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White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles announces she is cancer free

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles announced Wednesday that she is cancer free, six months after revealing she had been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.

"Some personal news I’m grateful to share," Wiles wrote. "After a medical appointment at the Mayo Clinic this week, my pathology results came back clear.

"I am cancer free."

TRUMP PRAISES SUSIE WILES’ CANCER FIGHT IN SURPRISE GALA VIDEO: ‘WINNING IT DECISIVELY’

Wiles thanked her family, friends, doctors and those who prayed for and supported her throughout her treatment.

"A special thank you to President Trump for his unwavering support," she added. "I am deeply grateful and will continue to work to advance his America First Agenda."

Happily married Florida mom charged after arrest exposes alleged love triangle involving her son

Police in Polk County, Florida had no idea what they were walking into when they were called out to the Clemens' residence for a domestic dispute between a mother and her son.

There was much more going on than allegations that Shane Clemens, 22, had battered his mother, Christina Clemens, 46, during a reported domestic violence incident. There was also a bizarre love triangle taking place.

A love triangle that the husband didn’t even know he was part of. After Shane was arrested, he decided to let deputies know that he's been sleeping with his mother since he was 18, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd revealed in a post on social media.

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Upon hearing about the alleged incest, law enforcement decided to ask Christina about it. She, being an honest woman, told the deputies that it was true and that they had sex "only about 100 times," Sheriff Judd said.

The deputy on the receiving end of this unexpected news got a detective involved. The sheriff's office put their case together and contacted Christina's husband, who told them that they were happily married and living together.

YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY WITH WATERING YOUR GRASS WITH YOUR 'CRANK' OUT ON SHERIFF GRADY JUDD'S WATCH

The husband was then asked if he was aware that his wife was having sex with her son. He said he wasn’t aware, although there were signs that raised his suspicion. The two "used to go in the master bedroom and lock the door."

"What else can you say? That's nasty. That's nasty, and it's illegal," Sheriff Judd concluded. "They got charged with incest. She got charged with adultery. It's still on the books, you know?"

Nobody breaks these types of stories down like Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. This one has so many twists and turns, it's unreal.

It's bad enough to have a domestic dispute between mom and son, but then they took it to another level. A level where most people can feel better about their own family life.

Colbert confesses he's healthier away from late night, compares hosting to drinking a 'cup of poison'

Former "Late Show" host Stephen Colbert said Tuesday that he doesn't appear to drink a "cup of poison" every day, as late-night host Jimmy Kimmel told him he looked happier and healthier away from the late-night television.

Colbert's final episode of "The Late Show" aired in May after CBS announced in 2025 that they would be canceling the program.

"Do you think about it ever?" Kimmel asked the former late-night host in an interview on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

Colbert said, "Nope," and added, "I have an opportunity to not think about the news every day, and I took it."

JIMMY KIMMEL SAYS HE FELT 'DEFEATED' AFTER COLBERT SHOW WAS CANCELLED, SAYS CBS IS USING 'MADE-UP NUMBERS'

TUNING OUT: WHY MANY AMERICANS ARE SICK OF THE NEWS – ESPECIALLY TRUMP NEWS

Kimmel told Colbert that the ex-late-night host seemed like a different person when he saw him at the Emmys.

"When I saw you last night, I felt like you, I don’t know, you just seemed like a different person. You seemed happier, you seemed healthier," Kimmel said.

Colbert quipped, "Like I don’t drink a cup of poison every day?"

"The old gig, as I remember, was that, to be lowered like carbon rods into a radioactive pool every day. And then to be pulled out and put in front of a camera. And to radiate it back at the audience at a non-lethal rad level," Colbert said.

JON STEWART ASKS WHETHER 'THE DAILY SHOW' IS LIKE HIGH-SUGAR FOOD GIVING US 'POLITICAL DIABETES'

"Oh, the irony that someone the left charged with spewing daily, anti-Trump missives feels happier that he's not engaged in grand delusions. It's almost as if having a life and hobbies outside of hating Trump and half the country is better for the soul. I, for one, am glad that Stephen appears to be getting the help he needs," Newsbusters managing editor Curtis Huock told Fox News Digital in a statement about the Kimmel-Colbert exchange.

