In an effort to counteract thieves employing skimming devices to pilfer bank information from ATMs, a collaborative task force comprised of city and federal officials is taking action. This initiative comes just in time for the influx of visitors expected for the upcoming FIFA World Cup Final and celebrations marking America’s 250th birthday.

Detective James Lilla, representing the NYPD’s regional Financial Crimes Task Force, shared that his team is intensifying their efforts to tackle these crimes, offering protection to both tourists and locals during these major events.

“With FIFA drawing in more crowds, we’re actively engaging in public awareness and investigating leads on individuals suspected of installing these skimming devices,” Lilla explained.

The task force, which includes the Secret Service alongside other federal and local bodies, conducts sweeps across city stores in search of the devices. They also investigate reported thefts and work to educate both business owners and the general public about the threat, Lilla noted.

According to Lilla, a significant majority of these culprits, about 95%, hail from Eastern Europe. They often use skimmers in ATMs or point-of-sale machines to capture and exploit bank details, converting them onto gift cards to unlawfully withdraw cash.

“In order to get into your savings, checking account, EBT account you need a PIN number,” he said. “So that’s where the other device comes in.”

The “PIN capture device” is a tiny pin hole camera that records as a customer enters their PIN on a machine’s pad.

The crooks can also use a “PIN pad striker,” which captures the PIN as a person enters it and stores it on a tiny motherboard.

The scammers can also use a “shimmer card” to get data from a chip, including PIN numbers, and then transmit the information to the crooks via Bluetooth wireless technology, Lilla said.

Victims ranged from food stamp clients who have their benefits stolen to those who lost “well over a million dollars” in the scams, he said.

“Every bank is hit throughout the entire city, from the Upper East Side all the way down to Brownsville,” he said.

ATMs and point of sale terminals aren’t the only places crooks can steal data. Lately, they’ve been targeting the city subway system’s OMNY vending machines, police said.

“This is a crime that knows no bounds and it affects people from every walk of life, all the way from millionaires to people on EBT,” said Sgt. Matt Doherty, taskforce boss.

 “When we see large events, we know that our criminals are going to try to exploit this opportunity knowing that there are going to be millions of people here celebrating.”

The once-buzzing body-positivity movement, which became viral for drawing in countless followers and welcoming plus-size women to a specially designed mansion in Las Vegas, is under renewed scrutiny. Former members have leveled serious accusations against the group’s founder, alleging manipulation, exploitative conduct, and inappropriate sexual advances.

Stefan Wilhelmy, the founder of Pearadise, faces these allegations which have ignited a prolonged legal conflict, resulting in extensive court documents and testimonies. These accusations are also spotlighted in Investigation Discovery’s latest documentary series, “Big Girls Wanted: Escaping Pearadise.” This three-part series delves into themes of body image, digital communities, power struggles, and the niche topic known as feederism.

Pearadise came to life amid the COVID-19 pandemic, rapidly evolving from a simple Discord group into a significant social media entity. The community captivated close to a quarter-million followers on TikTok and enticed women from across America to converge at Wilhelmy’s residence in Las Vegas.

According to its website, Pearadise promotes itself as “a body-positive community centered on friendship, confidence, acceptance and connection,” a haven where members can gather without the fear of being bullied, body-shamed, or judged.

But according to court records reviewed by News Media, several former members later alleged the reality was far different.

“Our clients described a scene of manipulation, victimization, coercion, and sexual assault,” attorney Marc Randazza, who represented several former Pearadise members, told News Media in a statement summarizing the case.

According to court records, former members Savannah Brown and Alejandra Javier later took to social media, alleging Wilhelmy touched them without consent during visits to his Las Vegas home and describing conduct they characterized as sexual assault.

Brown alleged Wilhelmy rubbed her stomach, touched her shoulders and spanked her despite objections. Javier alleged Wilhelmy rubbed her stomach without consent and took photographs of women in a pool without permission.

Wilhelmy denied the allegations and sued several women for defamation after they publicly described him as a predator and accused him of sexual assault.

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At the center of the lawsuit was a dispute over whether women who alleged unwanted sexual touching could publicly describe those encounters as sexual assault.

According to court filings, Wilhelmy argued the accusations were defamatory because Nevada’s criminal definition of sexual assault requires penetration.

Randazza sharply criticized that argument in court filings, writing that Wilhelmy’s position amounted to, “I can do whatever I want to these women, and it doesn’t become sexual assault unless I penetrate them.”

