The U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI have their sights set on a new target in a financial crime investigation: James “Fergie” Cox Chambers Jr., a distant and rebellious heir of the wealthy Cox cable family.

Recently, Spanish authorities swooped in to detain Chambers on the opulent island of Ibiza. This action followed a global arrest warrant. Allegedly, Chambers is embroiled in money laundering activities and suspected of aiding Hamas, after years of what sources claim are financial contributions to entities and movements opposing Israel and Western interests. Now, his international network of allies rallies to paint him as a casualty of what they describe as the Trump administration’s oppressive tactics, while others see his capture as a triumph of justice that’s been a long time coming.

A representative of the police department responsible for the Balearic Islands, which includes Ibiza, shared with the media that an American citizen was apprehended under a global arrest warrant. This individual is subject to extradition proceedings to the U.S. Though the official did not disclose the detainee’s name, many insiders have identified this person as Chambers.

The arrest keeps the individual confined in Ibiza’s main detention center as they await a legal ruling via a virtual court session. In response, Chambers’ supporters are organizing a “Free Fergie Chambers” rally, scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m. outside the jail. They aim to protest what they call “the fascism of Trump,” condemning what they perceive as an attack on advocates for the Palestinian cause.

A spokesperson for the FBI declined to comment. Chambers and his representatives couldn’t be reached for comment.

A convert to Islam, Chambers represents the fusion of socialist and communist activists with Islamist interests that seek the destruction of the West, free enterprise and the state of Israel and the rise of political Islam, communism and a new Palestinian state.

Chambers’ ideological comrades leaked news of the detention to trusted colleagues on far-left media platforms – some of which Chambers funds – and his communist, socialist and Islamist comrades are flooding social media to frame the narrative around the arrest as the Trump administration unfairly targeting Chambers.

The arrest is a significant move by the Trump administration as it targets far-left financiers allegedly engaged in supporting political violence. In this case, as in other investigations, federal authorities are following the money and investigating potential tax and financial crimes.

FBI Co-Deputy Director Chris Raia recently told News Media that investigators at the FBI’s Joint Mission Center have identified subjects tied to financing violent protest activity and have been building prosecutable cases.

Like Neville Roy Singham, the American tech tycoon accused of financing communist and far-left nonprofit organizations from his base in Shanghai, China, Chambers has made a name for himself as a financial backer of anti-Israel and anti-American causes around the world. As reported exclusively at News Media, the Justice Department has launched a grand jury investigation into Singham for alleged money laundering and other financial improprieties. It is currently prosecuting the Southern Poverty Law Center for alleged money laundering, bank fraud and wire fraud.

Chambers was born in 1985 in Brooklyn as James Cox Chambers Jr. to his father, James Cox Chambers, and mother, actress Lauren Hamilton. He is the great-grandson of James M. Cox, a former Ohio governor, 1920 Democratic presidential nominee and founder of the media company that became Cox Enterprises. Forbes estimates the Cox family empire is worth about $27 billion.

Chambers is now the estranged heir of Cox Enterprises, walking away from the family company in 2023 with a payout estimated at about $250 million after a falling out with his family over the company’s support for Atlanta’s controversial public safety training center, known by critics as “Cop City.” In April, a grand jury indicted three alleged Antifa-linked protesters accused of throwing firebombs at the general contractor of the Atlanta police training center.

Chambers openly redirected his fortune into communist collectives, bail and legal underwriting and groups engaged in hard-edged protest and property disruption.

Raised mostly in Brooklyn after his parents divorced, Chambers attended Saint Ann’s School and later enrolled at Bard College but didn’t graduate. He briefly worked for a Cox Enterprises subsidiary before operating gyms in Georgia and later became increasingly involved in left-wing activism following the anti-police protests in Ferguson, Mo., in 2014 and the demonstrations in Standing Rock, S.D., in 2016 against an oil pipeline.

Around 2019, Chambers established the “Berkshire Communists” collective in Alford, Mass., in a wealthy corner of western Massachusetts, where he built a commune, operated the Berkshire People’s Gym and launched a publication called “Combat Liberalism.”

Following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks, Chambers became one of the most prominent financial backers of “Palestine Action,” later renamed “Unity of Fields,” while also funding legal defense efforts for activists involved in anti-Israel demonstrations and direct-action campaigns in the United Kingdom and the U.S.

He praised the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks as a “moment of hope and inspiration,” told Mother Jones that “the most important thing for the prosperity of humanity is the destruction of the US” and said, “I chant death to America every day.”

