KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement observed a&nbsp;very expired "WINNER" license plate on a truck at about 12:30 a.m. Thursday, according to a social media report from the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff.

The deputies stopped the driver who gave a fake name. The deputy also learned the truck was stolen and the driver had&nbsp; meth in the seat beside him.

Deputies figured out the driver's real identification and continue to investigate.&nbsp; The sheriff's office did not report an arrest or possible charges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732279201584.png" alt="Photo Clay County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Clay County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement observed a&nbsp;very expired "WINNER" license plate on a truck at about 12:30 a.m. Thursday, according to a social media report from the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff.The deputies stopped the driver who gave a fake name. The deputy also learned the truck was stolen and the driver had&nbsp; meth in the seat beside him.Deputies figured out the driver's real identification and continue to investigate.&nbsp; The sheriff's office did not report an arrest or possible charges.

KC area suspect with expired 'WINNER' license plate caught with meth 

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-icbm-attackddnipro-38b0faf6eed2cef98bdbc9be18f58244">an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile</a>&nbsp;that escalated the nearly 33-month-old war.

The conflict is “entering a decisive phase,” Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday, and “taking on very dramatic dimensions.”

Ukraine’s parliament canceled a session as security was tightened following Thursday's Russian strike on a military facility in the city of Dnipro.

In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech that the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was in retaliation for Kyiv’s use of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/atacms-ukraine-longrange-missiles-5fd95f32449d14da22b82d57d6ccab22">U.S. and British longer-range missiles</a>&nbsp;capable of striking deeper into Russian territory.

Putin said Western air defense systems would be powerless to stop the new missile.

Ukrainian military officials said the missile that hit Dnipro had reached a speed of Mach 11 and carried six nonnuclear warheads each releasing six submunitions.

Speaking Friday to military and weapons industries officials, Putin said Russia is launching production of the Oreshnik.

“No one in the world has such weapons,” he said with a thin smile. “Sooner or later other leading countries will also get them. We are aware that they are under development."

But he added, "we have this system now. And this is important.”

Testing the missile will continue, “including in combat, depending on the situation and the character of security threats created for Russia,” Putin said, noting there is ”a stockpile of such systems ready for use.”

Putin said that while it isn’t an intercontinental missile, it’s so powerful that the use of several of them fitted with conventional warheads in one attack could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons.

Gen. Sergei Karakayev, head of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, said the Oreshnik could reach targets across Europe and be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads, echoing Putin's claim that even with conventional warheads, “the massive use of the weapon would be comparable in effect to the use of nuclear weapons.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov kept up Russia's bellicose tone on Friday, blaming “the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries” in supplying weapons to Ukraine to strike Russia.

"The Russian side has clearly demonstrated its capabilities, and the contours of further retaliatory actions in the event that our concerns were not taken into account have also been quite clearly outlined," he said.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as having the warmest relations with the Kremlin in the European Union, echoed Moscow's talking points, suggesting the use of U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine likely requires direct American involvement.

“These are rockets that are fired and then guided to a target via an electronic system, which requires the world’s most advanced technology and satellite communications capability,” Orbán said on state radio. “There is a strong assumption … that these missiles cannot be guided without the assistance of American personnel.”

Orbán cautioned against underestimating Russia’s responses, emphasizing that the country’s recent modifications to its nuclear deployment doctrine should not be dismissed as a “bluff.” “It’s not a trick… there will be consequences,” he said.

Separately in Kyiv, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský called Thursday's missile strike an “escalatory step and an attempt of the Russian dictator to scare the population of Ukraine and to scare the population of Europe.”

At a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Lipavský also expressed his full support for delivering the necessary additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainian civilians from the “heinous attacks.”

He underlined that the Czech Republic will impose no limits on the use of its weapons and equipment given to Ukraine.

Three lawmakers from Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, confirmed that Friday's previously scheduled session was called off due to the ongoing threat of Russian missiles targeting government buildings in central Kyiv.

In addition, there also was a recommendation to limit the work of all commercial offices and nongovernmental organizations "in that perimeter, and local residents were warned of the increased threat,” said lawmaker Mykyta Poturaiev, who added this is not the first time such a threat has been received.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office continued to work in compliance with standard security measures, a spokesperson said.

Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate said the Oreshnik missile, whose name in Russian means “hazelnut tree,” was fired from the Kapustin Yar 4th Missile Test Range in Russia’s Astrakhan region, and flew 15 minutes before striking Dnipro.

Test launches of a similar missile were conducted in October 2023 and June 2024, the directorate said. The Pentagon confirmed the missile was a new, experimental type of intermediate-range missile based on its RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile.

Thursday's attack struck the Pivdenmash plant that built ICBMs when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. The military facility is located about 4 miles (6 1/2 kilometers) southwest of the center of Dnipro, a city of about 1 million that is Ukraine’s fourth-largest and a key hub for military supplies and humanitarian aid, and is home to one of the country’s largest hospitals for treating wounded soldiers from the front before their transfer to Kyiv or abroad.

The stricken area was cordoned off and out of public view. With no fatalities reported from the attack, Dnipro residents resorted to dark humor on social media, mostly focused on the missile’s name, Oreshnik.

Elsewhere in Ukraine, Russia struck a residential district of Sumy overnight with Iranian-designed Shahed drones, killing two people and injuring 13, the regional administration said..

Ukraine’s Suspilne media, quoting Sumy regional head Volodymyr Artiukh, said the drones were stuffed with shrapnel elements. “These weapons are used to destroy people, not to destroy objects,” said Artiukh, according to Suspilne.

—— Associated Press journalists Lorne Cook in Brussels, Samya Kullab in Kyiv, Dasha Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, and Justin Spike in Budapest, Hungary, contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663760963726.jpeg" alt="File photo (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)" />
 <figcaption>File photo (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-icbm-attackddnipro-38b0faf6eed2cef98bdbc9be18f58244">an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile</a>&nbsp;that escalated the nearly 33-month-old war.The conflict is “entering a decisive phase,” Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday, and “taking on very dramatic dimensions.”Ukraine’s parliament canceled a session as security was tightened following Thursday's Russian strike on a military facility in the city of Dnipro.In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech that the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was in retaliation for Kyiv’s use of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/atacms-ukraine-longrange-missiles-5fd95f32449d14da22b82d57d6ccab22">U.S. and British longer-range missiles</a>&nbsp;capable of striking deeper into Russian territory.Putin said Western air defense systems would be powerless to stop the new missile.Ukrainian military officials said the missile that hit Dnipro had reached a speed of Mach 11 and carried six nonnuclear warheads each releasing six submunitions.Speaking Friday to military and weapons industries officials, Putin said Russia is launching production of the Oreshnik.“No one in the world has such weapons,” he said with a thin smile. “Sooner or later other leading countries will also get them. We are aware that they are under development."But he added, "we have this system now. And this is important.”Testing the missile will continue, “including in combat, depending on the situation and the character of security threats created for Russia,” Putin said, noting there is ”a stockpile of such systems ready for use.”Putin said that while it isn’t an intercontinental missile, it’s so powerful that the use of several of them fitted with conventional warheads in one attack could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons.Gen. Sergei Karakayev, head of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, said the Oreshnik could reach targets across Europe and be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads, echoing Putin's claim that even with conventional warheads, “the massive use of the weapon would be comparable in effect to the use of nuclear weapons.”Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov kept up Russia's bellicose tone on Friday, blaming “the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries” in supplying weapons to Ukraine to strike Russia."The Russian side has clearly demonstrated its capabilities, and the contours of further retaliatory actions in the event that our concerns were not taken into account have also been quite clearly outlined," he said.Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as having the warmest relations with the Kremlin in the European Union, echoed Moscow's talking points, suggesting the use of U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine likely requires direct American involvement.“These are rockets that are fired and then guided to a target via an electronic system, which requires the world’s most advanced technology and satellite communications capability,” Orbán said on state radio. “There is a strong assumption … that these missiles cannot be guided without the assistance of American personnel.”Orbán cautioned against underestimating Russia’s responses, emphasizing that the country’s recent modifications to its nuclear deployment doctrine should not be dismissed as a “bluff.” “It’s not a trick… there will be consequences,” he said.Separately in Kyiv, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský called Thursday's missile strike an “escalatory step and an attempt of the Russian dictator to scare the population of Ukraine and to scare the population of Europe.”At a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Lipavský also expressed his full support for delivering the necessary additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainian civilians from the “heinous attacks.”He underlined that the Czech Republic will impose no limits on the use of its weapons and equipment given to Ukraine.Three lawmakers from Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, confirmed that Friday's previously scheduled session was called off due to the ongoing threat of Russian missiles targeting government buildings in central Kyiv.In addition, there also was a recommendation to limit the work of all commercial offices and nongovernmental organizations "in that perimeter, and local residents were warned of the increased threat,” said lawmaker Mykyta Poturaiev, who added this is not the first time such a threat has been received.President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office continued to work in compliance with standard security measures, a spokesperson said.Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate said the Oreshnik missile, whose name in Russian means “hazelnut tree,” was fired from the Kapustin Yar 4th Missile Test Range in Russia’s Astrakhan region, and flew 15 minutes before striking Dnipro.Test launches of a similar missile were conducted in October 2023 and June 2024, the directorate said. The Pentagon confirmed the missile was a new, experimental type of intermediate-range missile based on its RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile.Thursday's attack struck the Pivdenmash plant that built ICBMs when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. The military facility is located about 4 miles (6 1/2 kilometers) southwest of the center of Dnipro, a city of about 1 million that is Ukraine’s fourth-largest and a key hub for military supplies and humanitarian aid, and is home to one of the country’s largest hospitals for treating wounded soldiers from the front before their transfer to Kyiv or abroad.The stricken area was cordoned off and out of public view. With no fatalities reported from the attack, Dnipro residents resorted to dark humor on social media, mostly focused on the missile’s name, Oreshnik.Elsewhere in Ukraine, Russia struck a residential district of Sumy overnight with Iranian-designed Shahed drones, killing two people and injuring 13, the regional administration said..Ukraine’s Suspilne media, quoting Sumy regional head Volodymyr Artiukh, said the drones were stuffed with shrapnel elements. “These weapons are used to destroy people, not to destroy objects,” said Artiukh, according to Suspilne.—— Associated Press journalists Lorne Cook in Brussels, Samya Kullab in Kyiv, Dasha Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, and Justin Spike in Budapest, Hungary, contributed.