He added, "This should be a lesson to the rest of the country: Never let politics completely consume your life. It sure seems as though Colbert actually touched grass and likes what he felt."

Colbert's former program won Outstanding Variety Series at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards Monday, months after "The Late Show" aired its final episode in May.

When asked after the ceremony about free speech and the future of late-night television, Colbert said he remained optimistic about the medium.

RICKY GERVAIS REJECTS CALLS TO TONE DOWN COMEDY: 'BE OFFENDED IF YOU WANT'

"If you can’t say something because you go to jail, that is a violation of free speech," Colbert said. "I think that late night is just as funny and just as vital as it ever has been, and I love watching Jimmy and Jimmy and John and John and Seth and everybody else. And I think I hope it goes on for a long time because you get to work with people like this, and that’s the greatest gift."

When CNN correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister asked Colbert directly whether he believed his show had been canceled because of Trump, the comedian appeared to repeatedly deflect rather than answer the question.

Variety reported that the exchange came during a post-Emmys interview with Wagmeister and Variety co-president and co-editor-in-chief Ramin Setoodeh.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

"What... Gayle, that’s a beautiful dress," Colbert said. After the reporter repeated the question, Colbert continued the bit. 

"Oh, I’m sorry, I’m deaf on this ear. What did you... what did you say?" Colbert said.

When they again attempted to ask whether Trump was responsible for the cancellation, Colbert deflected once more. "You wanted to know who the most important member of my staff was? It’s me," Colbert said.

Nigerian woman in Massachusetts charged after alleged illegal voting in federal elections

A Nigerian woman living in the United States as a permanent resident in Massachusetts illegally voted in at least two elections after lying about her citizenship, authorities said.

Gladys Adaeze Okafor, 56, has been charged by the Justice Department with unlawfully voting as an alien for allegedly casting ballots in the 2024 presidential primary election and the 2022 midterm elections despite not being a U.S. citizen.

She is expected to appear in a Boston federal courtroom on Wednesday.

CANADIAN NONCITIZEN ACCUSED OF ILLEGALLY VOTING IN FEDERAL AND STATE ELECTIONS

Okafor repeatedly falsified her citizenship status on official documents under penalty of perjury to gain access to the ballot, federal prosecutors allege.

In July 2022, she submitted a voter registration card and signed her name certifying that she was a U.S. citizen, authorities said. The City of Lynn subsequently registered her to vote.

NONCITIZEN CHARGED WITH VOTING IN MINNESOTA 2024 ELECTION AFTER ADMITTING ‘MISTAKE’ TO INVESTIGATORS

In October 2023, Okafor submitted another voter registration card where she checked a box saying she was an American citizen, prosecutors said. She then voted in the 2024 presidential primary election, court documents state.

Okafor was born in Nigeria and obtained lawful permanent resident status in December 2022. However, she is not a U.S. citizen and has not applied for U.S. citizenship, prosecutors said.

She faces up to a year in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.

Recently, seven noncitizens were indicted in connection with an election integrity investigation in Texas. Earlier this month, the DOJ charged five people in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin in cases involving alleged illegal voting or fraudulent registration during the 2022 or 2024 elections.

Tax breaks helping fuel Trump's latest tech push just landed in Dems' crosshairs

House Democrats are moving to stop data centers from receiving lucrative federal tax breaks as the artificial intelligence (AI) boom accelerates their expansion nationwide.

The moves put Democrats at odds with President Donald Trump as he makes data centers central to his American AI agenda. The administration has sought to accelerate data center development and streamline permitting as the U.S. competes for dominance in the emerging tech industry.

Reps. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Mich., and Don Davis, D-N.C., unveiled legislation Wednesday that would block data centers from tapping certain federal investment incentives.

