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Republicans love to jump up and down, rant, work the ref, and bully Democrats whenever they can use it to their advantage. The prosecution of Hunter Biden is a case where a plea deal blew up and the U.S. Department of Justice was forced into putting him on trial due to political pressure. The charges that Hunter Biden faced were mild compared to those faced by Donald Trump. When Trump left office, he pardoned Roger Stone, Steve Bannon, Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort, his sycophants, and Ivanka’s father-in-law, now U.S. Ambassador to France nominee Charles Kushner. Trump has vowed to pardon the Jan. 6 rioters, who injured police officers. No complaints from the Republicans. The rule of law, prosecutors, judges, grand juries, juries, and convictions mean nothing to Republicans if Trump is the defendant and can libel the whole process. And forget about defending police officers. Trump has nominated Kash Patel to head the FBI, and Republican senators will choke down their vomit to confirm him. His priority will be to go after all of Trump’s enemies. Biden should protect the rule of law before leaving office by pardoning those at risk from Trump’s wrath. Let the Republicans howl. George Magakis Jr., Norristown, PA
With Achraf Hakimi's departure to Paris Saint-Germain creating a vacancy in Inter Milan's defensive lineup, the club sees the 26-year-old Dutch defender as the ideal replacement. His playing style, skill set, and experience make him a perfect fit for Inter's system and playing philosophy. The club's coaching staff and scouting team have been closely monitoring his performances and are convinced of his ability to make an immediate impact in Serie A.President Joe Biden —AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta WASHINGTON, DC — President Joe Biden’s decision to go back on his word and issue a categorical pardon for his son, Hunter, just weeks before his scheduled sentencing on gun and tax convictions was a surprise that wasn’t all that surprising. Not to those who had witnessed the president’s shared anguish over his two sons after the boys survived a car crash that killed Biden’s first wife and a daughter more than a half-century ago. Or to those who heard the president regularly lament the death of his older son, Beau, from cancer or voice concerns—largely in private—about Hunter’s sobriety and health after years of deep addiction. But by choosing to put his family first, the 82-year-old president—who had pledged to restore a fractured public’s trust in the nation’s institutions and respect for the rule of law—has raised new questions about his already teetering legacy. READ: Biden’s legacy in ruins after Trump triumph “This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation,” Colorado’s Democratic Gov. Jared Polis wrote in a post on X. He added that while he could sympathize with Hunter Biden’s struggles, “no one is above the law, not a President and not a President’s son.” Biden aides and allies had been resigned to the prospect of the president using his extraordinary power in the waning days of his presidency to ensure his son wouldn’t see time behind bars, especially after Donald Trump ’s win. The president’s supporters have long viewed Biden’s commitment to his family as an asset overall, even if Hunter’s personal conduct and tangled business dealings were seen as a persistent liability. But the pardon comes as Biden has become increasingly isolated since the loss to Trump by Vice President Kamala Harris, who jumped in to the race after the president’s catastrophic debate against Trump in June forced his exit from the election. He is still struggling to resolve thorny foreign policy issues in the Middle East and Europe. And he must reckon with his decision to seek reelection despite his advanced age, which helped return the Oval Office to Trump, a man he had warned time and again was a threat to democratic norms. Trump has gleefully planned to undo Biden’s signature achievements on climate change and reverse the Democrat’s efforts to reinvigorate the country’s alliances, all while standing poised to take credit for a strengthening economy and billions in infrastructure investments that are in the pipeline for the coming years. And now, Biden has handed the Republican a pretext to carry through with sweeping plans to upend the Department of Justice as the Republican vows to seek retribution against supposed adversaries. “This pardon is just deflating for those of us who’ve been out there for a few years yelling about what a threat Trump is,” Republican Joe Walsh, a vocal Trump critic, said on MSNBC. “‘Nobody’s above the law,’ we’ve been screaming. Well, Joe Biden just made clear his son Hunter is above the law.” Jean-Pierre said Monday from Air Force One that the president wrestled with the decision but ultimately felt his son’s case had been tainted by politics, though she tried to thread the needle — insisting he had faith in the Justice Department. “He believes in the justice system, but he also believes that politics infected the process and led to a miscarriage of justice,” she said. But Trump has already made very clear his intent to disrupt federal law enforcement with his initial nomination of outspoken critics like former Rep. Matt Gaetz to be attorney general and Kash Patel to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray, who nominally still has more than two years left in his term. (Gaetz ended up quickly withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations.) Reacting to the pardon, Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement: “That system of justice must be fixed and due process must be restored for all Americans, which is exactly what President Trump will do as he returns to the White House with an overwhelming mandate from the American people.” In a social media post, the president-elect himself called the pardon “such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice.” “Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years?” Trump asked. He was referring to those convicted in the violent Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol by his supporters aiming to overturn the 2020 presidential election result. Biden and his spokespeople had repeatedly and flatly ruled out the president granting his son a pardon. In June, Biden told reporters as his son faced trial in the Delaware gun case, “I abide by the jury decision. I will do that and I will not pardon him.” In July, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters: “It’s still a no. It will be a no. It is a no. And I don’t have anything else to add. Will he pardon his son? No.” In November, days after Trump’s victory, Jean-Pierre reiterated that message: “Our answer stands, which is no.” Neither Biden nor the White House explained the shift in the president’s thinking, and it was his broken promise as much as his act of clemency that was a lightning rod. He is hardly the first president to pardon a family member or friend entangled in political dealings. Bill Clinton pardoned his brother Roger for drug charges after he had served his sentence roughly a decade earlier. In his final weeks in office, Trump pardoned Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in law, Jared Kushner, as well as multiple allies convicted in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. Yet Biden held himself up as placing his respect for the American judicial system and rule of law over his own personal concerns—trying to draw a deliberate contrast with Trump, who tested the bounds of his authority like few predecessors. Inside the White House, the timing of the pardon was surprising to some who believed Biden would put it off as long as possible, according to three people familiar with the matter who spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. It came just after Biden spent extended time over the past week with Hunter and other family members on Nantucket in Massachusetts, a family tradition for Thanksgiving. “I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice – and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further,” Biden said in a statement announcing the pardon. Some in the administration have privately expressed anguish that the substance of Biden’s statement, including his claim of an unfair politically-tinged prosecution of his son resembled complaints Trump — who faced now-abandoned indictments over his role in trying to subvert the 2020 election — has been making for years about the Justice Department. Biden said the charges in his son’s cases “came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election.” Many legal experts agreed that the charges against the younger Biden were somewhat unusual, but the facts of the offenses were hardly in dispute, as Hunter wrote about his gun purchase while addicted to illegal drugs in his memoir and ultimately pleaded guilty to the tax charges. The pardon too was unusual, coming before Hunter Biden was even sentenced and covering not just the gun and tax offenses against his son, but also anything else he might have done going back to the start of 2014. It’s a move that could limit the ability of the Trump Justice Department to investigate the younger Biden’s unsavory foreign business dealings, or to find new ground on which to bring criminal charges related to that time period. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . Biden, in his statement, asked for consideration: “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.”
7.0 earthquake off Northern California prompts brief tsunami warningThe incident sparked a broader discussion about the importance of environmental conservation and personal responsibility. Many netizens emphasized the need for public figures like Zhang Ruoyun to set a positive example for their fans and followers, especially when it comes to issues like littering and pollution.