The women responded with an Anti-SLAPP motion, arguing they were exercising their right to speak publicly about their experiences and warn others.

The litigation also produced additional sworn declarations from former Pearadise participants.

One former member alleged Wilhelmy created a highly sexualized environment and used the community to identify women he found attractive. Another woman alleged in a sworn declaration that Wilhelmy approached her while she was experiencing an emotional breakdown and pressured her into a sexual encounter, later describing the interaction as “predatory.”

The allegations were detailed in sworn declarations filed during the lawsuit. No criminal charges resulted, and the court’s ruling focused on the women’s right to speak publicly about their claims rather than whether the allegations were true.

In January 2022, a Clark County judge dismissed Wilhelmy’s lawsuit under Nevada’s Anti-SLAPP law.

The court found the women had established their statements involved a matter of public concern and concluded there was no evidence they knowingly made false statements. The judge wrote that Brown and Javier believed they had been touched in a sexual manner without consent and that their use of the term “sexual assault” was not knowingly false simply because the allegations did not involve penetration.

While the allegations against Wilhelmy are part of the documentary, director Tara Malone said the project ultimately became about something much larger than one man.

“We wanted to go into this very judgment-free and let the women tell us who they were and what they experienced and felt,” Malone told News Media. “It’s not on us to make the judgment as to which experience is right or wrong.”

Malone said one of the most unusual aspects of the project was that many of the physical interactions themselves weren’t necessarily disputed.

“A lot of the actual physical events or encounters aren’t necessarily disputed between both sides,” she said. “It really comes down to what each individual calls it and how they process it.”

She said Wilhelmy pointed to security camera footage that he believes supports his version of events, while the women involved interpreted many of those same interactions very differently.

“Both sides of some of these events walked away with completely different understandings of what they did or what they went through,” Malone said.

Executive producer Michael Hirschorn said he never viewed the documentary as a traditional true-crime story.

“I don’t see this as primarily a crime story,” Hirschorn told News Media. “It’s really a story about power and about safety, and about what you’re willing to sacrifice in order to get something that you feel that you need.”

Hirschorn said the filmmakers were initially drawn to Pearadise because it appeared to offer something many women had spent years searching for.

“There was this place that was almost like a kind of nirvana, like a refuge, like a safe space,” he said. “As we dug into it, we began to see that there were some complications and controversies.”

He said viewers shouldn’t expect a simple good-versus-bad narrative.

“You could go through this whole series and come out with some sympathy for Stefan,” Hirschorn said. “When you look at some of the evidence Stefan presents, you’re like, ‘Yeah, I think this guy has a point.'”

Rather than telling viewers what to think, Hirschorn said the filmmakers wanted audiences to wrestle with the competing accounts themselves.

“I think a good documentary leaves you bringing your own instincts to what is and isn’t true, and who is and who isn’t bad,” he said.

Ultimately, Hirschorn hopes viewers leave with empathy rather than judgment.

“People may come into this story with a snicker,” he said. “I hope they leave with empathy.”

Malone echoed that hope, saying she wants viewers to reconsider how they judge themselves and others.

“Should I be kinder to myself? Should I be kinder about what I’m saying to someone else?” she said. “There’s a cost to the words that come out of our mouths.”

News Media reached out to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Clark County District Attorney’s Office and attorneys who represented Wilhelmy for comment.

Prince George, nearly matching his mother’s height, accompanied the Princess of Wales on a meaningful visit to an RAF base in celebration of National Armed Forces Day.

Kate, who has held the title of Royal Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire since 2023, appeared joyful as she joined her 12-year-old son for the outing.

During the visit, mother and son were guided around the base, home to two combat-ready squadrons and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s historic aircraft fleet.

RAF Coningsby also serves as the chief training center for Typhoon pilots within the service.

Kensington Palace shared a video capturing the duo examining the aircraft, with the young prince appearing just slightly shorter than his mother, who stands at 5 feet 9 inches tall.

Closely resembling his father, Prince William – who formerly served in the RAF as a search and rescue pilot – a dapper Prince George listened intently as he was shown into the cockpit of an authentic Battle of Britain spitfire.

Wearing a navy blue suit jacket, complemented by a blue collared shirt, the youngster smiled as he inspected the gauges before looking to turn around to the rear of the plane. 