NATO  emergency meeting after Russia's hypersonic missile warning

SHAWNEE COUNTY—A former <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/07/01/gop-candidate-in-2nd-district-fighting-for-enrichment-of-american-exceptionalism/">candidate for</a> Kansas 2nd District congressional seat in 2024 is in jail on multiple allegations following an investigation into interference with the judicial process.

On November 21, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division received information that a male subject in Topeka had engaged in the harassment of a Shawnee County District Court Official on multiple occasions, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Deputies arrested 44-year-old Michael A. Ogle of Topeka and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges, interference with the judicial process and Harassment by telecommunications device.

This incident is still under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732310160246.png" alt="Ogle photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Ogle photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—A former <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/07/01/gop-candidate-in-2nd-district-fighting-for-enrichment-of-american-exceptionalism/">candidate for</a> Kansas 2nd District congressional seat in 2024 is in jail on multiple allegations following an investigation into interference with the judicial process.On November 21, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division received information that a male subject in Topeka had engaged in the harassment of a Shawnee County District Court Official on multiple occasions, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.Deputies arrested 44-year-old Michael A. Ogle of Topeka and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges, interference with the judicial process and Harassment by telecommunications device.This incident is still under investigation.

Kan. man who ran for Congress accused of phone harassment of court official

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

A Ellis County man who was accused of killing his wife in 2022 has been found competent to serve a prison sentence.

Jay Schumacher's attorney had requested an evaluation to determine if he was eligible to serve his sentence at Larned Correction Facility, in a secure mental health facility, instead of serving a standard prison sentence.

Jay Schumacher, 67, Hays, who was accused of beating his wife to death, pleaded no contest to three felony charges that are expected to put him behind bars for a decade or more.

Schumacher was first charged with killing his wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2c3cf903-b65a-45fa-bb67-a90446c67e61">Karen Schumacher</a>,&nbsp;in 2022.

According to court documents,&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/31909cf2-4721-42e3-ab7e-5e2de4392888">Jay Schumacher&nbsp;</a>was initially charged with murder in the first degree — mistreatment of a dependent adult, aggravated battery, domestic battery and mistreatment of a dependent adult.

This week, after an evaluation by clinical staff at Larned, Schumacher was determined to qualify for routine disposition of his case.

According to Schumacher's plea agreement, he agreed to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter, aggravated battery and mistreatment of a dependent adult.

The voluntary manslaughter plea is an Alford plea. Under an Alford plea, the defendant does not have to admit to the criminal act and can maintain innocence. It also allows the state to reach an agreement on the length of a prison sentence that may not have coincided with the actual charge.

Under the agreement, both parties agreed Schumacher would serve a minimum sentence of 114 months, or nine years and six months in prison for counts one and two,&nbsp; voluntary manslaughter and aggravated battery.

A sentencing has been set for 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 6 in front of Judge Glenn Braun in Ellis County District Court.

ELLIS COUNTY —An Ellis County man accused of beating his wife to death pleaded guilty Friday to three felony charges that are expected to put him behind bars for a decade or more.

Jay Naldo Schumacher, 66,&nbsp; was first charged with killing his wife&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2c3cf903-b65a-45fa-bb67-a90446c67e61">Karen Schumacher</a>&nbsp;in 2022.

Following more than two years of court proceedings, the Ellis County Attorney’s office and Schumacher reached a plea agreement on Friday following mediation.

According to the plea agreement, Schumacher agreed to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter, aggravated battery and mistreatment of a dependent adult.

The voluntary manslaughter plea, is an Alford plea. Under an Alford plea, the defendant does not have to admit to the criminal act and can maintain innocence. It also allows the state to reach an agreement on the length of a prison sentence that may not have coincided with the actual charge.

Under the agreement both parties agreed Schumacher would severe a minimum sentence of 114 months, or nine years and six months in prison for counts one and two; voluntary manslaughter and aggravated battery.

The full length of the sentence will be determined by the judge at sentencing later this year.

The state wants the 34-month sentence for the final charge, mistreatment of a dependent adult, to run consecutively with the 114-month sentence. Under Kansas sentencing guidelines, the sentence would be capped at 142 months.

The defendant is going to argue the 34-month sentence for mistreatment of a dependent adult, to run concurrently with the first two charges for a total of 114 months in prison.