As the celebrations unfold and the impact of the six first prize wins reverberates across the country, one thing is certain - the Grand Lotto remains a source of excitement, intrigue, and infinite possibilities. With each draw, new stories are written, new lives are transformed, and new dreams are born. The six winners stand as a testament to the power of luck, the thrill of the unknown, and the enduring magic of the Grand Lotto.Title: Supreme Court Reveals "Petty Corruption and Widespread Bribery": Elementary School Principal Bribed Nearly Ten Million
In terms of comfort and convenience, the NIO ET9 does not disappoint. The interior space is generously appointed with plush seating, ample legroom, and customizable ambient lighting to create a cozy and welcoming environment for passengers. Additionally, the vehicle is equipped with state-of-the-art amenities such as a premium sound system, climate control, and advanced driver assistance features to enhance the overall driving experience.Electrolyzer – McPhy and the University of Florence (UNIFI) sign a joint laboratory & research partnership agreement
One of the key highlights of the plan is the introduction of a new set of integrated services that are tailored to meet the diverse needs of users in different regions. These services cover a wide range of categories, including transportation, dining, shopping, entertainment, healthcare, and more. By consolidating these services on a single platform, Amap aims to streamline the user experience and provide a one-stop solution for all their daily needs.Passengers onboard were quick to notice the smoke emanating from the watches, causing panic and chaos among the crowded train carriages. The high-speed train crew immediately sprang into action, following emergency protocols to extinguish the flames and ensure the safety of all passengers.
Tom Krishner The Associated Press The reliability of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids has dramatically improved, narrowing a wide gap with gas-powered automobiles, according to the latest survey by Consumer Reports. But vehicles with internal combustion engines and gas-electric hybrids are still far more dependable, the survey found. Consumer Reports subscribers, who filled out surveys during much of 2024, reported that electric vehicles had 42% more problems than gas autos on average. But that was down from 79% more in the 2023 survey. The survey released Thursday measured reliability of vehicles mainly from the 2022, 2023 and 2024 model years. Plug-ins, which travel a short distance on battery power before a hybrid powertrain kicks in, had 70% more problems than gas vehicles, but that was less than half the difference found in last year’s survey. The reason for the improvement? EV and plug-in technology are maturing, said Jake Fisher, head of Consumer Reports’ automobile test center. “As the automakers get more experience with the new technologies and new platforms, they will improve,” Fisher said. He said he expects plug-in and electric vehicles to keep getting better, further closing the gap with gas vehicles. But one thing may stand in the way: Automakers often test new automation and other features on EVs, and the new stuff is prone to glitches. “Until we get to where an EV is just a car that does practical things with their own powertrain, I’m not sure they’ll ever catch up totally” to gas vehicles, Fisher said. The new technology may offer more than the next wave of EV buyers would like, as EVs move from early adopters to more practical mainstream buyers, Fisher said. “There are people who just want a car that’s easy to maintain,” he said. “I don’t use gas. I don’t need this automation feature and electric door handles or whatever the heck they are putting out.” Consumer Reports has noted that concerns about EV and plug-in quality add to issues that may have buyers hesitating before switching from gasoline engines, including concerns about higher up-front costs, too few charging stations and long charging times. Gas-electric hybrids, which switch from internal combustion to electric power to get better mileage, were about as reliable as cars with combustion engines. While the technology is pretty technical, it has been refined for a quarter century, mainly by pioneer Toyota, Fisher said. “CR’s tests have shown that they are often quieter, quicker and more pleasant to drive than their gasoline-only counterparts,” he said. Through September of this year, the last month for which all automakers have reported results, electric vehicle sales are up 7.2%, plug-in sales rose 11.6%, but hybrids led with a 32.6% increase, according to Motorintelligence.com. Consumer Reports said its 2024 survey of subscribers representing about 300,000 vehicle owners found that Subaru was the most reliable brand for the first time, followed by perennial top finishers Lexus and Toyota. Rounding out the top five were Honda and its Acura luxury brand. It was the first time since 2020 that neither Toyota nor its Lexus luxury brand were in the top spot, Fisher said. The highest-ranked brand from a U.S.