Kate, wearing a tailored grey tweed jacket, then had her turn at the controls and was seen afterwards speaking with Squadron Leader Paul ‘Ernie’ Wise.

The plane they were shown is a prized Supermarine Spitfire, which has been painted to represent the markings it actually wore on D-Day while flying missions with No. 402 ‘City of Winnipeg’ Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

In a later segment of the video, accompanied by a music soundtrack, the future King stepped into a modern Typhoon, which can reach maximum speeds of Mach 2 (around 1,320mph). 

The future King, who will turn 13 next month and is set to attend Eton College in Windsor from September, smiled as he climbed into the cockpit.

George is known to have a penchant for flying and has previously taken private lessons at White Waltham Airfield.  

Kensington Palace said the visit to the RAF base was ‘honouring Service and Sacrifice.’

In a message posted on social media, it added: ‘Marking Armed Forces Day by reflecting on time spent with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby. 

‘Learning about the extraordinary history of these aircraft and meeting the pilots and engineers who keep their legacy alive.

‘A powerful reminder of the courage, skill and dedication of those who serve, past and present. Thank you to all those who have served and continue to serve.’

It is understood the Princess of Wales and Prince George visited the site two weeks ago.  

RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire is one of two RAF Quick Reaction Alert Stations which protect UK airspace, alongside RAF Lossiemouth.

Almost 3,000 Service Personnel, Civil Servants, and contractors work at RAF Coningsby.

The royal pair’s visit comes as celebrations take place across the UK on Saturday to mark Armed Forces Day.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Defence announced it would provide up to £500,000 of funding for Armed Forces Day events across the country.

Authorities have detained two children in connection with a destructive fire that engulfed several properties in Pennsylvania, rendering dozens of residents without homes.

The young, unnamed individuals are believed to have started the fire in Allentown late Wednesday evening around 8:45 p.m. The blaze ignited in a derelict warehouse located on Front Street and rapidly spiraled out of control, as reported by WPVI, a local news station.

The intense six-alarm fire leaped across the street, consuming eight houses, six of which were reduced to ruins, displacing seven families in the process, the outlet noted.

According to fire officials, it was the intense heat emitted from the initial blaze, rather than direct flames, that facilitated the spread from the warehouse.

A firefighter sustained mild injuries during the incident, and no other injuries were reported.

Each suspect is facing charges of arson, recklessly endangering another person, conspiracy and causing a catastrophe, the Lehigh County District Attorney announced Friday.

This article deals with the sensitive topic of suicide. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

In 2016, a video posted by YouTuber Randy Stair led one of his online acquaintances to sever their ties. Nearly a year after this incident, Stair committed a tragic workplace shooting at a supermarket in Pennsylvania, cornering and killing three of his co-workers before ending his own life.

“The entire situation was terrifying,” Sammy recounted to News Media. “I felt as though there was a deep sense of betrayal. It was unimaginable that someone I considered such a close friend could create something so personal and share it publicly. I decided to permanently block him after he posted that video about me.”

This tragic case is examined in the Investigation Discovery (ID) true crime series, “Deadly Influence: The Social Media Murders.” The episode entitled “Enter the Ghost World” delves into Stair’s internet habits, his growing obsessions, and the potential red flags that preceded the dire event.

In April 2016, Stair uploaded a video titled “A Promise Kept.” It contained what several mutual friends described as graphic threats against Sammy. In it, Stair described in detail how he intended to kill her. Sammy said she couldn’t understand what had fueled his rage.

The video included an animated “Teenage Girl Missing” poster bearing a drawing that resembled Sammy. By the video’s conclusion, Stair — depicted as Ember McLain from “Danny Phantom”— is shown holding what appears to be Sammy’s severed head.

“You’re gonna pay for what you did to me,” Stair is heard saying in the video. “Mark my words … You’re not safe. … You were once a sweet little girl in my eyes. But that was very short-lived. Just like your very existence.”

Sammy said the video convinced her to permanently end all contact with Stair.

“He would post very cryptic, indirect things on Twitter, but obviously you couldn’t be completely sure,” Sammy said. “And I think we all wanted to keep an eye on him. We would block him and unblock him to look at his account. But after that video went up, that’s when I blocked him for good and ceased all contact.”

Stair launched his YouTube channel, PioneersProductions, around 2008, when he was about 15 years old. Much of his early content consisted of sketch comedy and self-deprecating homemade short films. Sammy discovered the channel when she was about 12 and became a fan. When Stair was about 21, the two began communicating online.

