Opportunities have been scarce for Black players across a wide range of sports, despite the end of Apartheid.
The Black Lives Matter movement has forced South African sports to take a hard look at its post-apartheid history and the dissension between former teammates in a county still trying to heal from its racist past.
BLM has shined a light on how people of color are treated around the world, and in South Africa the focal point is the sports world.
— Vanguard Newspapers (@vanguardngrnews) June 4, 2020
The debate has led to the acknowledgement that opportunities have been scarce for Black players across a wide range of sports, despite the end of Apartheid, a system of racial segregation that existed in South African from 1948 until the earl 1990s.
The inequities between white and Black players has been a heated discussion that jeopardizes amicable relationships between current teammates as well as former teammates from an older generation, according to Reuters.
Showing support of BLM, South Africa’s World Cup-winning former rugby captain, Francois Pienaar took a knee before a cricket match in July, and was criticized by his former teammates who felt his position linked them to being in support of BLM as well.
According to a report in news24.com, one of Pienaar’s former teammates, Ollie Le Roux, retweeted a post that compared BLM to devil worshipping.
Francois Pienaar, who took a knee in support of Black people, and Fikile Mbalula during the Memorial service of Joost van der Westhuizen at Loftus Versfeld on February 10, 2017 in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo by Johan Rynners/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
Public backlash against Pienaar’s decision to support BLM has included death threats. Pienaar, however, defended his position, stating that he was showing solidarity against “any form of racism and suppression.”
“I think a discussion must be held to fully understand the Black pain, but the other side of the coin is the farm murders, which has caused a lot of white pain,” Le Roux told Rapport, referring to the ongoing violent attacks against usually white-owned farms in South Africa.
When eight South African members of the premiere rugby team, the Sale Sharks wore ‘Rugby Against Racism’ t-shirts, but refused to take a knee before a game in England, the country’s minister of sport, Nathi Mthethwa called for action against those players.
“Racism is no longer in the statues books but some are practicing it covertly and we are saying that we will hunt them down because we know the pain that is caused by this pain called racism,” Mthethwa said in a statement.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
A family, driving to get a laptop from an elementary school, was struck by a car fleeing a traffic stop
A girl is dead and her brother in critical condition after the car their father was driving, on their way to get home supplies for the school year, was struck by a driver in a police chase in Chicago on Wednesday.
The family was on its way to retrieve a laptop from Foster Park Elementary School in the city’s South Side for the girl’s remote learning when their car collided with a Black sedan. The sedan, which was fleeing police from a traffic stop, had first hit a 57-year-old woman driver prior to hitting the family, according to Chicago police.
Da’Karia Spicer, 10, was pronounced dead at Comer Children’s Hospital, where Dhaamir Spicer, 5, is being treated for his injuries. Their father Kevin Amir Spicer, 43, was reported to be in good condition after checking in at the University of Chicago Hospital, according to WLS-TV in the Midwestern metropolis.
Three suspects vacated the sedan and fled on foot, and one is in custody with charges pending.
Kevin Spicer suffered broken ribs in the crash. Darnesha Johnson, his fiance and the children’s mother, says Spicer was “hysterical” when he called her about the crash.
“We’ve been together for almost 15 years and I’ve never heard him like that. He was saying, ‘Mama’s not responding,'” Johnson told the news outlet.
Johnson said this was the “worst day of my life,” with her firstborn killed and son in critical condition.
“Never thought I’d get a call that my son is fighting for his life and my daughter is just gone.”
Johnson stated that Da’Karia was a straight-A student and a “good big sister.” She wants justice for those responsible for the tragedy.
“I just want who was ever responsible for this to pay for what they done, ’cause my daughter — to know her is to love her. I can’t even speak in past tense.”
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
A Trump administration official has instructed agencies to compile a list on racial sensitivity trainings on critical race theory, white privilege and other topics
President Donald Trump is looking to revamp the federal government’s racial sensitivity training curriculum, deeming some sessions to be “un-American” and “divisive,” according to an unearthed White House memorandum.