AMERICA'S REDDEST STATE CHASES BILLION-DOLLAR BOOM AS OTHERS SOUR ON MASSIVE EMERGING INDUSTRY

The incentives in question weren't created specifically for AI or data centers. But the industry's massive infrastructure investments can qualify for these substantial tax benefits, which prompted Democrats to push to exclude data centers as concerns grow over electricity demand, water use and local development.

The bill is backed by 21 additional House Democrats, including Ways and Means Committee member Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif.

"Washington is giving handouts to Big Tech companies while American families are drowning. I hear that word in my district more than any other," McDonald Rivet said at a news conference Wednesday.

"From rising costs, groceries, gas, housing, healthcare and a lot more. These are backward priorities, and they perfectly encapsulate everything that is wrong with the way Washington works, serving interests of big corporations and special interests at the expense of working people."

THIS TINY FARMING TOWN YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF IS HELPING MICROSOFT SELL AMERICA ON DATA CENTERS

Speaking alongside McDonald Rivet outside the Capitol, Rep. Deborah Ross, D-N.C., pointed to concerns over data center development in her Raleigh-area district, accusing tech companies of buying land without disclosing their plans in a plot to sidestep local input.

"They've sought to bypass local citizens' right to provide input on putting a data center in their towns and cities," Ross said.

The lawmaker also argued that the industry's rapid expansion is straining electricity and water resources while developers benefit from federal and state tax incentives.

"It's Americans struggling to get by, not Big Tech who need tax breaks," Ross said.

Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., argued that data center development is contributing to higher costs for his constituents as the facilities place growing demands on electricity and water supplies.

He also said communities should have more control over where the facilities are built.

"Our cities and towns shouldn't have these data centers shoved down their throats without any recourse," Pappas said. "They deserve the right to decide what's appropriate for their community."

Trump surgeon general pick backs MMR vaccine, rejects link between childhood vaccines and autism

President Donald Trump's latest surgeon general nominee, Dr. Nicole Saphier, defended the MMR vaccine and rejected claims that childhood vaccines cause autism during a Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday.

Saphier, a radiologist and a former Fox News contributor, would serve as the federal government's top doctor and public health spokesperson at a time when measles cases are surging across the country.

"I believe the MMR vaccine is our greatest tool for combating measles," Saphier said during her appearance before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., the committee's chairman, asked Saphier whether she agreed with Trump's comments last month suggesting the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine could be "quite lethal."

TRUMP SURGEON GENERAL PICK SPARKS BACKLASH, SPLITS MAHA MOVEMENT

"As a physician, I can tell you that I do not believe the MMR vaccine to be lethal," Saphier responded.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who Saphier would serve under if confirmed, has said multiple times throughout his tenure that people should get the MMR vaccine.

"The two-dose MMR vaccine is our safest and most effective tool to prevent this highly contagious illness," he told Fox News Digital in March 2025.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also continued to recommend the MMR vaccine, although the Trump administration eventually favors splitting it into three shots.

CNN'S DANA BASH SPARS WITH RFK JR OVER VACCINE EFFICACY, DEMANDS HE 'LOOK INTO THE CAMERA' AND PUSH VACCINES

Saphier also differed with some of Kennedy’s past statements about a potential link between vaccines and autism.

"Well, humbly, I don't know what causes autism, but I have not seen reputable evidence that would suggest that vaccines cause autism," Saphier said. "I do not believe childhood vaccines cause autism."

In a 2023 Fox News interview, while running for president as a Democrat, Kennedy told host Jesse Watters: "I do believe that autism does come from vaccines."

Kennedy later backed away from claiming a definitive link between vaccines and autism, saying in his confirmation hearing last year that he would "do nothing as HHS secretary that makes it difficult or discourages people from taking vaccines."

