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"Most dangerous spy in US history" dies in jail

<p>The USA’s most notorious FBI agent has been found dead in his top security prison cell at the age of 79. </p> <p>Prison officials confirmed the news of Robert Hanssen’s passing, more than 20 years after he received a life sentence for selling classified US material throughout the 1980s and 1990s. </p> <p>While no cause of death has been revealed, a statement from the Bureau of Prisons revealed that staff at the facility took life-saving measures after Hanssen was found unresponsive in his cell, to no avail. </p> <p>Hanssen - who is now regarded as one of the most dangerous spies in US history - sold thousands of documents in exchange for the diamonds and cash over the course of his deception. According to the FBI, by the time of his arrest, Hanssen had received the value of more than $1.4 million. </p> <p>He first launched his career with the FBI in 1976, and it was only a few years before he began spying for the Soviet Union, sending classified information - on everything from human resources to counterintelligence - to the Soviet Union and Russia under the alias ‘Ramon Garcia’. </p> <p>It is believed that he was able to cover for himself through his role in the FBI’s New York counterintelligence department, where he was tasked with tracking down his own kind - spies. </p> <p>“As a result of his assignments, Hanssen had direct and legitimate access to voluminous information about sensitive programs and operations,” the FBI explained at the time. “As the complaint alleges, Hanssen effectively used his training, expertise and experience as a counterintelligence Agent to avoid detection, to include keeping his identity and place of employment from his Russian handlers and avoiding all the customary ‘tradecraft’ and travel usually associated with espionage.”</p> <p>Neither the FBI or CIA caught on to the fact there was a mole working within the system for years, but did eventually secure “original Russian documentation of an American spy”, according to the FBI and Forbes. </p> <p>According to reports, not even Hanssen’s Russian handlers knew his true identity, and he was not at the top of any suspect list. By all appearances, he lived a frugal life among Washington’s conservative Catholics, with a wife and six children. </p> <p>But Hanssen was caught in suburban Virginia at a ‘dead drop’, and his arrest came in 2001. He pleaded guilty to 15 counts of espionage, and was consequently sentenced to life behind bars without parole for “espionage, conspiracy to commit espionage, and attempted espionage”.</p> <p>“I apologise for my behaviour,” Hanssen said during his sentencing. “I am shamed by it.</p> <p>“I have opened the door for calumny against my totally innocent wife and children. I’ve hurt so many deeply.”</p> <p><em>Images: FBI</em></p>

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The FBI tracked Aretha Franklin for 40 years - here’s why

<p dir="ltr">Until 2007, Aretha Franklin was tracked by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with her bumper 270-page file recently obtained by <em><a href="https://rollingstoneindia.com/aretha-franklin-was-tracked-by-the-fbi-for-40-years-heres-whats-in-her-file/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rolling Stone</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Queen of Soul, who passed away in 2018 aged 76, was subjected to false phone calls and surveillance, as well as having her inner circle infiltrated by FBI sources, according to the outlet.</p> <p dir="ltr">Franklin’s file, first requested via the Freedom of Information Act shortly after her death, is reportedly filled with phrases such as “Black extremists”, “pro-communist”, “hate America”, “radical”, “racial violence”, and “militant Black power”.</p> <p dir="ltr">It also contained plenty of suspicion about the singer, her work, and the other artists and activists she associated with, as the FBI tried and failed to connect the Respect singer to the Black Liberation Army and other “radical” movements.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the documents, Franklin’s civil rights work and association with activists including Martin Luther King Jr and Angela Davies, became a focus for the FBI, with agents tracking her addresses, phone numbers and activities.</p> <p dir="ltr">The singer’s son, Kecalf, told the <em>Rolling Stone</em> he was unsure whether Franklin knew she was under surveillance but said it was a “waste of time” for the FBI to follow her “every move” for so many years after failing to connect her to radical movements of any kind.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I'm not really sure if my mother was aware that she was being targeted by the FBI and followed. I do know that she had absolutely nothing to hide though…” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It does make me feel a certain way knowing the FBI had her targeted and wanted to know her every move.</p> <p dir="ltr">"But at the same time knowing my mother and the way she ran her business I know she had nothing to hide so they wouldn't have found anything and were wasting their time. As you see…they found nothing at all."</p> <p dir="ltr">The documents obtained by <em>Rolling Stone</em>, which include some newly-declassified files and others that are heavily redacted, include a 1968 report discussing funeral plans for Martin Luther King Jr which described it as a “racial situation”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Sammy Davis Jr., Aretha Franklin…of this group, some have supported militant Black power concept…[performance at MLK memorial by these prominent entertainers] would provide emotional spark which could ignite racial disturbance in this area,” it reads.</p> <p dir="ltr">The FBI also included files “just in case”, such as her 1971 contract with Atlantic Records to attempt to connect the <em>Blues Brothers</em> star’s business dealings to the Black Panther Party.</p> <p dir="ltr">Letters and reports of death threats were among the collection of documents as well, including one from a man threatening to kill her and her family and another extortion attempt against her.</p> <p dir="ltr">With some documents indicating that there are additional materials in the FBI’s possession that haven’t been released, <em>Rolling Stone</em> requested these records be made available.</p> <p dir="ltr">The FBI has yet to comment on the report.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b53d2a36-7fff-78ce-80b9-125e7216fcbd"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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FBI findings cast doubt on Alec Baldwin's claim