-based automaker was General Motors’ Buick at No. 11. The five lowest of 22 brands that were ranked were electric upstart Rivian, followed by GM’s Cadillac luxury brand, GMC, Jeep and Volkswagen, Consumer Reports said. The magazine and website didn’t get enough data this year to rank Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Lucid, Maserati, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Porsche and Ram. Electric vehicle sales leader Tesla finished 17th, down three spots from last year’s survey. Subaru took first place in the survey by following the same formula that Toyota uses to get high reliability scores: It doesn’t make huge changes when updating or unveiling new vehicles, Fisher said. Instead of going with new engines or transmissions, Subaru carries parts over from the prior generation. “They don’t fix what’s not broken,” he said. “They continue to refine their products, and because the products perform quite well, they don’t have to have big changes.” Rivian, Fisher said, is a new company with new electric models that have more glitches. Since the company is a startup, it can’t use proven powertrains from prior generations yet. “It’s expected that you’re going to have issues when you have nothing to carry over” from previous model years, he said. The survey found that the gas-powered Toyota RAV4 small SUV was the most reliable vehicle, followed by the Toyota Corolla compact car. The RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid was third, followed by the RAV4 gas-electric hybrid, Fisher said. Consumer Reports’ survey of its subscriber base does not represent all vehicle purchasers in the U.S. or the population that bought specific vehicle types. The survey results were released at a meeting of the Automotive Press Association of Detroit."Finest Cultural Gifts from China" Cultural and Tourism Trade Promotion Activity (Special Session for Leisure Journey) Held in Sanya, HainanA George Mason University student who is allegedly obsessed with martyrdom and ISIS was arrested and accused of plotting an attack on the Israeli consulate in New York City, officials said Friday. Abdullah Ezzeldin Taha Mohamed Hassan violated federal codes against distributing information on weapons in furtherance of a violent crime and planning to kill a foreign official, according to a complaint filed on Monday by FBI Special Agent Tyler Ellefson. The suspect is a GMU freshman majoring in information technology, the school said. "Although the student did not live on campus, he has been barred from entering university property," GMU Vice President Paul Allvin said in a statement to NBC News on Friday. "As criminal proceedings progress, the university will take appropriate action on student code of conduct violations." Hassan, who lives in Falls Church, Virginia, first came to the FBI's attention on May 4 this year, when Fairfax County police notified federal authorities about someone engaging in “radical and terrorist-leaning behavior" on social media, according to the affidavit supporting the suspect's arrest. Investigators eventually linked that X user to Hassan, who was then contacted by an FBI informant, a "confidential human source" called "CH-1" in court papers. Hassan sent the informant "a pro-ISIS video that called for the killing of Jews" and the agent "responded to this video by pledging allegiance to the leader of ISIS and calling Hassan his emir," the court papers said. The informant said he couldn't travel overseas to join ISIS and wondered if god "wants me to act here," according to the FBI. That's when Hassan allegedly recruited "CH-1 to conduct a mass casualty attack" on U.S. soil. When that undercover agent told Hassan that he was in New York City, the suspect called the five boroughs "a goldmine of targets," the affidavit said. The suspect gave the agent "operational support" on the "manufacture and use of an explosive device" for "the planned attack on the Consulate General of Israel" in New York City, federal authorities said. "He said CH-1 could either murder people at the consulate with an assault rifle or detonate an explosive vest while standing in a group of targets," Ellefson wrote. As they hatched the plot, Hassan told the informant "to 'schedule a flight out of the country' and that it should be to 'somewhere where there are no extradition laws,'” federal officials said. A court-appointed attorney for Hassan could not be immediately reached for comment on Friday.In an official statement released by Hisense, the company categorically denied any plans for significant workforce reductions or layoffs. They clarified that the rumors circulating in the media and online platforms are unfounded and lack concrete evidence to support their claims. Hisense reiterated its commitment to its employees and emphasized that any decisions regarding workforce adjustments would be made transparently and in compliance with legal regulations.