The memo, issued by White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, says Trump wants to pull funding for the training sessions, labeling them “propaganda” and suggesting that the workplace programs “undercut our core values as Americans and drive division within our workforce.”
The Washington Post obtained the memo delivered to federal agencies on Friday that spells out the president’s stance on the matter and instructs federal agencies to expect more guidance in the near future.
“The President has directed me to ensure that Federal agencies cease and desist from using taxpayer dollars to fund these divisive, un-American propaganda training sessions,” the notice read.
The two-page memo states that federal agency should compile a list of contracts and spending on training that involves topics like critical race theory, white privilege and others that paint the country and people as “inherently racist or evil.”
Vought wrote that the Federal government was a pillar of racial unity as it employs people of all races, and states that the Trump administration feels that the training sessions will undermine unity and the president’s “proven track record of standing for those whose voice has long been ignored.”
“We can be proud of our continued efforts to welcome all individuals who seek to serve their fellow Americans as Federal employees,” Vought wrote.
The memo said that the OMB will instructor these agencies and departments to “cancel any such contracts” and take away the money used for the sessions.
“The divisive, false, and demeaning propaganda of the critical race theory movement is contrary to all we stand for as Americans and should have no place in the Federal government,” the memo ended.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
Lawmakers are concerned that racial tensions will be exploited again in a redux of a 2016 misinformation campaign led by Russians
WASHINGTON (AP) — The tensions coursing through the United States over racism and policing are likely targets for adversaries seeking to influence the November election, lawmakers and experts warn — and there are signs that Russia is again seeking to exploit the divide.
Earlier this year, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pulled down dozens of accounts with names like “Blacks Facts Untold” that had been followed or liked by hundreds of thousands of people. The accounts were fake, created by an organization in Africa with links to Russia’s Internet Research Agency.
Similarly, this past week Facebook announced it had removed a network of accounts linked to that “troll factory” that had pushed out stories about race and other issues. The network had tricked unwitting American writers to post content to the pages.
It’s a troubling but familiar pattern from Russia, as the Internet Research Agency overwhelmingly focused on race and the Black Lives Matter Movement when targeting the U.S. in 2016. The goal, part of the Russian playbook for decades, was to sow chaos by posting content on both sides of the racial divide. Indeed, “no single group of Americans was targeted by IRA information operatives more than African-Americans,” concluded a report from the Senate Intelligence Committee.
With the election just two months away, some lawmakers are worried that the Russian efforts, now evolved and more sophisticated than four years ago, could again take hold. They fear the Trump administration’s decision to limit what it tells Congress — and by extension the American people — about election threats will allow the propaganda to spread.
“Race was a big piece of what they did in 2016, and given heightened racial tensions this year, there’s no reason they wouldn’t be doing the same thing again,” says Maine Sen. Angus King, an independent who is on the Senate Intelligence Committee. He says the information that is now being limited “belongs to the American people.”
Senate Intelligence Committee member Sen. Angus King (I-ME) (L) listens to fellow committee memebrs question witnesses during a hearing in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill March 21, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Democrats were furious last weekend after Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, a close Trump ally, informed Congress that the office would supply written information to the intelligence committees about election threats but would no longer be doing in-person briefings, denying lawmakers the chance to ask questions.
The cancellation came a few weeks after U.S. intelligence officials publicly stated that Russia is using a variety of measures to denigrate Trump’s opponent, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, ahead of the election. Trump responded to that assessment by saying that “nobody has been tougher on Russia than I have.”
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden greets Tim Mahone, chair of Mahone Foundation, with an elbow bump as he arrives at a meeting with members of the community at Grace Lutheran Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Election interference has always been a sensitive subject for Trump. The president has often dismissed the idea that Russia interfered at all in 2016, and has replaced many long-serving intelligence officials with his own appointees.
