A Red Baron worker who was ridiculed by an influencer in a viral prank video has shared an emotional message of thanks after supporters raised more than $600,000 for him.

Walt Z was stocking shelves at a Michigan grocery store when he became the target of a cruel online prank. The footage was originally uploaded in August to a page that has since been deleted, but recently resurfaced and spread rapidly across social media.

In the clip, a streamer walked up to Walt and asked what time it was. When Walt took out his phone to check, the person filming played the Apple Pay notification sound on his own device, pretending he had taken money from the worker.

The father of four initially kept his composure and asked the prankster to leave him alone. As the confrontation continued, however, Walt explained that the stunt was not funny to him. He said he worked hard to support his family and simply wanted to finish his shift and go home.

The resurfaced video prompted widespread outrage, while thousands of viewers responded by showing their support financially.

Luke Oakenshield, one viewer who was deeply affected by the encounter, launched a GoFundMe campaign on Tuesday. The fundraiser states that donations will go directly to Walt.

By Friday evening, the GoFundMe had collected more than $585,000 for Walt. A separate GiveSendGo fundraiser had also received more than $14,200, bringing the total public support to over $600,000.

Walt later posted a heartfelt message on GoFundMe, writing: “I wanted to take a moment to personally thank everyone who has donated, shared this fundraiser, or left a kind message. The kindness and encouragement you’ve shown me and my family have meant more than I can put into words.”

“My family and I are doing well, and I’m grateful to have supportive people around me. I’ve been keeping things private to protect my family’s privacy, and I appreciate everyone respecting that.”

“I’ve also received a lot of interview requests. Being in the spotlight isn’t something I would normally seek out, but I’m considering sharing my story. Before making that decision, I want to make sure it’s with people who will treat me and my family with care and respect our privacy.”

“Please know that even if I haven’t responded to your message or comment, your support has made a difference. From me and my family, thank you.”

After the influencer pretended to take money from him, Walt warned the person behind the camera: “Don’t mess with me right now.”

Despite Walt’s request, the person filming continued to taunt him in an apparent attempt to provoke a stronger reaction.

When Walt became visibly upset, the prankster told him to calm down and insisted that it was “just a joke.”

Walt rejected that explanation, saying: “It’s not a joke to me… My life is hard enough as it is.” His voice began to shake as he added: “I got kids at home that went to bed without me. I was supposed to be at home an hour ago, and I’m still out here working!”

EXPLORE MORE: Broadcaster Emma Willis Scandal And Controversy Explained – NewsFinale

He then raised his voice and said: “And I gotta get up at five in the morning and do 10 more stores! So this is not a joke to me!”

‘And now I’m probably gonna get kicked out of the store because of you,’ he then said before the person recording replied: ‘Okay, I’m sorry.’

‘No, you’re not sorry because you’ve got a smug look on your face,’ Walt said. ‘You’re probably making money off this! I can’t even pay my goddamn mortgage, and I got four kids at home!’

People online overwhelmingly responded with sympathy for the hardworking father and called out the prankster, with many calling him a ‘wannabe influencer’ and a ‘punk.’ 

Vivek Ramaswamy, who is running for Governor of Ohio, also shared his support for Walt. 

He and his wife, Apoorva, donated a whopping $38,000 to the GoFundMe, and Vivek posted a video on X about him standing with the employee. 

‘Hey Walt, I just want to tell you, we got your back. You’re brave and you speak for millions of Americans across this country, including in my home state of Ohio. 

‘In your honor, we’ve got Red Barron pizza on our bus tour today. This one’s for you Walt, we got your back,’ the politician said as he held up frozen pizzas. 

A spokesperson for Red Baron’s parent company, CJ Schwan’s, told the New York Post: ‘We are aware of the video circulating on social media involving one of our Direct Store Delivery employees during an incident that occurred in August.

‘Following the incident, we connected directly with our team member to check on his well-being, and we continue to offer our support. We are pleased to share that he is doing well and remains a valued member of our team.’ 

A California physician who defrauded Medicare of more than $45 million to finance lavish trips, high-end vehicles and a $12,000 antique crossbow has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.

Violetta Mailyan, 45, of Glendale, was convicted of orchestrating a sweeping scheme through her Healthy Way Medical Center clinic. Prosecutors said she filed false Medicare claims for Botox injections that were medically unwarranted, cosmetic in nature or never administered.

The case involved far more than fabricated billing records. Mailyan allegedly sought reimbursement for procedures listed on days when the clinic was closed—and on dates when she was out of the country or vacationing elsewhere.

Trial evidence showed that claims totaling more than $19 million described Botox injections that were supposedly carried out while the medical center was not operating.

Other fraudulent claims were submitted while Mailyan was traveling in Mexico, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Pennsylvania and New York, according to prosecutors.

In one striking instance, she billed Medicare for more than $200,000 in treatments allegedly provided to California patients while she was actually vacationing on a beach in Cabo.

Medicare covers Botox injections only when they are medically necessary for patients with documented chronic migraines.

