Donald Trump, Elon Musk, DOGE
by Stacy Jackson

April 18, 2025

DOGE’s Big Reveal Of Unemployment Fraud Claims? Federal Investigators Knew About Them Years Ago

The jokes write themselves.

The Department of Government Efficiency claimed to uncover nearly $400 million in unemployment fraud claims, but it’s reportedly the same data federal investigators discovered years ago.

DOGE announced the $382 million in fake unemployment claims since 2020 in an April 9 post on X, which listed: 24,500 people over 115 years old claimed $59 million in benefits; 28,000 people between 1 and 5 years old claimed $254 million; 9,700 people with birth dates over 15 years in the future claimed $69 million; and someone with a birthday in 2154 claimed $41,000.

The Associated Press reported that DOGE’s findings had previously been uncovered by federal investigators on a larger scale years ago, and the $382 million is only a fraction of what officials were aware of.

Following DOGE’s announcement, President Donald Trump’s Senior Advisor Elon Musk took to X and stated how “crazy” the findings were, so much so that he had to “read it several times before it sank in.”

During a Cabinet meeting last week, Trump said the “numbers are really bad” following U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s report of the alleged unemployment fraud payments, which included claims filed by unborn children.

The U.S. Department of Labor is “committed to recovering your stolen tax dollars,” Chavez-DeRemer wrote in an April 10 post on X. “We will catch these thieves and keep working to root out egregious fraud.”

As “crazy” as the numbers seem, Amy Traub of the National Employment Law Project said DOGE’s findings are not “news to anyone” since they have already been widely reported and several congressional hearings have already addressed the matter.

Michele Evermore, a member of the Biden administration’s U.S. Department of Labor, accused DOGE of “trying to spin this narrative of, ‘Oh, government is inefficient, and government is stupid, and they’re catching these things that the government didn’t catch.’”

Both Traub and Evermore question DOGE’s intentions by calling attention to old fraud that has already been marked.

According to the Social Security Act of 1935, individual states have almost complete control over employment systems and how they collect unemployment taxes, implement application processes, and distribute benefits. The COVID pandemic outbreak created a flood of new beneficiaries after Trump signed the COVID unemployment relief into law in March 2020.

The Department of Labor warned state officials that unemployment benefits and programs were at risk of becoming “a target for fraud with significant numbers of imposter claims being filed with stolen or synthetic identities.” Pseudo claims later uncovered records that identified toddlers and centenarians as recipients of funds that totaled around 4,895 unemployment claims filed by individuals over 100 years old between March 2020 and April 2022.

By 2022, the department suspected fraud claims worth over $45 million, totaling far under the Government Accountability Office’s potential estimates of $100 billion to $135 billion.

RELATED CONTENT: Is DOGE Using AI To Spy On Federal Workers For Disloyalty To Trump?

Trump, rwanda
by Stacy Jackson

April 17, 2025

Trump Considers Deporting Convicted U.S. Citizens To El Salvador Prisons

On Monday, El Salvado president Nayib Bukele said his country is prepared to house convicted U.S. citizens in its prisons

U.S. citizens are on President Donald Trump’s agenda as the administration considers a proposal to deport convicted Americans to prisons in El Salvador.

“The homegrowns are next, the homegrowns. You’ve got to build about five more places,” Trump said to El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, ahead of a press briefing on Monday.

According to NPR, Trump’s statement alluded to the concept of incarcerating convicted U.S. citizens in prison spaces abroad, an idea Bukele suggested El Salvador is prepared to carry out.

“Yeah, we’ve got space,” he said.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi is actively exploring whether American deportations to other countries would be legally sound and economical. “We have others we’re negotiating with, too,” Trump said. “If it’s a homegrown criminal, I have no problem. Now, we’re studying the laws right now—Pam is studying. If we can do that, it’s good.”

https://twitter.com/nayibbukele/status/1911803520845545960?s=46

While Trump ally Elon Musk and other conservatives agree with the concept of detaining U.S. citizens abroad, some legal scholars believe the concept is “unconstitutional” and “illegal.”

