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Bay Area Construction Worker Accused in Napa Home Burglaries

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A Northern California construction worker is accused of targeting homes in wine country, stealing jewelry and other valuables and then reselling the items, as investigators examine a series of bold residential burglaries reported over an extended period.

David Alejandro Gomez Sanchez allegedly entered homes in Napa and Pleasant Hill through unlocked doors and windows, taking “expensive handbags, jewelry and jewelry boxes” before pawning the stolen property, the Napa County Sheriff’s Office said.

Authorities are now appealing to the public for information about additional break-ins, saying the 44-year-old Napa resident may be connected to thefts from area homes dating as far back as 2024.

“Napa County Sheriff’s Office (NSO) detectives noticed a pattern in four recent residential burglaries occurring in the Hagen Road area of Napa. The victims stated their jewelry had been stolen from their homes but with no evidence of a forced entry,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

Local officials said the suspect, who lives in Napa, works in construction and has performed jobs at “multiple homes” in the area.

Sheriffs found stolen jewelry inside Gomez’s truck and said he admitted to participating in the burglaries upon his arrest on Aug. 21.

Photos shared on social media by law enforcement show a collection of earrings, necklaces, watches, designer handbags and jewelry boxes that were recovered.

The suspect was busted after a failed entry into a home on Hillcrest drive, according to authorities.

Gomez remainsedheld at Napa County jail as of Monday, according to the Napa Valley Register.

He pleaded not guilty to 12 felony charges connected to the alleged burglaries.

Lionel Richie, 77, in ICU After Sudden Illness in St. Louis

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Lionel Richie was taken to a hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, after becoming unwell following a Saturday night performance in the city.

The 77-year-old music icon reportedly admitted himself to a medical facility after his show at The Muny in Forest Park, where doctors conducted tests, according to TMZ. The outlet said Richie received care in the intensive care unit.

As of Monday afternoon, the legendary singer remained under observation at the hospital, though he is expected to be discharged on Tuesday, the report added.

Insiders told the site that Richie sought medical attention as a precaution, with physicians said to be looking into whether dehydration may have contributed to his condition.

The Daily Mail has contacted Lionel Richie’s representative for comment, but has not yet received a reply.

The singer’s latest health scare comes just two months after he stoked concerns among fans when he was forced to cut short a concert in St. Paul, Minnesota, after falling ill on stage.

Lionel Richie, 77, has been hospitalized in St. Louis, Missouri, after falling ill after a show there on Saturday night. The singer checked himself into the facility following his performance to have some tests run, per TMZ, and he was treated in the ICU; pictured July 1 in Detroit, Michigan

Lionel Richie, 77, has been hospitalized in St. Louis, Missouri, after falling ill after a show there on Saturday night. The singer checked himself into the facility following his performance to have some tests run, per TMZ, and he was treated in the ICU; pictured July 1 in Detroit, Michigan

Lionel Richie, 77, has been hospitalized in St. Louis, Missouri, after falling ill after a show there on Saturday night. The singer checked himself into the facility following his performance to have some tests run, per TMZ, and he was treated in the ICU; pictured May 15 in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Lionel Richie, 77, has been hospitalized in St. Louis, Missouri, after falling ill after a show there on Saturday night. The singer checked himself into the facility following his performance to have some tests run, per TMZ, and he was treated in the ICU; pictured May 15 in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Richie remains in the hospital as of Monday afternoon and is expected to be released on Tuesday, according to the site; pictured in Spain in August 2025

Richie remains in the hospital as of Monday afternoon and is expected to be released on Tuesday, according to the site; pictured in Spain in August 2025

Concert attendees told TMZ that Richie appeared to be having difficulty at the end of his concert in St. Louis.

During his show-closing performance of his iconic hit All Night Long, Richie had to ask for a chair to be brought out so that he could sit down while singing. 

The incident was reminiscent of the health scare Richie suffered at his St. Paul concert in June, when he had to sit down on stage multiple times while performing.

The septuagenarian hitmaker was performing at the Grand Casino Arena as the start of his joint Sing A Song All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind & Fire when he announced an unusual intermission after a performance of Three Times A Lady from his piano, according to Minnesota’s Bring Me The News.

Richie’s band reportedly also left the stage minutes later, but more than 40 minutes after he cut off the show, a band member returned to announce he wouldn’t be able to return because he was feeling ill.

‘Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well,’ said saxophonist Dino Soldo, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. ‘He won’t be able to continue. Additional information will be available.’

On social media, fans who attended the show shared their concerns and revealed that the singer had signaled throughout the performance that he wasn’t feeling well. 

Videos of him performing showed the singer stopping to sit down multiple times during his second-to-last song, Dancing On The Ceiling, and he reportedly told the crowd he was feeling ‘dizzy’ while performing. 

Sources said Richie took himself to the hospital out of an abundance of caution, and doctors were reportedly considering the possibility that he might be suffering from dehydration; pictured in May on American Idol

Sources said Richie took himself to the hospital out of an abundance of caution, and doctors were reportedly considering the possibility that he might be suffering from dehydration; pictured in May on American Idol

Concert attendees told TMZ that Richie appeared to be having difficulty at the end of his concert in St. Louis, and he asked for a chair to be brought out so that he could sit while singing his show-closing hit All Night Long; pictured July 1 in Detroit, Michigan

Concert attendees told TMZ that Richie appeared to be having difficulty at the end of his concert in St. Louis, and he asked for a chair to be brought out so that he could sit while singing his show-closing hit All Night Long; pictured July 1 in Detroit, Michigan

The incident was reminiscent of the health scare Richie suffered at his St. Paul concert in June (pictured), when he had to sit down on stage multiple times while performing

The incident was reminiscent of the health scare Richie suffered at his St. Paul concert in June (pictured), when he had to sit down on stage multiple times while performing

Richie was able to sit at the piano bench for what turned out to be his last song of the evening.

A fan who attended the June concert told the publication Richie ‘said he has been in this business long enough, if you feel dizzy you sit down! And if you don’t feel right, you sit down!’ 

According to the Minnesota Star Tribune’s Jon Bream, Richie was even saltier with his advice, quoting the singer as saying, ‘When you’re feeling dizzy, sit your a** down.’