<p>A recently-released FBI report has determined that Alec Baldwin could face criminal charges over the shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the set of <em>Rust</em>. </p> <p>According to <em>ABC News</em>, the gun used on the New Mexico movie set could not have been fired without the trigger being pulled.</p> <p>It means that Baldwin, who has repeatedly insisted that he did not pull the trigger, could still face criminal charges for the devastating incident which killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.</p> <p>The FBI forensic report had been examining the case in great depth to see if any charges could be brought against individuals involved in the incident.</p> <p>It conducted an accidental discharge test and determined the gun used in the fatal shooting of Hutchins “could not be made to fire without a pull of the trigger,” the report stated.</p> <p>The test showed that when the 45 Colt caliber F.lli Pietta single-action revolver’s hammer was in the quarter and half-cock positions, the gun would not fire without the trigger being pulled.</p> <p>When the hammer was in the fully cocked position, the gun “could not be made to fire without a pull of the trigger while the working internal components were intact and functional,” according to the outlet.</p> <p>Despite these claims, Baldwin stated in an interview in December that he, who was in possession of the gun at the time of the shooting, did not fire the weapon. </p> <p>“The trigger wasn’t pulled,” Baldwin said. “I didn’t pull the trigger.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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1,500 secret CIA and FBI JFK assassination files released

<p dir="ltr">The US National Archives<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-16/1000s-jfk-john-f-kennedy-documents-released-assassination/100706500" target="_blank">has released</a><span> </span>nearly 1,500 documents relating to the government’s investigation into the assasination of former president John F Kennedy in 1963.</p> <p dir="ltr">The documents, including secret cables and internal memos, were released in line with federal statute, which has called for records relating to the assassination by gunman Lee Harvey Oswald to be made public.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though there was no indication that the files revealed any new information, historians who are skeptical that Oswald was solely responsible for the assassination have eagerly anticipated the release.</p> <p dir="ltr">Cables and memos from the CIA discussed Oswald’s visits to the Soviet and Cuban embassies in Mexico City, as well as discussions of Cuba’s potential involvement in Kennedy’s death.</p> <p dir="ltr">One memo described how Oswald called the Soviet embassy while in Mexico City to ask for a visa to visit the Soviet Union.</p> <p dir="ltr">He also visited the Cuban embassy to obtain a travel visa to visit Cuba and wait there for his Soviet visa.</p> <p dir="ltr">One month before Kennedy’s death, Oswald re-entered the US through a crossing point at the Texas border.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another memo, dated one day before the killing, said Oswald had communicated with a KGB officer while at the Soviet embassy that September.</p> <p dir="ltr">After Kennedy died, Mexican authorities arrested a Cuban embassy employee who had communicated with Oswald and said he had “professed to be a Communist and an admirer of Castro”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fidel Castro, then the leader of Cuba, was an adversary of Kennedy’s administration and appeared in a CIA document that detailed what is said were government plots to assassinate him.</p> <p dir="ltr">The document, labelled “Secret Eyes Only”, mentioned one scheme that “involved the use of the criminal underworld with contacts inside Cuba”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another document contained considerations by the US government about whether Oswald had been swayed by one of Castro’s newspaper interviews, where he warned of retribution if the US helped take out Cuban leaders.</p> <p dir="ltr">Other files included several FBI reports on the agency’s efforts in investigating and surveilling major mafia figures, including Santo Trafficante Jr and Sam Giancana.</p> <p dir="ltr">These files also revealed that the agency regularly kept tabs on anti-Castro groups in southern Florida and Puerto Rico in the 1960s.</p> <p dir="ltr">In 2017, then-president Donald Trump blocked the release of hundreds of records, after the CIA and FBI raised concerns of “potentially irreversible harm”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite these concerns, about 2,800 other records were released.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images</em></p>