“There’s no authority in any U.S. law to deport U.S. citizens and certainly not to imprison them in a foreign country,” said David Bier of the Cato Institute. “The problem of course is [Trump] already has illegally deported hundreds of people by just not giving the courts an opportunity to stop him.”

In February, Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) urged the administration discard the proposal’s ideas in a letter addressed to the U.S. State Department.

“It would be a moral and legal travesty for the U.S. government to subject anyone” to the living conditions of Salvadoran prisons, Ossoff wrote, noting that they fail to provide proper sanitation, temperature control, and clean water.

According to Bukele’s February post on X, in exchange for a “relatively low” fee, El Salvador offered to take in convicted U.S. criminals into its Terrorism Confinement Center, a mega-prison located in Tecoluca.

Trump’s response: “I’d do it in a heartbeat.”

El Salvador is already reportedly housing hundreds of people who were transported from the United States to its maximum-security prison in the past weeks due to legal status and gang affiliations.

The United States has challenged legal and constitutional barriers in the past, imprisoning around 80,000 Japanese Americans during World War II. Although the American Civil Liberties Union claimed “you may not deport a U.S. citizen, period,” a White House spokeswoman indicated in an April 8 press briefing that Trump is fully considering the idea.

RELATED CONTENT: State Department Discloses Fate Of U.S. Man Wrongfully Deported To El Salvador

Ohio mom, Michigan, Darren, Dawson, Ohio, tortured closet, social security, Juvenile jails, ex cons for trump
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 17, 2025

Detroit Man Arrested For Alleged Sexual Assault Of 3 Women Over 20 Years Ago

The crimes took place on June 9, 1997, Sept. 22, 1997, and Aug. 9, 2004

A Detroit man has been arrested in connection with three sexual assault cases that took place as early as 1997.

According to The Detroit News, police officers arrested and charged Akida Diaba Dudley after accusing him of sexually assaulting three women between 1997 and 2004. The 51-year-old man was arraigned in the 36th District Court in Detroit, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office said. He will remain in jail until his next court hearing, scheduled for April 28, as he was remanded to jail without bond. 

He has been charged with three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and three counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. If convicted, he may face a prison sentence of up to life in prison for each of the first-degree criminal sexual conduct charges and up to 15 years for each charge of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

The case was handled by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office Sexual Assault Kit Task Force, and he is suspected of assaulting the women on three separate occasions: June 9, 1997, Sept. 22, 1997, and Aug. 9, 2004.

“The sexual assault kits in these cases are from the kits found in a Detroit Police Department evidence storage facility in 2009,” Kim L. Worthy said in a written statement. “As of August 2025, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office will have been continuously doing this work for 16 years. We support our courageous survivors who are willing to come forward and prosecute these cases after waiting for so long for justice.”

The first victim, who was 30 years old at the time, was attacked while she was at a bus stop near Grand River and West Warren Avenue. She was allegedly forced into a vehicle by the suspect.

The second victim was a 16-year-old girl who was standing at a bus stop at the corner of Livernois and Fenkell when she was picked up by the suspect, thinking she had seen up at a motorcycle club. After getting in the car, he asked for sex, she declined, and when she tried to exit the vehicle, she was allegedly attacked.

The third woman, an 18-year-old, was walking in the area of Fenkell and Wyoming when the suspect allegedly drove next to her, brandished a knife, and ended up assaulting her at an unknown location.

RELATED CONTENT: Le’Veon Bell Denies Incestuous Sexual Assault Allegations After Cousin Awarded $36M

College dorm, Move in, Undergrad, school, Dorm room, hbcu, Mizzou, Camp HBCYouth
by Jameelah Mullen

April 17, 2025

HBCUs Prepare For The Future As Government Budget Cuts Loom

HBCUs brace themselves amid anti-DEI budget cuts.