One video posted by journalist Patrick Kessler on X from the St. Paul show in June showed a portion of his Dancing On The Ceiling performance in which he appeared unsteady as he walked across the stage, before he made an unexpected stop and sat down on the edge of a large stepped platform.

Despite apparently feeling unwell, Richie appeared to be singing throughout his seated portion of the song, rather than relying on a guide vocal. 

Richie was seated for less than ten seconds before he stood up and started making his way across the stage again.

However, less than 30 seconds later, he stopped to sit down again on the risers on the opposite side of the stage, even as he continued singing. 

According to the Star Tribune, Richie’s saxophonist Dino Soldo, who later confirmed that the rest of the show was canceled, took a seat with the singer during Dancing On The Ceiling. 

Richie reportedly told the crowd that he was feeling 'dizzy' while performing; pictured on American Idol. A band member reportedly told the audience that Richie had to cancel the rest of the show because he was 'not feeling well'; pictured April 29 in NYC

Richie reportedly told the crowd that he was feeling ‘dizzy’ while performing; pictured on American Idol. A band member reportedly told the audience that Richie had to cancel the rest of the show because he was ‘not feeling well’; pictured April 29 in NYC 

Audience members reportedly began filing out once Richie's band left the stage, about 15 minutes after his departure; pictured April 29 in NYC

Audience members reportedly began filing out once Richie’s band left the stage, about 15 minutes after his departure; pictured April 29 in NYC

He and the funk icons are next scheduled to perform in Chicago on Friday, June 26; Earth, Wind & Fire is pictured performing in Honolulu, Hawaii, on June 13

He and the funk icons are next scheduled to perform in Chicago on Friday, June 26; Earth, Wind & Fire is pictured performing in Honolulu, Hawaii, on June 13

The publication reported audience members began to file out of the venue as soon as Richie’s band left the stage, about 15 minutes after he announced the surprise intermission.

One disappointed audience member called the surprise end to the show ‘horrible’ while speaking to the Star Tribune. 

‘I’m super bummed. This was my first time [seeing Richie] and I’m old,’ they vented.

The first half of the concert featured a performance from Earth, Wind & Fire, while Richie took the stage for what would have been the second half of the evening. 

The two acts are now touring separately after wrapping up their performances in mid-August, but they’ll reunite for another mini tour with three shows on September 26 in San Francisco, California, September 30 in Chicago and October 2 in Columbus, Ohio.

Fury as Trump’s Billionaire Italy Ambassador Throws Lavish Bash

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Theodore Roosevelt built his foreign policy reputation on gunboat diplomacy.

Donald Trump’s ambassador to Italy, however, appears to be taking a far more opulent route to influence: call it love boat diplomacy.

Tilman Fertitta, the 69-year-old billionaire entertainment magnate, has been courting foreign officials from aboard his $450 million megayacht, Boardwalk, while sailing around Italy on what has been billed as a two-and-a-half-month “Coastal Diplomatic Tour.”

The 383-foot vessel is outfitted for spectacle, featuring two helipads, two swimming pools, four hot tubs, a full spa, a scuba room, a putting green and a cinema. Its decks have become a floating reception venue where business leaders and sports figures mingle with government officials at high-end gatherings.

Fertitta, ranked by Forbes as the world’s 312th-richest person, is not traveling alone. Also aboard are his wife, Lauren Ware Fertitta, and their five-year-old daughter, Elle.

CNN, which toured the yacht, found deckhands polishing chrome railings and plumping pillows before guests arrived, while Fertitta showed off the floating mansion’s family kitchen and its stocked fridge.

The cruise comes at Fertitta’s own expense – apart from security provided by the Italian government. He estimates the coastal tour will cost him about $1 million, with the voyage also serving as a celebration of America’s 250th anniversary and a way to avoid renovations at his official residence in Rome.

But for some Italians, the billionaire’s floating summer of excess is beginning to feel less like Roman Holiday and more like the last days of Rome.

Tilman Fertitta, 69, with his wife Lauren Ware Fertitta and their five-year-old daughter, Elle

Tilman Fertitta, 69, with his wife Lauren Ware Fertitta and their five-year-old daughter, Elle

The Boardwalk boasts two helipads, two swimming pools, four hot tubs, a fully equipped spa, a scuba room, a putting green and a cinema, with business tycoons and sports personalities rubbing shoulders with government officials at lavish receptions

The Boardwalk boasts two helipads, two swimming pools, four hot tubs, a fully equipped spa, a scuba room, a putting green and a cinema, with business tycoons and sports personalities rubbing shoulders with government officials at lavish receptions

Tilman Fertitta seen aboard his luxury mega yacht in Portofino, Italy, on August 15

Tilman Fertitta seen aboard his luxury mega yacht in Portofino, Italy, on August 15

The $450 million vessel is seen in August with a chopper sitting on the helipad

The $450 million vessel is seen in August with a chopper sitting on the helipad

Demonstrators clash with riot police during a protest against the visit of US Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta in Venice on July 17

Demonstrators clash with riot police during a protest against the visit of US Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta in Venice on July 17

Fertitta’s extravagance has sparked protests and prompted questions about the cost to Italy. The Boardwalk was greeted by demonstrators when it docked in Venice last month, with chants of ‘No space for billionaires’ and ‘Venice is not the United States.’

Angelo Bonelli, a national lawmaker and co-chair of the Greens and Left Alliance, is demanding Georgia Meloni’s government reveal the cost of police, helicopters and boats being used for security around Fertitta’s vessel. Bonelli estimates the bill to the Italian state could be as much as $4.6 million.

But the Texan insists his unique style of diplomacy is paying off.

‘You have an ambassador that has cachet, and the Italians like that,’ Fertitta told the Washington Post ahead of a yacht party in Bari attended by local lawmakers and military top brass.

‘They like that [they’re] important enough to us that you’re going to come into our town, on your big boat, and pay respect to us and have us in your home,’ he said. ‘That’s what I hear from people.’

The newspaper reported that Fertitta has won fans in Meloni’s inner circle despite Trump’s recent public spats with his NATO ally over Italy’s refusal to aid the Iran war.