NBC Sports’ EA Sports Madden NFL Cast Set to Merge Videogame and Live Broadcast Worlds For many years, , has been for NFL broadcasts look more like EA Sports’ videogames through tools like the Skycam and next-gen virtual graphics. On Saturday, Gaudelli and the NBC Sports team will go beyond the talk and start to walk with the first ever EA Sports exclusively on Peacock. “We’re going to produce this alt-cast for the avid game player,” says Gaudelli, who produced with John Madden in the booth for the final seven years of his storied career. “There are millions and millions of fans, and I think we have to really serve them in this game and try to find that perfect blend between the videogame and the real game, and merge them together. So, the short answer is, enthusiasts are our target audience.” The first-of-its-kind live football experience blending videogame elements and live action will stream live exclusively on Peacock for the Houston Texans-Kansas City Chiefs game (1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21). NBC Sports Group has collaborated with EA Sports and Genius Sports to create an immersive, data-powered live football experience that “injects ’s unique brand elements as animated overlays,” according to NBC. The live stream will also feature a dedicated commentary team of experts calling the game from a custom-designed studio at NBC Sports’ Stamford, CT, headquarters, and will be produced independently from the main broadcast with and calling the shots from Stamford. Featuring live EA SPORTS graphics, route trees, play cards and player ratings, the will transform football strategy, information, and IQ for viewers. It’s all being driven by the NFL’s Next Gen Stats platform and GeniusIQ Genius Sports’ next generation data and AI platform that combines real-time data insights with fully branded animations to deliver an immersive viewing experience. In preparation for Saturday’s production, Greenberg, Butler, and the rest of the talent and production team performed rehearsals on the past two NBC broadcasts (Chargers-Chiefs on Dec. 8, and Seahawks-Packers on Dec. 15). Gaudelli says that the Genius Sports team elevated its contribution to the broadcast each week by adding additional elements. “We started out with the route trails,” he says. “Then we had the icons for the X factors and the superstar players. Then we added the buttons that you would see if you were playing the game on an Xbox. We’ve got the personnel packages for offense and defense on both sides of the screen as it is in the game. So the authenticity of the game has developed to a really good place right now, and I think all the fans are going to sink their teeth into that and enjoy that on Saturday.” In the Control Room: Taking a Cue From Esports Greenberg and Butler will be calling at the front bench in Stamford spearheading the Madden NFL Cast with a dedicated production team. “It doesn’t differ at all that much in terms of positions because even in a traditional football production, you’re going to have people accounted for in the truck or control room for things like the 1st and Ten Line,” says Greenberg. “We’ll have our own graphics operators and score bar operator, plus our own AD, director, producer, and tape people building packages that will have features. We will also have some representatives from both EA and Genius there to support us. So it is a little bit of a fuller control room with some extra bodies, but it’s been awesome working with EA and Genius on this.” Butler is a veteran of EA’s competitive gaming division, providing him with a unique perspective as the broadcast looks to meld the worlds of esports and real sports. “One big thing is the picture-in-picture with the players on the screen,” he says. “I did a lot of FIFA and Madden [esports broadcasts] and you always see the two competitors on the screen [with POV cameras]. Since we’re targeting that Madden audience, we’re embracing that. So you’ll see Chad and Kurt on the screen almost all the time talking on the screen, which obviously isn’t part of a normal football broadcast. “The other big thing will be having the playbook up on the screen over the Skycam shot of the huddle – just like in the [videogame],” he continues. “It may seem like a small thing, but it’s so authentic to the Madden experience.” NBC Sports has erected a custom-designed studio for play-by-play caller , YouTuber and expert , former Pro Bowl wide receiver and “ratings adjuster” , and Ultimate Bowl Championship-winning player The set, which is located inside Studio 1 in Stamford, has been outfitted with a massive Sony LED display showing various angles of the game, the playbook from the videogame, and other live video feeds. The goal is to create a casual atmosphere similar to friends hanging out playing , so announcers will be sitting in lounge chairs