SENATE CONFIRMS NEW CDC DIRECTOR AS DIARRHEA-CAUSING PARASITE OUTBREAK SWEEPS US

Later, Saphier addressed a question from Cassidy, also a physician, about whether children should receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birth.

"Chairman Cassidy, you're speaking to someone who tells people they have cancer every day. And the hepatitis B vaccine is one of the most tangible ways we have to prevent cancer," she said, adding, "The most tried and true way to prevent hepatitis B infection and effectively lower hepatitis B associated illness is universal birth dosing."

Cassidy repeatedly pressed Saphier on whether she supported the Trump administration's move in December to stop universally recommending the vaccine at birth for babies whose mothers test negative for hepatitis B.

Saphier stopped short of saying whether she believed the policy should be reversed.

AMERICAN VACCINES THAT TRANSFORMED PUBLIC HEALTH OVER 250 YEARS: 'OUTWEIGHS HARM'

Under questioning from other senators, Saphier said that as surgeon general, she would promote early cancer screening, review data on the harms of flavored e-cigarettes and study the mental health effects of AI chatbots on children and adolescents.

Saphier was nominated by Trump in April after his earlier pick for surgeon general, wellness influencer Dr. Casey Means, failed to gain enough traction in the Senate to be confirmed.

Before that, Trump withdrew his nomination of Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, another former Fox News contributor, in May 2025.

As the director of breast imaging at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center's location in Monmouth, New Jersey, Saphier would bring extensive medical experience to the role.

FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS EMBRACE HEALTH AGENDA WHILE RATING RFK JR NEGATIVELY

She has also authored several books on health and wellness, including "Make America Healthy Again: How Bad Behavior and Big Government Caused a Trillion-Dollar Crisis," published in April 2020, mere months after the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Kennedy later adopted the phrase "Make America Healthy Again" as the slogan for his presidential campaign before bringing it into the Trump administration's broader public health agenda.

Before being nominated, Saphier openly criticized Kennedy, writing in a Wall Street Journal op-ed last year that she was "deeply concerned" about his approach after he described autism as an "epidemic" and pledged to identify the cause of the developmental disorder by September 2025.

Specifically, she took issue with Kennedy hiring David Geier, a vaccine critic, to analyze CDC data on autism. She called his experience "limited" and said his research has been "widely criticized within the scientific and medical communities."

A review of the Health and Human Services employment database shows Geier still works at the department as a "senior data analyst."

"Families deserve more than passionate speeches and fringe science," Saphier wrote in the op-ed. "If Mr. Kennedy truly wants to be a champion for families facing autism spectrum disorder, he should form partnerships with the nation’s most reputable researchers."

Fraud expert exposes how hidden networks drove Minnesota fraud, other major scams: 'Criminal enterprise'

Criminals can turn stolen identities bought on the dark web into seemingly legitimate businesses — then use those companies to bill taxpayers for healthcare and other services that were never provided, according to a fraud expert who detailed the scheme to Fox News Digital.

The companies can hide in plain sight: Criminals create LLCs using information that may receive little scrutiny, pair them with stolen identities and submit fraudulent claims for everything from wheelchairs and diabetes treatments to childcare and autism services, according to Haywood Talcove, CEO of LexisNexis Risk Solutions Government.

But Talcove said the financial losses are only the beginning, warning the schemes can fuel "criminal enterprises."

"They are using our money against us, whether it's in social media campaigns, whether it is for human trafficking, drugs, disrupting our economy," Talcove told Fox News Digital.

STOLEN IDS SOLD FOR ‘HAPPY MEAL’ PRICES FUEL BILLIONS IN US BENEFIT FRAUD

"When you think about fraud, don't think about, 'It's great that we stopped a fraud ring that stole $5 million.' Think about that as a criminal enterprise that goes beyond just stealing out of a benefit program."

Despite fraud schemes surfacing nationwide, Talcove said Minnesota was "particularly egregious" because the state had little incentive to stop the fraud.

"Minnesota was particularly egregious once they started looking because it was really easy to find," he said.