‘From our viewpoint, his main [asset] is that he’s fond of Italy and feels profoundly connected to it,’ Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said of Fertitta, whose family hails from Sicily.

‘The other advantage is that Trump respects him,’ Crosetto added. ‘He’s one of the few who may ring him up and talk for half an hour about anything.’

The Post also reported Ignazio La Russa, president of Italy’s Senate and a co-founder of Meloni’s party, promised to attend one of Fertitta’s parties but stayed away, saying he did not want to cause ‘any embarrassment’ amid protests in Venice. 

Money talks: Fertitta with Donald Trump in the Oval Office

Money talks: Fertitta with Donald Trump in the Oval Office

Fertitta pictured aboard his yacht ahead of hosting city officials in Genova, Italy, August 19

Fertitta pictured aboard his yacht ahead of hosting city officials in Genova, Italy, August 19

The colossal yacht moored of Portofino earlier this month

The colossal yacht moored of Portofino earlier this month

Fertitta has spent $2 million of his own money renovating Villa Taverna, the ambassador’s residence in Rome, after arriving in Italy last year.

He has a reputation for combining business with celebrity and politics. His relationship with Trump began in 1999 when he set up a restaurants inside the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City.

Fertitta, who grew up peeling shrimp at his father’s restaurant on Galveston Island, bought dining chain Landry’s in the 1980s. It has since become a billion-dollar behemoth with more than 600 restaurants, hotels, casinos, and entertainment spots.

He also owns the Golden Nugget Hotels and Casinos and the NBA’s Houston Rockets, and was the host of the reality television show Billion Dollar Buyer.

He told CNN that he has long desired the Italian ambassador job because of his Sicilian ancestry. 

Trump has placed 90 political appointees in ambassador roles, a significantly higher ratio than previous administrations, as the White House bets on wealthy and well-connected figures to represent the US abroad.

Trump’s in-law Charles Kushner serves as ambassador to France, banker Warren Stephens is ambassador to the UK and hair care magnate Leandro Rizzuto Jr. represents the US in Norway.

Fertitta is unusual even among that lineup, with his $11.1 billion fortune making him one of the wealthiest people ever to serve as a US ambassador.

Former US ambassador to Yemen Barbara Bodine, who served under Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, disapproves of the lavish cruising.

‘Political ambassadors will mostly use their personal wealth to upgrade the residence,’ Bodine told the Post. ‘But to flaunt it this much? My reaction when I found out that … he was out there in this yacht is that this is inappropriate.’ 

Riot Police stand guard as demonstrators gather to protest against the visit of US Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta in Venice on July 17

Riot Police stand guard as demonstrators gather to protest against the visit of US Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta in Venice on July 17

Riot cops protecting the yacht in July when it docked in Venice

Riot cops protecting the yacht in July when it docked in Venice

The mega yacht at port in Livorno, Italy, on August 17

The mega yacht at port in Livorno, Italy, on August 17

The tour has nonetheless generated plenty of attention, from the protest in Venice to Fertitta’s ancestral home of Cefalù in Sicily, where the local bishop gave him documents tracing his family history back to 1566.

Fertitta told CNN: ‘I’m not doing this to show off. I’m doing this because it works for American and Italian relationships and it works for Ambassador Fertitta’s relationships with all the people in these little towns.’

The Daily Mail has contacted Fertitta and the State Department for comment.

FBI Extradites Former Top Ten Fugitive in Girl’s 2000 Murder

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The FBI on Monday brought back to the United States a Honduran national who had been sought for more than 25 years in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a 5-year-old girl in Philadelphia.

Alexis Flores, who had been named to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, was arrested in Honduras in February, FBI Director Kash Patel said. Authorities linked Flores to the 2000 killing of 5-year-old Iriana DeJesus, and Honduran officials later approved his extradition to U.S. custody.

“Alexis Flores is yet another high value target brought back by this FBI, after he was arrested in Honduras in February by an anti-gang transnational task force connected to the 2000 murder of a 5-year-old girl, Iriana DeJesus,” Patel told News Media. “After more than 25 years on the run, this arrest proves time and distance do not shield violent offenders from justice.”

Exclusive: Alleged $32M COVID-19 Fraud Fugitive Captured in Jamaica and Returned to US, FBI Says

Split with a mugshot in an inset and the Philadelphia FBI building

Alexis Flores was previously listed among the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, officials said. He was arrested Wednesday in Honduras in connection with the 2000 killing of a young girl in Philadelphia. (FBI and Google Maps)

“This also comes as the FBI and Trump administration continue an unprecedented run of man hunting violent fugitives. This FBI has conducted nearly over 70 similar extraditions since the start of June. More than ever before, violent criminals cannot hide from the reach of law enforcement. Thank you to our overseas partners, department of justice, and brilliant FBI teams who got this done,” Patel said.

The FBI said Flores had been removed from the fugitives list in March 2025 due to the prior Honduran government’s refusal to extradite him for his offenses, citing local laws limiting extradition.

Alex Flores mugshot

Alexis Flores was a top 10 FBI fugitive, according to officials. (FBI)

Authorities in Philadelphia celebrated Flores’ arrest when authorities apprehended him in Honduras earlier this year.

“The passage of time does not diminish our resolve or perseverance in the pursuit of justice,” said Wayne Jacobs, special agent in charge of FBI Philadelphia, in February. “The arrest of Alexis Flores is the culmination of 25 years of tireless investigative effort and the strength of our partnerships across departments. Through this sustained collaboration and the support of our law enforcement partners, both domestically and internationally, the day is now here.”

Flores’ extradition comes just weeks after the FBI captured Most Wanted fugitive Gregory Henderson Jr., just three days after adding the alleged Indianapolis gang leader to its list and offering a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to his arrest.

kash patel wears an black FBI jacket while standing at a DOJ podium

FBI Director Kash Patel speaks during a press conference on October 23, 2025 in New York City. He announced indictments against current and former N.B.A. players in a pair of criminal cases that involved the coordination of Mafia families and professional athletes. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Henderson, 46, had evaded arrest since a sweeping federal takedown of his alleged organization in August 2023. He faces federal charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and conspiracy to engage in an animal fighting venture.