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"It boggles my mind": Unusual find near Brian Laundrie's body

<p>A water bottle that matches the one belonging to Gabby Petito has been spotted near where Brian Laundrie's remains were found in Florida. </p> <p>The Nalgene water bottle was discovered by hikers on Tuesday morning, close to where bone fragments were spotted in a <span>Myakkahatchee Park clearing.</span></p> <p>It was also near where Chris and Roberta Laundrie discovered their son's white bag during the initial search last week. </p> <p><span>A similar-looking water bottle can be seen in the Nomadic Statik YouTube video Gabby Petito posted online in mid-August.</span></p> <p><span><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845077/brian-bottle-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6ce27188422b422e8fd44bec51ea060f" /></span></p> <p><em>The circled image shows Gabby's water bottle in her van. Image credit: YouTube</em></p> <p><span><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845076/brian-bottle.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/aeaa1f0d7d354ef8a1f0e427c9ee1b8d" /></span></p> <p><em>The hikers were quick to notice the similarity to the found bottle. Image credit: Fox News</em></p> <p><span>While there has been no official confirmation on who the found water bottle belongs to, the Petito family lawyer, Richard Stafford, told <em>Fox News</em> reporter Michael Ruiz that it may have been hers. </span></p> <p><span>Richard said, “We have a picture that’s from before she left for her trip. It looks like the bottle. I don’t know why it would be left there. It boggles my mind.”</span></p> <p><span>A statement from North Port Police Department spokesman Josh Taylor said, “As far as I know, nothing related to this case has been found. Bunch of false reports. However, this is an FBI led investigation and they should speak to anything such as that located. They may know more.”</span></p> <p><span>Brian's remains were found in the Carlton Reserve in Florida last week, after he had been missing for over a month. </span></p> <p>Authorities are still searching for the 23-year-old’s manner of death after autopsy results came back inconclusive.</p> <p>Mr Laundrie was the sole person of interest in the death of his fiancé Gabby Petito, 22, who was found strangled to death in Wyoming on September 19th.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Youtube / Instagram @gabspetito / Fox News</em></p>

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Chilling theory over how Brian Laundrie's remains were found

<p>Brian Laundrie's family lawyer has been forced to debunk rumours that Brian's parents, Chris and Roberta, planted his possessions in Carlton Reserve before they were found by police. </p> <p>Steven Bertolino gave his first interview after human remains, a backpack and notebook were discovered in the manhunt for Brian, who has been named a "person of interest" in the homicide of his 22-year-old girlfriend Gabby Petito. </p> <p>Gabby's body was found in a campground in Wyoming on September 19th, as her "manner of death" was deemed as homicide by strangulation by local county coroner in the following weeks. </p> <p>In the weeks following her death, an active search for her fiancé Brian Laundrie continued in the dense reserve in Florida, which turned up the "partial remains" and personal items, all likely belonging to the 23-year-old. </p> <p>Mr Bertolini announced that Brian's father Chris had found the items, after only being inside the nature reserve for less than 30 minutes.</p> <p><span>“That area was under water and you can certainly understand why you may not have been able to locate it until today,” Mr Bertolino told <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/CuomoPrimeTime/status/1450996081563680768?s=20" target="_blank">CNN</a>.</span></p> <p>“If water had cleared two weeks ago perhaps they (police) could have circled back to search again. Perhaps they meant to … but never got back to this part because it is so near to the entrance."</p> <p>“Chris and Roberta went to this area first … and they stumbled upon these items.”</p> <p>CNN host Chris Cuomo questioned the family lawyer, asking if it was unusual that Brian's parents happened upon the key evidence in such a short amount of time, despite dogs and search personnel combing the area previously.</p> <p>“Some people don’t believe how the events laid out today … but Chris and Roberta walked into the preserve, and they were followed closely by two law personnel,” Mr Bertolino explained, calling any allegation that Chris had “planted” the bag that he found as “hogwash”.</p> <p>“And when I say close … I mean within eyeshot. As they went further in, Chris went off the trail and into the woods. He was zigzagging in different areas … law enforcement was doing the same thing."</p> <p>“Roberta Laundrie was walking down the trail … and at some point Chris locates what is called a ‘dry bag’. The dry bag is a white bag laying in the woods 20 feet or so off the trail. “According to Chris, it (the bag) was in some bramble.”</p> <p>Chris picked up the bag and took it to law enforcement on the search team, as they examined its contents. </p> <p>“At that point, law enforcement showed him (Chris) a picture on the phone of a backpack that law enforcement had located also nearby,” Mr Bertolino explained.</p> <p>“At that point the Laundrie’s were notified that there was also remains near the backpack … and they were asked to leave the preserve.”</p> <p>Mr Bertolini said his clients were "heartbroken" after hearing that Brian's remains had been discovered. </p> <p>The official announcement came from FBI Tampa, as they said they will continue their investigation in the mysterious set of events. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPDATE</a>: On October 21, 2021, a comparison of dental records confirmed that the human remains found at the T. Mabry Carlton, Jr. Memorial Reserve and Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park are those of Brian Laundrie. <a href="https://twitter.com/FBITampa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBITampa</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZnzbXiibTM">pic.twitter.com/ZnzbXiibTM</a></p> — FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDenver/status/1451302161690898435?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2021</a></blockquote> <div class="description g_font-long-format"></div> <p><span>“It’s quite sad … you can imagine as a parent finding out your son’s belongings alongside remains … that has got to be heartbreaking,” Mr Bertolini said. “I can tell you they are heartbroken.”</span></p> <p><span>FBI officials said they will have personnel on site during the upcoming days to comb for further evidence, as an autopsy will be carried out to determine Brian's cause of death. </span></p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram @gabspetito</em></p>