Talcove said one factor allowing the schemes to flourish in Minnesota and across the country is weak verification during the LLC registration process and reliance on "self-reported information."

"In the case of Minnesota, you went and got your LLC, you opened up a childcare facility, and then the next thing you knew you were billing CMS [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] for childcare or autism care, and nobody checked."

The Trump administration launched an anti-fraud crackdown this year after Minnesota's Feeding Our Future scandal, creating a task force led by Vice President JD Vance. The scheme allegedly stole $250 million from a federally funded child nutrition program during the pandemic, and many of those charged have since been convicted or sentenced to prison.

Without third-party audits, Talcove said many criminals slip through the cracks, racking up millions before they're caught.

"One of the fundamental problems with these programs that are literally spending trillions of taxpayer dollars, they have nobody doing investigations or such a small, tiny amount of people that it's not even possible to investigate," he said.

FRAUD EXPERT WARNS AI IS HELPING CRIMINALS OUTPACE THE GOVERNMENT: 'DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS'

But Talcove said when these schemes are investigated, they expose much more than fraud.

"They're not just involved in stealing Medicare, Medicaid, or food stamps, or unemployment insurance," he said. "They have other interests."

Talcove alleged some criminals use stolen funds to finance sex trafficking by bringing women from other countries and "renting them out" across the U.S., all while profiting from their "ill-gotten gains."

"What they have to look for is beyond the fraud that they found to see if they're involved in drugs, human trafficking, threats to our democracy, weapons," he said.

Calling the fraud a "national security issue," Talcove said some investigations have uncovered criminal groups involved in benefit fraud, including foreign cybercrime organizations such as APT41, a Chinese-linked hacking group.

"When you start looking at the criminal groups that are involved, APT41 and some of their peers and associates, as well as some of the other groups from North Korea and other countries, it is, right now, a national security issue," he said.

FBI LAUNCHES 'MOST WANTED FRAUDSTERS' LIST AS DOJ CHARGES OHIO DEFENDANTS IN $30M MEDICAID SCHEME FOR KIDS

However, not all the money is sent to "overseas criminal organizations," according to Talcove.

"Now, some of it, granted, is being used for luxury goods, homes, cars, vacations, but a lot of it is just going right back to the transnational location that it came from," he said.

Talcove warned that unless investigators dig deeper, fraudsters will continue to exploit the system.

"They tend to get away with it because the investigation stops once you find the fraud," he said.

Turning to the government's role, Talcove said Democrats and Republicans must work together to tackle the nation's growing debt, starting with stronger efforts to combat fraud.

"My hope is the fiscal situation that we're currently in, driven by what's going on with the bond market, is going to force elected leaders at the state and federal level to start paying attention," he said.

Leno says he gets 'beat up' rhetorically for refusing to go political but refuses to alienate Trump audiences

Jay Leno said in an interview released Sept. 9 that he continues to face criticism for avoiding partisan comedy, telling the "Unexpired" podcast that performing for politically mixed audiences — including Trump supporters in states like Indianameans his priority remains getting laughs rather than delivering political commentary.

Leno, who hosted NBC’s "The Tonight Show" for more than two decades, explained why he believes comedians working outside the late-night television environment have to account for audiences with a range of political views.

"I get beat up for this all the time, but as someone who works in the real world, when you go to Indiana, I'm sorry, a third of your audience is going to be Trump people," Leno said.

CRAIG FERGUSON REVEALS WHY TRUMP JOKES ARE MISSING FROM HIS NEW COMEDY TOUR

Christian Toto, an entertainment journalist, film critic and founder of Hollywood in Toto, told Fox News Digital Wednesday that Leno's approach reflects what he sees as a divide between touring stand-ups and television hosts who have cultivated more politically defined audiences. Toto founded Hollywood in Toto in 2014 and covers entertainment and culture.

"Late-night hosts don't care who they alienate in 2026. They've chosen an audience. Period. Jimmy Kimmel infamously said of his Republican fans, ‘not good riddance,' but riddance. That says it all," Toto said.