Colleges nationwide are bracing themselves as the Trump administration proposes drastic cuts in federal education funding. Some educational leaders say these cuts may have a catastrophic impact on historically Black colleges and universities, which have caused them to consider their potential budgets without federal funding. 

“We’re at this position where we realize that our ancestors did not rely on federal money in order to get the work done,” said Fatima Brunson,  assistant professor of education at Spelman College, told NBC News.

Historically, Black colleges are disproportionately underfunded compared to predominantly white universities. According to a 2022 Forbes study, HBCUs have experienced underfunding of over $12 billion in the past three decades. Yet, 54% of the revenue of Black colleges comes from federal and state funds. Additionally, over 70% of HBCU students utilize the federally funded Pell Grant to help finance their education.

Valerie Kinloch of Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina, stated that, while she expected financial setbacks under the Trump administration, she did not anticipate the dismantling of the Education Department or the potential for operating without federal funds. In response, the university launched a $10 million fundraising campaign to offset the potential loss.

Kinloch said that federal budget cuts affect colleges and can have a trickle-down effect on the entire community. For example, the loss of grant funding for health and science research raises public health concerns. In February, the federal government suspended a scholarship program that provided $19 million in agricultural educational funding for students attending HBCUs such as Tuskegee University and Alabama A&M. 

“Considering wildfires in California, bird flu in the poultry industry, and 60% of Alabama’s economy being agriculture, these cuts are unexpected and will have a long-term negative impact on Alabama and the agriculture industry across the country,” Shannon Frank Reeves, vice president of government affairs, told AL.com.

Black colleges contribute billions to local economies and employ approximately 130,000 people nationwide. 

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, nearly 300,000 students attend about 100 HBCUs across the country.

RELATED CONTENT: Bowie State University Hosts Nation’s First HBCU Prison Education Summit

Caribbean, Trump Administration. Marco. Rubio, travel ban, Antigua,, Barbados, cuba,, Dominica, St. Lucia
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 17, 2025

The Good Life: Caribbean Islands To Consider For Retirement

There are many to choose from

Islands has just released a list of the best Caribbean islands people could consider when it’s time for them to retire.

With many islands to choose from, the media outlet suggested several things to think about when it’s time to decide on where you could land to enjoy the rest of your life. Outside of the necessities one should have in mind, such as retirement income, expenses, taxes that need to be paid, and the cost of living where you plan to live, there are other things that should be on the checklist.

The location, of course, should take priority, but questions may loom. Will it be a permanent or seasonal location you’re scouting? Would it be based on a rental or a purchase of property? What are the legal ramifications for that island when it comes to potential ownership of property?

Other factors to consider when contemplating the move. How is the climate there? Does the weather suit your way of living? What’s the culture there? Do the amenities fit your ideal situation? How is the island built in terms of handling potential natural disasters and extreme weather conditions? How is the public transportation situation for getting around to places? Is finding local shopping a hassle? Are the tourist spots easily accessible if you want to explore? Does the place offer enjoyable activities?

Are there real estate opportunities available? What’s the crime rate in the area? How does nature look regarding marine life and the animals that occupy the land? There are many viable questions to ask when trying to find the ideal spot for you to spend your retirement years.

After consulting with numerous experts, including experienced expats, retirement planning sites, and financial advisors, who considered factors such as overall budgets, access to healthcare, and potential tax exemptions, as well as the political climate, social activities, and affordability, these Caribbean islands were selected as the best choices.

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • South Caicos
  • Bonaire
  • The Bahamas
  • Cayman Islands
  • Saint Maarten
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Saint Lucia
  • Anguilla

For more detailed information about the chosen places, please refer to the article here.