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Gabby Petito: items found in search for Brian Laundrie

<p>As the search or Gabby Petito's missing fiancé Brain Laundrie continues, police have found partial human remains in the Carlton Reserve. </p> <p>The area, previously underwater, is located near Brian's parents home in Florida according to FBI officials in Tampa. </p> <p>The remains were found near a backpack that contained items consistent with what Brian may have had on him. </p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">“Earlier today, investigators found what appears to be human remains along with personal items, such as a backpack and notebook, belonging to Brian Laundrie,” FBI Tampa Special Investigator Michael McPherson said.</p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">“Our evidence response team is on scene using all available forensic resources to process the area.”</p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">The human remains will be forensically analysed to confirm whether they belong to Brian Laundrie. </p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">Brian remains the sole person of interest in the high-profile homicide investigation into Gabby Petito. </p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">Brian's parents, Chris and Roberta Laundrie, participated in the search on Wednesday with police from North Port and the FBI. </p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">“After a brief search off a trail that Brian frequented some articles belonging to Brian were found,” the family's attorney Steven Bertolino said. </p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">“As of now, law enforcement is conducting a more thorough investigation of that area.”</p> <div class="hide-print ad-no-notice css-qyun7f-StyledAdUnitWrapper ezkyf1c0"> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">The FBI field office in Tampa also issued a statement on Twitter confirming that “items of interest” were found in the Laundrie search but did not elaborate.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">UPDATE: Items of interest were located at the Carlton Reserve this morning in connection with the search for Brian Laundrie. An <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FBI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FBI</a> Evidence Response team is processing the scene. The reserve is closed to the public and no further details are available at this time. <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDenver?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBIDenver</a> <a href="https://t.co/itOYRpY6fp">pic.twitter.com/itOYRpY6fp</a></p> — FBI Tampa (@FBITampa) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBITampa/status/1450887057052774400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2021</a></blockquote> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020"><span>“An FBI Evidence Response team is processing the scene. The reserve is closed to the public and no further details are available at this time.”</span></p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020"><span>Brain returned gabby Petito's van to his parents home on September 1st, before going hiking in the nearby Carlton Reserve two weeks later. </span><span></span></p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020"><span>He then vanished, and has been missing since September 14th. </span></p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020"><span>Despite several apparent sightings of Laundrie since, police had previously been no closer to finding him.</span></p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020"><span>Laundrie is charged in a federal Wyoming indictment with unauthorised use of a debit card, which would allow authorities to arrest him if he is found.</span></p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020"><em>Image credits: Instagram @gabspetito / Moab Police </em></p> </div>

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Major breakthrough in search for Brian Laundrie

