Attorneys for Swizz Beatz, born Kasseem Dean, argue the Grammy-winning producer never received “fraudulent transfers” from Jho Low’s shell companies linked to Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal involving Fugees rapper Pras, All Hip Hop reports. The lawsuit, filed by British Virgin Islands liquidators for defunct entities allegedly used to divert Malaysian state funds, seeks to recover millions of dollars allegedly paid to Dean, Swizz Beatz Productions Inc., and Monza Studios Inc. between 2012 and 2014.
While Dean acknowledges receiving $7.3 million in transfers, he denies any wrongdoing. His lawyers say the funds were payments for professional services and investments, not bribes or laundered money. They highlight a $1.5 million transfer labeled “Alsen Chance investment in music production (Everyday Is Your Birthday),” which they argue clearly shows a legitimate business purpose tied to his music career.
“Defendants deny such funds were fraudulently or improperly transferred,” the filing states, arguing that all payments were “received without actual fraudulent intent and for reasonably equivalent value.”
The funds reportedly flowed through JPMorgan Chase accounts in New York between September 2012 and September 2014, with $3.3 million going to Swizz Beatz Productions, $1.8 million to Monza Studios, and $2.2 million to Dean personally. Attorneys at Blank Rome LLP assert the hip-hop producer had no knowledge of Low’s 1MDB scheme and was unfairly implicated in a global scandal years later.
Dean’s lawyers also deny allegations of a close friendship with Low, saying they met in the 2010s and had only a limited connection.
“Dean was introduced to Low but denied that Low and Dean were friends,” the document states.
Meanwhile, Pras Michel is still awaiting sentencing after being convicted of trying to influence Trump administration officials to halt an investigation into Low, the fugitive accused of embezzling Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund. In September, his sentencing was delayed after the Grammy-winning rapper underwent emergency colon cancer surgery.
DHS To Award $10,000 Bonuses To TSA Officers After Lengthy Government Shutdown
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says the payments will recognize TSA staff who showed “exceptional service” during the 43-day halt in federal operations.
The Department of Homeland Security plans to issue $10,000 bonuses to Transportation Security Administration officers who continued working through the recent federal shutdown, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced during a Nov. 13 press conference in Houston.
Noem said the bonuses are intended to recognize “tens of thousands of individuals who stepped up and continued to serve,” even though TSA staff received no pay during the 43-day shutdown.
When asked whether the incentive would go only to officers who reported to work consistently, she clarified that “that’s not necessarily the parameters,” adding that the department will evaluate “every individual that did exceptional service during this period of time when there were so many hardships.”
DHS has not yet defined which employees will qualify, and the department did not respond to follow-up questions. With roughly 50,000 officers in TSA’s workforce, covering every employee would amount to about $500 million in payouts.
In a message posted on X, Noem praised the agency’s frontline staff: “Americans can be proud of TSA workers across the country who continued to serve with excellence throughout the shutdown — many going to great lengths to protect our country, care for their fellow Americans, and keep our nation moving.” She added, “President Trump and I are giving a $10,000 bonus to exemplary TSA officers across our nation who went above and beyond their performance. Thank you to the men and women of @TSA — patriots!”
Americans can be proud of TSA workers across the country who continued to serve with excellence throughout the shutdown—many going to great lengths to protect our country, care for their fellow Americans, and keep our nation moving.
According to DHS, the department plans to cover the costs using leftover funds from the 2025 fiscal year.
Travel disruptions escalated in the final stretch of the shutdown as more TSA officers called out, contributing to longer checkpoint lines. Air travelers also faced a spike in delays and cancellations as Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controllers began missing work after going without paychecks.
Noem’s announcement followed a Truth Social post by former President Donald Trump criticizing air traffic controllers who called out during the shutdown. He similarly endorsed a $10,000 payout for controllers who, as he put it, “didn’t take any time off for the ‘Democrat Shutdown Hoax.’”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy supported the bonus plan but acknowledged that some employees missed shifts for legitimate financial reasons. “They’re young. They don’t make a lot of money when they first start out… They may be the sole source of income, and they were confronted with a real problem,” he said.