The intelligence statement did not offer specifics about what tactics Russia is using, but the past provides important clues.
In 2016 the Internet Research Agency had an “overwhelming operational emphasis on race” that was apparent in the online ads it purchased — more than two-thirds contained a term related to race. The company targeted that content to “African-Americans in key metropolitan areas with well-established black communities and flashpoints in the Black Lives Matter movement,” according to a Senate Intelligence Committee report. One of its top performing pages, “Blactivist,” generated 11.2 million engagements with Facebook users.
Bret Schafer, an expert on foreign disinformation with the bipartisan group Alliance for Securing Democracy, said stoking racial animosity is a Kremlin strategy that goes back decades. His group tracked a major uptick in social media activity on racial issues from Russian state-sponsored media and political figures this summer, especially after the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
“We have seen a constant messaging theme being race and racism in the U.S.,” Schafer said. “They’re very good at it.”
There is evidence that the recent police shooting of a Black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and the resulting protests — the focus of political sparring between Trump and Biden this week — have fueled a new round of social media activity from foreign governments.
English-language media outlets linked to the Russian government have published stories supporting the protests, and “Cop Injustice in Kenosha” is the headline on a video posted by an online news organization with ties to Russia. Another video from the Kremlin-backed outlet Redfish shows Trump supporters driving aggressively through protesters in Portland, Oregon, where there have been protests for weeks.
The stories are precisely the kind of content lawmakers are trying to keep tabs on.
The acting chairman of the Senate intelligence panel, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, told a local news outlet this week that has spoken to Ratcliffe and expects the in-person briefings to continue. But it is unclear if they will. The top Democrat on the panel, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, says he has been working with Rubio to urge Ratcliffe to reverse the decision.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) questions witnesses during a hearing about Venezuela in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill August 04, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
“Ninety percent of the information I’ve ever gained from any briefing is not from the briefing, it’s from the questions,” Warner said.
The briefings are less likely to be reinstated in the House intelligence committee, which is led by Democrats. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said cancelling the briefings is a “shocking abdication of its lawful responsibility.” He has urged vigilance on the Russian meddling, noting that the tactics have evolved but “the underlying malign goals remain the same.”
The intelligence committees are receiving some information from the social media companies themselves, notably Facebook and Twitter. The companies were slow to respond in 2016, but are now waging sophisticated efforts to root out foreign interference. Twitter stopped accepting political ads, while Facebook began verifying the identity of ad buyers in 2018 and this week said it will restrict new political ads in the 7 days before the election.
Nina Jankowicz, disinformation fellow at the nonpartisan Wilson Center, says there has been an improvement in tracking, but because the issue of interference has been so politicized, Congress and the public aren’t getting enough information.
“What people need to be looking for is stuff that is seemingly trying to get a rise out of them,” Jankowicz said. “Don’t think you are going to find a troll. It’s about guarding yourself from emotional manipulation.”
___
Associated Press writers David Klepper in Providence, Rhode Island, Amanda Seitz in Chicago and Barbara Ortutay in Oakland, California, contributed to this report.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
Tiffany Haddish hosted immunologist Dr. Anthony Fauci for a coronavirus discussion on her YouTube channel
Tiffany Haddish landed an exclusive interview with esteemed immunologist Dr. Anthony Fauci for her YouTube channel.
In the video posted late August, the comedienne went one-on-one with Fauci, the White House’s leading expert on coronavirus, discussing the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on the Black community and vaccine development, and revealing her own bout with the contagion.
Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, took the time to clear up what Haddish saw as “a lot of misinformation” circulating regarding the fast-spreading virus.
“From my community, we see things going on, we see stuff on the internet and I try to use my discernment,” Haddish said as she prepped to ask several questions.