<p>A major breakthrough has occurred in the case of Brian Laundrie, who disappeared from his house in Florida in early September. </p> <p>The investigation into Brian, <span>whose fiancée Gabby Petito was found dead in Wyoming last month, has uncovered new details about his earlier movements, as well as traces of human activity in a nature reserve that has been the key area of the search. </span></p> <p><span>Police found the <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/they-were-here-dog-the-bounty-hunter-confirms-new-laundrie-lead" target="_blank">remnants of a campsite</a> that appeared to be used recently in Florida’s Carlton Reserve, a sprawling 24,565-acre wilderness near Laundrie’s family home that has been closed to visitors, a source close to the family told <a rel="noopener" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/07/us/gabby-petito-brian-laundrie-update-thursday/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> on Wednesday.</span></p> <p><span>Chris Laundrie, Brian's father, joined law enforcement and went to the reserve to </span>help them look on Thursday morning. </p> <p><span>“Chris was asked to point out any favorite trails or spots that Brian may have used in the preserve. Although Chris and Roberta Laundrie provided this information verbally 3 weeks ago it is now thought that on-site assistance may be better,” the family's attorney Steven Bertolino said.</span></p> <p><span>The North Port Police Department also confirmed that a notice was placed on a seemingly abandoned </span>vehicle that belonged to the Laundrie family close to the reserve on September 14th.</p> <p>Brian originally told his family that he was heading to reserve the last time they saw him.</p> <p>The ongoing search for Brian comes as law enforcement try to piece together the events that led to the death of 22-year-old Gabby Petito. </p> <p>Gabby and Brian had been travelling across the United States in a 'van life' trip that they were documenting on social media. </p> <p>Gabby was officially reported missing on September 11th: 10 days after Brian returned home from Florida without her. </p> <p>In the days following, <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/tragedy-unfolding-body-confirmed-as-missing-woman-gabby-petito" target="_blank">Gabby's body was found</a> in a national park in Wyoming, and the coroner determined she died by homicide.</p> <p>Brian originally refused to speak with police when questioned, and then went missing himself. </p> <p>Brian is now the <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/new-witnesses-in-gabby-petito-homicide-as-fbi-issue-warrant" target="_blank">subject of a federal warrant</a> as a key person of interest in Gabby's case, as well as <span>for unauthorised use of another person’s debit card.</span></p> <p>He was last seen on September 13th by his family, and has been missing for 25 days.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook / Instagram @gabspetito</em></p>

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New witnesses in Gabby Petito homicide as FBI issue warrant

<p>As the FBI continue their investigation of the high-profile Gabby Petito case, two witnesses from Louisiana have shared valuable information from an incident they witnessed last month. </p> <p>Nina Angelo and her boyfriend Matt England were vacationing in Jackson, Wyoming, when they witnessed a "commotion" between Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie. </p> <p>The travelling couple were leaving The Merry Piglets Tex-Mex restaurant on August 27th, where Nina noticed that Gabby was in tears and seeming distressed. </p> <p>Brian was also visibly angry, going in and out of the restaurant serval times and being aggressive towards the eatery staff. </p> <p>The berated waitress was also visibly shaken by the incident, who told CNN that <span>she did not see any violence or physical altercation between Petito and Laundrie.</span></p> <p>Gabby was reported missing by her family on September 11th and <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/tragedy-unfolding-body-confirmed-as-missing-woman-gabby-petito" target="_blank">her remains were found</a> in Grand Tetons National Park on September 19th. </p> <p>Following an autopsy report, FBI and the <span>Teton County Coroner ruled Petito’s death as a homicide, however the cause of death is yet to be determined, pending final autopsy results.</span></p> <p><span>Brain Laundrie remains the number one person of interest in the case, after he returned to his home in Florida in Gabby's van without her, and is refusing to cooperate with police. </span></p> <p><span>After the witnesses in Louisiana have come forward, and <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/could-it-actually-be-him-brian-laundrie-potentially-spotted-on-the-run" target="_blank">a potential sighting of Brian in a Florida town</a>, the FBI have issues an arrest </span>warrant. </p> <p><span>According to the arrest documents issued by the FBI, the warrant is “pursuant to a Federal Grand Jury indictment related to Mr. Laundrie’s activities following the death of Gabrielle Petito.”</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">On September 22, 2021, the U.S. District Court of Wyoming issued a federal arrest warrant for Brian Christopher Laundrie pursuant to a Federal Grand Jury indictment related to Mr. Laundrie’s activities following the death of Gabrielle Petito. <a href="https://t.co/SSrBVbAeBs">pic.twitter.com/SSrBVbAeBs</a></p> — FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDenver/status/1441155529393389568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span>“While this warrant allows law enforcement to arrest Mr Laundrie, the FBI and our partner across the country continue to investigate the facts and circumstances of Ms. Petito’s homicide,” FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider said in a statement.</span></p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram @gabspetito</em></p>

