Crime Archives - Page 4 of 64 - The Space Coast Rocket

President Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday unveiled a $25 million program that will pay Americans up to $30,000 for tips that lead to fraud convictions or significant federal enforcement actions.The Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, or WHIP, will be run by the Justice Department, with tips submitted through fraud.gov. Submitting a tip alone does not qualify someone for a reward. The tip must lead to a conviction or a major enforcement action.During the Oval Office event, President Trump also described the payouts as a 1% commission on the fraud a tip uncovers and said he would personally decide who gets paid when more than one person claims credit. The White House has said individual awards are capped at $30,000.President Trump also presented a $10,000 check to Nick Shirley, the online content creator whose videos alleging fraud at Somali-run daycares in Minnesota prompted federal law enforcement surges there. The White House did not say whether that payment was tied to a conviction.Federal law already rewards people who expose fraud against the government. Under the False Claims Act, whistleblowers who file lawsuits on the government's behalf receive 15% to 30% of whatever is recovered, with no cap. In fiscal year 2025, those whistleblowers collected more than $330 million in awards, more than 13 times WHIP's entire $25 million fund. The government recovered a record $6.8 billion under the law that year, including $5.3 billion from whistleblower-initiated cases. Unlike WHIP's online tip system, False Claims Act cases require a whistleblower to file a civil lawsuit, typically with an attorney.The Treasury Department and IRS also run whistleblower programs that pay tipsters a percentage of the money recovered, up to 30%.The announcement comes in a term in which President Trump has granted clemency to dozens of people convicted of or charged with fraud. A review of the Justice Department's official list of second-term clemency grants shows at least 40 people whose cases included fraud charges have received pardons or commutations since January 2025: 32 pardons and 8 commutations.Among them: reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley (bank fraud), former Congressman George Santos (wire fraud, sentence commuted), Nikola founder Trevor Milton (securities and wire fraud), and South Florida health care executive Lawrence Duran, whose 50-year sentence in a health care fraud case carrying $87.5 million in restitution was commuted.Many of those grants also wiped out millions of dollars in court-ordered restitution meant to repay victims. Devon Archer's pardon canceled more than $43 million he owed. Siblings Adriana and Andres Camberos were relieved of nearly $50 million in restitution. The Chrisleys' pardon was expected to erase about $17.8 million owed to banks. Jason Galanis, whose commutation barred any further restitution on roughly $80 million owed, went to court seeking the return of about $2 million he had already paid. A federal judge denied that request.House Judiciary Committee Democrats estimate President Trump's clemency has erased nearly $1.7 billion in restitution, fines and forfeitur#fraudd#Pardonsi#whipd taxpayers.#Fraud #Pardons #WHIP ...

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The Space Coast Rocket

1 hour ago

Brevard’s NPA and independent voters are falling behind, and they may be the ones who decide this election.After two days of early voting, 51,797 Brevard voters have cast a ballot by mail or in person. That is 11.6% of the county’s 447,257 registered voters.Turnout so far, by party:Democrats: 16.4%Republicans: 10.9%NPA (no party affiliation): 8.5%More than 107,000 Brevard voters are registered with no party. They make up 24% of the electorate, nearly one in four voters. So far they have cast only 18% of the ballots.Many of them call themselves independents. Neither party can count on their vote, and that is why they matter. In close races for Congress, the Florida House, County Commission, School Board and city councils across Brevard, NPA and independent voters are large enough to swing the outcome. If they show up, they can decide who wins.If you are an NPA or independent voter, this election is yours to decide. Early voting is open every day through Saturday, Oct. 31. Find early voting locations and hours, or check the status of your mail ballot, at votebrevard.gov. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.#BrevardVotes #Florida2026 #SpaceCoast ...

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The Space Coast Rocket

3 hours ago

UPDATE: This post has been updated to correct who organized the vigil and who it is intended for.Students will gather this Thursday, October 22, at 7 p.m. at Ballard Park in Melbourne for a vigil honoring Hunter Russey, the 14-year-old West Melbourne teen who died after police say he was intentionally struck while riding an e-bike last week.The vigil was organized by Hunter's classmates and friends, and it is intended as a gathering for the students who knew him. We previously reported that an adult had organized the event and that the public was invited. That was incorrect, and we regret the error.Hunter was taken off life support on Saturday, October 17, and his family chose to donate his organs. Kavan Vishnubhai Patel, 32, is now charged with second-degree murder in his death and is being held at the Brevard County Jail without bond.Our thoughts are with Hunter's family, friends, and cla#hunterrusseyn#melbourne##brevardcountyvardCounty ...

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The Space Coast Rocket

4 hours ago

A BREVARD PUNK SINGER is facing a felony charge of using a computer to seduce, solicit or lure a child, according to court and jail records.Kevin Thomas Wright, 47, of Malabar, performed with the Melbourne pop punk band Never Ender and the Orlando punk band Dial Drive.Brevard deputies picked Wright up on an out-of-county warrant on the night of Oct. 9 and booked him into the Brevard County Jail. He was later transferred to Pinellas County, where the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office booked him on Oct. 13.Court records list one count of obscene communication: use of a computer to seduce, solicit or lure a child, with a reference to misrepresenting age. The docket lists it as a third-degree felony. The offense date is listed as Sept. 9.A judge found probable cause at his first appearance on Oct. 14 and kept his bond at $25,000. Wright bonded out on Oct. 15. On Oct. 16, his public defender entered a written plea of not guilty.The affidavit describing the investigation has not yet been released. Records do not say whether the communications involved a child or an undercover investigator.Both bands have cut ties with Wright. Never Ender's remaining members said they decided to leave the band and end their association with its singer following his arrest. "Had we known of conduct like this, we would have reported it to the police," bassist Matthew McCready wrote.Dial Drive said Wright "is no longer a part of the band and is in no way associated with Dial Drive."Wright has not been convicted, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.#BrevardCounty #Malabar #PinellasCounty ...

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The Space Coast Rocket

4 hours ago

Water rescue underway at paradise Beach in Melbourne ...

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