The FBI alleges Henderson led a violent Indianapolis gang whose drug trafficking network was supplied by the Sinaloa Cartel and distributed methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl throughout Indianapolis and the surrounding Midwest.

Letitia James Aide Accused of Targeting Trump Was Fired by Trump Admin, Won $795K Discrimination Case

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A bureau chief in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office, accused of seeking damaging information about President Trump, previously sued his administration over alleged discrimination — and secured a substantial settlement.

A bureau chief in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office, accused of seeking damaging information about President Trump, previously sued his administration over alleged discrimination — and secured a substantial settlement.

Shamiso Maswoswe, chief of the Investor Protection Bureau, allegedly directed a prosecutor to pursue individuals and organizations “affiliated with Donald Trump.” Court records show she also filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice, claiming the first Trump administration discriminated against her based on race, sex and child care responsibilities.

In the 2021 complaint, Maswoswe alleged that Trump’s DOJ wrongfully fired her in December 2017 because she is a Black woman and because she needed to care for her premature baby while continuing to work.

“The [DOJ] Public Integrity Section terminated Ms. Maswoswe on the same day that she completed a successful sentencing hearing in the aftermath of her large and highly publicized jury trial victory,” the complaint stated. “Ms. Maswoswe and her colleagues at the Public Integrity Section were celebrating her victory when she received notice that she was being summoned to meet with Human Resources.”

Federal court records in Washington, DC, show Maswoswe reached a $795,000 settlement in 2023, during the Biden administration and before Trump returned to the White House.

Mawoswe is now immersed in controversy after a prosecutor in her office, former Brooklyn Assistant District Attorney Matthew Wiesenfeld, claimed in a since-deleted email to some 2,000 colleagues that she told him to target Trump and his political allies, as first reported by the Times-Union.

“If you believe Trump is using the [Department of Justice] attorneys to prosecute his enemies and further his political interests, you should fine it equally troubling that Tish [James] is doing exactly the same thing,” Wiesenfeld allegedly wrote in the Friday email.

“I ask you that you not serve as Tish’s personal attorneys by targeting her political enemies.”

Wiesenfeld was placed on paid administrative leave and has not spoken publicly about the issue.

In a statement Sunday, the attorney general’s office called it “a personnel matter,” and said it is committed to protecting New Yorkers “regardless of political beliefs.

“We strongly reject any assertion to the contrary,” the statement said.

Trump and James have been at odds for years, with the attorney general vowing during her 2018 campaign to “prosecute the president for crimes committed in New York state” if she was elected.

In 2024, the AG’s office won a $360 million civil case against Trump, his sons and his former company for overstating Big Apple property values and lying about his wealth — a case that was later upheld on appeal but without the massive financial payout.

Trump has cited the case as just one example of James’ attempts to target him unfairly.

Maswoswe, who joined James’ office in February 2022, had been hired by the DOJ in January 2016, and gave birth to her premature baby in November that year, according to the court papers.

“Ms. Maswoswe’s child was born premature and with health complications, and she was under doctors’ instructions to ensure that her child was fed breast milk,” the complaint said.

She said that medical requirement rubbed her bosses the wrong way, although she maintained caring for her child did not interfere with her work, which included several high-profile court victories.

The settlement in her 2021 lawsuit was signed on April 20, 2023, during the Biden administration.

Fox News Rallies Behind Jennifer Hegseth Over Pentagon Report

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Pete Hegseth’s one-time Fox News allies are rallying behind his wife, Jen Hegseth, after a New York Times story depicted her as a strikingly influential — though unofficial — figure around Pentagon decision-making.

“Pete is blessed to have someone like Jen Hegseth partnering with him,” said Sean Duffy, the former Fox News host who is now serving as Transportation Secretary. “She’s really smart and Pete is better because of Jen.”

Duffy offered the defense during an appearance on the Katie Miller Podcast with his wife, Fox News personality Rachel Campos-Duffy, in a preview clip from the forthcoming episode obtained exclusively by the Daily Mail.

Katie Miller, who is married to Trump adviser Stephen Miller, dismissed the New York Times report as a “hit piece” targeting Jen Hegseth. She argued that it is hardly unusual for a public official to lean on a spouse for guidance, even when that spouse has no formal role inside the Pentagon.

The Duffys also pushed back on criticism of the Hegseths’ close working dynamic. Rachel Campos-Duffy said political spouses often hold a rare place of trust because, unlike many advisers and insiders, they are not necessarily driven by their own political ambitions or agendas.

‘Every political marriage,’ Campos-Duffy said, has one person in the politician’s life who has ‘no angle except what’s best for that person’ – the wife.

She acknowledged that Jen Hegseth may be more visible at her husband’s place of work compared to other political spouses.

‘Maybe she’s a little more out front inside of the Pentagon,’ Campos-Duffy said.

A New York Times investigation painted a striking picture of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth¿s wife Jen and her influential role alongside her husband, describing her as his most influential adviser and de facto producer at the Pentagon

A New York Times investigation painted a striking picture of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s wife Jen and her influential role alongside her husband, describing her as his most influential adviser and de facto producer at the Pentagon 

Jennifer Hegseth was recently named chair of the President's Military Spouse Commission, an unpaid position focused on improving the lives of military families and spouses

Jennifer Hegseth was recently named chair of the President’s Military Spouse Commission, an unpaid position focused on improving the lives of military families and spouses

'It's not like she's in making¿ you know, bombing decisions in Iran,' Campos-Duffy said of Jennifer Hegseth's involvement at the Pentagon

‘It’s not like she’s in making… you know, bombing decisions in Iran,’ Campos-Duffy said of Jennifer Hegseth’s involvement at the Pentagon

‘But the best politicians have really smart wives who help them decide and debate and discern what the best moves are.’

Duffy then offered a glimpse into his own marriage, explaining that Rachel does not sit in on every meeting or have access to all of the information he receives as a senior government official.

But, he said, she still plays an important role as someone he trusts to challenge him and offer advice.

‘Sometimes she’ll come and say, hey, you need to do this and this and this,’ Duffy said.