Schumacher’s attorneys are also requesting that he be placed in custody of the Larned State Correctional Facility instead of with the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732311419032.png" alt="Schumacher photo Ellis Co." />
 <figcaption>Schumacher photo Ellis Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostA Ellis County man who was accused of killing his wife in 2022 has been found competent to serve a prison sentence.Jay Schumacher's attorney had requested an evaluation to determine if he was eligible to serve his sentence at Larned Correction Facility, in a secure mental health facility, instead of serving a standard prison sentence.Jay Schumacher, 67, Hays, who was accused of beating his wife to death, pleaded no contest to three felony charges that are expected to put him behind bars for a decade or more.Schumacher was first charged with killing his wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2c3cf903-b65a-45fa-bb67-a90446c67e61">Karen Schumacher</a>,&nbsp;in 2022.According to court documents,&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/31909cf2-4721-42e3-ab7e-5e2de4392888">Jay Schumacher&nbsp;</a>was initially charged with murder in the first degree — mistreatment of a dependent adult, aggravated battery, domestic battery and mistreatment of a dependent adult.This week, after an evaluation by clinical staff at Larned, Schumacher was determined to qualify for routine disposition of his case.According to Schumacher's plea agreement, he agreed to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter, aggravated battery and mistreatment of a dependent adult.The voluntary manslaughter plea is an Alford plea. Under an Alford plea, the defendant does not have to admit to the criminal act and can maintain innocence. It also allows the state to reach an agreement on the length of a prison sentence that may not have coincided with the actual charge.Under the agreement, both parties agreed Schumacher would serve a minimum sentence of 114 months, or nine years and six months in prison for counts one and two,&nbsp; voluntary manslaughter and aggravated battery.A sentencing has been set for 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 6 in front of Judge Glenn Braun in Ellis County District Court.---------------ELLIS COUNTY —An Ellis County man accused of beating his wife to death pleaded guilty Friday to three felony charges that are expected to put him behind bars for a decade or more.Jay Naldo Schumacher, 66,&nbsp; was first charged with killing his wife&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2c3cf903-b65a-45fa-bb67-a90446c67e61">Karen Schumacher</a>&nbsp;in 2022.According to court documents,&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/31909cf2-4721-42e3-ab7e-5e2de4392888">Jay Schumacher&nbsp;</a>was initially charged with murder in the first degree — mistreatment of a dependent adult, aggravated battery, domestic battery and mistreatment of a dependent adult.Following more than two years of court proceedings, the Ellis County Attorney’s office and Schumacher reached a plea agreement on Friday following mediation.According to the plea agreement, Schumacher agreed to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter, aggravated battery and mistreatment of a dependent adult.The voluntary manslaughter plea, is an Alford plea. Under an Alford plea, the defendant does not have to admit to the criminal act and can maintain innocence. It also allows the state to reach an agreement on the length of a prison sentence that may not have coincided with the actual charge.Under the agreement both parties agreed Schumacher would severe a minimum sentence of 114 months, or nine years and six months in prison for counts one and two; voluntary manslaughter and aggravated battery.The full length of the sentence will be determined by the judge at sentencing later this year.The state wants the 34-month sentence for the final charge, mistreatment of a dependent adult, to run consecutively with the 114-month sentence. Under Kansas sentencing guidelines, the sentence would be capped at 142 months.The defendant is going to argue the 34-month sentence for mistreatment of a dependent adult, to run concurrently with the first two charges for a total of 114 months in prison.Schumacher’s attorneys are also requesting that he be placed in custody of the Larned State Correctional Facility instead of with the Kansas Department of Corrections.

NW Kan. man found competent for prison for wife's beating death

HARVEY COUNTY—Three people were injured in an accident just before noon Friday in Harvey County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Ford Expedition driven by Madison Jo&nbsp;Vinduska, 29, Marion, was&nbsp;turning from eastbound U.S. 50&nbsp; to North East Lake Road.&nbsp;

 The driver failed to yield to oncoming traffic while making the left turn. A westbound 2015 Ram 1500 driven by Kanitra Reatha&nbsp; Crump, 38, Wichita, struck the SUV.

EMS transported&nbsp;Vinduska to Wesley Medical Center. EMS also transported Crump and a 3-year-old male passenger from Marion in the Ford to the hospital in Newton.&nbsp;&nbsp;Vinduska was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

HARVEY COUNTY—Three people were injured in an accident just before noon Friday in Harvey County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Ford Expedition driven by Madison Jo&nbsp;Vinduska, 29, Marion, was&nbsp;turning from eastbound U.S. 50&nbsp; to North East Lake Road.&nbsp; The driver failed to yield to oncoming traffic while making the left turn. A westbound 2015 Ram 1500 driven by Kanitra Reatha&nbsp; Crump, 38, Wichita, struck the SUV.EMS transported&nbsp;Vinduska to Wesley Medical Center. EMS also transported Crump and a 3-year-old male passenger from Marion in the Ford to the hospital in Newton.&nbsp;&nbsp;Vinduska was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

3-year-old, 2 Kan. women hospitalized after crash

EDITORS CLARIFICATION: This story was first published on Nov. 4, 2024. It was updated by the Associated Press on Nov. 22, 2024, to make clear that the U.S. attorney’s office said it is not asserting that the cryptocurrency account from which the FBI recovered the funds had ties to any specific location or country.

WICHITA, KANSAS (AP) — Sobs of relief broke out in a federal courtroom in Kansas on Monday as dozens of people whose life savings had been embezzled by a bank CEO learned that federal law enforcement had recovered their money.

"I just can’t describe the weight lifted off of us,” said Bart Camilli, 70, who with his wife Cleo had just learned they’d recover close to $450,000 — money Bart began saving at 18 when he bought his first individual retirement account. “It’s life-changing.”

In August, former Kansas bank CEO Shan Hanes was sentenced to 24 years after stealing $47 million from customer accounts and wiring the money to cryptocurrency accounts run by scammers. Prosecutors said Hanes also stole $40,000 from his church, $10,000 from an investment club and $60,000 from his daughter’s college fund and lost $1.1 million of his own in the scheme. Deposits were “jettisoned into the ether,” said prosecutor Aaron Smith.

Hanes' Heartland Tri-State Bank, drained of cash, was shut down by federal regulators and sold to another financial institution. Customers’ savings and checking accounts amounting to $47.1 million were insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which paid off their losses.

But there were still 30 shareholders of the community-owned rural bank Hanes helped found — including his close family friends and neighbors — who thought they lost $8.3 million in investments: well-planned retirements were upended, funds for long-term eldercare gone, education funds and bequests for children and grandchildren zeroed out.

On Monday the shareholders stood to cheer federal Judge John W. Broomes in Wichita after he told them, one at a time, that they’d be paid back in full. The FBI recovered the funds from a cryptocurrency account held by Tether Ltd.

During an earlier sentencing hearing, these victims had called Hanes a “deceitful cheat and a liar,” and “pure evil.”

Margaret Grice came to court Monday figuring she’d get $1,000 back. Instead, she learned she’d be recovering almost $250,000, her entire 401(k).

“I’m just really thrilled,” she said. “I can breathe.”

Prosecutors said Hanes, who was the CEO of Heartland Tri-State Bank in Elkhart, Kansas, lost the money in a scam referred to as “pig butchering,” or the way pigs are fattened before slaughter. In the scam, a third party gains a victims' trust and, over time, convinces them to invest all of their money into cryptocurrency, which immediately disappears. U.S. and U.N. officials say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cambodia-myanmar-migrants-online-scams-ebab962f236df69b1f9b7e136958e244">these schemes</a>&nbsp;are proliferating, with scammers largely in Southeast Asia increasingly taking advantage of Americans.

Hanes started buying what he thought was $5,000 in cryptocurrency in late 2022, communicating with someone who had reached out on WhatsApp, according to court records. A few months later he transferred over his church and investment club funds. Records show the scam accelerated in the summer of 2023, when Hanes wired $47.1 million out of customer accounts in 11 wire transfers over just eight weeks. Each transfer, he thought, was necessary to end the investment and cash out, court records said. He watched, on a fake website, as the money appeared to grow to more than $200 million.

“He was to take some of the money, and the rest of the money was supposed to go back to the bank,” his attorney John Stang explained. “Now it's fiction, it didn't exist. We all know that now ... It failed big time.”

Hanes, who was not in court Monday, apologized at an earlier sentencing hearing.

“From the deepest depth of my soul, I had no intention of ever causing the harm that I did," he said. ”I’ll forever struggle to understand how I was duped and how what I thought was just getting the money back was making it worse."

Prosecutors said Hanes wasn’t just the victim of a scam, he crossed a line when he began taking customers' money and violating banking regulations. He pleaded guilty to embezzlement by a bank officer in May.

His prominent standing in his hometown of 2,000 made it easier for him to get away with it, a&nbsp;<a href="https://oig.federalreserve.gov/reports/board-material-loss-review-heartland-tri-state-bank-feb2024.pdf">Federal Reserve System investigation</a>&nbsp;found; he had been on the school board, volunteered as a swim meet official, and served on the Kansas Bankers Association.

He also was a banking leader beyond his rural community. In recent years, he testified to Congressional committees about the importance of local banks in farming communities, and he served as a director for the American Bankers Association, which represents almost all banking assets in the U.S.

On Monday, prosecutors said the FDIC wanted to be paid back for the insurance claims it reimbursed to bank customers. But Judge Broomes said the economic circumstances of shareholders “who became insolvent because of a fraud scheme” justified paying them back first, before the FDIC recovers anything.

Hanes, 53, may be in his late 70s when he is released and is unlikely to be able to pay the FDIC the $47.1 million still owed.

In a court filing, Hanes and his attorney tried to explain what had happened.

