to their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
For complimentary entry to the “Wellness & Healthcare Disparities – How Black People Can Live Better and Longer” Town Hall, go to blackenterprise.com/townhall/.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Interested press should contact Alfred Edmond Jr. at 201-243-8269 or via e-mail at edmonda@blackenterprise.com.
BLACK ENTERPRISE is the No.1 Black media brand, with more than 12 million monthly unique visitors. Since 1970, BLACK ENTERPRISE has been the premier business, career, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. BLACK ENTERPRISE produces video and podcast programming, virtual and in-person business and lifestyle events, and other digital media. Visit www.blackenterprise.com for more information.
Serena Williams and Lewis Hamilton Join Bid to Purchase British Soccer Club Chelsea FC
Two popular and successful sports figures are teaming up to place a bid to purchase a British soccer club that has recently been put up for sale.
According to Reuters, tennis pro and entrepreneur Serena Williams and race car driver and business owner Lewis Hamilton have joined a bid to buy British soccer club Chelsea FC. The club was recently put up for sale by the owner, Russian oligarch
Abramovich posted a statement on the club’s website early last month announcing his intentions to sell Chelsea FC.
“I would like to address the speculation in media over the past few days in relation to my ownership of Chelsea FC. As I have stated before, I have always taken decisions with the Club’s best interest at heart. In the current situation, I have therefore taken the decision to sell the Club, as I believe this is in the best interest of the Club, the fans, the employees, as well as the Club’s sponsors and partners.”
Williams and Hamilton have joined several other entities vying to purchase the soccer club. They each pledged $13.06 million and have joined Martin Broughton‘s bid to buy Premier League club Chelsea FC. Former Liverpool chairman Broughton’s consortium also includes World Athletics President Sebastian Coe and wealthy investors, including private equity veterans Josh Harris and David Blitzer, who own sports teams, including the National Basketball Association’s Philadelphia 76ers.
Final bids for the club, which Abramovich put up for sale after Russia invaded Ukraine, were submitted earlier this month. This was before sanctions were imposed on the oligarch by the British government.
Other potential owners who placed a bid include Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly and Boston Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca.
Earlier this week, Karat, the world’s largest interviewing company, announced a strategic investment from Williams to significantly scale Brilliant Black Minds, a program that improves access and inclusion across the technology industry. By opening the program to all current and aspiring Black software engineers and serving as Karat’s “Champion of Brilliance,” Serena will support Karat’s call on the industry to help add more than 100,000 new Black engineers to tech in the next decade.
Parents Looking For Answers After Teacher Cuts 12-Year-Old Son’s Hair Without Permission
A teacher cut a 12-year-old boy’s hair at school without his parents’ permission, and now they are demanding answers.
According to CBS Minnesota, the boy’s parents, Daetney and Tadow McReynolds of Minnesota, are angry, and with good reason, about their son’s impromptu haircut by their son’s teacher. And to add insult to injury, they claim the school failed to notify them after the incident.
The boy’s parents say they were in complete shock when he came home from school and saw what had been done. Their 12-year-old son explained that his teacher cut his hair during school hours. The boy, who had an afro that he was proudly growing, reportedly did not ask for the haircut as he was still trying to decide what style he wanted.
“It was actually growing pretty well, actually he was thinking about all kind of styles he wanted to do with it,” said the 12-year-old’s mother, Daetney.
Tadow McReynolds said that when their son came home from school, he asked them if they would be mad at him before he pulled off his hat and revealed his teacher’s unpermitted haircut.
“And he said, ‘Are you guys going to be mad?’ We were like, ‘For what?’ He pulls his hat off and goes, ‘My teacher cut my hair,’” she said.
This is how a 12-year-old boy came home from school last Monday after his parents say a teacher cut his hair without their consent. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/1L0CbfKMJW
Daetney asked her son why his hair was cut, and he responded, “’ I was just really angry … I was just mad, and then my head was down, and the teacher come over and said, ‘Let me fix it for you,’” she said. “What made her think that this is OK? If you were going to help my child, why wouldn’t you do it the proper way, common sense way, the helpful way? By getting him some real help?”
After taking her story to social media, KMOJ Radio’s William Baker came in to help.
Baker called his mobile barber, Barber Big Lew, who took care of it by giving him a fresh, professional cut.