He argued that the same dynamic applies to Pete and Jen Hegseth, praising the defense secretary for having his wife alongside him.

Duffy did acknowledge that there are clear limits to how involved Jen can be in her husband’s work, particularly when it comes to classified information.

‘She probably can’t get into every SCIF with all the knowledge and information that Pete has,’ he said, referring to the secure facilities where highly classified information is discussed.

Campos-Duffy likewise stressed that Jen was not involved in actual military decision-making.

‘It’s not like she’s in making… you know, bombing decisions in Iran,’ she said.

The fiery defense comes after a New York Times investigation painted a striking picture of Jen’s role alongside her husband and described her as his most influential adviser and his de facto producer at the Pentagon.

According to The Times, interviews with more than 20 current and former administration officials and people close to Jen found that she has taken an unusually hands-on role around the Pentagon, despite initially having no official position there.

She has helped prepare Hegseth for public appearances, joined meetings with journalists, interviewed prospective staff and brainstormed ideas for Defense Department videos, while also attending high-level meetings with foreign officials.

The report highlighted one particularly sensitive meeting with British defense officials after the US temporarily halted intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

The Duffys discussed the Hegseth's marriage on the latest episode of the Katie Miller podcast

The Duffys discussed the Hegseth’s marriage on the latest episode of the Katie Miller podcast

British officials reportedly held back on discussing the risks to their personnel while Jen was present, with a more detailed conversation taking place after she left. The Pentagon has disputed that she was present for classified discussions, saying she was there only for introductions.

Her involvement has also extended to the Pentagon’s media operation, an area where she has particular experience.

Jen previously worked as an executive producer at Fox News and was involved in Hegseth’s television career before they married in 2019. The Times reported that she played a role in decisions over which reporters received access to her husband and pushed to revoke credentials from journalists she believed had written negatively about him.

After legal concerns were raised about targeting individual reporters, the Pentagon introduced a new media rotation system that removed outlets including The New York Times, NBC News, NPR and Politico from their workspaces and replaced them with organizations including the New York Post, Breitbart, One America News and HuffPost.

She has also reportedly helped shape Hegseth’s TV appearances and Pentagon media strategy. Sources said Jen approved, alongside senior Pentagon officials, an upgrade that turned a room near the press briefing area into a makeup and television preparation studio for senior officials and VIPs.

The extent of her involvement has drawn sharp criticism.

John Ullyot, Hegseth’s former Pentagon chief spokesman, told The Times: ‘It’s bonkers that a defense secretary would involve his wife in his sensitive official duties, including sharing details of an impending military operation, and face zero consequences.’

He added: ‘Any president deserves better judgment from his national security leaders.’

Senator Chris Coons has also questioned her participation in sensitive meetings, saying, ‘This is not normal,’ and arguing that Hegseth could not simply pass classified information to his wife.

Her defenders, however, see her involvement as evidence of her value to Hegseth.

The Pentagon has described her as an ‘accomplished leader’ and ‘devoted military spouse,’ calling her a ‘vital asset’ and ‘true force multiplier.’

Jen has now taken on an official Washington role of her own.

She was recently named chair of the President’s Military Spouse Commission, an unpaid position focused on improving the lives of military families and spouses.

The appointment gives her a formal platform beyond her role as Hegseth’s wife, even as questions continue over the extent of her influence inside the Pentagon.

Hegseth has credited Jen with helping him turn his life around during a period when he was drinking heavily.

In a December 2024 interview with Megyn Kelly, he described Jennifer and Jesus as his ‘two Js,’ saying his wife had ‘changed my life’ and ‘saved me.’

SNP’s Spending Spree Hits the Limit as Scotland Faces the Bill

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The next time roadworks leave you crawling through a queue of brake lights, spare a thought for Scotland’s so-called “traffic cone tsar”.

Kevin Hamilton receives total remuneration of up to £125,000 a year, although questions remain over what his role delivers in practical terms.

As Scottish Road Works Commissioner, he oversees a team of six. Yet the office says it is “not resourced to reactively investigate individual roadworks”, a caveat that will do little to reassure motorists stuck in disruption.

For critics, it is another example of the costly bureaucracy that has become familiar in the high-spending era of devolution, sitting alongside a sprawling public-sector network that includes around 130 quangos at the last count.

Then there is the wider bill for government giveaways — from “free” prescriptions and tuition to proposals for schoolbags for every new primary pupil, a scheme estimated to cost £6.5million a year.

The truth is Scotland has maxed out its credit card under the SNP, and now the bill is about to land on the doormat with an ominous thud.

John Swinney is talking vaguely about the need for sweeping reform, which could involve merging health boards and councils, and presumably tsars will be in the firing line, at least theoretically.

You might wonder whether Mr Swinney has the willpower to take on the unions and force through big changes – and why he, or the governments of which he has been part since 2007, didn’t get round to it sooner.

John Swinney has been unwilling to reckon with the rising public sector spending in Scotland

John Swinney has been unwilling to reckon with the rising public sector spending in Scotland

The SNP has added to endemic waste and now expects us to believe it’s ready to wield the axe, though presumably it will cave in to the next public sector pay demand when strike threats loom.

The party’s tenure has included the most generous pay settlements in the UK. The cost so far is around £27billion and accounts for more than half of the Scottish Government’s resource budget.

Settling the bill will be a painful reckoning but there’s no real indication that the Nationalists are up to the task, preferring to live in Cloud Cuckoo Land – despite the familiar rhetoric about the need to tighten belts and trim the fat.

The SNP’s draft Referendum Bill, setting out the terms of a vote that won’t take place, shows it is incapable of getting to grips with reality.

Published last week, it illustrates the true priorities of a party which is prepared to talk the talk when it comes to managing the economy – but comes nowhere close to taking the action needed to back up its vague promises.

The independence crusade is an excuse for continued inertia – while the SNP keeps splurging money it doesn’t have on policies it can’t afford.

State handouts are costing us nearly £10billion a year, stoking a toxic dependency culture which drains the nation of talent and prevents any prospect of growth.

Scotland’s welfare agency has ballooned to a record size – with more than 4,000 staff on the payroll.