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Tragedy unfolding: Body confirmed as missing woman Gabby Petito

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">US police have found a body believed to be missing woman Gabby Petito.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The body was found in the Grand Teton National Park in the US state of Wyoming, where police have been looking for the missing 22-year-old.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though the body has not been formally identified yet, FBI Denver spokesman Charles Jones told reporters that the remains matched a description of Ms Petito.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Full forensic identification has not been completed to confirm 100 percent that we found Gabby, but her family has been notified of this discovery,” Mr Jones said. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The cause of death is yet to be determined.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844198/petito1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/377638daf8d94f99bbb4df099c0830bb" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: gabspetito / Instagram</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“First and foremost, on behalf of the FBI personnel and our partners, I would like to extend sincere, sincere, and heartfelt condolences to Gabby’s family,” Mr Jones said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“As every parent can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult time for the family and friends. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. We ask that you all respect the privacy as they mourn the loss of their daughter.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Shortly after the press conference, North Port Police confirmed the body belonged to Ms Petito.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Saddened and heartbroken to learn that Gabby has been found deceased,” the tweet read.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Saddened and heartbroken to learn that Gabby has been found deceased. Our focus from the start, along with the FBI, and national partners, has been to bring her home. We will continue to work with the FBI in the search for more answers.</p> — North Port Police (@NorthPortPolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/NorthPortPolice/status/1439717263771422720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Our focus from the start, along with the FBI, and national partners, has been to bring her home. We will continue to work with the FBI in the search for more answers.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ms Petito’s father, Joseph Petito, shared an image of his daughter standing in front of a painted pair of wings.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“💔 #GABBYPETITO she touched the world,” he captioned the post.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">💔<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GABBYPETITO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GABBYPETITO</a> she touched the world. <a href="https://t.co/DukH7UCTPo">pic.twitter.com/DukH7UCTPo</a></p> — joseph petito (@josephpetito) <a href="https://twitter.com/josephpetito/status/1439716307268739072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ms Petito went missing in August while on a cross-country trip with her fiancé, 23-year-old Brian Laundrie.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Her last known contact with family members occurred on August 25 from the Wyoming national park, and she was reported missing on September 11.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ms Petito’s Instagram page, where she shared updates on her travels with Mr Laundrie in their van, was last active on August 26.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTA__ISJZYY/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTA__ISJZYY/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Gabby (@gabspetito)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Laundrie returned home in Ms Petito’s van on September 1 without her, and has refused to help police with the search.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Over the weekend, police were searching for Mr Laundrie, after his family later said he was also missing.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Laundrie’s family told investigators they last saw him on Tuesday, September 14, when they believed he travelled to a wildlife reserve.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">More than 50 law enforcement officers ended their second day of searching for Mr Laundrie in a wildlife area near Florida’s Gulf Coast, after identifying him as a person of interest in her disappearance.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It is important to note that while Brian is a person of interest in Gabby’s disappearance, he is not wanted for a crime,” North Port police said in a statement, adding that the investigation is now a “multiple missing person” case.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ms Petito’s van was reportedly seen by travel bloggers Jenn and Kyle Bethune on August 27, captured in footage they posted to their YouTube channel.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After driving past the van twice, the Bethunes said the van seemed “abandoned”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Authorities have been poring over tips, including the footage from the Bethunes, and searching large areas of Wyoming and Utah.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844199/petito2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/35d681fbc0364a349bdefda9462897c2" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: FBI</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">FBI agents in Denver tweeted that they are currently focusing on areas in the Grand Teton National Park, including an undeveloped camping ground near Spring Creek.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They have urged anyone who was in the area between August 27 and 30 who had seen Ms Petito, Mr Laundrie, or their vehicle, to contact them.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: gabspetito / Instagram</span></em></p>

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Prime suspect in legendary plane mystery dies

