Denver man indicted in alleged $8.5M short-term rental property scam

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:09:05 GMT

Denver man indicted in alleged $8.5M short-term rental property scam DENVER (KDVR) -- A California federal grand jury has indicted two men, including one from Denver, in a superseding indictment accusing them of fraud connected to over 10,000 reservations linked to nearly 100 rental properties across 10 states.Shaunik Raheja, 34, of Denver, and Shray Goel, 35, of Miami were indicted Thursday on federal fraud charges that allege a "double-booking, bait-and-switch scam run through online property rental platforms," primarily Airbnb, that brought in more than $8.5 million through "misleading listings and fraudulently canceling reservations, which included discrimination against Black people," according to the Justice Department's announcement. Denver nears housing oversupply, potential pricing drop: report Goel was initially indicted and charged on Dec. 13, 2023, and arrested in Florida on Dec. 27, 2023. He was released on bond on Dec. 28.Raheja was added as a defendant in the superseding indictment that followed the Dec. 13 indictment. Both defendant...

What happens to your vote if Trump is taken off the ballot?

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:09:05 GMT

What happens to your vote if Trump is taken off the ballot? DENVER (KDVR) -- Colorado’s Secretary of State will certify the presidential primary ballots on Friday, and former President Trump’s name will likely appear on it. That’s despite Colorado’s Supreme Court ruling that Trump isn’t eligible to hold office under the 14th Amendment because he engaged in insurrection. But the case has been appealed and is headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.What happens to my ballot if Trump is ultimately taken off the ballot?Colorado has rules for how to deal with similar situations. According to Secretary of State Jena Griswold, if Trump is disqualified any votes he gets would be simply thrown out. After House1000, what Denver’s mayor plans for 2024 That could happen due to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of the Colorado Supreme Court, or if the justices refuse to decide in the case. If that happens, the Secretary of State says some voters may be able to change their vote. “If a voter already has their ballot and hasn’t returned their ballot, they ...

Denver weather: Snow chances Thursday night

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:09:05 GMT

Denver weather: Snow chances Thursday night DENVER (KDVR) — Denver's weather will stay chilly with the chance for snow showers Thursday night. Temperatures will stay below normal through the weekend with another chance for snow Sunday night. Winter weather advisories in effect for parts of southern and eastern Colorado. The combination of measurable snowfall, plus icy conditions in the eastern plains, will lead to difficult travel through Friday. Weather tonight: Snow showers, chilly On Thursday night, there will be a brief chance for snow showers in the metro as a system moves in from the south. FOX31 Weather: View the latest Denver forecasts, maps and radar The better chance for an inch of more snowfall will be along the Palmer Divide and south. Temperatures will stay on the chilly side and fall to the 20s. Weather tomorrow: Cool day, chance for snow lateOn Friday, clouds will decrease in the metro as highs climb to the lower 40s. This will be ahead of another chance for snow showers Friday evening. Looking ahead:...

‘Out of this world’: Man plays guitar while undergoing brain surgery at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:09:05 GMT

‘Out of this world’: Man plays guitar while undergoing brain surgery at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center A professional guitar player is making news for undergoing brain surgery at a South Florida hospital while playing his guitar at the same time. Christian Nolen underwent an awake craniotomy at the University of Miami’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, which is said to perform the most in the country with more than 200 cases a year. As the team of doctors, nurses and techs were operating on his brain, Nolen was awake and attempting to play a number of songs by the Deftones on his guitar.Nolen spoke with 7News about the surgery via Zoom on Thursday afternoon.“It was just like out of this world, like, to just like wake up and like have people actively working inside of your head. It’s kind of an insane feeling,” he said.Nolen said he first noticed an issue after getting knocked during a show. “I had lost feeling in my whole left side. From the waist up, like, I wasn’t able to move my arm, my face began to drag,” he said.The performer ende...

Public defender: Inmate killed himself while in custody at North Broward jail

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:09:05 GMT

Public defender: Inmate killed himself while in custody at North Broward jail Officials are investigating the death of an inmate at a Broward County jail, the second such death in a county correctional facility in just over two weeks.Authorities said Alvin Stephen Modeste was found dead in his cell after he strangled himself to death while he was at the North Broward Bureau.He was scheduled to attend a hearing on Thursday to determine his mental competency. Modeste was arrested on Oct. 4 after his mother called police because he was throwing things around their house. He gave himself up to police after hiding in a closet.Modeste was charged with culpable negligence and resisting arrest without violence. He was ordered to be held on a $5,000 bond. In a letter to Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony, Broward County Public Defender Gordon Weekes said Modeste suffered from a “well documented mental illness.”Weekes told 7News that Modeste had been placed in a unit designed to care for the mentally ill in the North Broward jail. “Individuals that are acut...