Still, Duffy emphasized that the FAA will scrutinize “continual bad actors” who may have used the shutdown as an excuse to skip work.
According to an Office of Management and Budget memo obtained by Semafor, TSA and other affected federal workers are expected to resume receiving paychecks by Nov. 19.
Protecting Tradition: Ghana Cracks Down On Misuse Of Kente Cloth Name
Copycats beware.
Kente cloth, the vibrant woven fabric originating from the Ashanti, Akan, and Ewe people of Ghana, has long symbolized wealth, royalty, and tribal identity. Over time, its cultural significance has spread across the African diaspora. Today, replicas of Kente produced outside Ghana are widely available. Ghana is now taking steps to protect its authentic tradition and stand up against copycats.
Last month, the Ghanaian government announced that Kente has officially received geographical indication status through the World Intellectual Property Organization, an arm of the United Nations that collaborates with the World Trade Organization. This protection aims to safeguard local artisans and the textile’s heritage by ensuring that only Kente cloth woven in Ghana is recognized as authentic.
Susan Scafidi, founder and academic director of the Fashion Law Institute, said that while geographical indication status is similar to a trademark, enforcing it depends on both public pressure and government support.
“It is a complicated matter that does raise the question of how we balance the fluidity of culture and the joy of cultural interchange with recognizing origin and authorship at that collective level,” Scafidi told The New York Times.
While historically Kente was a sacred fabric worn by royalty, its popularity has expanded throughout the diaspora, especially in the United States, where variations of the design appear on graduation stoles, bags, T-shirts, and other clothing. British-Ghanaian designer Daniel-Yaw Miller believes it reflects Black Americans’ desire to reconnect with African roots.
“It’s a way to signify a connection to the motherland even in the absence of specific, direct relations back there,” Yaw-Miller told The Times.
After several killings of Black Americans by police in 2020, Democrats in Congress, including Representative Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer, showed support for the Black Lives Matter movement by wearing Kente cloth and taking photos on one knee. The group faced backlash, with many critics accusing them of cultural appropriation.
As Kente cloth continues to gain global popularity, Scafidi explained that establishing a geographical indication will help ensure local artisans receive both cultural acknowledgment and financial rewards from its widespread sale.
The King Center Partners With ATL Megachurch To Support Those In Need, Other Orgs—Not So Much
Living Faith Christian Center in Louisiana is under fire for allegedly being unconcerned with the needs of God's children.
The King Center and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church will hold a food distribution event to help feed Metro Atlanta families, a starkly different response from some other churches and organizations that have witnessed the economic downturn and government shutdown affect millions of citizens, leaving them without SNAP benefits.
The event is scheduled for Nov. 15, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at The King Center on Auburn Avenue. Fresh produce and essential groceries will be handed out while supplies last. Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of The King Center, said the initiative reflects an urgent need for collective service. The charity is timely, as many Americans are feeling the strain of inflation and suffering from decreased food benefits during the government shutdown.
“When we come together in love and service, we embody the very spirit of the Beloved Community,” King said in a statement. She added, “This partnership is not just about food, it’s about hope, dignity, and the power of unity to transform lives.”
According to the release, King and Pastor Dr. Jamal Bryant will be present from 11 a.m. to noon to speak with attendees and give remarks beginning at 11:30 a.m. Mike Lewis Productions LLC is also noted as an in-kind contributor.
For more information or to learn how to participate, visit www.thekingcenter.org or follow the organization on social media.
As the holiday season approaches, organizers say the goal is simple: bring relief, dignity, and encouragement to Atlanta families facing rising need. Or, as King framed it, to “nourish both body and spirit” through shared service.
Both King and Bryant are stepping up as leaders and servants during the holiday season to lead and serve God’s children. Conversely, other faith-based organizations are being called out for their dismissal of those in need.