Local and national reporting place him behind the “Stop Cop City” opposition, bail after occupations and protests against Elbit Systems, a company that provides services to Israel, in Merrimack, N.H., and the U.K., and ongoing legal support for networks in the U.S. and U.K. led by the controversial “Palestine Action.”

After Alford, Mass., shut his Berkshire People’s Gym for zoning violations and law-enforcement scrutiny intensified, Chambers relocated to Tunis, in the North African nation of Tunisia.

In early February 2024, Chambers was photographed in his newly adopted city of Tunis in the North African nation of Tunisia, framing his narrative as a pious Muslim convert, with a red-and-white Palestinian kefiyyeh scarf draped over his shoulders, a black Muslim prayer cap on his head and a small beard on his face, a tradition that follows the sunnah, or practice, of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam.

The photo shoot included images of Chambers in Muslim prayer, at one point with his hands on his chest and at another point in “ruku” position, bent forward with his hands on his knees, staring at a point of concentration in front of him. In other shots, he walked by a local mosque, sat behind the wheel of a car with orange and green Muslim prayer beads, called “tazbi,” hanging on the rearview mirror. A pair of decorative boxing gloves with “RUSSIA” across the wrists, positioned on a red-and-white kefiyyeh spread along the dashboard.

Unconventional for traditional Muslims, who don’t often have dogs as pets because of a fundamentalist interpretation of Islam that bars dogs as pets in the home, Chambers also was photographed smoking a cigarette and walking on the beach with two small dogs who look like bulldogs. He also wore tattoos, including a sickle-and-barbells on his left hand.

By May 2026, his social media posts placed him in Ireland. This month, the self-declared communist vacationed among the wealthy in Ibiza, is now sitting in prison.

Kalshi is rolling out a fantastic offer aimed at newcomers keen to engage in live trading for the 2026 British Open. By using the Kalshi promo code NYPMAX, first-time users can unlock an exciting deal: trade $10 and receive $15 upon registration. This offer is perfect for those eager to jump into the action at Royal Birkdale.

While the time difference may pose a slight inconvenience, it adds to the thrill of live trading during the Open Championship, a tournament renowned for its ideal conditions.

As expected, this year’s event at Royal Birkdale is set to challenge players throughout the weekend, offering spectators and traders an electrifying experience.

How to use the Kalshi referral code

The Kalshi promo code NYPMAX is a tailor-made opportunity for sports enthusiasts who frequently discuss and analyze the games they love. This promo facilitates trading contracts with fellow fans, allowing users to become part of the dynamic sporting events happening every night.

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Once users have signed up, they’ll enter the Kalshi promo code NYPMAX, verify their account information, and complete at least $10 in trades to qualify for the $15 bonus. That’s all.

Where is the Kalshi promotion available?

Kalshi operates in the following states and territories: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

What our Post expert thinks about the Open Championship

One of the great things about the Open Championship is that conditions can change on a dime.

The coastal, links-style courses on offer are at the mercy of Mother Nature, and we could see some wind and precipitation throughout the afternoon in Southport.

Keep an eye on the conditions and get ready for chaos.

Must be 18 years or older and have a legal, U.S. residential address within the applicable state, D.C., or U.S. territories. Not available in AZ, IL, MA, MD, MI, MT, NV, and OH.

Why Trust New York Post Betting

Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.

A young woman from Michigan, aged 19, has been unmasked for trying to incriminate her former boyfriend in a malicious plot of revenge after their relationship ended.

Rida Rustam reported to authorities that she had been on the receiving end of threatening emails from her ex-partner, Kumayl Raza, and his associate, Ibraheem Haq, which led to legal actions against the two last year.

She alleged that throughout several months, Raza and Haq sent her harrowing messages, including one ominous note that read, ‘UR GONNA (expletive) REGRET IT (expletive) …I’m gonna come right now (expletive) run you over.’

Another disturbing message she claimed they sent declared, ‘I wanted someone else to do it now I gotta do it. I’m gonna burn down your house with you in, then tie up your (expletive) burned body and choke you and (expletive) you so bad and shoot you in your ugly (expletive) face.’

Rustam further accused Raza of making threats to carry out a shooting at his own high school graduation, as reported by the Detroit Free Press.

Raza was charged in April 2025 with aggravated stalking, and his alleged offenses were later upgraded to adult felonies punishable by up to seven years in prison. His home was raided by SWAT teams while he was forced to stand outside in his pajamas during the investigation into Rustam’s bogus claims.