<p>Few cases in history have been able to stump America's most experienced investigators.</p> <p>Yet the unsolved case of how a well-groomed businessman successfully hijacked a flight from Portland, Oregon to Seattle, Washington 50 years ago - only to parachute from the plane after his requests were met , never to be seen again - baffled FBI agents to the point where they decided to close the case years ago.</p> <p>And now, the chances of them solving the case is even more unlikely as lead suspect Sheridan Peterson, who is thought to be "Dan 'DB' Cooper", died on January 8 according to memorial website<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="http://legacy.com/" target="_blank">Legacy.com</a>.</p> <p>The 94-year-old once said "the FBI had good reason to suspect me" in an article published on July 2007 in the National Smokejumper Association's (NSA) Smokejumper Magazine.</p> <p>“Friends and associates agreed that I was without a doubt DB Cooper. There were too many circumstances involved for it to be a coincidence,” he wrote.</p> <p>“At the time of the heist, I was 44 years old. That was the approximate age Cooper was assumed to have been, and I closely resembled sketches of the hijacker.”</p> <p>Even Mr Peterson's ex-wife once told FBI agents that it "sounded like something he'd do".</p> <p>On another occasion, a photo came into fruition showing Mr Peterson dressed in the exact same outfit - a black raincoat over a freshly pressed business suit - as the hijacker during the 1971 flight.</p> <p>“What was even more incriminating was the photo of me simulating a skydiving manoeuvre for Boeing’s news sheet,” Mr Peterson wrote in his<span> </span><em>Smokejumper<span> </span></em>piece.</p> <p>“I was wearing a suit and tie – the same sort of garb Cooper had worn, right down to the Oxford loafers. It was noted that skydivers don’t ordinarily dress so formally.”</p> <p>Mr Peterson long claimed, however, that at the time of the hijacking he was living in a mud hut in Nepal, working on a “protest novel” about his experiences in Vietnam.</p>

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Ghislaine Maxwell arrested by FBI

<p><br /><span>Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite and the long-time girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein, has been hit with charges for allegedly helping to recruit, from and viciously abuse children.</span><br /><br /><span>Maxwell, who benefitted for years from Epstein’s prominent wealth, was the billionaire’s travel companion on trips around the world.</span><br /><br /><span>"Maxwell played a critical role in helping Epstein to identify, befriend, and groom victims for abuse. In some cases, Maxwell participated in the abuse herself," Audrey Strauss, the acting Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said.</span><br /><br /><span>She has also accused of lying to authorities during previous investigations into Epstein.</span><br /><br /><span>"Maxwell lied because the truth, as alleged, was almost unspeakable," Ms Strauss said.</span><br /><br /><span>"Maxwell enticed minor girls, got them to trust her, and then delivered them into the trap that she and Epstein had set for them.</span><br /><br /><span>"She pretended to be a woman they could trust … all the while she was setting them up to be sexually abused by Epstein and in some cases by Maxwell herself."</span><br /><br /><span>William F Sweeney Jr, an assistant director at the FBI, said investigators had been "discreetly keeping tabs on Maxwell's whereabouts" since Epstein's arrest in 2019.</span><br /><br /><span>"More recently we learned she'd slithered away to a gorgeous property in New Hampshire, continuing to live a life of privilege while her victims live with the trauma inflicted upon them years ago.</span><br /><br /><span>"We moved when we were ready and Ms Maxwell was arrested without incident."</span><br /><br /><span>He went on to say: "Like Epstein, Ms Maxwell chose to blatantly disregard the law and her responsibility as an adult, using whatever means she had at her disposal to lure vulnerable youth into behaviour they should never have been exposed and which creates lasting harm."</span><br /><br /><span>Reports say Ms Maxwell has been charged with six counts in connection with the ongoing investigation into Epstein’s accomplices.</span><br /><br /><span>The charges are enticement and conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, and transportation and conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.</span><br /><br /><span>Other charges include two counts of perjury, according to a federal indictment unsealed today.</span><br /><br /><span>"In particular, from at least in or about 1994, up to an including at least in or about 1997, Maxwell assisted, facilitated, and contributed to Jeffrey Epstein's abuse of minor girls by, among other things, helping Epstein to recruit, groom, and ultimately abuse victims known to Maxwell and Epstein to be under the age of 18," the indictment says.</span><br /><br /><span>The victims included girls as young as 14-years-old.</span></p>

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Prince Andrew lands in Australia as the FBI continues to investigate his ties to Jeffrey Epstein