A social experiment conducted by TikTok user @Nikalie, real name Nikalie Monroe, went viral, leading to claims of witchcraft by some “houses of the Lord.”
After Monroe called the Living Faith Christian Center asking for help for a hungry infant and was denied, Bishop Raymond W. Johnson took to the pulpit to denounce her actions as witchcraft. Instead of acknowledging what some may consider “the church’s unChristlike response,” Johnson stated he refused to apologize to “the devil.”
“The person who goes around calling churches and putting the voice of a baby crying in the background. And I say, really the person is low. So, you know, like I teach these men over here, folk want to apologize. I don’t apologize to the devil. Sometimes Christians get so weak, you forgot we supposed to rebuke evil. So if you could pretend to have a crying baby to try to call churches to trick people into things.”
Detractors say that Johnson mischaracterized the experiment’s intent and presented it to his congregation as a grifting scheme. Though Monroe asserted a need that did not exist, at no point did she accept any help offered by institutions. After being offered assistance by a handful of faith-based institutions, she quickly revealed the experiment’s premise.
Johnson maintains that Monroe’s “dirty deed” comes directly from the “spirit of a witch.” The harsh remarks and criticism continued, calling Christians “weak” for engaging with those who may or may not need assistance. Instead of instituting corrective action for his “ministry,” Johnson opted to refer those in need to Louisiana’s Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.
Critics are calling out churches like Living Faith Christian Center, which continue to collect tithes, offerings, and donations for new construction. Organizations like The King Center and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church continue to give back to the community through year-round food box distributions.
Figure Skating Legend Surya Bonaly Pleads For Help After Burglars Steal Her Championship Medals
The trailblazing Olympian, long celebrated for breaking racial and athletic barriers in figure skating, says thieves took her most prized symbols of a groundbreaking career.
Decorated figure skater Surya Bonaly is asking the public for assistance after discovering that her Las Vegas home had been burglarized and her collection of international medals had been stolen. The 51-year-old champion athlete, whose daring one-blade backflip at the 1998 Nagano Olympics remains one of the most memorable moments in Olympic history, shared the news in an emotional Instagram post.
“You see, all those medals that I won in the past while competing in different worlds and European championships are sadly gone,” she wrote, explaining that “someone I mean a couple burglarized my home and stole all my valuable.” Bonaly urged locals to alert authorities if they encounter “foreign gold and silver medals for sale,” adding, “Please, please call the Police immediately, thanks.”
According to Cleveland, the stolen items represent years of competition at the highest levels of the sport. During her career, Bonaly amassed 13 medals across the World Championships, European Championships, and World Junior Championships, becoming a five-time European champion and one of the most dynamic athletes of her era. Now a coach in Las Vegas, she competed in three Winter Olympics in the 1990s, finishing as high as fourth place.
Bonaly’s iconic one-footed backflip in Nagano — a move banned since 1976 — defined her fearless approach to skating. She performed it despite knowing she would be penalized and despite dealing with an Achilles injury at the time. To date, no skater has replicated the feat at the Olympics.
Her story has long resonated beyond the ice. Adopted from an orphanage and raised by a white family, Bonaly quickly realized she was often “the only Black female skater” at European competitions. Her competitive career was marked not only by athletic excellence but also by navigating bias in a predominantly white sport.
At the World Championships, after placing second behind Japan’s Yuka Sato, she was loudly booed by the crowd before being swarmed by reporters asking whether she planned to quit. Figure skating coach Joel Savary, founder of the Diversify Ice Foundation, said moments like these chipped away at her spirit: “I feel that was the beginning of the judges really wearing her down… The feeling that I felt was it paints another negative picture of a person of color,” he toldTODAY.
Andrea Jordan of Figure Skating in Harlem called Bonaly’s perseverance extraordinary. “Being an athletic woman of color… and still persist in that spot and accomplish all what she accomplished is remarkable,” she said.