Meanwhile, Haq was charged in juvenile court with aggravated stalking and malicious use of a telecommunications device.  

However, Rustam admitted in court this week that it was all a ruse as she pleaded guilty to making a false report of a felony, using a computer to commit a crime, lying to an officer and stalking, according to The Detroit News who attended her hearing. 

Justice was finally served on Thursday, as she was sentenced to 30 months of probation and six days in the Wayne County Jail for her crimes. 

Rustam was pictured grimacing in Wayne County Circuit Court after learning her fate as she stood beside her lawyer, Mark Haidar. 

Haidar asked Judge Anne Maria McCarthy to hear Rustam’s trial behind closed doors if she complied with the terms of her probation, but she declined. 

‘You’re never going to see her again,’ Haidar said, according to the Detroit News. 

‘She’s highly motivated, she’s dealt with her mental issues. She’s got a strong faith. She will prosper. This is a bump in the road for her.’ 

Haidar also lashed out at the Plymouth Township Police Department for failing to verify Rustam’s claims and plowing forward with charges against the boys. 

‘This should’ve stopped, these boys should’ve been exonerated much more quickly and we wouldn’t be here today,’ Haidar said.  

Rustam’s ruse was exposed when Raza’s lawyers hired digital forensic expert Avery Thompson, who found that his ex-girlfriend had been sending the menacing messages to herself. 

She fooled police for more than three months by sending them reams of screenshots, email and text ‘evidence’ – and even handwritten notes. 

Rustam also used a popular AI engine to conduct a risk assessment of her actions, and purchased a VPN to prevent Instagram from tracking her location. 

Thompson said the case exposed ‘the dark side of AI.’

‘Law enforcement has to be very cautious about what is being presented to them as fact,’ Thompson told the Detroit Free Press. 

‘I think this is going to occur more often as we integrate AI into our lives.’

The Daily Mail has contacted Haidar and Plymouth Township Police Department for comment.

CHICAGO (WLS) — A family residing in Chicago’s South Side is desperately seeking the safe return of their service dog. The pup slipped through a yard fence and was subsequently picked up by two youngsters, an act captured by doorbell camera footage.

Blossom, an 11-month-old merle Yorkshire terrier, isn’t just any dog; she’s a cherished companion to Damali Beene, a nine-year-old with autism. According to her family, Blossom managed to get out through a wooden side fence on Sunday evening while playing fetch in their yard. This incident took place on the 7500 block of South King Drive in Greater Grand Crossing.

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Footage from a doorbell camera shows Blossom approaching two young individuals on a motor scooter. These youths call out to Blossom, and one of the girls is seen picking her up before climbing back onto the scooter and speeding away with her companion.

“Picked her up, and was, like, ‘Look at this. Ok, go, go, go, go, go,'” recalled Destiny Dockery.

The family stated that this all happened right outside their residence near the intersection of 76th Street and King Drive.

Since Blossom disappeared, family members say they have checked local shelters, notified veterinary clinics, and distributed fliers throughout the neighborhood in hopes of finding the dog and reuniting her with Damali.

Dog stolen from blind owner in Logan Square returned to owner, Chicago police say

“She depends on her 24/7. Since she’s – Blossom has been gone, my daughter cries all day long,” Dockery said.

Dockery also appealed to the community for help in returning the dog.

“If their parents see it, their grandparents, just do the right thing,” she said.

The family filed a police report and said Blossom can be returned safely with no questions asked.

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A dramatic scene unfolds as waves of U.S. Marines make their charge onto the shore, with helicopters roaring in the sky. Meanwhile, Navy vessels and fighter jets assert their dominance over air and sea, creating an indomitable presence. Commanders deliver an ultimatum to Iranian forces: surrender now or face being overwhelmed.

This vivid scenario illustrates military experts’ predictions for an initial U.S. offense aimed at capturing Iran’s Kharg Island. This small yet crucial island facilitates close to 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports, making it a focal point in Washington’s strategy to apply economic pressure on Tehran.

Discussion around this strategy resurfaced on Tuesday when President Donald Trump addressed the possibility of targeting the island. During an exclusive interview on ‘Special Report’ with Fox News’ chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst, President Trump was evasive, stating, “I can’t say that to you because if I did, it would be foolish,” when asked if U.S. forces may seize Kharg Island. He emphasized that the U.S. had previously avoided targeting oil infrastructure there, considering its significance to the global economy.