Benefits are our only credible growth industry – and in June last year a senior SNP minister, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said she was ‘happy’ for the sum spent on handouts bill to skyrocket. The mere existence of that doomed Referendum Bill is further proof that the SNP exists in a fantasy realm.

It’s the equivalent of someone heavily in debt, with sheriff officers at the door, who ignores the banging and starts browsing online for Ferraris.

Or a party chief executive endlessly ordering goodies on Amazon using other people’s cash, heedless of the potential consequences.

The SNP have introduced a draft bill for a new independence referendum

The SNP have introduced a draft bill for a new independence referendum

Public Finance Minister Hannah Mary Goodlad summed up the contradiction neatly on BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions last week when she said nothing would be off the table when it came to shaking up the public sector to save money.

Yet she also said Scotland’s economy was the ‘envy of the world’, for which she was roundly (and justly) mocked by her fellow panellist, the journalist Magnus Linklater.

The second statement discredits the first – anyone who genuinely believes the latter claim needs to lie down in a darkened room with a cold flannel on their forehead.

They certainly can’t be trusted to redesign the bloated state (take a look at Police Scotland if you want to know how it’s likely to pan out, if it ever happens).

Ivan McKee, the Minister for Public Sector Reform, says the SNP is ‘rewiring the plane while it’s in flight’, and ‘we’re trying not to crash it and trying not to run out of fuel’ – not really words you want to hear from your pilot.

Taxpayers are funding a ‘bloated’ civil service that now employs a staggering 28,000 people – a record figure.

The vast majority of these employees work from home at least three days a week, leaving expensive government buildings like ghost offices.

The SNP spent years vilifying former chancellor George Osborne for ‘Tory austerity’ but now it needs to embark on a cost-cutting drive of its own.

It has to come up with savings of round £5billion by the end of the decade – and we may get a better idea of how Mr Swinney intends to go about doing so when he launches his Programme for Government.

MSPs will be back in parliament today to hear the grand plan – but there’s no suggestion that the proposals to rein in costs, which we’re told are being considered, amount to anything more than tinkering around the edges.

Perhaps the first act should be the launch of a Freebies Commission, looking at their value for money and sustainability – though you can bet the chairman’s salary on its own would be eye- watering, maybe even eclipsing the wage packet of the ‘traffic cone tsar’.

On day one, it should consider the recent joint review by the Scottish Government and higher education umbrella body Universities Scotland.

It found universities face a funding gap of around £200million, and that teaching Scottish students is under-funded by roughly £288million a year.

Universities are increasingly dependent on income from international students to stay solvent, while places for young Scots are strictly capped.

Scottish Universities face a funding gap of around £200million

Scottish Universities face a funding gap of around £200million

Meanwhile, the bill for public inquiries has topped £250million and, as the Mail revealed recently, the former chairman of the ongoing Sheku Bayoh Inquiry, Lord Bracadale, raked in more than £711,000 before quitting his role amid a row over alleged bias.

The university funding gap could be reduced or wiped out if some of these inquiries were ditched, or brought to a swifter conclusion.

It’s time to cut up the credit card, balance the books and tell voters the truth – a novel concept for Mr Swinney and his deluded comrades.

To govern is to choose but like its former chief executive Peter Murrell, the SNP chose to spend, spend, spend with no thought for the future.

Murrell is now pondering his crime spree from inside a prison cell, but the party he once ran will also face a severe punishment if it can’t stop wasting our hard-earned cash on a monumental scale.

US Fish and Wildlife Service Officer Dies During Oklahoma Wildfire Evacuations

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A federal wildlife officer is believed to have died while helping residents escape a dangerous Oklahoma wildfire, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said over the weekend.

David Taylor, 38, of Scio, Oregon, was assisting evacuation efforts Saturday as the fast-moving blaze threatened communities south of Oklahoma City, officials said. Working alongside emergency responders, Taylor had been going door to door to help people leave the area safely.

The agency said Taylor’s final communication with dispatch came as he was helping a family evacuate their home.

David Taylor

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service federal wildlife officer David Taylor, 38, is believed to have died while helping evacuate residents during the Railroad South Fire in Oklahoma, according to the agency. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

“Everything we know about David’s actions demonstrates extraordinary courage and selflessness,” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik said. “When people were in danger, David was there helping them get to safety. He remained committed to protecting others under the most dangerous circumstances. We mourn alongside his family, friends and colleagues, and we will never forget his service.”

Evidence recovered from a structure led officials to believe Taylor died during the evacuation effort, authorities said.

At the time of his death, Taylor was a senior chief petty officer in the Navy Reserve and previously served on active duty. During his 20 years of naval service, Taylor completed five deployments, including one to Iraq and four to Djibouti.

Taylor also served the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge and the Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico before joining the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

The Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of the Interior were coordinating support for Taylor’s family and co-workers, the agency said.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has ordered all American and Oklahoma flags on state property to be flown at half-staff Sept. 1 through Sept. 4 in honor of Taylor.

“Sarah and I are praying for his family, his fellow officers and everyone who was impacted by this tragedy,” he wrote on X. “His courage, selflessness and devotion to protecting others will never be forgotten.”

The Railroad South Fire in Comanche County, Oklahoma, was reported on Saturday. All evacuation orders for residents affected by the wildfire have been lifted.

The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.

Woman in Lyft Driver Stabbing, Car Theft Cites Mental Health

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A South Carolina woman accused of stabbing a Lyft driver 11 times and then stealing his vehicle will remain behind bars after a judge denied her bond Friday, while her defense attorney argued she was in the midst of a serious mental health crisis at the time of the alleged attack.

Naziyha Weatherall is charged in Greenville County with attempted murder, carjacking and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Court records indicate the case is tied to an April 22 incident.

During Friday’s bond hearing, prosecutors described the allegations as a “frightening factual scenario,” FOX Carolina reported, and told the court they believed Weatherall represented an extreme threat to public safety.

“The victim was simply just trying to do his job and was stabbed 11 times,” a solicitor said, according to FOX Carolina. “Not only was he stabbed 11 times, his car was then carjacked by this defendant.”