“Mr. Hanes made some very bad choices after being caught up in an extremely well-run cryptocurrency scam,” they said. “He was the pig that was butchered.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716594323085.png" alt="In August, former Kansas bank CEO Shan Hanes was sentenced to 24 years after stealing $47 million from customer accounts and wiring the money to cryptocurrency accounts run by scammers.-photo Morton County" />
 <figcaption>In August, former Kansas bank CEO Shan Hanes was sentenced to 24 years after stealing $47 million from customer accounts and wiring the money to cryptocurrency accounts run by scammers.-photo Morton County</figcaption>
 </figure>EDITORS CLARIFICATION: This story was first published on Nov. 4, 2024. It was updated by the Associated Press on Nov. 22, 2024, to make clear that the U.S. attorney’s office said it is not asserting that the cryptocurrency account from which the FBI recovered the funds had ties to any specific location or country.WICHITA, KANSAS (AP) — Sobs of relief broke out in a federal courtroom in Kansas on Monday as dozens of people whose life savings had been embezzled by a bank CEO learned that federal law enforcement had recovered their money."I just can’t describe the weight lifted off of us,” said Bart Camilli, 70, who with his wife Cleo had just learned they’d recover close to $450,000 — money Bart began saving at 18 when he bought his first individual retirement account. “It’s life-changing.”In August, former Kansas bank CEO Shan Hanes was sentenced to 24 years after stealing $47 million from customer accounts and wiring the money to cryptocurrency accounts run by scammers. Prosecutors said Hanes also stole $40,000 from his church, $10,000 from an investment club and $60,000 from his daughter’s college fund and lost $1.1 million of his own in the scheme. Deposits were “jettisoned into the ether,” said prosecutor Aaron Smith.Hanes' Heartland Tri-State Bank, drained of cash, was shut down by federal regulators and sold to another financial institution. Customers’ savings and checking accounts amounting to $47.1 million were insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which paid off their losses.But there were still 30 shareholders of the community-owned rural bank Hanes helped found — including his close family friends and neighbors — who thought they lost $8.3 million in investments: well-planned retirements were upended, funds for long-term eldercare gone, education funds and bequests for children and grandchildren zeroed out.On Monday the shareholders stood to cheer federal Judge John W. Broomes in Wichita after he told them, one at a time, that they’d be paid back in full. The FBI recovered the funds from a cryptocurrency account held by Tether Ltd.During an earlier sentencing hearing, these victims had called Hanes a “deceitful cheat and a liar,” and “pure evil.”Margaret Grice came to court Monday figuring she’d get $1,000 back. Instead, she learned she’d be recovering almost $250,000, her entire 401(k).“I’m just really thrilled,” she said. “I can breathe.”Prosecutors said Hanes, who was the CEO of Heartland Tri-State Bank in Elkhart, Kansas, lost the money in a scam referred to as “pig butchering,” or the way pigs are fattened before slaughter. In the scam, a third party gains a victims' trust and, over time, convinces them to invest all of their money into cryptocurrency, which immediately disappears. U.S. and U.N. officials say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cambodia-myanmar-migrants-online-scams-ebab962f236df69b1f9b7e136958e244">these schemes</a>&nbsp;are proliferating, with scammers largely in Southeast Asia increasingly taking advantage of Americans.Hanes started buying what he thought was $5,000 in cryptocurrency in late 2022, communicating with someone who had reached out on WhatsApp, according to court records. A few months later he transferred over his church and investment club funds. Records show the scam accelerated in the summer of 2023, when Hanes wired $47.1 million out of customer accounts in 11 wire transfers over just eight weeks. Each transfer, he thought, was necessary to end the investment and cash out, court records said. He watched, on a fake website, as the money appeared to grow to more than $200 million.“He was to take some of the money, and the rest of the money was supposed to go back to the bank,” his attorney John Stang explained. “Now it's fiction, it didn't exist. We all know that now ... It failed big time.”Hanes, who was not in court Monday, apologized at an earlier sentencing hearing.“From the deepest depth of my soul, I had no intention of ever causing the harm that I did," he said. ”I’ll forever struggle to understand how I was duped and how what I thought was just getting the money back was making it worse."Prosecutors said Hanes wasn’t just the victim of a scam, he crossed a line when he began taking customers' money and violating banking regulations. He pleaded guilty to embezzlement by a bank officer in May.His prominent standing in his hometown of 2,000 made it easier for him to get away with it, a&nbsp;<a href="https://oig.federalreserve.gov/reports/board-material-loss-review-heartland-tri-state-bank-feb2024.pdf">Federal Reserve System investigation</a>&nbsp;found; he had been on the school board, volunteered as a swim meet official, and served on the Kansas Bankers Association.He also was a banking leader beyond his rural community. In recent years, he testified to Congressional committees about the importance of local banks in farming communities, and he served as a director for the American Bankers Association, which represents almost all banking assets in the U.S.On Monday, prosecutors said the FDIC wanted to be paid back for the insurance claims it reimbursed to bank customers. But Judge Broomes said the economic circumstances of shareholders “who became insolvent because of a fraud scheme” justified paying them back first, before the FDIC recovers anything.Hanes, 53, may be in his late 70s when he is released and is unlikely to be able to pay the FDIC the $47.1 million still owed.In a court filing, Hanes and his attorney tried to explain what had happened.“Mr. Hanes made some very bad choices after being caught up in an extremely well-run cryptocurrency scam,” they said. “He was the pig that was butchered.”___

 Update: FBI recovers funds for victims of scammed Kan. banker

NEW YORK (AP) —Stocks closed higher on Wall Street as the market posted its fifth straight gain and the Dow Jones Industrial Average notched another record high.

The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.3%. The benchmark index’s 1.7% gain for the week erased most of its loss from last week.

The Dow rose 1% as it nudged past its most recent high set last week, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.2%.

Markets have been volatile over the last few weeks, losing ground in the runup to elections in November, then surging following Donald Trump's victory, before falling again. The S&amp;P 500 has been steadily rising throughout this week to within close range of its record. It's now within about 0.5% of its all-time high set last week.

“Overall, market behavior has normalized following an intense few weeks,” said Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide, in a statement.

Several retailers jumped after giving Wall Street encouraging financial updates.

Gap soared 12.8% after handily beating analysts' third-quarter earnings and revenue expectations, while raising its own revenue forecast for the year. Discount retailer Ross Stores rose 2.2% after raising its earnings forecast for the year.

EchoStar fell 2.8% after DirecTV called off its purchase of that company's Dish Network unit.

Smaller company stocks had some of the biggest gains. The Russell 2000 index rose 1.8%.

A majority of stocks in the S&amp;P 500 gained ground, but those gains were kept in check by slumps for several big technology companies.

Nvidia fell 3.2%. Its pricey valuation makes it among the heaviest influences on whether the broader market gains or loses ground. The company has grown into a nearly $3.6 trillion behemoth because of demand for its chips used in artificial-intelligence technology.

Intuit, which makes TurboTax and other accounting software, fell 5.7%. It gave investors a quarterly earnings forecast that fell short of analysts’ expectations.

Facebook owner Meta Platforms fell 0.7% following a decision by the Supreme Court to allow a multibillion-dollar class action investors’ lawsuit to proceed against the company. It stems from the privacy scandal involving the Cambridge Analytica political consulting firm.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 20.63 points to 5,969.34. The Dow climbed 426.16 points to 44,296.51, and the Nasdaq picked up 42.65 points to close at 2,406.67.

European markets closed mostly higher and Asian markets ended mixed. Crude oil prices rose.

Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.41% from 4.42% late Thursday.

In the crypto market,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bitcoin-crypto-trump-regulation-dogecoin-b3bdaf96e329fb90708c35c642c95e11">bitcoin</a>&nbsp;hovered around $99,000, according to CoinDesk. It has more than doubled this year and first surpassed the $99,000 level on Thursday.

Retailers remained a big focus for investors this week amid close scrutiny on consumer spending habits headed into the holiday shopping season. Walmart, the nation's largest retailer, reported a quarter of strong sales and gave investors an encouraging financial forecast. Target, though, reported weaker earnings than analysts' expected and its forecast disappointed Wall Street.

Consumer spending has fueled economic growth, despite a persistent squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. Inflation has been easing and the Federal Reserve has started trimming its benchmark interest rates. That is likely to help relieve pressure on consumers, but any major shift in spending could prompt the Fed to reassess its path ahead on interest rates. Also, any big reversals on the rate of inflation could curtail spending.