“There are numerous strategies available,” commented retired Vice Adm. Robert Harward, former deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, during an interview with News Media.

Harward explained a Marine Expeditionary Unit could conduct an amphibious assault while U.S. naval and air forces establish complete control over the battlespace, giving Iranian defenders an opportunity to surrender before major fighting begins. The goal, he said, would not simply be to capture the island but to preserve the oil infrastructure that could one day serve a post-Islamic Republic government.

“The real objective at the end of the day is to minimize risk,” said Harward. “Not only to your own forces, but to the people you’re coming in contact with,” while also limiting damage to facilities that could eventually be handed over to “a government of Iran that is focused on supporting its people, as opposed to proliferating the Islamic Revolution.”

Trump’s remarks echoed Harward’s assessment that preserving Kharg’s oil facilities would likely be a key military objective. Trump said he had instructed U.S. forces during previous strikes to “hit everything, but the oil,” explaining that damaging the export terminal could have significant consequences for the global economy.

But military experts say capturing Kharg may be the easiest part of the mission.

Located just 16 miles off Iran’s Gulf coast, the eight-square-mile island sits well within range of Iranian missiles, drones and shore-based anti-ship weapons. While analysts believe U.S. forces could likely seize the island within hours, holding it against sustained retaliation from the nearby mainland could require a far larger and longer military commitment—raising the risk of direct war with Iran itself.

Kharg’s strategic importance predates Iran’s modern oil industry. British forces briefly occupied the island during confrontations with Persia over Herat in 1838 and again during the Anglo-Persian War in 1856, using its location near the Iranian coast to apply pressure on Tehran. Nearly a century later, Iran selected Kharg as a deep-water oil terminal because its sheltered waters could accommodate large tankers. Construction began in the late 1950s, and the terminal entered service in 1960, transforming the island into the principal outlet for Iranian crude.

“Everybody talks about seizing Kharg,” Nicholas Carl, assistant director of the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, told News Media. “Iran has spent decades investing in denial capabilities designed specifically to keep U.S. forces away from its shores.” Those capabilities include anti-ship cruise missiles, drones, naval mines and hundreds of fast attack craft designed to overwhelm superior naval forces.

Military planners have long viewed Iran’s anti-access strategy as one of the most sophisticated in the Middle East. Rather than matching the U.S. Navy ship for ship, Tehran has invested heavily in asymmetric weapons intended to make any amphibious assault costly.

Harward, a former member of the National Security Council and current member of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America’s Iran Policy Project, acknowledged that once American forces were on Kharg, the primary danger would shift from conventional naval combat to missile and drone attacks launched from the nearby mainland.

“Iran doesn’t really have air power,” Harward said. “The concern is whether they launch missiles and drones at the island with U.S. forces on the ground. That’s the biggest risk.”

Harward said the viability of the operation would ultimately depend on intelligence about the number and disposition of Iranian forces, whether they had prepared booby traps or improvised explosive devices, and how Tehran might respond once American troops were ashore.

Still, he argued, such retaliation would come at a price for Tehran.

“If they start striking Kharg itself, they become accountable for damaging their own economic lifeline,” he said.

The challenge illustrates the distinction between tactical success and strategic success. Seizing an eight-square-mile island is one military problem. Defending it against sustained attacks only a short distance from Iranian territory is another.

Harward suggested Washington still has several options short of launching an amphibious assault.

With the U.S.-led blockade, reinforced Tuesday, already constraining Iran’s oil exports, he argued that additional economic pressure could target overland transportation routes, border crossings and air traffic instead of committing ground troops.

“There is still a lot you could do to enhance the economic challenges to Iran,” Harward said. “Synchronizing military, economic and political pressure is really the strategy.”

Some strategists have also questioned whether Kharg is the most valuable military objective.

Mark Fox, a retired vice admiral and a former commander of the 5th Fleet, previously told News Media that Kharg is fundamentally an oil terminal rather than a military fortress. Instead, he argued, smaller islands such as Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa — disputed islands near the Strait of Hormuz — could present more manageable military objectives while creating a significant strategic dilemma for Tehran because of their location along one of the world’s most important shipping lanes.

For Harward, however, the larger question extends beyond any single island.

“I think the only real end state to ensure long-term stability and security in the region is a government of Iran that renounces the Islamic Revolution and focuses on the Iranian people,” he said. That would require ending Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, halting support for proxy groups, protecting freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and ending the regime’s domestic repression.