Leno told host Kim Alexis that his objective onstage remains entertainment, recalling that he and former "Tonight Show" host Johnny Carson deliberately tried to spread political jokes across party lines rather than consistently targeting one side.

"I mean, Johnny and I used to pride ourselves on making fun of both sides equally. Now I get beaten up for that. But OK, that's all right," Leno said.

CONAN O'BRIEN, ZACH GALIFIANAKIS SAY IT'S A 'MISCONCEPTION' THAT COMEDY SHOWS ONLY TARGET CONSERVATIVES

Leno has made similar comments repeatedly in recent years. A few years ago, he said he had stopped putting politics in his stand-up because audiences increasingly wanted to know whether a joke was "for or against" their side before hearing the punchline. In a 2025 interview at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Leno again said he believed political humor worked best when audiences could laugh when their own side became the target.

Kimmel has publicly acknowledged losing some Republican viewers as his show became more politically outspoken. During a 2017 "CBS Sunday Morning" interview, Kimmel was asked whether he minded Republican viewers abandoning the program after his commentary on his healthcare and gun policy.

"Well, not good riddance, but riddance," Kimmel said.

JIMMY KIMMEL SAYS HE FELT 'DEFEATED' AFTER COLBERT SHOW WAS CANCELED, SAYS CBS IS USING 'MADE-UP NUMBERS'

Toto also pointed to Jimmy Fallon’s 2016 interview with then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, when the "Tonight Show" host tousled Trump’s hair. Fallon later said he regretted not responding more directly to the criticism that followed and denied that the lighthearted segment was intended to "normalize" Trump.

"Jimmy Fallon had a chance to be the new Jay Leno, the apolitical yukster who just wanted to make the country laugh," Toto said. "Sadly, after he tousled Donald Trump's hair on ‘The Tonight Show’ in 2016, he was hounded by the media and the left for humanizing the real estate mogul."

Leno returned to the subject this summer, telling Deadline that modern audiences are "all over the place" politically while discussing changes to late-night television. He also called Joe Rogan "the new Johnny Carson," pointing to podcasts as an increasingly important alternative to traditional late-night shows.

"Like I said, we used to brag about the fact that Johnny and I would try to make fun of both sides equally," Leno said at the time. "Looks like that doesn’t work anymore."

Taxpayer funds meant for LA homeless allegedly spent on Tahiti trip, nightclub, luxury cars: feds

Taxpayer dollars intended to put roofs over the heads of Los Angeles’ homeless allegedly paid instead for a Tahiti vacation, a high-end nightclub, luxury vehicles and other personal expenses, federal authorities said Wednesday as agents fanned out across the city in an early-morning fraud crackdown.

At the center of the crackdown is Michael Young, 46, a founder of Culver City-based nonprofit Home At Last, who received more than $118 million in public funds through government contracts, including more than $75 million from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, according to the Justice Department

Prosecutors allege Young misappropriated millions, including more than $7.5 million through a sham vendor scheme.

"The days of these wire fraud experts flying on private jets, driving around Beverly Hills in Range Rovers and doing lavish things is over," HUD Secretary Scott Turner said.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE NEWSOM-LINKED CHARITIES REPORTEDLY CAUGHT IN DOJ’S SIGHTS

Young was one of three defendants charged Wednesday in separate federal cases targeting alleged fraud and corruption involving money intended to house and provide services to homeless Californians. Two were arrested Wednesday, while a third was considered a fugitive.

Prosecutors allege Young used shell companies and fraudulent billing practices to divert taxpayer money, spending more than $1 million to open and operate Six Seven Five Lounge, a high-end Inglewood restaurant and nightclub.

At Wednesday’s news conference, federal officials also accused Young of spending nearly $50,000 on a luxury Tahiti vacation and $140,000 restoring a vintage Chevrolet Impala.