The driver did not appear in court, but his wife attended on his behalf, telling the judge that the trauma from the alleged attack kept him from being present.

“What concerns us most is that happened while my husband was simply working,” she said. “He was not looking for any confrontation, he was providing a service to a person. If this level of violence could happen to someone who was simply doing his job, we are concerned about potential risks to other people in our community.”

Weatherall’s lawyer urged the court to view the allegations through the lens of her mental state, saying she had never previously been charged with a crime and was in the throes of a psychiatric emergency.

The defense said paranoia had convinced Weatherall that others were monitoring her and trying to harm her, prompting her to summon a ride to report her fears to police.

“Her mother even called the police station to let them know she was on the way to make a report,” the attorney said. “During that, the crisis got worse.”

The attorney said Weatherall believed she was being trafficked, panicked during the ride and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and other mental health conditions.

The defense said Weatherall is now medicated, stable and competent, and asked the court to release her so relatives and a social worker could arrange placement at a treatment facility.

Weatherall’s mother apologized to the driver’s family while asking the court to consider her daughter’s mental state.

“She’s not a criminal. She would never, ever, ever hurt anybody like that,” her mother said. “And I understand the family’s side, I truly do, because we are all suffering. We all are.”

A judge ordered competency and observation evaluations in June, court records show. On Friday, the judge denied Weatherall’s bond request and ordered that she remain jailed pending a psychological evaluation scheduled for September.

Lyft told Fox News Digital it permanently removed the rider accounts involved from its platform and has continued assisting law enforcement.

“Violence like this has no place in the Lyft community or in our society,” a Lyft spokesperson said. “The driver’s well-being has been our priority, and we have reached out to them and their family to offer support.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to Weatherall’s attorney for comment.

Mistress Who Exposed Ex-FBI Spy Charles McGonigal Found Dead

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The woman whose relationship with imprisoned former FBI official Charles McGonigal helped expose the scandal that ended his career has died suddenly at her home in South Florida, the Daily Mail can reveal.

Allison Guerriero, 52, passed away hours after sharing a flurry of 75 posts on X on Thursday, including a video of herself walking in the street demanding a spotlight on other Feds and another where she declared: ‘I hate the FBI.’

Her death follows years of relentless public campaigning, much of it played out on social media, against McGonigal, 58, who was married, as well as against other senior figures within the FBI.

Guerriero, a close friend of former New York City mayor and prominent Donald Trump ally Rudy Giuliani, died sometime on the evening of August 27, according to her devastated father, 80-year-old Bill.

Her 18-month affair with the disgraced former head of FBI counterintelligence in New York helped bring McGonigal’s crimes to light, including his secret work for Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.

McGonigal is now serving a six-year federal prison sentence, though Guerriero always insisted the punishment was too lenient, telling the Daily Mail in 2024: “He’s a traitor.”

On the day of her death, she posted a selfie video of her strolling in her relatively new hometown of Boynton Beach, Florida, saying: ‘Hey, good morning everybody. Friends and enemies… of course I’m in the middle of all my PTSD from 9/11 but I’m actually breathing a huge sigh of relief…

‘Here’s the problem with Charles McGonigal. You know his name, but you never did before that. You knew Jim Comey’s name. You knew Chris Wray’s name.. all the names that you already know, you know. Why don’t you start looking for the names that you do not know?’

Allison Guerriero was the mistress of disgraced FBI spy Charles McGonigal. She was found dead at her Boynton Beach apartment on Thursday evening

Allison Guerriero was the mistress of disgraced FBI spy Charles McGonigal. She was found dead at her Boynton Beach apartment on Thursday evening 

Charles McGonigal, former special agent in charge of the FBI's counterintelligence division in New York, is expected to change his plea after being accused of working for sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska

Charles McGonigal, former special agent in charge of the FBI’s counterintelligence division in New York, is expected to change his plea after being accused of working for sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska

Her father, who lives in Guerriero’s former hometown of Florham Park, New Jersey, told the Daily Mail he has not yet been told the cause of death or the circumstances.

‘We really don’t know yet. We’re waiting to get access to the autopsy report. I believe they’re going to issue a death certificate within the next day so we can get her home and have her put to rest,’ he said.

‘It could have been an accident. She could have slipped. It could have been anything. We’re waiting for the death certificate so we know what happened.’

A Boynton Beach police spokesperson told the Daily Mail that ‘there do not appear to be any signs of foul play at this time,’ but that the investigation is ongoing.

Police responded at 8.03pm Thursday to her apartment at 1499 S. Federal Highway in Boynton Beach. Police are awaiting info from the medical examiner’s office.

Former security consultant Guerriero was also close to Roger Stone, the Florida-based conservative lobbyist and ally of President Trump.

‘I heard from her by text on the day she passed away and she seemed in excellent spirits,’ he told the Daily Mail. ‘They were work related. She was helping with some research.

‘Allison was a brilliant researcher and writer with an excellent knowledge of both law enforcement and our intelligence capabilities and wide network of contacts. She was widely respected in that world.’

Guerriero had shared a series of posts on X, including a video clips of herself, hours before she was found dead at her home

In one clip she said: 'Hey, good morning everybody. Friends and enemies...'

On the day of her death, Guerriero had shared a series of posts on X, including video clips of herself strolling in her relatively new hometown of Boynton Beach, Florida, saying: ‘Hey, good morning everybody. Friends and enemies…’

She also shared an X post in which she declared 'The FBI is evil'

She also shared an X post in which she declared ‘The FBI is evil’ 

Guerriero, who moved to Florida three years ago, was a cancer survivor and also battled severe and permanent injuries following a horrific fire.

‘She was a devout Roman Catholic. She was always trying to get me to go to Latin mass with her. She was an optimist. She had boundless energy, given her various health problems,’ Stone added.

Discounting suicide, he continued: ‘There’s no doubt that she would never take her own life. She was too devout a Roman Catholic. She would never do that. 

‘She overcame enormous adversity in her life. I’m going to miss her tremendously.

‘She was obviously still very unhappy with the fact that McGonigal should have been charged with treason but instead was only charged with taking bribes. She was extremely aggravated.’

While the cause of death is unknown publicly, other sources have hinted at possible darker reasons behind it.