Whether Washington ever decides to seize Kharg, military planners agree on one point: Capturing Iran’s economic lifeline would likely be measured in hours, but successfully holding it — and managing the regional escalation that could follow — would be a far longer and more complex campaign.

In several parts of the world, vast wildfires are blazing as they coincide with extraordinary heatwaves. The resulting dense smoke envelops millions, filled with dangerous gasses and microscopic pollutants that present significant health threats.

Here’s what is essential to understand about the dangers associated with wildfire smoke.

WHAT IS CONTAINED IN WILDFIRE SMOKE?

Smoke from wildfires is more hazardous than typical air pollution, with the potential to remain suspended in the atmosphere for extended periods and travel vast distances.

In addition to vegetation, wildfires often consume vehicles, buildings, and their contents. This results in smoke that contains not only soil particles and biological matter but also traces of chemicals, metals, plastics, and various synthetic materials.

WHAT ARE THE KNOWN HEALTH EFFECTS?

Kent Pinkerton, co-director of the Center for Health and the Environment at the University of California, Davis, explains that in lab settings, the smoke from wildfires induces more inflammation and tissue damage compared to conventional air pollution.

Studies have linked wildfire smoke with higher rates of heart attacks, strokes, and cardiac arrests, increases in emergency room visits for asthma, weakened immune defenses and poorer survival rates after surgery. A 2023 study in Maryland, identified a spike in heart and lung illnesses ​that was associated with wildfire smoke originating up to 2,100 miles away.

Wildfires also have been linked with eye and skin problems.

Wildfire exposure in pregnancy has been associated with miscarriage, low birth ​weight and preterm delivery. A California study found a link between wildfire exposure and cellular damage in first- and second-trimester placentas. A separate study found that wildfire smoke exposure during ⁠the third trimester may raise the risk of an autism diagnosis.

The effects of exposure can persist for years. After Australia’s 2014 Hazelwood Coal Mine fire, heart disease rates remained elevated for two-and-a-half years and respiratory illnesses for ​five years.

A 2026 US study linked wildfire smoke exposure with elevated risks for lung, colorectal, breast, bladder and blood cancer, with the risks increasing along with the level of pollution from the fires.

Exposure to the 2018 Camp ​Fire in California was linked to changes in cognition and brain activity six to 12 months later, California researchers found. Several studies have now linked longer-term wildfire smoke exposure to higher risks for dementia.

Data from California, also show an increase in fungal infections in the months following wildfire smoke exposure, likely due to spores in the smoke.

IS THERE A SAFE LEVEL OF INHALED PARTICLES?

“The bad news is, there’s no safe level” of inhaled particles from wildfire smoke, said Doug Brugge, who chairs the Department of Public ​Health Sciences at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. “The higher the exposure, the worse the risks, but even at levels below the national safety standards, these particles can make people sick.”

Any amount of inhaled particles will ​trigger inflammatory responses in the body. Children, the elderly and people with chronic illnesses are most vulnerable.

Even in healthy adults, some effects of exposure – such as sore throats, excessive phlegm, coughing, headaches and brain fog – can appear immediately and ‌persist long after ⁠the smoke plume is gone, said Keith Bein of the Air Quality Research Center at the University of California, Davis.

WHAT CAN HELP MITIGATE THE RISKS?

Experts advise wearing N95 masks when wildfire smoke is present and limiting outdoor activities, especially strenuous sports. The longer you are outside and the harder you breathe, the more pollution you inhale, said Dr. Jasvinder Singh, a lung medicine specialist at Medstar Franklin Square Medical Center in Baltimore.

Experts also recommend the use of indoor air purifiers that can trap particles smaller than 2.5 microns.

“Air purifiers reduce exposure and in our studies reduced blood pressure and cognitive impacts of air pollution,” Brugge said.

For those who cannot afford an air ​purifier, UC Davis offers simple instructions for building one.

Online instructions for reducing exposure to wildfire smoke are available ⁠from the EPA.

ARE PEOPLE SAFE INDOORS?

Particulates from wildfire smoke enter most buildings in high concentrations, experts say.

On average, the concentration of wildfire pollutants indoors is about half of what it is outdoors, Singh said.

If a building is poorly sealed, the concentration may be up to 70% of what it is outside, he said. Old buildings ​may expose people to greater amounts of pollution through drafty windows and doors.

The EPA advises that during wildfire smoke events, people avoid indoor activities that ​put more fine particles into ⁠the air, such as smoking cigarettes, frying or broiling food, burning candles or incense, and vacuuming without a HEPA filter.