RELATED CONTENT: Pre-Easter Blackout Affects Millions, Restoration Underway In Puerto Rico

Trump Campaign, Hacked, Election, trump, Foo Fighters, Foo Fighters
by Mitti Hicks

April 17, 2025

Trump Ready For Trade Deal With China But Says Leaders Should Call First

Initially, Trump announced tariffs on various countries but paused and delayed his tariffs on dozens of trading partners except with China.

Whiplash is an understatement amid the bitter trade war between the United States and China. President Donald Trump says he’s ready to strike a trade deal with China but believes Chinese leaders should make the first move to solve the trade tensions.

“The ball is in China’s court,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, which was Trump’s direct comment on the matter. “China needs to make a deal with us; we don’t have to make a deal with them.”

In the media briefing with reporters Wednesday, she added, “There’s no difference between China and any other country except that they are much larger. And China wants what we have -– every country wants what we have –- the American consumer. Or, to put it another way, they need our money.”

A Trade War With China Since Trump’s Return To Office

Since Trump returned to the White House, the U.S. and China have been engaged in an escalating trade war.

Initially, Trump announced tariffs on various countries but paused and delayed his tariffs on dozens of trading partners, except with China. As of Thursday, a 145% tariff is in effect on Chinese imports. However, Beijing has not backed down and punched back with a 125% retaliatory tariff. 

As Politico reports, the Trump administration is “shooting blanks” in its strategy. Trump’s ultimate goal is to renegotiate a “fair deal” with China. But so far, Trump’s strategy has caused chaos in the markets, frustrations among various industries, and a tit-for-tat trade war with China.

In addition to retaliatory tariffs, China has reneged on a deal with US aircraft manufacturer Boeing, and Hong Kong’s postal service warned it would stop carrying US-bound mail in response to the tariffs.

“The U.S. is unreasonable, bullying and imposing tariffs abusively. Hongkong Post will definitely not collect any so-called tariffs on behalf of the U.S. and will suspend the acceptance of postal items containing goods destined to the US,” the postal service said in a statement.

While Trump waits for a call from Beijing, Chinese leaders have signaled that it’s highly unlikely and are willing to “fight to the end” if the U.S. continues to escalate tariffs, Al Jazeera reports.

RELATED CONTENT: iPhones vs. Surviving Trump’s Tariffs: Financial Strategists Share What Matters Most

student loan debt, Fresh Start Program
by Kandiss Edwards

April 17, 2025

Student Loan Repayment Plan Applications Reopen Amid Legal Challenges​

Check with student loan lenders to determine the status of your account

The U.S. Department of Education has reopened online applications for income-driven repayment (IDR) plans following a temporary suspension prompted by a February court ruling that blocked parts of the Biden administration’s Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan.

The court’s injunction halted the implementation of the SAVE Plan and affected other IDR plans, leading to a pause in processing applications. During this period, borrowers faced challenges in accessing affordable repayment options, particularly those who had recently lost their job. 

In response, the Education Department has reinstated access to IDR plans, but it has not specified when the backlog of applications will be processed. Borrowers are advised to contact their loan servicer for updates on their application status. ​

The department has also clarified the distinction between “general forbearance” and “processing forbearance.” While general forbearance does not count toward loan forgiveness under IDR or Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) programs, processing forbearance, imposed during the application processing period, can count toward forgiveness for up to 60 days.

Borrowers enrolled in the SAVE Plan are currently in a general forbearance status, with no payments due and no interest accruing. However, this period does not count toward PSLF or IDR forgiveness. The Education Department expects loan servicers to resume accurate billing no earlier than September 2025, with payments due starting December 2025.

Disparities in Student Loan Debt Among Black Borrowers

Black borrowers face significant disparities in student loan debt compared to other racial groups. A 2023 survey found that 52% of Black borrowers carried at least $25,000 in student loan debt from their own education, compared to 41% of White borrowers and 37% of Hispanic borrowers.