Consumer sentiment remains strong, according to the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index. It revised its latest figure for November to 71.8 from an initial reading of 73 earlier this month, though economists expected a slight increase. It's still up from 70.5 in October.

The survey also showed that consumers' inflation expectations for the year ahead fell slightly to 2.6%, which is the lowest reading since December of 2020.

Wall Street will get another update on how consumers feel when the business group The Conference Board releases its monthly consumer confidence survey on Tuesday.

A key inflation update will come on Wednesday when the U.S. releases its October personal consumption expenditures index. The PCE is the Fed's preferred measure of inflation and this will be the last PCE reading prior to the central bank's meeting in December.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722962507580.png" alt="File(AP Photo/Richard Drew)" />
 <figcaption>File(AP Photo/Richard Drew)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —Stocks closed higher on Wall Street as the market posted its fifth straight gain and the Dow Jones Industrial Average notched another record high.The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.3%. The benchmark index’s 1.7% gain for the week erased most of its loss from last week.The Dow rose 1% as it nudged past its most recent high set last week, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.2%.Markets have been volatile over the last few weeks, losing ground in the runup to elections in November, then surging following Donald Trump's victory, before falling again. The S&amp;P 500 has been steadily rising throughout this week to within close range of its record. It's now within about 0.5% of its all-time high set last week.“Overall, market behavior has normalized following an intense few weeks,” said Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide, in a statement.Several retailers jumped after giving Wall Street encouraging financial updates.Gap soared 12.8% after handily beating analysts' third-quarter earnings and revenue expectations, while raising its own revenue forecast for the year. Discount retailer Ross Stores rose 2.2% after raising its earnings forecast for the year.EchoStar fell 2.8% after DirecTV called off its purchase of that company's Dish Network unit.Smaller company stocks had some of the biggest gains. The Russell 2000 index rose 1.8%.A majority of stocks in the S&amp;P 500 gained ground, but those gains were kept in check by slumps for several big technology companies.Nvidia fell 3.2%. Its pricey valuation makes it among the heaviest influences on whether the broader market gains or loses ground. The company has grown into a nearly $3.6 trillion behemoth because of demand for its chips used in artificial-intelligence technology.Intuit, which makes TurboTax and other accounting software, fell 5.7%. It gave investors a quarterly earnings forecast that fell short of analysts’ expectations.Facebook owner Meta Platforms fell 0.7% following a decision by the Supreme Court to allow a multibillion-dollar class action investors’ lawsuit to proceed against the company. It stems from the privacy scandal involving the Cambridge Analytica political consulting firm.All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 20.63 points to 5,969.34. The Dow climbed 426.16 points to 44,296.51, and the Nasdaq picked up 42.65 points to close at 2,406.67.European markets closed mostly higher and Asian markets ended mixed. Crude oil prices rose.Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.41% from 4.42% late Thursday.In the crypto market,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bitcoin-crypto-trump-regulation-dogecoin-b3bdaf96e329fb90708c35c642c95e11">bitcoin</a>&nbsp;hovered around $99,000, according to CoinDesk. It has more than doubled this year and first surpassed the $99,000 level on Thursday.Retailers remained a big focus for investors this week amid close scrutiny on consumer spending habits headed into the holiday shopping season. Walmart, the nation's largest retailer, reported a quarter of strong sales and gave investors an encouraging financial forecast. Target, though, reported weaker earnings than analysts' expected and its forecast disappointed Wall Street.Consumer spending has fueled economic growth, despite a persistent squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. Inflation has been easing and the Federal Reserve has started trimming its benchmark interest rates. That is likely to help relieve pressure on consumers, but any major shift in spending could prompt the Fed to reassess its path ahead on interest rates. Also, any big reversals on the rate of inflation could curtail spending.Consumer sentiment remains strong, according to the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index. It revised its latest figure for November to 71.8 from an initial reading of 73 earlier this month, though economists expected a slight increase. It's still up from 70.5 in October.The survey also showed that consumers' inflation expectations for the year ahead fell slightly to 2.6%, which is the lowest reading since December of 2020.Wall Street will get another update on how consumers feel when the business group The Conference Board releases its monthly consumer confidence survey on Tuesday.A key inflation update will come on Wednesday when the U.S. releases its October personal consumption expenditures index. The PCE is the Fed's preferred measure of inflation and this will be the last PCE reading prior to the central bank's meeting in December.

Wall Street notches a winning week and another Dow record

KANSAS CITY —A small fire did not ruin the holiday activities on Friday at Union Station in Kansas City.

Just before 8a.m. Friday, crews responded to a reported building fire at 30 W. Pershing Road, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

&nbsp;The calling party stated black smoke from the lower levels and out of the HVAC system.

Companies were able to find, isolate and extinguish a fire in an air handling unit. Companies remained on scene attempting to evacuate the smoke. Maintenance shut down the air handling system to prevent further smoke movement. The fire was in a unit on the roof of Science City.&nbsp;

KCFD continued working to remove smoke from Union Station. Due to the size of the structure this is an enormous undertaking, according to Hopkins.&nbsp; Building maintenance has removed a window on an upper floor and was using high powered fans to create positive pressure and remove the smoke.&nbsp; There were no injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732307786791.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A small fire did not ruin the holiday activities on Friday at Union Station in Kansas City.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Important Update: Extreme Screen showtimes of Christmas Vacation at 12:30 pm and 4:00 pm today have been canceled to allow for the Extreme Screen&#39;s interior lobby and back-of-house areas to be cleared from a small and unexpected water intrusion. Our current plan is to reopen in… <a href="https://t.co/sZHkRFBZqY">https://t.co/sZHkRFBZqY</a>&mdash; Union Station KC (@UnionStationKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/UnionStationKC/status/1860021776350134425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div> Just before 8a.m. Friday, crews responded to a reported building fire at 30 W. Pershing Road, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.&nbsp;The calling party stated black smoke from the lower levels and out of the HVAC system.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732307499074.png" alt="Fire crews inside Union Station on Friday photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Fire crews inside Union Station on Friday photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>Companies were able to find, isolate and extinguish a fire in an air handling unit. Companies remained on scene attempting to evacuate the smoke. Maintenance shut down the air handling system to prevent further smoke movement. The fire was in a unit on the roof of Science City.&nbsp;KCFD continued working to remove smoke from Union Station. Due to the size of the structure this is an enormous undertaking, according to Hopkins.&nbsp; Building maintenance has removed a window on an upper floor and was using high powered fans to create positive pressure and remove the smoke.&nbsp; There were no injuries.

KCFD crews cleared smoke from Union Station after fire at Science City

NEW YORK (AP) —The NFL issued a security alert to teams and the players’ union on Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-mahomes-kelce-homes-break-ins-f62b0778066f9f3bf0c196019118a42a">following recent burglaries</a>&nbsp;involving the homes of Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

The NBA is also urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/BPortistime/status/1853162557063803023">Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr.&nbsp;

In a memo obtained by The Associated Press, the NFL says homes of professional athletes across multiple sports have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.”

Law enforcement officials noted these groups target the homes on days the athletes have games. Players were told to take precautions and implement home security measures to reduce the risk of being targeted.

Some of the burglary groups have conducted extensive surveillance on targets, including attempted home deliveries and posing as grounds maintenance or joggers in the neighborhood.

Burglars have entered through side doors, via balconies, or second-floor windows. They’ve targeted homes in secluded areas and focus on master bedrooms and closet areas.

Players were warned to avoid updating any social media with check-ins or daily activities until the end of the day. Posting expensive items on social media is discouraged.

The homes of Mahomes and Kelce were broken into within days of each other last month, law enforcement reports show. The break-ins happened just before and the day of Kansas City’s 26-13 home victory over the New Orleans Saints on Oct. 7, where Kelce’s superstar girlfriend Taylor Swift watched from the stands. No injuries were reported in either case.

Conley's home was broken into on Sept. 15 when he was at a Minnesota Vikings game and jewelry was taken, officials told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Portis said his home was broken into on Nov. 2 and has offered a $40,000 reward for information related to the incident.&nbsp;

The NBA memo, relaying information from the FBI, said the theft rings “are primarily focused on cash and items that can be resold on the black market, such as jewelry, watches, and luxury bags.”