"The taxpayers did not sign up to fund this nightclub," Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald said.

WHITE HOUSE LAUNCHES INTERACTIVE MAP TRACKING BILLIONS IN SUSPECTED FRAUD

Authorities also arrested Lakiya Malone, 48, an employee of Special Service for Groups, on a 21-count indictment alleging she accepted more than $180,000 in bribes and kickbacks from Alexander Soofer, executive director of nonprofit Abundant Blessings.

In exchange, Malone allegedly provided priority referrals, including "ghost" homeless participants who never lived at the housing sites. Prosecutors allege their files were fabricated using fake welcome letters, forged sign-in sheets and falsified eligibility forms.

Soofer, who was previously charged, has agreed to plead guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. He admitted obtaining $23 million in public money intended to combat homelessness and pocketing at least $2 million for himself and unrelated businesses.

A third defendant, Donye Mitchell, 55, CEO of The Big Blue Umbrella, is considered a fugitive. Prosecutors allege he obtained more than $1.2 million in grant funding after making false representations and later used grant money for personal expenses including bail-bond costs, credit card debt, family transfers and PlayStation charges.

"If you or someone you know has defrauded money allocated for the homeless, I suggest you report it to law enforcement," First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said. "If you don’t, your door may be the next one we’re hitting."

ESPN re-signs Joe Buck for more than $100 million, highlighting company strategy

ESPN and Joe Buck have agreed to a six-year contract extension worth around $108 million. The deal will raise Buck’s annual salary from $15 million to $18 million, as The Athletic first reported Wednesday.

Buck signed with ESPN in 2022 alongside his longtime broadcast partner, Troy Aikman. In terms of scale, signing Buck and Aikman marked one of ESPN’s most important talent acquisitions in its 40-year history.

The network spent years trying to find a booth that could match the quality of its competitors, from Sean McDonough and Steve Levy to Booger McFarland and Jason Witten. Those pairings did not work.

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Buck and Aikman do. In fact, they are often considered the best game duo in all of sports.

Aikman, who signed a five-year, $90 million contract with ESPN, remains unsigned. His contract expires after the Super Bowl in February.

We expect him to re-sign.

Buck’s new deal secures him for not only the upcoming Super Bowl but also ESPN’s next one in 2031. At 57, Buck could be in line for another contract after this one.

For context, Al Michaels still calls Thursday Night Football for Amazon Prime at 81.

JOSH PATE DISCUSSES NEW ESPN SHOW, FOUR FACES OF ESPN, PAT MCAFEE AND FUTURE OF MEDIA COMPANY WITH OUTKICK

Joe Buck is now tied with Aikman as ESPN’s third-highest-paid on-air personality, behind Stephen A. Smith and Pat McAfee. Smith makes around $21 million per year, while McAfee makes around $30 million.

Note: McAfee’s deal is not a standard talent contract. He licenses his daily studio show to the network and has a separate agreement that includes roles on "College GameDay," "Monday Night Countdown," and other ESPN appearances.

McAfee is reportedly in contract discussions with ESPN on a renewal worth around $65 million per year.

The deals for Buck, McAfee, Aikman, and Smith highlight ESPN’s strategy under chairman Jimmy Pitaro. The stars get paid. The middle class does not.

Renewals for those four personalities come as ESPN laid off multiple on-air talents in July, following another round of layoffs that affected 20 on-air talents in 2023.

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Other ESPN talents in the "star" category include Michael Wilbon, Tony Kornheiser, Kirk Herbstreit, and Mike Breen.

Considering the value of calling a Super Bowl, Buck might be the most valuable of them.

Buck could also return to calling the World Series if ESPN adds the event to its portfolio in 2029. According to The Athletic, Pitaro has told Buck he would like him to call the World Series if ESPN adds it.

The World Series is currently exclusive to FOX, where Buck long called the event, but could be split between multiple broadcast partners in the next rights negotiations.

FOX, ESPN, NBC, and Netflix are among the likely bidders.