The McReynolds have not gotten a response from the school, and they removed their son and placed him in another school, according to Georgia Fort, who took to Twitter and is trying to get answers as well.
According to the student’s mother, Tadow McReynolds, the police were called but the responding officer defended the teacher’s actions and refused to issue a police report. (2/4)
Since then, the 12-year-old boy’s parents removed him from the Minnesota school. His parents were upset and disappointed that neither the principal or teacher offered their family an apology. (3/4)
Meet the Woman Introducing Black-Owned Businesses to the Employee Retention Tax Credit Program
Meet Debra Thomas, founder and CEO of Debudd Marketing, which is currently helping thousands of Black-owned businesses to better understand and take advantage of the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) Program.
Black businesses have suffered irreparable harm due to the ongoing pandemic. Sadly, many of these businesses were shut out of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and had to close permanently.
Not surprisingly, Black-owned small businesses were unable to access the government’s emergency PPP loans. The CARES Act had a second round of funding in 2020 which had $60 billion set aside for minorities and underserved borrowers.
Funds were depleted in record time as well-resourced companies, with the help of their bankers, muscled their way to the front of the line, at the expense of smaller more vulnerable businesses. Black-owned businesses received 1.9% of loans while White-owned businesses received 83%.
Although it is not well-publicized, the IRS has recently begun accepting applications for The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) program which is earmarked for small businesses. Businesses that applied for and received PPP funds could now also claim ERTC credits.
The ERTC refunds a percentage of wages paid in each quarter that a business has qualified. ERTC credits are NOT a deferral. The credits are paid in the form of a check. THIS IS NOT A LOAN!
Credits are available to business entities, non-profits and start-ups. Any business structure with five W-2 full-time employees in 2020-2021 can potentially qualify. Businesses forced to temporarily or permanently close during this window of time qualify.
Businesses can claim their tax credit as they would any other tax credit by asserting to the IRS that they can legally claim the credit. When they apply, their CPA and accountant will have the required documentation.
The IRS is a slow paymaster. It is important to submit ALL of the required documents at one time to receive a refund.
It was initially estimated that ERTC funds would be available for three years. The current estimate for fund availability is 18 months.
Visit DebuddMarketing.com to complete the free, no obligation pre-qualification form.
Black Teen Entrepreneur Utilizes Video Technology on Product Labels to Educate Customers on the Science of Black Hair
After successfully launching her beauty brand named Kakebi in 2020, Sky Bynum, a 15-year-old Black teen from North Brunswick, N.J., soon realized something else needed to be done because her inbox was flooded with questions from customers seeking help and advice on their hair woes. Trying to figure out how she could help a larger audience, she started doing videos on the science of black hair and quickly gained a following on Instagram.
Launching in May 2022, Kakebi will now feature a code on their labels that customers can scan and play a video of her explaining the product, when/how to use it, and the science behind why you should use it.
“A lot of people are struggling, and we don’t need to,” she said.
“My goal is to help other people maintain healthy hair because I totally get the struggle!”
She was able to bounce back from her own hair trauma with a formula her mother created. Sky thought others could benefit from this creation and with the support of her mother and father, she launched Kakebi.
The Superfood for Kinky Curly Hair Collection includes a boost growth serum, shampoo, conditioner, hair balms, whipped butter and more, many of the ingredients are focused on Superfoods for your hair. Key ingredients such as rosemary, which helps in circulation of the scalp, and ginger, another hair-loving ingredient. The prices range from $15 – $30 for individual products and up to $126 for their popular collection bundle called The Gourmet Box.
Kakebi is a family business that’s main focus is haircare and finding the best products that will enhance their customer’s beauty journey. Their products are small batched, cruelty-free and manufactured in the U.S. Kakebi is excited to announce their brand will be launching on Amazon in the near future.
For more details on their amazing products and/or to make a purchase, visit her official website at Kakebi.com and follow the brand on Instagram @Kakebi__ for updated information.
Russell, who has been teaching for nearly 25 years, is known for teaching with an emphasis on cultural relevance and representation. Since the late 1990s, he has been teaching African American history classes that he developed himself. He also developed classes such as Race, Gender, and Oppression and Black Music in the African Diaspora alongside a music teacher.
Now 50-years old, Russell teaches at Oberlin High School in his hometown in Ohio. He also serves as faculty advisor for the student-led Black Student Union and the head coach for the varsity basketball team in the school.