During the 34-minute interview, Fauci addressed numerous issues about COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, including the origin of the virus, the pros and cons of taking herbal supplements to fight off and prevent contraction, as well as the government-backed race to find a preventative.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testifies before a House Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis hearing on July 31, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch-Pool/Getty Images)
Although vaccines must go through extensive trials before being distributed to the general public in a process that typically takes years and years to complete, Fauci said he understands why many in the Black community may not be inclined to be inoculated.
“It’s understandable that people can have some hesitancy about getting vaccines,” Fauci said.
“You can’t expect the people who aren’t trustworthy about vaccines to just believe everybody,” he continued. “I think particularly in the African-American community, which, over decades, historically, have suffered from being taken advantage of by medical community and testing. I mean the infamous Tuskegee [Experiment] is something we will never, and should never forget.”
Over the course of the conversation, Haddish revealed that she tested positive for COVID-19 three months ago. The Carmichael Show actress said she tested twice for the disease, once after being potentially exposed on a film set, which came back negative, and again after someone she knows contracted the virus.
“Get the tests the second time. I’m not feeling any symptoms or anything, and it comes back like two days later, and they said I did have the coronavirus,” said Haddish, who has been dating and quarantining during the pandemic with rapper Common.
Common and Tiffany Haddish attend Toast To The Arts Presented by Remy Martin on March 2, 2018 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for Remy Martin)
“Then I went and tested again, didn’t have the virus, and then I got tested for antibodies, they said I had antibodies,” she explained. “Then I get tested again, no virus, and then I had them test me for antibodies again, and then they said I don’t have any antibodies.”
“So I think I’m superhuman.”
In total, Haddish disclosed she’s taken 12 coronavirus tests as she returned to work.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
Rudy Byfield, founder of CellDration Water, one of only a handful of Black-owned premium water brands in the world, has partnered with Kroger, Ralph’s, Wakefern, DPI Specialty Foods, and other grocery store chains for distribution in over 1,100 stores nationwide in sixteen different states.
Utilizing a proprietary five-step process, and founded at the nexus between nature and science, CellDration Water offers an enhanced, mineralized purified water with multiple value-added benefits. CellDration’s game-changing national distribution deal signals a commitment by Kroger, Ralph’s, Wakefern, and DPI to supplier diversity by giving minority brands the opportunity to fairly compete with other brands on its shelves.
The water brand made its debut at various Kroger’s grocery stories in 2018 and sold over 300,000 bottles within the first six months – four times the projected sales goal and an incredibly promising start for a new brand market entry in the competitive beverage category.
“I have a deep and burning desire to foster an eco-system for health and wellness; it is my hope that CellDration lays a robust foundation for providing a sustainable and revolutionized hydration product for all to enjoy. As a Black-owned premium water brand, I am keenly aware of the historic nature of these unprecedented partnerships which will expose our great tasting product to millions of water drinkers,” states Byfield.
Involved in the development, production, management, and launch of multiple beverage brands, Byfield’s vast experience in the retail and beverage industries laid the foundation for CellDration’s “point of ignition”. Wanting to introduce water capable of doing remarkable things, Byfield became intrigued by a singular idea: to develop a more functional & efficient water product.
Having worked with huge brands like the Grammy Awards, Fat Joe, Nike, Wu-Tang Clan, Team Jordan, BET, Universal Records, DJ Khaled, and many others, it’s safe to say that Walter “Lucky Church” Simons has made a name for himself as the behind-the-scenes, go-to guy in the entertainment industry.
With over 15 years of PR and networking experience, he has become a super-connector, global liaison, and pro at building meaningful relationships..
Simons, currently director of client relations and PR at Mungo Creative Group, is a man who cannot be defined by one single role. The Harlem native wears many hats and has very recently partnered with Billy Porter, taking over his social media and content. He has a natural gift for building and cultivating relationships, and it shines through all that he does.
“I came up with the title global liaison because I’m just a connector of people and I love to connect people and things that make sense for each other.”