Prosecutors said Mailyan exploited that coverage by billing for thousands of injections that did not take place, were performed solely for cosmetic reasons or involved patients who had not received the required primary-care referrals for chronic migraine treatment.

CONTINUE READING: Oregon Teacher Who Wrestled Shotgun From School Gunman Speaks Out

The proceeds, authorities said, fueled an extravagant spending spree.

Among the purchases were a 17th-century crossbow valued at $12,000 and a $3,000 painting.

Jurors also determined that Mailyan used the fraud proceeds to purchase two Tesla vehicles, including a Cybertruck, as well as five California properties.

The sentencing judge condemned the scheme as “truly breathtaking in scope and shocking in its duration,” calling Mailyan’s conduct “almost unbelievable in their brazenness.”

The financial penalties were equally significant. The court ordered the immediate forfeiture of more than $16 million in seized assets, including real estate, personal belongings, securities and funds held in bank accounts. The assets will be returned to the United States.

Mailyan must also pay Medicare $32,904,049.41 in restitution. Federal officials said they will continue pursuing the recovery of additional stolen funds.

Her conviction came after a six-day federal jury trial that concluded in May 2026.

Jurors found Mailyan guilty of nine counts of wire fraud and three counts of obstructing a criminal investigation tied to a health care offense.

A Silver Rail Elementary School teacher who confronted a teenage shooter during the deadly attack earlier this month has spoken publicly for the first time, saying the tragedy is a loss she will carry for the rest of her life.

Cassidy Schutz, a certified learning specialist at the Bend school, issued her statement Friday through Bend-La Pine Schools. Her remarks came more than two weeks after the Oct. 15 shooting, which claimed the lives of three children and teacher Megan Lambert.

“There are no words to describe the depth of sadness I am feeling following the events of October 15th. This is not a story. This is a horrific and heartbreaking tragedy, and it is our real lives,” Schutz said in the statement.

“My thoughts are with those who were lost, their families, those who were hurt, and those who were there that day. My heart is with you. It all happened so fast, and I wish with everything in me that we had more time. The pain of this loss I will carry with me forever.”

Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz previously said Schutz helped confront the attacker by throwing her cellphone at him and grappling with him for control of his shotgun.

Schutz also requested privacy while she works through the aftermath of the shooting.

“There are no words for this unimaginable reality we are facing. My focus is on these families, our team, our school, and my own healing,” she said. “As I continue to navigate this, I ask that you please give me the time, space, and privacy I need to heal. I will not be making any additional public statements at this time.”

Police said the attack began when a 16-year-old former student entered the elementary school and opened fire in a classroom for children with special needs.

Lambert, 25, died alongside three students: 5-year-old Rhoam Summer and two other children, ages 8 and 11.

A second teacher, Becky Drury, and a 7-year-old girl were also shot but survived.

Drury previously told News Media that she saw the gunman and attempted to shut her classroom door, but he shot her before she could keep him out.

After sustaining serious injuries to both arms, Drury pretended to be dead in an effort to avoid further gunfire. The attacker was ultimately killed by Kaylub Giamanco, a 36-year-old father who intervened at the school.

A driver accused of veering onto a sidewalk and striking children and adults at an NYPD precinct Halloween event Thursday has been charged with vehicular assault, police said.

A driver accused of veering onto a sidewalk and striking children and adults at an NYPD precinct Halloween event Thursday has been charged with vehicular assault, police said.

Michael Marsh, 56, allegedly had a blood alcohol level of .26 when his van careened into the middle of a “Trunk or Treat” gathering outside the 83rd Precinct stationhouse on Knickerbocker Avenue near Bleecker Street in Bushwick, according to law enforcement sources.

“A little girl, her arm is peeled off, literally,” one mother who attended the event with her 9-year-old daughter said at the scene. “The lady injured her leg, and then one of the ladies, the back of her head was injured, and she has a hole in the back of her head.”

“A little girl, her arm is peeled off, literally,” one mother who attended the event with her 9-year-old daughter said at the scene. “The lady injured her leg, and then one of the ladies, the back of her head was injured, and she has a hole in the back of her head.”

Authorities said Marsh’s van also struck a private ambulance that had been stationed outside the event.

The Crown Heights resident faces additional charges of reckless endangerment, three counts related to driving while intoxicated, driving on the sidewalk and driving without a seatbelt, police said.

The Crown Heights resident faces additional charges of reckless endangerment, three counts related to driving while intoxicated, driving on the sidewalk and driving without a seatbelt, police said.

Marsh’s passenger, a 46-year-old woman, was expected to receive a summons for a traffic infraction, according to authorities.

Bill Belichick’s girlfriend, who is 49 years younger than the legendary coach, made headlines this week after intervening during his CBS interview.

However, the awkward television appearance is not the only reason Jordon Hudson has attracted attention. The 24-year-old former cheerleader has quietly built a real estate portfolio valued at $9.1 million since beginning her relationship with the controversial NFL figure, the Daily Mail can reveal.

Public records show Hudson has acquired at least four properties, including a $3 million home. All of the purchases were made after she met Belichick, 73, in 2021.