“I think what drew me to his page was how his videos almost felt like home videos,” Sammy said. “I grew up with brothers, so they also liked his videos and related to them. It made Randy relatable to me as a person, not just as a content creator.”

“Our chats mainly started with us talking about his YouTube videos,” Sammy said. “But we both really liked music, and we shared a lot of common interests. I guess I viewed him almost like a big brother. We had a similar sense of humor. He was very friendly in the beginning.”

As Stair’s audience grew, he began posting more personal videos, including behind-the-scenes footage and personal reflections. The episode describes Stair as an introvert who appeared awkward when he wasn’t filming.

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“I think when it comes to YouTube or any type of edited media, you have multiple chances to get something right,” Sammy said. “If you don’t like how something is turning out, you can redo it. I think that’s what he liked. He didn’t have to get things perfect. He could have a couple of takes to get things exactly how he wanted. I think that allowed him to express himself more easily than he could in the moment, in real life.”

As Stair’s filmmaking skills improved, his videos took an increasingly dark turn. The goofy sketch comedies and homemade spoofs that once filled his channel gradually disappeared, replaced by melancholy short films and bleak monologues.

Stair’s channel had long featured recurring comedy sketches centered on a frog and a whale. In a video titled “Extinction Series Finale,” the lighthearted characters meet a violent end. Stair is shown repeatedly stabbing them with a knife.

“It was very different from his content before,” Sammy said. “But he also seemed different as a person. He became more distant, tweeted less and became less active on social media. It almost wasn’t the same person who was making those earlier videos.”

“There was a time when he described what would be called suicidal ideation to me,” Sammy said. “But at the time, he said he never felt like he would actually act on those thoughts. Even though he talked to us a lot on social media, when it came to topics like that, he would either deflect or try to reassure us that he would never do something like that.”

As the months passed, Sammy said she noticed changes in Stair’s online behavior. His social media posts became increasingly erratic.

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“At times, he would tweet things and then delete them almost immediately or a few minutes later,” Sammy said. “They were usually about his purpose in the world or how he felt lost. But he would reassure everyone that it was just a difficult moment for him and that he was OK.”

Around 2013, Stair became fixated on the character McLain, a ghost rock star from the Nickelodeon animated series. The character soon became the focus of much of Stair’s online activity. He created “Ember’s Ghost Squad,” an animated series inspired by the character, and filled his journals with writings about joining McLain and his own “Ghost Squad” characters after death.

Sammy and other friends said the fixation increasingly dominated Stair’s online identity.

“Honestly, to this day, I don’t really know why he was so drawn to that character,” Sammy said. “I think it could be something as simple as liking the character, the way she looked and her style. Or he could have felt like he related to her backstory somehow. But I really don’t know why he chose that specific character.”

Sammy said they discussed his job at Weis Markets.

“Obviously, he would say that retail isn’t the best place to work, and he didn’t want to be there forever,” Sammy said. “He encouraged me, as a younger person, not to go into retail, but those were things I’d heard all my life from my older siblings and adults. He wasn’t hateful or angry about his job. I never thought he would’ve done something like that, especially there.”

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On June 8, 2017, Stair brought two pistol-grip shotguns to work during an overnight shift and blocked the store’s entrances and exits so no one could escape.

Pennsylvania State Police said Stair, 24, fired 59 shots before killing himself. He killed Terry Sterling, 63; Victoria Brong, 25; and Brian Hayes, 47. A fourth co-worker escaped unharmed and called police. Investigators said the victims were working the overnight shift when the shooting unfolded.

Although there is no indication anyone close to Stair could have predicted or prevented the attack, Sammy said she still struggles with those feelings.

“It was devastating,” Sammy said. “I did feel guilty because I wish I had spoken up more about what I saw with him. Several times, when we were in touch, he would post something and take it down, or he would say something, and when I tried to dig deeper, he would deflect. Looking back on it now, there were signs he was in decline.”

Wyoming County District Attorney Jeff Mitchell said Stair left an online trail that included praise for the 1999 Columbine High School shooters and expressions of deep frustration with the world around him, The Associated Press reported.

Today, Sammy said her goal in sharing her story is to encourage people to speak up when someone appears to be in crisis. She hopes others will recognize changes in behavior and seek help if they are concerned about someone’s well-being.

“I think people are sometimes afraid to speak up. And we may not know where to get help. But we have to be vigilant about the world around us.”