Police have not yet announced any leads in the burglary. Bonaly hopes someone will recognize the stolen medals and help return the defining symbols of her pioneering career.
Ray J Accuses Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner of ‘Publicity, Power, and Punishment’ In Intensifying Legal Battle
Ray J argues the lawsuit against him is a tactic to control the narrative around their decades-old sex tape, while the Kardashian legal team dismisses his claims as baseless.
Ray J is once again challenging the long-standing public storyline surrounding the release of his sex tape with Kim Kardashian, claiming in new legal filings that Kardashian and her mother, Kris Jenner, have weaponized the courts to maintain control of the narrative.
In documents obtained by Page Six, the singer asserts that “Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner’s lawsuit is not about defamation — it’s about publicity, power, and punishment.” He argues that the pair have spent years shaping a version of events that shields them and vilifies him.
According to the filing, Ray J says “[Jenner and Kardashian] have spent two decades peddling the false story that the sex tape that Kardashian filmed with [Ray J] was leaked against her will.” He maintains the video was consensually recorded in 2003 and that he and Kardashian discussed releasing it in 2006—allegedly with Kardashian proposing that Kris Jenner oversee the rollout.
The R&B artist, born William Ray Norwood Jr., claims Kardashian and Jenner are “furious” that he no longer participates in what he calls their “tall tale.” He also says that Kardashian, Jenner, Kanye West, and Kendall Jenner falsely accused him on Hulu’s The Kardashians of assaulting Kardashian while she was asleep, as well as engaging in extortion and revenge porn.
Ray J’s filing states that after he responded through counsel, the Kardashians and their production team agreed to a settlement in which he would receive $6 million and the family would make “no further mention or public reference” to the tape on their show. He argues they went back on that commitment “almost immediately after the Agreement was executed.”
His attorney wrote that Ray J will “not allow Kardashian and Jenner to weaponize the judicial system, shirk their contractual obligations, and sacrifice him on the altar of fame.”
The Kardashian-Jenner legal team strongly rejected these accusations. Their attorney, Alex Spiro, told Page Six: “After realizing he is losing the case and losing his way, this disjointed rambling distraction is not intimidating anyone. Ray J will lose this frivolous case, too.”
Kardashian and Jenner sued Ray J last month for defamation after he claimed he was assisting federal authorities with a RICO case against them. The complaint notes that “no such federal investigation exists” and states: “No law enforcement agency has initiated any criminal proceedings or investigations related to racketeering charges against Ms. Kardashian or Ms. Jenner.”
Spiro added that the family “have never brought a defamation claim before … but this false and serious allegation left no choice.”
Alabama State Men’s Hoops Breaks Losing Streak In Historic Win Over UAB
In men's basketball, ASU is now the first and only SWAC team to beat UAB.
Alabama State University (ASU) men’s basketball team not only snapped a 10-game losing streak by beating the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB), 77-74, on Wednesday night, it was their first victory ever over UAB. And it was on the road.
The win was the first for any Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) team over UAB men’s basketball team, which entered the contest with 78 consecutive victories over the SWAC.
ASU started the game with an 11-0 run, leading to a 14-4 lead. But UAB went on a 16-3 scoring binge to take a 55-47 lead with 12:01 remaining in the game. ASU fought back and had a 3-point lead with 3.9 seconds left. But UAB was unable to score.
Micah Simpson hit six three-pointers and finished the game with 18 point for ASU, while Asjon Anderson scored 20 points, sealing the game with 11-of-16 free throws, including the last two that secured the victory.
“Great win for Alabama State, for all the HBCUs,” said ASU head coach Tony Madlock, according to the Birmingham Banner. “Y’all understand that we have to go play these games on the road. And they’re never easy, they’re never easy what we have to go through. But for us to be an hour and a half down the road and to come down and play the way we played and against one of my mentors, (Andy Kennedy) is one of my guys. I worked for him for four years and been knowing him forever. So it was a great win for our program.”