watching the screen. The studio is outfitted with a Jib, a SteadiCam, two hard cameras, and two PTZs. “It’s cozier and more of a relaxed set than being in a booth,” says Benkert. “I’m really looking forward to seeing how visually it shows up on screen for people at home.” Benkert will utilize graphic overlays to discuss and predict play options, while Ochocinco — who frequently discussed his own rating in production meetings with John Madden — serves as a real-time player “ratings adjuster.” Meanwhile, Leverette will dive deeper into the action as only a pro can, primarily thoroughly replay analysis. Burmeister, who typically calls Big Ten football for NBC Sports, admits the experience will be dramatically different from a traditional booth. While he will have some of the standard tools — a program monitor, stats monitor, stats person, a spotter by his side — Benkert, Ochocino, and Leverette won’t be right next to him. “It’s quite a bit different,” he says. “I’m off to the corner by myself and... Chad and Kurt and Henry will be in front of me, to the right. We’ll have the giant projector screen in front of me to the left. So, I’ll be keeping an eye on my analysts and the screen in a different way than I would during ‘a normal broadcast’.” Gaudelli adds that the cadence of the announcers has been drastically different in rehearsals compared to a traditional broadcast where the play-by-play announcer is the dominant voice. Instead of Burmeister setting the scene before each play, Benkert and Ochocinco more often are offering up predictions and observations on the formations and personnel prior to the snap. “The cadence... has evolved where Kurt and Chad are really taking the lead,” he says. “Paul is making sure that all the I’s are dotted and the T’s are crossed, and really quizzing them about the game but [also] how it would manifest itself in the video game.” Benkert also believes the visual aids provided by the videogame overlays create a wholly different dynamic for analyzing plays. “Now that we’ve added in the X factors and the trails and the superstars and the buttons over people’s heads, it’s really easy to speak over the top of it in reference to what we’re seeing with our eyes,” he says. “[As opposed to] a normal broadcast where a nickel defender is blitzing and a lot of people at home don’t know what a nickel defender is if they’re not avid football fans. On this [broadcast though] I can say see the X factor right there, he’s coming off the edge. In my opinion it brings it more to the level of people watching it from home versus sometimes people get spoken over the top of with terminology and all that.”With two months left in his term, O’Malley’s effort to fix the system has made inroads but remains a work in progress.
In 2020, a conspiracy theory spread across social media claiming that online home goods retailer Wayfair was involved in child trafficking . People claimed that odd pricing and certain product names were evidence of the theory. VERIFY reader Leslie emailed us to ask if Wayfair was ever involved in the sex trafficking of children. THE QUESTION Is Wayfair involved in the sex trafficking of children? THE SOURCES National Center on Sexual Exploitation DeliverFund , a nonprofit intelligence agency that uses technology to help law enforcement fight human trafficking Polaris , organization that operates the U.S. National Human Trafficking hotline Original VERIFY reporting in 2020 Statement from Wayfair Statement from Wayfair to the BBC in 2020 THE ANSWER No, there is no evidence to support the claims that Wayfair was involved in the sex trafficking of children. WHAT WE FOUND When the conspiracy theory first spread in 2020, people on social media pointed to Wayfair products with strange names and disproportionately high prices as proof that the online furniture store was involved in child trafficking. These products included a “Samiyah Storage Cabinet” priced at over $14,000 and a “Duplessis Zodiac Sign Astrological Constellation Personalized Throw Pillow” at $9,999. At the time, people claimed that these products shared the names of girls that were reported missing. The theory followed that the products had high prices because they were fronts for selling the missing girls. Wayfair told the BBC in 2020 that the prices were accurate for the industrial grade cabinets and were the result of a glitch in the case of the pillows. Wayfair gave VERIFY a similar statement when asked to comment in 2024. "There is, of course, no truth to these claims," Wayfair told VERIFY. "The products in question are industrial grade cabinets that are accurately priced. Recognizing that the photos and descriptions provided by the supplier did not adequately explain the high price point, we temporarily removed the products from the site to rename them and provide a more in-depth description and