More remarkably, records indicate that Belichick’s girlfriend has already paid off the mortgages on each of the properties.

Hudson has also registered 18 companies since she began dating the eight-time Super Bowl winner. Several of the business names appear to suggest that she has some influence over his affairs.

The Maine native, whose father is a fisherman, has also secured the services of a high-end wealth manager whose firm requires clients to hold at least $2 million in assets.

Neither Belichick nor Hudson responded to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.

The celebrated coach, who is reportedly worth about $70 million, calls Hudson his ‘idea mill and creative muse’ in his forthcoming memoir, which is due out in May.

Hudson’s influence over Belichick became a national talking point after she interrupted his CBS interview about the book on Sunday and stopped questions about how the couple first met.

‘We’re not talking about this’, Hudson said, despite the reported account of their meeting on a plane appearing to be innocuous.

Hudson, who is scheduled to compete in the Miss Maine USA beauty pageant in May, reportedly left the interview for 30 minutes, delaying the filming.

Friends of Belichick have reportedly expressed concern that the relationship is a ‘runaway train’ and alleged that Hudson ‘saw an opening and took it’ with the former coach.

The New York Post reported that they are planning an intervention, although it will be handled ‘very gently because they know how deep in he is’.

The scale of Hudson’s assets is likely to prompt further questions about her relationship with Belichick, who is known for his meticulous, hands-on approach.

Records obtained by the Daily Mail show three of Hudson’s properties were bought in a cluster within three days of each other in December 2023, when Belichick was still in charge of the New England Patriots, during his 24th and final season.

Suffolk County deed records show that Hudson bought two large townhouses in Dorchester, Massachusetts on December 1, 2023 – one worth $2.2m and the other $2.3m. Hudson got a $1.1m mortgage on both properties, which are each divided into three large apartments. 

One four-bedroom apartment in the first building is currently available for rent at $4,900 a month.

Then on December 8, 2023, Hudson took out a mortgage on her most expensive property yet: a $3million, three-bedroom family home in the Roxbury Crossing area of Boston.

Yet again, she got a $1.1million mortgage on the property.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Gossip Girl Star Kelly Rutherford Steps Out With Son Hermès

A fourth property – bought nearly two months before the other three houses – is a two-bedroom, 1,200 sq ft cottage located in Harwich, Massachusetts. It was purchased on October 18, 2023 for $610,000 and property records show it had a mortgage of $488,000.

Hudson used a trust called the TCE Trust, created on June 12, 2023, to help with the transaction.

But the most intriguing twist was yet to come: according to Massachusetts property records, all four mortgages were paid off within a week of each other in late January this year.

The 18 companies set up by Hudson are mostly in the state of Massachusetts.

Some were set up to help her buy properties, such as TCE Cottage LLC, but others suggest she could be more involved in running Belichick’s life.

Among them is Trouble Club Enterprises LLC, set up on January 20 this year.

On her LinkedIn page, Hudson says she is chief executive and founder of a company of the same name.

The LinkedIn page also states that, as of August last year, Hudson has been chief operating officer of ‘Belichick Productions’.

A company by that name was set up in New Jersey on April 17 this year but it is unclear if it is related to Hudson.

Other companies set up by Hudson include ‘All BB Team LLC’, an apparent reference to Belichick, ‘Chapel Bill LLC’ and ‘Coach Show LLC’. It is not clear how much she is managing Belichick’s rights and image.

Hudson, a trained cosmetologist, has also set up ‘Roosevelt Glam LLC’ named after one of her middle names.

There are numerous versions of TCE such as ‘TCE Creative Consulting LLC’ and ‘TCE Rights Management’. There is even a company called ‘TEC Tech Support LLC’ suggesting she is involved in IT too.

On her LinkedIn page, Hudson, a philosophy graduate from Bridgewater State University who only graduated in 2022, states her skills include real estate development, contract management, strategic partnerships, mergers and acquisitions and leadership development.

The names that appear on the property and company documents are Massachusetts real-estate lawyer David Jensen and Joshua Christian, an advisor with Cerity Partners, a high-end wealth management company based in Boston.

On Cerity’s website, the company says that its clients have to have a minimum of $2million in assets and pay an annual fee of $20,000 to use its services.

The Daily Mail has contacted Cerity and Jensen for comment.

Previous reports have raised questions about how much Hudson is in charge of Belichick’s life. She recently moved with him to Chapel Hill, where the head coach is preparing for his first season coaching college ball for the University of North Carolina.

Last month it emerged that Belichick wanted Hudson copied in on all emails between him and Robbi Pickeral Evans, the school’s Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs and Strategic Communications.

In her email signature, Hudson refers to herself as Chief Operating Officer of Belichick Productions.

She has also been involved in negotiations with the NFL about a documentary covering Belichick and UNC, it has been reported.

One of Belichick’s friends told the New York Post: ‘This guy is known as being such a strong voice and in many ways autocratic – and here he is becoming mush in her hands and letting her direct everything.

‘She is so much younger, so inexperienced and so lacking in perspective and professionalism’.