Firefighters reunite with dog they found wedged between warehouse walls in Hialeah

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:09:05 GMT

Firefighters reunite with dog they found wedged between warehouse walls in Hialeah There was a canine celebration in Hialeah when some firefighters get together with a special four-legged patient that they rescued from a tight squeeze.7News captured the moment Hialeah Fire Rescue members greeted Yanko on Thursday.“Hi, buddy,” said one of the firefighters as he petted the dog.What a difference a couple of days make.This rescue reunion was made possible after Yanko took a lick when he got trapped between two warehouses in the area of West Fifth Avenue and 18th Street.A neighbor heard his cries for help on Tuesday, setting off a rescue mission with Hialeah Fire Rescue.A mechanic says Yanko lives at one of the warehouses and was probably chasing another animal when he became stuck.“The owners told us that there was a dog stuck in there, and we couldn’t see it,” said Hialeah Fire Rescue Paramedic Roly Medina, “so we just walked in there with the lights, and way up in there we saw the building tapers, and the a dog was in there wedged...

Driver arrested, charged with OUI after allegedly striking two homes in Hopkinton

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:09:05 GMT

Driver arrested, charged with OUI after allegedly striking two homes in Hopkinton A Hopkinton man was arrested and charged Thursday after he allegedly hit two homes with a van while drunk, officials said. Hopkinton Police Chief Joseph Bennett and Fire Chief Gary Daugherty in a joint statement said the incident happened near the intersection of Grove Street and Pleasant Street in Hopkinton shortly before 3 p.m. Police soon responded and arrested Stephen Murphy, 52, close to the scene, according to Bennett and Daugherty. Murphy was charged with operating under the influence of liquor (second offense) and driving to endanger. He was also charged with two counts of leaving the scene of a property damage crash after officials said he initially fled the area. While there were no reported injuries, officials said one of the homes that was hit “suffered significant damage to a load-bearing wall.”Fire crews worked to stabilize the home on Thursday afternoon and were continuing efforts as of Thursday night ahead of expected snowfall over the weekend, officials sa...

DeMar DeRozan was ranked in early NBA All-Star fan voting. Should his Chicago Bulls teammate Coby White join him?

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:09:05 GMT

DeMar DeRozan was ranked in early NBA All-Star fan voting. Should his Chicago Bulls teammate Coby White join him? NEW YORK — Focus began to shift to Indianapolis as the NBA released its initial round of fan voting results Thursday for the 2024 All-Star Game.DeMar DeRozan ranked ninth among Eastern Conference guards with 175,233 votes. After earning All-Star selections the last two seasons, DeRozan remains consistent in his output for the Bulls while stepping up as a facilitator to average 22.4 points and 5.3 assists per game. He sits ahead of Boston’s Jrue Holiday (145,144) and just behind Boston’s Derrick White (175,940).But another name was excluded from this first round of voting: Bulls guard Coby White, who has buoyed the team with a breakout performance in his first full season as the starting point guard.White is averaging 17.8 points and 4.8 assists per game, shooting over 39% from behind the arc to make 2.9 3-pointers per game. His averages were hindered by a slow start and a short shooting skid at the end of December, but White’s contributions have been critical...

Massachusetts animal welfare organizations waiving adoption fees for guinea pigs this weekend

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:09:05 GMT

Massachusetts animal welfare organizations waiving adoption fees for guinea pigs this weekend Animal welfare organizations across the region are waiving adoption fees for guinea pigs this weekend following a large surrender, shining the spotlight on a new ordinance that bans the sale of the critters at pet shops in Boston.Recently, the Animal Rescue of League received 55 guinea pigs from a single home, with MSPCA-Angell taking in 20 of the pets. The surrender prompted the two agencies to team up with Dakin Humane, Lowell Humane, and the Animal Protection Center of Southeastern Massachusetts in hosting the fee-waived adoption event.The event starts Friday and runs through Sunday, with the $30 adoption fee for guinea pigs being waived. In total, the groups are hoping more than 100 guinea pigs will find their new homes.“Their owners purchased guinea pigs from pet stores where they were incorrectly sexed, resulting in many litters,” MSPCA-Angell said of the 55 surrenders on X, the former Twitter platform. “This underscores the importance of measures like Boston’s recently passed...

SeaWorld guests removed from attraction after ride stops

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:09:05 GMT

SeaWorld guests removed from attraction after ride stops SAN DIEGO -- SeaWorld San Diego experienced an issue with one of its rides on Thursday, park officials said.Journey to Atlantis, a popular flume ride, "experienced a stop," forcing the SeaWorld team to safely remove guests from the attraction, according to the theme park."The guest removal was conducted in accordance with safety standards and practice procedures," SeaWorld said. Legoland California celebrates 25th birthday with kids ticket deal Around 1 p.m., SkyFOX was over the scene after the guests were removed. The ride was operating with no one on it.No other details were released about the what caused the stop.In June, SeaWorld's rollercoaster “Electric Eel” rollercoaster was temporarily shut down after a person was injured on the ride, according to California safety regulators. The ride features a drop from heights of 150 feet while traveling both forwards and backwards at speeds as high as 60 miles per hour.