The NBA, which has also been giving guidance to team security personnel, recommended that players install updated alarm systems with cameras and utilize them whenever leaving the home, keeping valuables in locked and secured safes, remove online real estate listings that may show interior photos of a home, “utilize protective guard services” during extended trips from the home and even suggested having dogs assist with home protection.

“Obviously, it’s frustrating, disappointing, but I can’t get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing,” Mahomes recently said. “But, obviously, something you don’t want to happen to anybody, but obviously yourself.”

One of the break-ins involving the Chiefs players happened on a game day — Oct. 7 — and Portis was also playing a game when his home was robbed.

“They took most of my prized possessions,” Portis said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695261614994.jpeg" alt="File(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack).jpg" />
 <figcaption>File(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack).jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —The NFL issued a security alert to teams and the players’ union on Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-mahomes-kelce-homes-break-ins-f62b0778066f9f3bf0c196019118a42a">following recent burglaries</a>&nbsp;involving the homes of Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.The NBA is also urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/BPortistime/status/1853162557063803023">Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732291591919.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Appreciate all the support after the home invasion at my property. I am offering a $40,000 reward for any info that directly leads to the return of my items. Please send any tips to info@bobbyportis.com <a href="https://t.co/gJxUYJUqkB">https://t.co/gJxUYJUqkB</a> <a href="https://t.co/BQ8SBkggDO">pic.twitter.com/BQ8SBkggDO</a>&mdash; Bobby BP Portis (@BPortistime) <a href="https://twitter.com/BPortistime/status/1854329232639320182?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a memo obtained by The Associated Press, the NFL says homes of professional athletes across multiple sports have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.”Law enforcement officials noted these groups target the homes on days the athletes have games. Players were told to take precautions and implement home security measures to reduce the risk of being targeted.Some of the burglary groups have conducted extensive surveillance on targets, including attempted home deliveries and posing as grounds maintenance or joggers in the neighborhood.Burglars have entered through side doors, via balconies, or second-floor windows. They’ve targeted homes in secluded areas and focus on master bedrooms and closet areas.Players were warned to avoid updating any social media with check-ins or daily activities until the end of the day. Posting expensive items on social media is discouraged.The homes of Mahomes and Kelce were broken into within days of each other last month, law enforcement reports show. The break-ins happened just before and the day of Kansas City’s 26-13 home victory over the New Orleans Saints on Oct. 7, where Kelce’s superstar girlfriend Taylor Swift watched from the stands. No injuries were reported in either case.Conley's home was broken into on Sept. 15 when he was at a Minnesota Vikings game and jewelry was taken, officials told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Portis said his home was broken into on Nov. 2 and has offered a $40,000 reward for information related to the incident.&nbsp;The NBA memo, relaying information from the FBI, said the theft rings “are primarily focused on cash and items that can be resold on the black market, such as jewelry, watches, and luxury bags.”The NBA, which has also been giving guidance to team security personnel, recommended that players install updated alarm systems with cameras and utilize them whenever leaving the home, keeping valuables in locked and secured safes, remove online real estate listings that may show interior photos of a home, “utilize protective guard services” during extended trips from the home and even suggested having dogs assist with home protection.“Obviously, it’s frustrating, disappointing, but I can’t get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing,” Mahomes recently said. “But, obviously, something you don’t want to happen to anybody, but obviously yourself.”One of the break-ins involving the Chiefs players happened on a game day — Oct. 7 — and Portis was also playing a game when his home was robbed.“They took most of my prized possessions,” Portis said.

Read NFL security memo to players following recent burglaries

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a wanted suspect on new allegations after a 2-hour standoff.

Just&nbsp;before 7:30 a.m. Thursday, police responded to a home in the 1900 block of SE Adams in Topeka after report of domestic disturbance, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson. 

The suspect in the case, later identified as Benjamin Alfano, 38, of Topeka, was wanted on a previous case of Aggravated Domestic Battery. 

At approximately 9:30 a.m., officers were able to deescalate the situation and take the Alfano into custody on requested charges of&nbsp;Aggravated Domestic Battery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732221236351.png" alt="Alfano photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Alfano photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a wanted suspect on new allegations after a 2-hour standoff.Just&nbsp;before 7:30 a.m. Thursday, police responded to a home in the 1900 block of SE Adams in Topeka after report of domestic disturbance, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson. The suspect in the case, later identified as Benjamin Alfano, 38, of Topeka, was wanted on a previous case of Aggravated Domestic Battery. At approximately 9:30 a.m., officers were able to deescalate the situation and take the Alfano into custody on requested charges of&nbsp;Aggravated Domestic Battery.

Police capture suspect wanted for violence at Kansas home

NEW YORK (AP) — A judge confirmed Friday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President-elect Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;won't be sentenced this month in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-immunity-ruling-1b555b96443f38d35e995b8b4853a32c">hush money case</a>, instead setting a schedule for prosecutors and his lawyers to expand on their ideas about what to do next.

Amid a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-conviction-what-happens-3cd52218c39ebc70a8514688ce33fcef">flurry of filings</a>&nbsp;in the case since Trump's election win this month, it had already become clear that the Nov. 26 sentencing date wouldn't hold. Judge Juan M. Merchan's order Friday formalized that without setting a new one.

He called for more filing from both sides over the next 2 1/2 weeks about how to proceed in light of Trump's impending return to the White House.

Trump's lawyers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-case-stormy-daniels-1b3208a4a62a39be750552aff9f761c6">want the case to be dismissed</a>&nbsp;outright, and immediately. They have said that it otherwise will interfere with his presidential transition and duties.

Prosecutors have indicated that they're&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-case-stormy-daniels-8793ae086092c64325d38a380851e23a">open to putting the case on hold</a>, perhaps as long as he's in office, but they don't want it to be scrapped altogether. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, has said the solution needs to balance the obligations of the presidency with "the sanctity of the jury verdict.”

Bragg's office declined to comment on Friday's ruling. Trump spokesperson and incoming White House communications director Steven Cheung hailed it as “a decisive win” for Trump.

Trump, a Republican, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-deliberations-jury-testimony-verdict-85558c6d08efb434d05b694364470aa0">convicted in May</a>&nbsp;of falsifying his business' records to disguise the true nature of a chain of payments that provided $130,000 to porn actor Stormy Daniels. She received it, through Trump's then-lawyer, in the waning days of the 2016 presidential campaign.

The payout was meant to keep her quiet about a sexual encounter she says she had with the married Trump a decade earlier. He denies her claim and says he did nothing wrong.

NEW YORK (AP) — A judge confirmed Friday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President-elect Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;won't be sentenced this month in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-immunity-ruling-1b555b96443f38d35e995b8b4853a32c">hush money case</a>, instead setting a schedule for prosecutors and his lawyers to expand on their ideas about what to do next.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732292757589.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Amid a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-conviction-what-happens-3cd52218c39ebc70a8514688ce33fcef">flurry of filings</a>&nbsp;in the case since Trump's election win this month, it had already become clear that the Nov. 26 sentencing date wouldn't hold. Judge Juan M. Merchan's order Friday formalized that without setting a new one.He called for more filing from both sides over the next 2 1/2 weeks about how to proceed in light of Trump's impending return to the White House.Trump's lawyers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-case-stormy-daniels-1b3208a4a62a39be750552aff9f761c6">want the case to be dismissed</a>&nbsp;outright, and immediately. They have said that it otherwise will interfere with his presidential transition and duties.Prosecutors have indicated that they're&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-case-stormy-daniels-8793ae086092c64325d38a380851e23a">open to putting the case on hold</a>, perhaps as long as he's in office, but they don't want it to be scrapped altogether. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, has said the solution needs to balance the obligations of the presidency with "the sanctity of the jury verdict.”Bragg's office declined to comment on Friday's ruling. Trump spokesperson and incoming White House communications director Steven Cheung hailed it as “a decisive win” for Trump.Trump, a Republican, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-deliberations-jury-testimony-verdict-85558c6d08efb434d05b694364470aa0">convicted in May</a>&nbsp;of falsifying his business' records to disguise the true nature of a chain of payments that provided $130,000 to porn actor Stormy Daniels. She received it, through Trump's then-lawyer, in the waning days of the 2016 presidential campaign.The payout was meant to keep her quiet about a sexual encounter she says she had with the married Trump a decade earlier. He denies her claim and says he did nothing wrong.