Alabama State, now 1-1 on the season, hosts Virginia University Lynchburg on Friday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m.
The penny's demise reflects a changing financial landscape shaped by digital payments and rising manufacturing costs.
The United States Mint produced its final penny on Wednesday, Nov. 12, after more than 230 years in production, a victim of the changing financial landscape shaped by digital payments and rising manufacturing costs.
For decades, the penny’s fate was debated by lawmakers, economists, and the public, particularly as the cost to produce a single cent rose well beyond its face value. According to the Mmnt’s most recent analysis, it cost more than 3 cents to manufacture and distribute each penny in 2024.
“God bless America, and we’re going to save the taxpayers $56 million,” Treasurer Brandon Beach said at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia before hitting a button to strike the final penny. Beach said the final coins pressed will be auctioned off. The actual last pennies put into circulation from the U.S. Mint were struck in June.
The mint said it will focus on producing coins commonly used day-to-day. Cashless payments, digital wallets, and real-time transfers have reduced demand for low-denomination coins. The United States is one of several countries, including Canada and Australia, to phase out its smallest currency units.
Unfortunately, retailers are not required to round prices, which may be a minor detriment of consumers.
The end of the penny marks the end of one of America’s oldest currencies, first utilized in 1792. Although its production line has stopped, the mint said it will maintain educational materials and public displays honoring the penny’s legacy.
“Today, the Mint celebrates 232 years of penny manufacturing,” said Kristie McNally, acting mint director. “While general production concludes today, the penny’s legacy lives on. As its usage in commerce continues to evolve, its significance in America’s story will endure.”
Tuskegee Sues American Veterinary Association For Trying To Revoke Accreditation
Tuskegee University has sued the AVMA over an appeal hearing that could strip the nation’s only historically Black veterinary school of its accreditation.
Tuskegee University has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the American Veterinary Medical Association’s attempt to hold an appeal hearing that could revoke the accreditation of the nation’s only historically Black veterinary school.
In two filings—a complaint and a time-sensitive motion for a preliminary injunction—Tuskegee University alleges that the AVMA and its Council on Education (COE) violated due process and ignored their own rules during an accreditation review, Yellowhammer News reports. The university warns that losing accreditation could shut down the program, cut off federal student aid, and cause lasting reputational damage.
“Tuskegee University respectfully requests that the Court enjoin the AVMA from conducting an appeal hearing under procedures that deny Tuskegee a fair opportunity to present evidence and witnesses,” the motion states.
Founded in 1945 by Dr. Frederick Douglass Patterson, Tuskegee’s College of Veterinary Medicine trains over 70% of the nation’s Black veterinarians and is the most diverse veterinary college in the United States. AVMA COE reports indicate the college has been on probationary accreditation since 2022.
In its motion for a preliminary injunction, Tuskegee’s counsel notes the AVMA cited major deficiencies in finances, clinical resources, and outcomes assessment, requiring corrective action within two years. The lawsuit claims the AVMA applied standards inconsistently and ignored its own procedures, violating the university’s right to due process.
“When Purdue University faced comparable facility challenges, the AVMA COE did not demand financial documentation before approving extensions,” the complaint claims, “but Tuskegee’s verified commitments from its Board, President, and financial institution were rejected as insufficient.”
The filing warns that the decision, set for a hearing on Dec. 5, could damage the university’s veterinary school and potentially force the program to close.
“The AVMA, a trade association, and the AVMA COE, the sole accreditor of veterinary schools in the United States, will soon decide, in large part, whether minority participation in the field of veterinary medicine will enjoy continued success,” the motion states.
The emergency motion requests that the court issue an injunction by Dec. 4, one day before the AVMA hearing, allowing the university’s program to operate normally until the case is fully resolved.
Inaugural Artist In Residence Dr. Yaba Blay and Most Incredible Studio Create ‘The BAMBOO,’ Elevating Icon to Cultural Artifact
The residency program will expand in the coming year, spotlighting creators from a variety of traditions.