photos that accurately depict the product to clarify the price point. We also corrected another pricing issue that was resulting in other products such as throw pillows being priced incorrectly. Multiple news outlets published stories to debunk the theory. " The viral social media posts frequently linked products to girls who were no longer missing. Multiple anti-trafficking groups said the claims were unproven and likely false. “We believe that the accusations being leveled against Wayfair regarding sex trafficking are lacking credibility in significant ways and, in many places, demonstrably false,” the National Center on Sexual Exploitation said at the time. In 2020, VERIFY found that the family of Samara Duplessis, a missing girl purportedly linked to the overpriced pillows, reported she was back home a couple of months before the Wayfair conspiracy became widespread. When VERIFY searched Wayfair for “Duplessis” products in 2020, we found the name attached to a number of different items that were considerably less expensive than the pillow. When VERIFY searched Wayfair’s site again on Dec. 2, 2024, we found it’s using the “Duplessis” name for at least one product, a rug selling for $144.99 , years after the missing girl was found. As for the reference to the cabinets in the original rumors, people claimed that there was a missing teenager from Ohio named Samiyah, too. But VERIFY was unable to find any evidence that a girl by that name was missing, and a teenager some people believed to be Samiyah refuted that she was missing in a video posted to her Facebook account. Wayfair told the BBC in 2020 that the expensive cabinets were “industrial size,” meant for business or commercial use and that the $14,000 price point was accurate. “We have temporarily removed the products from our site to rename them and to provide a more in-depth description and photos that accurately depict the product to clarify the price point,” Wayfair told the BBC in 2020. Another example of a missing teenager’s name possibly matching a Wayfair product was Mary Durrett to a Durrett coffee table. But she went missing in 2017 and was found safe two days after she was first reported missing. The claim connecting her to the coffee table listing was posted three years later. Many anti-trafficking organizations addressed the rumors in 2020. They all said the claims lacked credibility. “We identified early on that this was a likely hoax or a case of overexuberance by someone who did not have the expertise and data-driven approach that DeliverFund has,” Michael Fullilove, chief of operations for DeliverFund , a nonprofit intelligence agency that uses technology to help law enforcement fight human trafficking, said in 2020. “Based on the original source of the information, we were able to use open source intelligence techniques to determine that it was highly unlikely that the trafficking of children was taking place through the sale of expensive items on Wayfair,” Fullilove said. Polaris , which operates the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline, said the claims were unsubstantiated and did more harm than good. People overwhelmed the hotline to make reports related to the conspiracy, increasing wait times and potentially denying trafficking victims from reaching the hotline. The theory also resulted in harassment and privacy intrusions of people mistakenly believed to be victims, as well as broad sharing of online sexual abuse material of real victims never connected to the Wayfair conspiracy, Polaris said. Polaris pointed out that trafficking is rarely perpetrated by a total stranger who kidnaps children and is instead usually perpetrated by people the victims know or even love and trust. Scenarios where the trafficker locks up or imprisons the victim with literal shackles make up a minority of trafficking cases despite it being the common public perception of trafficking, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation said. Traffickers usually groom their victims and keep them captive through forms of psychological abuse, manipulation and coercion that can be difficult to identify. There are real cases in which sex trafficking is perpetrated online, usually through prostitution sites and pornography websites, according to the National Center on Sexual Exploitation. The National Center on Sexual Exploitation said in 2020 that traffickers were increasingly using “popular social media apps such as Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok to identify, groom and exploit children in the online space.” Anti-trafficking organizations say that sharing viral, unsubstantiated trafficking rumors online is generally unhelpful to trafficking victims. What’s more helpful, these organizations say , is to learn how to identify real, common cases of trafficking to spot victims who need help.