How Lucky Church Became The Go-To Liaison
The former singer/songwriter/musician used his past rock band experience to begin connecting brands with celebrities and recording artists with record labels. “I wore so many hats.”
Simons came up with a creative way to have his band have a manager, using his real name to respond to emails and book shows as the band’s manager. “I didn’t realize during this time of being with the band that I was building this unique skill set that would help catapult my career in the future,” he shared.
When Simons exited the band, an opportunity at Lizzie Grubman’s high-profile PR firm came his way through a friend. He quickly stood out from the pack when he was able to pull some strings to secure spots for shows at Fashion Week through his connections, which grabbed Grubman’s attention. Ever since, he has had a very successful career in many roles, rubbing shoulders with everyone’s Hollywood faves.
It goes beyond networking for Simons, though; his relationships are solid because he is open to assist in any way that he can.
“My relationships have enriched my life and because I’ve been good to people, they in turn have been good to me,” he says. “That’s why I tell people all the time that it’s important to build those relationships because you never know when you’ll need people to help you or when you’ll be an asset to help somebody and push them through to the next level of their life and career. It’s about making yourself available and being open to being available to help people at the same time.”
Building Meaningful Relationships In The Entertainment Industry
In an industry where there’s a lot of fake love, Simons aims to always keep it 100 by building his connections genuinely. He encourages others to do the same.
“If it doesn’t feel authentic, don’t do it,” he explains. “People can read through that.What you want to do is find something unique between you and the person that you have common ground on, and start from there. You have to also realize that you will not connect with everybody–and that’s OK. I never force anything, I let everything flow naturally.”
Rushing and trying to push to the top isn’t what got Simons to where he is today. He has built his reputation through sincere relationships that developed over time. He recommends slowing down and following your gut. “Just be patient with yourself, trust your instincts, and also, trust your journey,” he advises. “People are so busy trying to force their careers and force themselves to success, but that’s just not how success is gained. You have to be patient with yourself and understand that it’s a process.”
Simons believes that another reason many aren’t able to build meaningful industry relationships is because they come with an ulterior motive. “People approach situations with an intent to get something,” he notes. “Anybody who knows me will tell you that my relationships are built off of just interacting with them to see who they are and to get to know them as a person.” Simons looks to build a rapport, remain in contact, and makes it known that he is there to help whenever needed.
“There’s longevity in authenticity, and I cannot push that more. You have to be yourself. And with your network, you have to appreciate the small network in order to get to the big network. So many people are trying to push and force.”
WALTER “Lucky Church” SIMONS
Simons believes it is important to build a solid network to level up. And for those who are introverted, he shares, “You have to learn to break your shell, just a little bit. And sometimes it just takes meeting other introverts like yourself and finding common ground there. With no risk, there is no reward. If you’re not taking those little leaps of faith and stepping into your destiny, being fearless and unapologetic, you’re never going to find out who’s for you.”
He suggests practicing with friends who may be more extroverted or utilizing more social friends to introduce you to others and help you engage in conversations.
Johnathon Hines, a teacher at Barack Obama Elementary School in Atlanta, has been recognized as Georgia’s Pre-K Teacher of the Year. He is the first Black man to receive the award, and hopes to continue inspiring his young students!
“Now I have the opportunity to inspire other males in early childhood. And that’s definitely one of my biggest goals,” Hines told 11 Alive. “I know how hard it is to be a teacher. The love and passion that you have to have to come in the classroom every single day. It’s definitely a calling, and that is my calling.”
Hines has always been very passionate about teaching. He believes it is important that a child would first love learning which he does unconventionally and energetically through dancing and singing.
“Cause I feel like when a child is engaged, the more they will learn,” he explained. “When I was in school I didn’t really enjoy the story, or the story was boring. Pre-K is the first year a child will experience school, so I want their first encounter to be a loving, nurturing encounter. And also allow them to have fun and still be a 4-year-old.”