<p>Prince Andrew has touched down in Australia on official business amid reports that more details about his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein could come to light during a probe by law enforcement agencies.</p> <p>The Duke of York arrived in Western Australia on Monday evening, where he will attend a<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.pitchatpalaceaustralia.com/" target="_blank">Pitch@Palace</a><span> </span>event for Australian entrepreneurs.</p> <p>The Australian startups will take part in a bootcamp before an event at Murdoch University with the winners chosen to attend a global Pitch@Palace event in London.</p> <p>Pitch@Palace is the Duke of York’s brainchild, designed to “amplify and accelerate the work of entrepreneurs” around the Commonwealth.</p> <p>However, it appears that the Duke of York’s Australian trip is not marred without controversy.</p> <p><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/now-fbi-investigates-prince-andrews-links-to-epstein-xr2k0p3cx" target="_blank"><em>The Sunday Times</em></a><span> </span>has reported that the FBI has expanded its investigation to identify alleged human trafficking victims of Epstein, who could provide information on the Duke.</p> <p>“The US investigation is focusing on several potential victims in the hope that they can provide more details about Prince Andrew and his connection to the Epstein case,” according to sources from the US Department of Justice, which oversees the FBI.</p> <p>The report quotes former head of royal protection at Scotland Yard, Dai Davies, whose said that a full investigation would be in Prince Andrew’s best interests.</p> <p>“I would have thought it’s in Prince Andrew’s interests to clear this matter up,” Mr Davies, who headed Prince Andrew’s protection in the late 1990s, told The Sunday Times.</p> <p>“Any residue of doubt or innuendo should be cleared up by a clear, unequivocal, structured investigation.”</p> <p>Prince Andrew has denied all allegations against him as “false” and “without foundation”.</p> <p>The probe is continuing after Epstein took his own life last month in a New York prison cell where he was detained on charges of sex trafficking teenage girls.</p>

Travel Trouble

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How to check if your Facebook account has been hacked

<p>Between September 14-27, 30 million Facebook accounts were hacked, and now the social media juggernaut has unveiled a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/help/securitynotice?ref=sec" target="_blank">website</a> that will help you determine if your account has been compromised.</p> <p>“We're very sorry this happened,” it said of the incident. “Your privacy is incredibly important to us, and we want to update you on what we've learned from our ongoing investigation, including which Facebook accounts are impacted, what information was accessed and what Facebook users can do about this.”</p> <p>Facebook has made a move to assure its users, which according to <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/264810/number-of-monthly-active-facebook-users-worldwide/" target="_blank">Statista</a></em> amount to over 2.2 billion monthly active users worldwide, <span>that sensitive information like passwords and financial information were not accessed by hackers.</span></p> <p>“There's no need for anyone to change their passwords,” said the company.</p> <p>But other information was hacked, reported <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/can-check-facebook-account-hacked-042356675.html" target="_blank">7News</a></em>, such as phone numbers and email addresses, and in the case of 14 million accounts, the type of information that you can see on your friends’ accounts such as location, birthdate and relationship status.</p> <p>You can find out simply if your Facebook account has been hacked. On the Facebook advice website, scroll about halfway down to the question, “Is my Facebook account impacted by this security issue?” and you’ll have a notification there, specific to your account, if you have been affected.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 123.021px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7821357/facebook-notice.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/94961eb42d334a35a773be434fdab00b" /></p> <p>You’ll also be provided with account-specific information if you are logged in to Facebook.</p> <p>One expert argues that in light of the hacks, Facebook should be offering users free “credit monitoring” in case sensitive financial information may be accessed.</p> <p>“Those personal details could very easily be used for identity theft to sign up for credit cards, get a loan, get your banking password, et cetera,” said Patrick Moorhead, founder of Moor Insights &amp; Strategy.</p> <p>“Facebook should provide all those customers free credit monitoring to make sure the damage is minimised.”</p> <p>Facebook has declined to say where the effected users are located, only saying the breaches were “fairly broad”. The company says it will contact those account holders who have been hacked.</p> <p>According Facebook, the hacks are currently being investigated by the FBI, but the Bureau requested it didn’t discuss the culprits behind it.</p> <p>You can find more information at the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/help/securitynotice?ref=sec" target="_blank">Facebook advice site</a>.</p> <p>Did you find the Facebook advice helpful? Let us know in the comments below.</p>

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