Judge: Trump’s sentencing is postponed indefinitely

RAY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two illegal immigrants from Venezuela on multiple allegations involving an ATM skimming theft ring. 

Just after 4p.m. November 15,&nbsp; Venezuelan Nationals, Darwin G. Moreno-Conde, 24, and Yorbin Y. Allen-Hernandez, 44, were arrested in Kirkwood, Missouri after a large area search spanning from the Kansas City Metro area to the St. Louis Metro area for the duo, according to a media release from the Richmond Police Department.

 Both were subsequently booked into the Ray County Jail on a twenty-four (24) hour investigative hold. On November 13, the Richmond Police Department investigated an incident in which a skimming device had been placed on a local Automated Teller Machine (ATM) resulting in a large number of accounts being compromised. 

As a result of the investigative efforts of the Richmond Police Department, the use of Flock cameras and the collaborative efforts of&nbsp; Metro Area law enforcement, MOCIC, MIAC, and the Kirkwood Police Department, the suspects were identified and apprehended in less than fifty-four (54) hours after the reported commission of the crime.

On Saturday, November 16, 2024, Venezuelan Nationals, Darwin G. Moreno-Conde and Yorbin Y. Allen-Hernandez were each charged in the 8th Judicial Circuit of Ray County, Missouri, with one felony count of 1st Degree Property Damage and one felony count of Stealing.Currently, both individuals remain in the Ray County Jail on $250,000 cash only bonds.  The investigation is on-going and further charges are expected in the near future.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732241624193.png" alt="Allen-Hernandez-photo Richmond PD" />
 <figcaption>Allen-Hernandez-photo Richmond PD</figcaption>
 </figure>RAY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two illegal immigrants from Venezuela on multiple allegations involving an ATM skimming theft ring. Just after 4p.m. November 15,&nbsp; Venezuelan Nationals, Darwin G. Moreno-Conde, 24, and Yorbin Y. Allen-Hernandez, 44, were arrested in Kirkwood, Missouri after a large area search spanning from the Kansas City Metro area to the St. Louis Metro area for the duo, according to a media release from the Richmond Police Department.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732241561839.png" alt="Conde photo Richmond PD" />
 <figcaption>Conde photo Richmond PD</figcaption>
 </figure> Both were subsequently booked into the Ray County Jail on a twenty-four (24) hour investigative hold. On November 13, the Richmond Police Department investigated an incident in which a skimming device had been placed on a local Automated Teller Machine (ATM) resulting in a large number of accounts being compromised. As a result of the investigative efforts of the Richmond Police Department, the use of Flock cameras and the collaborative efforts of&nbsp; Metro Area law enforcement, MOCIC, MIAC, and the Kirkwood Police Department, the suspects were identified and apprehended in less than fifty-four (54) hours after the reported commission of the crime.On Saturday, November 16, 2024, Venezuelan Nationals, Darwin G. Moreno-Conde and Yorbin Y. Allen-Hernandez were each charged in the 8th Judicial Circuit of Ray County, Missouri, with one felony count of 1st Degree Property Damage and one felony count of Stealing.Currently, both individuals remain in the Ray County Jail on $250,000 cash only bonds. The investigation is on-going and further charges are expected in the near future.

Illegal immigrants jailed for ATM skimming in Kansas, Missouri

NEW YORK (AP) — Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general, was chosen Thursday by Donald Trump to serve as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaetz-trump-fbi-justice-department-248b46ba0c882dd46d661568e8bd3bd7">U.S. attorney general</a>&nbsp;hours after his first choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration after a federal sex trafficking investigation and ethics probe made his ability to be confirmed dubious.

The 59-year-old has long been in Trump's orbit and her name had been floated during his first term as a potential candidate for the nation's highest law enforcement role.

If confirmed by the Republican-led Senate, Bondi would instantly become one of the most closely watched members of Trump’s Cabinet given the Republican’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-retribution-indictment-documents-biden-american-democracy-5a8ec37b359fee85d0f0956139d79f51">threat to pursue retribution against perceived adversaries</a>&nbsp;and concern among Democrats that he will look to bend the Justice Department to his will.

She's long been a fixture in Trump's world

Bondi has been a longtime and early ally. In March 2016, on the eve of the Republican primary in Florida, Bondi endorsed Trump at a rally, picking him over the candidate from her own state, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.

She gained national attention with appearances on Fox News as a defender of Trump and had a notable speaking spot at 2016 Republican National Convention as Trump became the party's surprising nominee. During the remarks, some in the crowd began chanting "Lock her up" about Trump's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Bondi responded by saying, “‘Lock her up,’ I love that."

As Trump prepared to move into the White House, she served on his first transition team.

When Trump’s first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, was ousted in 2018, Bondi’s name was floated as a possible candidate for the job. Trump at the time said he would “love” Bondi to join the administration. He ultimately selected William Barr instead.

She kept a toehold in Trump's orbit thereafter, including after he left office. She served as a chairwoman of America First Policy Institute, a think tank set up by former Trump administration staffers to lay the groundwork if he won a second term.

She was Florida's first female attorney general

Bondi made history in 2010 when she was elected as Florida’s first female attorney general. Though the Tampa native spent more than 18 years as a prosecutor in the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office, she was a political unknown when she held the state’s top law enforcement job.

Bondi was elevated in the primary after she was endorsed by former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

She campaigned on a message to use the state’s top legal office in a robust way, challenging then-President Barack Obama’s signature health care law. She also called for her state to adopt Arizona’s “show me your papers” immigration law that sparked national debate.

As Florida’s top prosecutor, Bondi stressed human trafficking issues and urged tightening state laws against traffickers. She held the job from 2011 to 2019.

She worked as a lobbyist for both U.S. and foreign clients

Bondi worked as a lobbyist for Ballard Partners, the powerful Florida-based firm where Trump’s campaign chief and incoming chief of staff Susie Wiles was a partner. Her U.S. clients have included General Motors, the commissioner of Major League Baseball and a Christian anti-human-trafficking advocacy group.

She also lobbied for a Kuwaiti firm, according to Justice Department foreign agent filings and congressional lobbying documents. She registered as a foreign agent for the government of Qatar; her work was related to anti-human-trafficking efforts leading up to the World Cup, held in 2022.

Bondi also represented the KGL Investment Company KSCC, a Kuwaiti firm also known as KGLI, lobbying the White House, National Security Council, State Department and Congress on immigration policy, human rights and economic sanctions issues.

She defended Trump during his first impeachment trial

Bondi stepped away from lobbying to serve on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-ap-top-news-mi-state-wire-michigan-donald-trump-df59970ad25ae98e8d0139fd24adcec1">He was accused — but not convicted — of abuse of power for allegedly</a>&nbsp;pressuring the president of Ukraine to investigate his Democratic rivals while crucial U.S. security aid was being withheld. He was also charged with obstruction of Congress for stonewalling investigative efforts.

Trump wanted Ukraine’s president to publicly commit to investigating Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden, who served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company. He pushed for the investigation while holding up nearly $400 million in military aid.

Bondi was brought on to bolster the White House’s messaging and communications. Trump and his allies sought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fddd55bb78f466545bd902c9a96f2e6f">to delegitimize the impeachment</a>&nbsp;from the start, aiming to brush off the whole thing as a farce.

She's been critical of the criminal cases against Trump

Bondi has been a vocal critic of the criminal cases against Trump as well as Jack Smith, the special counsel who charged Trump in two federal cases. In one radio appearance, she blasted Smith and other prosecutors who have charged Trump as “horrible” people she said were trying to make names for themselves by “going after Donald Trump and weaponizing our legal system.”

It’s unlikely that Bondi would be confirmed in time to overlap with Smith, who brought two federal indictments against Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jan-6-justice-department-classified-documents-01c2d54177d7c949f62a15604a27b3e0">that are both expected to wind down before the incoming president takes office.</a>&nbsp;Special counsels are expected to produce reports on their work that historically are made public, but it remains unclear when such a document might be released.

Bondi was also among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts.

As president, Trump demanded investigations into political opponents like Hillary Clinton and sought to use the law enforcement powers of the Justice Department to advance his own interests, including in trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Bondi appears likely to oblige him.