In an act of cultural preservation, Most Incredible Studio (MIS), the creative house specializing in translating memory into collectibles, has announced its inaugural Artist-In-Residence: scholar, cultural worker, and visionary, Dr. Yaba Blay.
The first release from this collaboration is The BAMBOO—a highly detailed cultural artifact built with LEGO® bricks that transforms the enduring iconography of the bamboo earring into a monumental, collectible testament to Black womanhood. The project is far more than nostalgia; it is an assertion of inherent worth.
Shared on both parties’ Instagram accounts, the BAMBOO announcement was dropped with much fanfare. For the next year, the prominent professor will “infuse Black Girl culture into LEGO culture.”
“THE BAMBOO is making its way into y’all’s hands!! There’s a HUGE and growing community of #BlackGirlsWhoLego, so it means EVERYTHING to US to witness y’all create collectibles reflective of our own culture — Black girl culture! Thank YOU @jen_builds_!! THIS is PHENOMENAL! AND OH SO PROFESSIONAL!! #ProfessionalBlackGirl#MostIncredibleStudio“
The BAMBOO preserves a shared language of style, self-definition, and belonging, reminding its collectors that everyday culture is sacred. The collaboration with Blay turns a familiar, often-politicized symbol of identity into a cherished monument of memory—a beautiful homage to the creativity, beauty, and brilliance of Black women everywhere. Building the LEGO® artifact with one’s own hands carries the same weight as the pride with which the earring was worn, elevating the symbol from street fashion to the cultural canon.
“BAMBOO is here. The first piece of collectible art designed in collaboration with Dr. Yaba Blay, the inaugural Professional Black Girl-in-Residence at Most Incredible Studio, this limited-edition collectible reimagines the iconic bamboo earring using 303 LEGO® bricks. A symbol of beauty, identity, and legacy, BAMBOO celebrates the women who made “at least two pair” a rite of passage. Each piece comes with a custom assembly guide and photo editorial, capturing the essence of culture you can build, play with, and proudly display.”
Dr. Blay, the force behind Professional Black Girl—a dynamic multimedia platform celebrating the everyday genius and lived experiences of Black women and girls—brings her incisive scholarly eye to the residency. As the author of the groundbreaking One Drop: Shifting the Lens on Race, Dr. Blay’s work continues to validate and codify marginalized narratives.
The residency marks the beginning of a new MIS initiative designed to partner with cultural leaders who carry vital stories, traditions, and communities into the physical realm through permanent artifacts.
MIS’s mission of making memory visible, combined with Dr. Blay’s ongoing work to assert an unapologetic identity, is a hellafied force of cultural preservation.
The philosophy of Professional Black Girl posits that “Black Girl Magic” is not an exclusive achievement reserved for those who have accomplished unprecedented feats, but a ubiquitous state enjoyed by all.
By declaring themselves “Professional Black Girls,” the community asserts its identity against a world constantly promoting respectability politics on how they “ought to” act, embracing the freedom of self-definition. They are, as the platform proudly affirms, professional code-switchers who hold Ph. D.s and listen to trap music; they twerk and work.
For Dr. Blay, the material creation of the earring was a necessary step toward canonization. She noted the intrinsic demand for the partnership’s focus, “When Syreeta mentioned to me that she wanted to infuse Black girl culture into Most Incredible Studio’s canon, I told her there was no way I would allow her to do that without ME! She laughed, but I was serious. The idea of merging what she does with what we do and how we do it is beyond exciting—it’s necessary.”
The limited-edition cultural artifact arrives with MIS’s signature collectible packaging, including a custom booklet and keepsake elements, reinforcing the notion that this is not a toy, but a piece of history.
The residency program will expand in the coming year, spotlighting creators from a variety of traditions. The new residency ensures that the MIS universe becomes a permanent gallery for the stories and traditions that shape contemporary cultural life.