One of the most rewarding parts of his job is seeing his little students learn. Hines currently teaches 22 students that he treats like his own child.
“What I love most about my job is seeing the growth in my children,” he added. “Sometimes students come in being only able to recognize a few letters. But by May they are able to write their first and last names, read a short story. But even grow as a person. They develop self-confidence. They develop social and emotional skills. The growth is really important in pre-K.”
Moreover, Hines hopes he could get to inspire other men, especially Black men, to consider taking a career path in teaching.
“I have the opportunity to inspire other males to get inside of the classroom,” he said. “It speaks volumes because there’s so many teachers in the state of Georgia and to be the number one pre-K teacher means a lot.”
This article was originally published by BlackNews.com.
from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/3m1fWBx
via Gabe's Musing's
They migrated north to escape the heat but lost their genetic diversity, making them vulnerable to extinction. Today, some species face the same problem.
from Wired https://ift.tt/2Z7guM0
via Gabe's Musing's
At the age of 17, William Moore, Jr. is a licensed private pilot. Even though he hasn’t graduated from high school yet, he is already ready to pursue his instrument rating.
Over the past three years, he attended the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP) Aerospace Career Education (ACE) Academy located in Northern Virginia (NOVA). This Academy provides middle and high school youth with exposure to opportunities in aerospace and aviation through week-long summer camps. The program is endorsed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), OBAP has served a leading role in establishing ACE Academies nationwide to introduce, educate and guide diverse students towards careers in aviation.
Earlier this year, he interviewed for a scholarship through the East Coast Chapter, Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. (ECCTAI) Youth in Aviation Program (YIAP). He was accepted to attend ground school and completed in the top 5% of his class.
The ECCTAI YIAP covered many of his hours towards dual flight instruction and over the summer he flew at Potomac Airfield through HJ Aviation, LLC. He was honored to learn that his flight school was named after Herbert H. Jones Jr., an original Tuskegee Airman. He had the privilege of meeting Mr. Jones and he encouraged him to remain focused and stay on the path to aviation.
He started his first flight lesson on April 28, 2019, completed his first solo on June 28, 2019 and received his private pilot’s license (PPL) on October 15, 2019 (his birthday). He was selected and awarded a scholarship from Delta Air Lines to attend the National Flight Academy for a 2019 Summer Deployment 19-06. He learned so much and looks forward to attending again.
“We are so proud of our son. He set goals, was determined to pass his FAA exam the first time and also spoke into existence that he would achieve his PPL on his birthday,” said his mother, Kamesha Moore and father William Moore, Sr.
He plans to give back by sharing his experience with his peers in hopes of inspiring them that their dream of becoming a PPL can be achieved through hard work. For example, he is the first to complete the program and was invited and will participate with the incoming class of students.
On October 24, 2019, FAA Administrator Steve Dickson introduced audiences at the National Business Aviation Association to William Moore Jr. He said, “Last week William celebrated his 17th birthday by passing the oral portion of the exam for his private pilot’s license and by taking a flight with his instructor. We need more like Moore.”
His future goal is to become a commercial airline pilot and/or a cargo pilot. In addition, he is also interested in serving his country as a military C-5/C-17/C-130 pilot
Moore will join a small group of African American male pilots. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, figures from last year show less than 3% of US commercial pilots are African American.
This article was originally published by BlackNews.com.
from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/3lShoWD
via Gabe's Musing's
Casey David Crowther has been charged with fraudulently acquiring millions through the Paycheck Protection Program.
A Florida business owner who received more than $2 million in COVID-19 relief funds used nearly $700,000 of it to buy a 40-foot boat, authorities said.
Casey David Crowther, 35, has been arrested and charged with fraudulently acquiring millions through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for his company Target Roofing & Sheet Metal, Inc., The Hill reports.
The PPP was a part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The program was set up to help small businesses pay their employees and maintain their businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the complaint, Crowther made false and misleading statements to a lender in April in order to secure the loan.