This demographic also faces significant disparities in student loan debt and default rates compared to their white counterparts. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, 50% of Black borrowers have defaulted on a student loan, compared to 29% of White borrowers. Furthermore, 74% of Black borrowers who have defaulted have done so more than once, indicating challenges in maintaining repayment.

As the department navigates these legal and administrative challenges, borrowers are encouraged to stay informed about their repayment options and maintain communication with their loan servicer.

RELATED CONTENT: Freezing Federal Grants And Loans Creates Economic And Social Risks For Black Americans

Arrest, father, Paulsboro, student, highschool, argument, confrontation,Texas, sheriff, Freddie. Douglas
by Sharelle B. McNair

April 17, 2025

Retired Baltimore Police Officer Gets Life Sentence For Sexually Abusing Children At Ex-Wife’s Daycare Center 

Data revealed Weems looked at pornographic materials over 170 times between January and July 2022 while in close proximity to numerous elementary schools

James Weems, a retired Baltimore police officer, received a life sentence in prison after he was found guilty of sexually abusing children at his ex-wife’s daycare, WJZ News reports. 

Weems was found guilty of rape, sexual abuse of a minor and showing obscene matter to a minor back in November 2024.

He drove the van for Lil Kidz Kastle, a daycare in Owings Mills owned by his ex-wife, Shanteari Young. Court records reveal disturbing facts of the case, including how Weems admitted to looking at pornography while taking children to school but claimed that he never intentionally showed the children or touched anyone. 

An uncle of one of the victims, 10 years old at the time, testified during the trial that the victim’s family found pornography on her tablet and claimed “Mr. James” first showed it to her.

According to WUSA9, data found by an FBI agent who specializes in location data testified that Weems looked at pornographic materials over 170 times between January and July 2022 while in close proximity to numerous Baltimore-area elementary schools where he was scheduled to drop off and pick up children for the daycare.

Young testified that she remembered Weems paying special attention to one of the victims, often referring to her as his “little buddy” and “my little helper.”

The former daycare owner, who is serving time for allegedly shooting Weems in July 2022 after learning about the allegations, said the young victim was delayed for her age and mostly kept to herself and her sister while attending the daycare.

Assistant state’s attorney Zarena Sita said that victim’s like that are who predators are known to prey on.

One of the victim’s parents filed a civil lawsuit against Weems in March 2025 to hold him financially accountable, alleging negligence and false imprisonment. The litigation claimed the young victim has dealt with nightmares and headaches due to the abuse following the ordeal, which attorney Jonathan Schochor called “devastating.”

“These are lifelong injuries,” Schochor said. “This young lady confronted what happened in court. Whether she can emotionally confront what happened in her life remains to be seen.” 

However, Weems’ attorneys, Thomas Pavlinic and Thomas McDowell, claim the victim’s reluctance and contradictory testimony at times should have given the jurors enough reasonable doubt.

“I have empathy for [the alleged victim],” Pavlinic said. “I think she is a victim in this case. Not of Mr. Weems, but of the system.”

The life sentence isn’t the end of Weems’ legal troubles. He still faces an additional 23 charges related to the other alleged victims, including three more counts of second-degree rape. Young was also named in the civil suit, alleging the daycare should have been aware of Weems being “addicted to internet pornography and would habitually watch pornography every chance he had…”

RELATED CONTENT: Philly Man Arrested for Alleged Sexual Assault Apparently Called Police First: ‘Why Y’all Doing That, Dude?’

mass shooting, FSU, FLorida State Univerrsity Shooting
by Keka Araújo

April 17, 2025

BREAKING: Multiple People Injured in Florida State University Shooting; Shelter-In-Place Ordered

In 2014, a gunman opened fire in the campus library, wounding three people before being killed by police

Multiple people were injured, one critically, in a shooting Thursday at Florida State University, prompting a campus-wide shelter-in-place order.  

FSU issued an alert shortly after noon telling individuals on its Tallahassee campus to “shelter in place” due to an “active shooter call at the Student Union.”  

Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare confirmed to NPR via email that it had received six patients from the incident, “one in critical condition and the rest in serious condition.”

On X, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addressed the situation: “Our prayers are with our FSU family, and state law enforcement is actively responding.”  

President Donald Trump, speaking at the White House, said he had been briefed on the shooting, calling it “a horrible thing. It’s horrible that things like this take place.”

Reid Seybold, an FSU senior, recounted being in class when the shooting occurred. He described how someone barricaded the door until police arrived to escort everyone out. 

“I’m honestly terrified,” Seybold told WTSP. He also expressed concern for friends elsewhere on campus, but had since heard that they were safe.  

Another student called out leadership on the state and federal level.

“I’m gonna call on Governor Ron DeSantis [and] Donald Trump. This stuff keeps going on. We’re praying every day. Praying is good. Spirituality is good. But prayers don’t do much. It’s good for the soul, but is this still happening? I think it is. So we need to make some gun reforms.”

The university advised students to avoid the Tallahassee campus and canceled all “classes and business operations” through Friday. Later, FSU extended the cancellations to include all “athletics home events” through Sunday.  

This is not the first shooting incident at the university. In 2014, a gunman opened fire in the campus library, wounding three people before being killed by police.

Founded in 1851, Florida State University has an enrollment of 45,000 students and employs approximately 6,000 faculty and staff members.  

More information will be provided as this story develops.

RELATED CONTENT: 20-Year-Old Man Arrested After Money Dispute Leads To Alleged Double Murder

Over 300 Female Physician Assistants Sue Michigan Medicine, Claiming Wage Discrimination
by Sharelle B. McNair

April 17, 2025

Over 300 Female Physician Assistants Sue Michigan Medicine, Claiming Wage Discrimination

The plaintiffs claim UM knew about this disparity for years but failed to act on it

More than 300 current and former female physician assistants (PAs) have sued the health system affiliated with the University of Michigan (UM), Michigan Medicine, over allegations of wage discrimination.

In the lawsuit, filed April 15, current PA Christine Oldenburg-McGee was named the plaintiff as she brought the lawsuit forward on behalf of herself and other colleagues.

The group was allegedly paid $9,000 less per year on average than their male counterparts doing the same amount of work. The president of the United Physician Assistants of Michigan Medicine (UPAMM) union, Oldenburg-McGee said the systemic and long-standing gender-based pay disparities violate Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA) as well as other state and federal laws.

“This case could have been avoided with action years ago,” the PAs’ attorney Sarah Prescott said in a statement, according to MLive. “Instead, our clients have waited long enough. It’s time for accountability.”

The plaintiffs claim that UM was aware of this disparity for years but failed to address it, instead negotiating a contract in 2021 that “rather entrenched it further” and perpetuated the wage gap.

“Despite the UM Defendants’ knowledge of the gender wage gap, and despite expressions of intentions to address the disparity, the UM Defendants have for years failed and refused to correct for it,” the suit read.  

The defendants in this lawsuit are the University of Michigan Board of Regents, the University of Michigan, Michigan Medicine, and the University of Michigan Medical School. Some executives named include Dr. David Miller, Jovita Thomas-Williams, and Hakim Berry, as well as Dr. David Miller, the CEO, who allegedly exercised policymaking oversight and managerial control over Michigan Medicine during the specified periods listed in the suit. 

The case, filed in the Washtenaw County Circuit Court, is expected to move forward as a certified class action under Michigan Court Rule 3.501.

The plaintiffs seek not only back pay and related retirement losses but exemplary and punitive damages to deter future violations.

“This case is about equal pay for equal work – nothing more, and certainly nothing less,” Prescott said. “These women are highly trained medical professionals. They make the system itself operable, and they deserve to be compensated fairly and equitably.”

RELATED CONTENT: Gimme The Loot! Texas UPS Employee’s $200K Luxury Theft Ring Lands Him In Lockup

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