Russell said he began his interest in teaching when his kindergarten teacher read a picture book about Martin Luther King Jr. He was ultimately inspired to pursue the career when he met his first Black male teacher in middle school.
“He was someone who looked like me in front of the classroom who all the kids enjoyed,” Russell told CBS News.
“This seemed like a profession that I could enjoy. It just changed my life.”
He eventually took a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in history and a minor in Black studies from the College of Wooster. He then earned his Master of Education in curriculum and instruction from Ashland University. He is currently taking courses in child development at Oakland City University.
Russell was previously named Ohio’s Teacher of the Year also by the Council of Chief State School Officers. He was also named Teacher of the Year by the Oberlin Heritage Center and the Oberlin chapter of the NAACP, and Coach of the Year at Northeast Ohio and Lorain County Basketball Association.
As Teacher of the Year, Russell aims to represent educators and advocate for a more diverse classroom for teachers and students.
Former NBA Champion Now Collegiate Golfer J.R. Smith Signs NIL Deal With Apparel Company Lululemon
NBA Champion and now collegiate golfer J. R. Smith recently signed a NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deal with apparel company Lululemon.
According to ESPN, the ex-basketball player enrolled as a student and golfer at North Carolina AT&T has secured a groundbreaking NIL deal.
OFFICIAL: North Carolina A&T freshman golfer JR Smith has landed a brand ambassador NIL deal with @lululemon.@TheRealJRSmith is featured across lululemon’s latest Golf campaign imagery highlighting their Evolution Polo. pic.twitter.com/AdunlVGDvn
Smith is currently a freshman at the HBCU. He has become the first male golfer to sign a brand ambassador deal with Lululemon. He had previously played 16 seasons in the NBA, where he won an NBA Championship with LeBron James with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and then again with James in 2020 with the Los Angeles Lakers.
In January, Smith signed with Excel Sports Management for NIL representation. Lance Young, his agent, previously told ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski that there was major interest from golf apparel and equipment manufacturers in working with the 36-year-old Smith.
Smith is not allowed to promote Lululemon at events sanctioned by the NCAA, but he can appear in the company’s advertisements and promotions. He did so in a recent golf campaign where he has been documenting his return to the classroom as a full-time student-athlete.
The former basketball player went back to college to pursue a degree in liberal studies. Smith started attending classes on Aug. 18, 2021. At the time, Smith told reporters at the pro-am at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina, that he decided to go back to school after having a conversation with NBA Hall of Famer Ray Allen, ESPN reports.
“Ray Allen kind of convinced me,” Smith said at the golf event. “We had a little golf trip in [the Dominican Republic], and he was talking about some of the things he was doing, about going back to school and challenging yourself for us athletes. I really took heed to it and decided to go back — and one of the best liberal studies programs is at A&T.”
According to ESPN, former major league pitcher Dave Stewart has had discussions with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred about a bid to form an expansion franchise in Nashville, Tennessee.
The former All-Star pitcher and three-time World Series champion heads a group seeking to acquire an MLB franchise in Nashville, making that team the first majority minority-owned team in major league history.
Music City Baseball has picked Stewart to lead the diverse equity ownership initiative created to get a franchise within the next three to five years, according to both Stewart and MLB sources.
“I spoke to the commissioner a couple of weeks ago and the same thing still remains,” Stewart told ESPN on Tuesday.
“There are two teams that don’t have homes: the Oakland A’s and the Tampa Rays, so those are his priorities to make sure those places have homes to play in. But once they do, expansion becomes next on the agenda.”
There hasn’t been an expansion in Major League Baseball for almost 25 years. The league wants to change that and make that a priority. The last time the league expanded was in 1998 when they allowed teams to play in Arizona and Tampa Bay. MLB commissioner Manfred has stated that it must first resolve stadium issues in Oakland and Tampa Bay. Neither team has long-term stadium commitments in their respective cities.
MLB has never been close to having a majority minority-owned franchise.
The closest it has come to doing so is NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson‘s 2% stake in the Los Angeles Dodgers. The only other minority owner with a bigger stake in a team was the Marlins’ Derek Jeter, who reportedly had a 4% equity stake in the team. He resigned from the team earlier this year right before his contract was up.