A joint Secret Service investigation led to a Florida man being arrested for fraudulently receiving more than $2 million in COVID-19 relief funds for a small business, instead the government relief funds were used for his personal benefit. Read more: https://t.co/QwyZe4CGdD
He then used approximately $689,417 of the funds to purchase a 2020 40-foot catamaran boat. Prosecutors say he transferred the rest of the money to multiple business accounts and closed the account he used to obtain the loan.
If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in federal prison.
Crowther is the latest business owner charged with fraud by federal prosecutors for crimes related to PPP loans.
theGRIO previously reported, Love & Hip Hop Atlanta star, Arkansas Mo, was charged in May with federal bank fraud charges after investigators discovered he used funds from a $2 million Paycheck Protection Program loan to buy luxury items for himself.
Mo, born Maurice Fayne, allegedly purchased $85,000 worth of jewelry, including a Rolex Presidential watch, a diamond bracelet, and a 5.73-carat diamond ring. He also paid $40,000 in back child support.
According to MSN, The US Department of Justice also seized $80,000 in cash from the home and found a 2019 Rolls-Royce Wraith that still had temporary tags on it. Agents also seized three bank accounts into which Fayne had allegedly transferred $503,000 worth of PPP funds.
Maurice “Mo” Fayne and Karlie Redd attend “Ferrari Karlie” Single Release Party at Buckhead Loft on July 18, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
“The defendant allegedly stole money meant to assist hard-hit employees and businesses during these difficult times, and instead greedily used the money to bankroll his lavish purchases of jewelry and other personal items,” Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski said in a statement. “The department will remain steadfast in our efforts to root out and prosecute frauds against the Paycheck Protection Program.”
More than $3 billion in PPP loans may have gone to companies and firms that should have been excluded from the program, The Hill reports.
These increasing cases of fraudulently obtained loans continue to stir debate across social media among Black entrepreneurs who were denied loans through the PPP. According to a recent report from the Small Business Administration, Black and Hispanic businesses were largely shut out of access to the funding.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
The disease expert told former mayor of New York Mike Bloomberg that ‘there are several states that are at risk for surging’
American physician, immunologist, and infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci has been cautioning the public about the greater effects of COVID-19–most recently warning that if Americans are “careless” then infection numbers will increase this fall.
Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in a conversation with former mayor of New York Mike Bloomberg, “there are several states that are at risk for surging.”
He especially emphasized North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Arkansas, Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois because these states have seen upticks in COVID-19 cases. Fauci insisted residents take additional measures as they go about to limit the spread of the virus during the holiday weekend
The number of Americans contracting coronavirus continues to increase daily. Statistics show the number of people contracting the virus has slowed down significantly in certain areas, but according to Fauci, coronavirus cases could spike if effective precautions are not taken.
CDC head Dr. Anthony Fauci. (Photo by Al Drago – Pool/Getty Images)
“Those states are starting to see an increase in the percent positive of their testing; that is generally predictive that there’s going to be a problem,” Fauci SAID in an interview.
At the beginning of the summer, some states saw an increase in the spread of the virus. Reports showed 10,420 new cases per day in July, as primary school students across the nation begin in-person socially-distanced teaching. The American death toll has reached around 1,000 people per day, the Washington Postreported.
“If we’re careless about it, then we could wind up with a surge following Labor Day. It really depends on how we behave as a country,” Fauci continued.
Vice President Mike Pence and Fauci have cautioned governors to enforce COVID-19 precautions for fear of spikes in cases similar to earlier summer holidays. In total, there have been 6 million confirmed cases of coronavirus and over 185,000 people have died.
According to Forbes, America’s Midwestern region has become a high-risk zone for the spread of the virus.
The two most highly recommended measures to avoid spreading coronavirus are to wear a mask and social distance. To America’s betterment — these precautions also help to curb the spread of the common flu.
Have you subscribed totheGrio’s new podcast“Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