Bein compared indoor wildfire smoke exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke exposure.

“The particles … end up everywhere – on your clothes, on your walls, on surfaces, and they’re still outgassing” – being released into the air – “after the smoke plume is gone,” he said.

WHAT IS UNKNOWN?

More frequent wildfires likely linked to climate change mean people will be exposed more often. The health effects over ⁠multiple seasons are ​not yet clear.

“It is hard to make predictions because it is hard to say how many fires people will be exposed ​to, how long the fires will burn, or what the smoke will contain,” Bein said.

Researchers are looking into the long-term effects of smoke particles in water supplies, on crops or ingested by livestock; of urban wildfire smoke; of wildfire exposure in utero; and whether wildfire ​smoke amplifies the adverse effects of extremely hot weather.

Nutrients carried in wildfire smoke may contribute to downwind algal blooms, which has implications for drinking water reservoirs and lake ecology, researchers warn.

A heartbroken woman finds herself embroiled in a fierce feud with her Homeowners’ Association, accusing them of trying to push her out of her late father’s property in an age-restricted community.

Six years ago, 28-year-old Bethany Michel moved to her father’s residence in a Florida retirement community to care for him during his battle with a terminal illness.

Following her father’s passing in the autumn of 2023, Michel hoped to find comfort in remaining in his house. However, challenges posed by the Arbor Mill Homeowners’ Association in a Jacksonville suburb are making her stay nearly impossible.

With more than 75,000 followers on TikTok, Michel has taken to the platform, appealing to her audience for assistance while shedding light on her predicament.

“They’re trying to sue me out of my home by demanding that 155 residents aged 55 and older, living on fixed incomes, each contribute $1,000. My HOA expects every resident to cover their financial demands,” she explained.

Michel claimed that the fees were to cover the HOA’s attorney fees in a legal battle against her.

She added that residents received a notice that if the payment was not made by August 30, the board would add a $100 increase to monthly fees for the next 10 months. 

‘They’re trying to financially force me out of my own home,’ Michel said. 

‘This needs to be documented. People need to know what’s going on in their own backyard. There are 154 homes, and they’re all on fixed incomes.’ 

Michel told local Florida outlet News 4 Jax that she has been locked in a legal dispute with her HOA for nearly three years. 

The saga began just a few months after her dad died, when she received a letter that she no longer met the housing community’s age requirements. 

The federal Housing for Older Persons Act allows elderly communities serving the elderly population to restrict residency based on age, requiring at least one person in the home to be over 55. 

Arbor Mill requires that every home have a resident who meets the age requirements and prohibits anyone under 19 from living in the community. 

However, Michel said that she was ‘grandfathered in’ when she moved in with her father and that his dying wish was for her to keep the home. 

‘My dad’s biggest concern was something would happen to him,’ she told News 4 Jax. 

‘Every upgrade we made, he said, “This is going to be for you one day.” It’s so sentimental. I sleep with the same pillow in the same bed that he did every day.’

Michel has refused to give up the home she shared with her father without a fight. Her legal battle against the HOA has incurred legal fees, which she believes the board is forcing residents to pay with the $1,000 ‘special assessment fee.’ 

A notice published by News 4 Jax was sent to residents on July 1 and read, in part: ‘The special assessment is specifically to pay for legal services necessary in the defense and enforcement of the Association’s 55+ community status under state and federal law.’ 

William Baltaza told the publication that he believes a majority of the residents would rather have Michel stay than have to fork over $1,000 to the HOA for legal fees. 

‘As a person who has kids, I don’t believe that this is the right thing to do, to just kick her out and take her out. The majority of the people here disagree with this. There are very few people that are really pushing it,’ he said. 

Residents had the opportunity to voice their concerns at a meeting on Wednesday. Michel shared an update on her Instagram that the five board members voted on the measure without consulting the residents. 

‘Residents stood outside in 90°+ Florida heat for nearly 2 hours, believing their voices would be heard and that we’d all have a vote on a proposed $1,000 special assessment,’ she said. 

‘It wasn’t until the meeting began that everyone learned the 155 homeowners would not be voting. The decision rested solely with the five board members.’

Michel added that residents were limited to sharing comments and demanded that the HOA be transparent. 

‘Residents deserve to know how decisions affecting their homes and finances are being made. This chapter may be over, but the fight isn’t. Now we fight,’ she concluded. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Michel and the HOA board for additional comment.