She would inherit a Justice Department expected to pivot sharply on civil rights, corporate enforcement and the prosecutions of hundreds of Trump supporters charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-riot-trump-election-pardon-justice-department-889129b9696dff4a2929234f3a8f1042">defendants whom Trump has pledged to pardon</a>.

She's had a few of her own political issues

Bondi issued a public apology in 2013 while serving as attorney general after she sought to delay the execution of a convicted killer because it conflicted with a fundraiser for her reelection campaign.

The attorney general, representing the state in death row appeals, typically remains available on the date of execution cases in case of any last-minute legal issues.

Bondi later said she was wrong and sorry for requesting then-Gov. Rick Scott push back the execution of Marshall Lee Gore by three weeks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732239048066.png" alt="President-elect Trump and&nbsp;former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>President-elect Trump and&nbsp;former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general, was chosen Thursday by Donald Trump to serve as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaetz-trump-fbi-justice-department-248b46ba0c882dd46d661568e8bd3bd7">U.S. attorney general</a>&nbsp;hours after his first choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration after a federal sex trafficking investigation and ethics probe made his ability to be confirmed dubious.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732239558197.png" alt="Trump" />
 <figcaption>Trump</figcaption>
 </figure>The 59-year-old has long been in Trump's orbit and her name had been floated during his first term as a potential candidate for the nation's highest law enforcement role.If confirmed by the Republican-led Senate, Bondi would instantly become one of the most closely watched members of Trump’s Cabinet given the Republican’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-retribution-indictment-documents-biden-american-democracy-5a8ec37b359fee85d0f0956139d79f51">threat to pursue retribution against perceived adversaries</a>&nbsp;and concern among Democrats that he will look to bend the Justice Department to his will.Here's a few things to know about Bondi:<h2>She's long been a fixture in Trump's world</h2>Bondi has been a longtime and early ally. In March 2016, on the eve of the Republican primary in Florida, Bondi endorsed Trump at a rally, picking him over the candidate from her own state, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.She gained national attention with appearances on Fox News as a defender of Trump and had a notable speaking spot at 2016 Republican National Convention as Trump became the party's surprising nominee. During the remarks, some in the crowd began chanting "Lock her up" about Trump's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.Bondi responded by saying, “‘Lock her up,’ I love that."As Trump prepared to move into the White House, she served on his first transition team.When Trump’s first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, was ousted in 2018, Bondi’s name was floated as a possible candidate for the job. Trump at the time said he would “love” Bondi to join the administration. He ultimately selected William Barr instead.She kept a toehold in Trump's orbit thereafter, including after he left office. She served as a chairwoman of America First Policy Institute, a think tank set up by former Trump administration staffers to lay the groundwork if he won a second term.<h2>She was Florida's first female attorney general</h2>Bondi made history in 2010 when she was elected as Florida’s first female attorney general. Though the Tampa native spent more than 18 years as a prosecutor in the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office, she was a political unknown when she held the state’s top law enforcement job.Bondi was elevated in the primary after she was endorsed by former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.She campaigned on a message to use the state’s top legal office in a robust way, challenging then-President Barack Obama’s signature health care law. She also called for her state to adopt Arizona’s “show me your papers” immigration law that sparked national debate.As Florida’s top prosecutor, Bondi stressed human trafficking issues and urged tightening state laws against traffickers. She held the job from 2011 to 2019.<h2>She worked as a lobbyist for both U.S. and foreign clients</h2>Bondi worked as a lobbyist for Ballard Partners, the powerful Florida-based firm where Trump’s campaign chief and incoming chief of staff Susie Wiles was a partner. Her U.S. clients have included General Motors, the commissioner of Major League Baseball and a Christian anti-human-trafficking advocacy group.She also lobbied for a Kuwaiti firm, according to Justice Department foreign agent filings and congressional lobbying documents. She registered as a foreign agent for the government of Qatar; her work was related to anti-human-trafficking efforts leading up to the World Cup, held in 2022.Bondi also represented the KGL Investment Company KSCC, a Kuwaiti firm also known as KGLI, lobbying the White House, National Security Council, State Department and Congress on immigration policy, human rights and economic sanctions issues.<h2>She defended Trump during his first impeachment trial</h2>Bondi stepped away from lobbying to serve on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-ap-top-news-mi-state-wire-michigan-donald-trump-df59970ad25ae98e8d0139fd24adcec1">He was accused — but not convicted — of abuse of power for allegedly</a>&nbsp;pressuring the president of Ukraine to investigate his Democratic rivals while crucial U.S. security aid was being withheld. He was also charged with obstruction of Congress for stonewalling investigative efforts.Trump wanted Ukraine’s president to publicly commit to investigating Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden, who served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company. He pushed for the investigation while holding up nearly $400 million in military aid.Bondi was brought on to bolster the White House’s messaging and communications. Trump and his allies sought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fddd55bb78f466545bd902c9a96f2e6f">to delegitimize the impeachment</a>&nbsp;from the start, aiming to brush off the whole thing as a farce.<h2>She's been critical of the criminal cases against Trump</h2>Bondi has been a vocal critic of the criminal cases against Trump as well as Jack Smith, the special counsel who charged Trump in two federal cases. In one radio appearance, she blasted Smith and other prosecutors who have charged Trump as “horrible” people she said were trying to make names for themselves by “going after Donald Trump and weaponizing our legal system.”It’s unlikely that Bondi would be confirmed in time to overlap with Smith, who brought two federal indictments against Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jan-6-justice-department-classified-documents-01c2d54177d7c949f62a15604a27b3e0">that are both expected to wind down before the incoming president takes office.</a>&nbsp;Special counsels are expected to produce reports on their work that historically are made public, but it remains unclear when such a document might be released.Bondi was also among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts.As president, Trump demanded investigations into political opponents like Hillary Clinton and sought to use the law enforcement powers of the Justice Department to advance his own interests, including in trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Bondi appears likely to oblige him.She would inherit a Justice Department expected to pivot sharply on civil rights, corporate enforcement and the prosecutions of hundreds of Trump supporters charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-riot-trump-election-pardon-justice-department-889129b9696dff4a2929234f3a8f1042">defendants whom Trump has pledged to pardon</a>.<h2>She's had a few of her own political issues</h2>Bondi issued a public apology in 2013 while serving as attorney general after she sought to delay the execution of a convicted killer because it conflicted with a fundraiser for her reelection campaign.The attorney general, representing the state in death row appeals, typically remains available on the date of execution cases in case of any last-minute legal issues.Bondi later said she was wrong and sorry for requesting then-Gov. Rick Scott push back the execution of Marshall Lee Gore by three weeks.Bondi&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-events-united-states-presidential-election-e590d1c843874d9eb2ddd06ffebe7c65">personally solicited a 2013 political contribution</a>&nbsp;from Trump as her office was weighing whether to join New York in suing over fraud allegations involving Trump University.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/events-united-states-presidential-election-political-news-35ae6b6555814e6b809d30c701892d1f">cut a $25,000 check</a>&nbsp;to a political committee supporting Bondi from his family’s charitable foundation, in violation of legal prohibitions against charities supporting partisan political activities. After the check came in, Bondi’s office nixed suing Trump’s company for fraud, citing insufficient grounds to proceed. Both Trump and Bondi denied wrongdoing.Two days before being sworn in as president in January 2017,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-f9a4d9c0eb7940e3b4c31a03a0de3935">Trump paid $25 million</a>&nbsp;to settle three lawsuits alleging Trump University defrauded its students.Trump also paid a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/events-united-states-presidential-election-74f6438d7c0a484786193e80959f401b">$2,500 fine to the IRS</a>&nbsp;over the illegal political donation to support Bondi from the Donald J. Trump Foundation, which he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/4d495d29465d4e63b06a3da7af34fd1b">forced to dissolve</a>&nbsp;amid an investigation by the state of New York.A Florida prosecutor assigned by then-GOP Gov. Rick Scott later determined there was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-6cc54fd87a5e4464bb31c4767ec2b90e">insufficient evidence to support bribery charges</a>&nbsp;against Trump and Bondi over the $25,000 donation.___Long reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Michael Biesecker contributed to this report.----------------