One told the Daily Mail: ‘She was getting threatened a lot by people online for her views. She certainly had enemies.’

Guerriero’s father countered that theory, saying: ‘She showed no concern that there was anyone trying to harm her or anything like that. I really don’t think there was anything suspicious, not from what I know about this.

Police responded to Guerriero's apartment at around 8pm on Thursday

Police responded to Guerriero’s apartment at around 8pm on Thursday 

Guerriero, who moved to Florida three years ago, was a cancer survivor and also battled severe and permanent injuries following a horrific fire

Guerriero, who moved to Florida three years ago, was a cancer survivor and also battled severe and permanent injuries following a horrific fire

‘I’m skeptical that there may be anything nefarious here. Believe me, I’m her father and if there were, I’d be adamant about it.

‘Since she moved to Florida she’s been the happiest I’ve ever seen her. She was treating her herself very well. She was walking every day, exercising and eating right. She enjoyed getting up at dawn and walking on to the beach.’

Boynton Beach Police Department said ‘there do not appear to be any signs of foul play at this time’, but an investigation is ongoing.

Journalist and political consultant Ken Kurson, pardoned by President Trump over a cyberstalking conviction, said of Guerriero in a Facebook post: ‘I never met anyone like her. I can use adjectives to describe her – loyal, chaotic, irreplaceable, occasionally even brilliant.

‘But those words fail to capture someone who boundlessly loved her family and hundreds of friends, supported them so intensely that their critics became Allison’s enemies, their struggles and hopes and aspirations her own… I am bereft.’

Guerriero was a former vice president of US operations for Israeli security firm Mifram while working in New York. 

She first met McGonigal in spring 2017 as a volunteer for the Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Foundation charity.

The then $200,000-a-year Fed wooed her over dinner, claiming he was going through a divorce from wife Pamela who he called ‘a nag’ who never agreed to sex.

Charles McGonigal and his wife Pamela are pictured leaving Manhattan Federal Court after he was arraigned on charges of violating US sanctions in 2023

Charles McGonigal and his wife Pamela are pictured leaving Manhattan Federal Court after he was arraigned on charges of violating US sanctions in 2023

Guerriero first met McGonigal in spring 2017 while volunteering for the Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Foundation charity

Guerriero first met McGonigal in spring 2017 while volunteering for the Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Foundation charity

His family home was in Chevy Chase, Maryland but he lived in a sublet apartment in Park Slope, Brooklyn following his 2016 New York appointment by then-FBI director Comey.

In the three years before her death, Guerriero was exclusively interviewed several times by the Daily Mail, spilling on the couple’s sex life and McGonigal’s treachery.

She said they first had sex in a black Ford Explorer government SUV after she showed him where she went to high school in Florham Park.

Shortly afterward, Guerriero moved into the Park Slope apartment believing the spook had separated from Pamela and was getting a divorce.

‘Charlie never talked very often about his wife, but when he did, it really wasn’t complimentary,’ she said. 

‘He did say she was an excellent mother but the marriage was dead and they were both moving on.

The former mistress added: ‘I don’t know if he actually was separated from his wife. I wish I knew. I don’t know what to confess. My priest is so sick of hearing me confess adultery that I don’t know if I did commit adultery.’

McGonigal and his wife Pamela are pictured leaving Manhattan Federal Court after he was sentenced in December 2023

McGonigal and his wife Pamela are pictured leaving Manhattan Federal Court after he was sentenced in December 2023

While they were together, McGonigal flaunted his relationship with Guerriero, taking her into the FBI’s main office in Manhattan and up to what she calls the ‘Kings of New York’ floor – introducing her as his ‘girlfriend’.

He cleverly masked signs of his overall treachery, passing off any outward clues as part of his role. 

He took a trip to Albania during their relationship in 2017 and at one point asked Guerriero to accompany him to meet sanctioned metals magnate Deripaska, a crony of despot President Putin.

In early October, the couple were due to enjoy a meal for Guerriero’s birthday. But the celebration was abruptly canceled because the then-FBI director Christopher Wray came into town and McGonigal had to attend meetings.

‘So we went out either the fifth, sixth or seventh of October,’ said the former mistress. According to court papers, on October 5 McGonigal received $80,000 from his former Albanian intelligence official associate in a car parked outside a New York restaurant.

Guerriero cannot recall anything that happened the night they were out that would point to the handover. But she does now wonder if the celebration was a smokescreen.

Weeks later she made a startling discovery in their apartment. A bag containing what she now knows was $80,000 in $100 bills, neatly rolled.

‘My mind went to them being what we call flash rolls, money you would give an undercover informant or an undercover agent for them to continue operating in the field,’ she said. ‘They were in black plastic bag with gold writing, the sort you’d get from a liquor store. It wasn’t particularly hidden, it was just by the main door.’

Challenged, McGonigal claimed he had won the money betting on a baseball game. Guerriero listened patiently, but her suspicion antenna was beginning to twitch.

However, it was McGonigal’s confession that he was not divorcing his wife that led to their breakup on Christmas Eve, 2018 – three months after he retired from the FBI and later became an $850,000-a-year head of security for a bank.

‘He said he was staying married, that he and I were breaking up,’ said Guerriero. ‘I said, what the hell were we doing for the last 18 months?’

McGonigal’s decision to quit the relationship may have heralded his eventual downfall. 

Guerriero tipped off people she knew at the FBI about her suspicions in 2019 after reflecting on events.

Her accusations appeared to have fallen on deaf ears, although the wheels of justice obviously did begin to turn on McGonigal and he was arrested in January 2023. At the time, he and Pamela were living in Manhattan.

‘After Charlie and I had broken up, I had spent a series of weeks and months rolling everything over in my head,’ she said.

‘And it had occurred to me, this guy’s a traitor. He was accepting bribes to pedal influence. He was accepting bribes to work with Oleg Deripaska, who he invited me to meet in Vienna when we were still dating.

‘And every time I tried to talk to the FBI about it, they didn’t want to listen. I told his former boss, I told other people within their senior executive service and nobody did anything. 

‘The FBI and the United States Justice Department did not want to hear that their superstar was compromised.’