Connect with us

Virginia

Virginia Roberts Giuffre claims she had sex with billionaire Hyatt hotels heir Tom Pritzker, court documents claim: His cousins are Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Harvard board member behind Claudine Gay appointment

Published

on

Virginia Roberts Giuffre claims she had sex with billionaire Hyatt hotels heir Tom Pritzker, court documents claim: His cousins are Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Harvard board member behind Claudine Gay appointment


Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and had sex with Prince Andrew at age 17, said in a just released deposition that she had sex with billionaire Hyatt hotel heir Tom Pritzker.

Pritzker is Hyatt Hotels’ executive chairman and the cousin of Illinois’ Democrat Governor JB Pritzker and chairman and CEO of the Pritzker Organization. 

Newly released documents show a deposition given by Giuffre where attorney Laura Meninger – representing notorious Epstein madam Ghislaine Maxwell – asked if she’d slept with Pritzker, who is worth $5.3billion.

Giuffre said – and affirmed multiple times under oath – that she believed she’d been ‘with Tom once’ when asked if they’d had sex – a claim he has angrily denied.

Advertisement

Pritzker’s other cousin – JB’s sister – is former Obama official Penny Pritzker, who now sits on Harvard’s oversight board, and who was instrumental in the appointment of Claudine Gay, who resigned as college president Tuesday over anti-Semitism and plagiarism allegations. 

Penny faced calls to stand down over the incident, but has announced plans to remain in her posiiton.  

In March, he was among three billionaires issued with subpoenas in relation to JPMorgan’s ties to Epstein.  

Virginia Giuffre , who claims she was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and had sex with Prince Andrew at age 17, said in a just released deposition that she had sex with billionaire Hyatt hotel heir Tom Pritzker (pictured)

Giuffre said - and affirmed multiple times under oath - that she believed she'd been 'with Tom once' when asked if they'd had sex

Giuffre said – and affirmed multiple times under oath – that she believed she’d been ‘with Tom once’ when asked if they’d had sex

At no point did Giuffre suggest that she’d slept with Pritzker on the urgings of Epstein or Maxwell, though later she said she’d had sex with the ‘owner of a large hotel chain’ at ‘his own cabana townhouse thing’ in France.

She didn’t specifically say who she’d slept with in that instance but said she was sent to him by Maxwell. 

Advertisement

In a statement to The Messenger, a spokesperson for Pritzker – who has not been charged in connection with the Epstein case – denied Giuffre’s claims. 

‘This is the same false and isolated allegation that was published and vehemently denied more than four years ago,’ the spokesperson said. 

‘Mr. Pritzker continues to vehemently deny it.’

Giuffre sued Maxwell for defamation in 2016 and while the case was settled, The Miami Herald – which published a bombshell expose of Epstein that led to his arrest in 2019 – sued to get the documents made public. 

Some of the Does are identified in the ruling through links to interviews they have given to the media, which the judge cited as a reason why they should not stay private.

Advertisement

They include the housekeepers on Epstein’s private island in the Caribbean where some of the worst abuse that he perpetrated was carried out.

Newly released documents show a deposition given by Giuffre where attorney Laura Meninger - representing notorious Epstein madam Ghislaine Maxwell - asked if she'd slept with Pritzker, who is worth $5.3billion

Newly released documents show a deposition given by Giuffre where attorney Laura Meninger – representing notorious Epstein madam Ghislaine Maxwell – asked if she’d slept with Pritzker, who is worth $5.3billion

Pritzker is Hyatt Hotels' executive chairman and the cousin of Illinois ' Democrat Governor JB Pritzker and chairman and CEO of the Pritzker Organization

Pritzker is Hyatt Hotels’ executive chairman and the cousin of Illinois ‘ Democrat Governor JB Pritzker and chairman and CEO of the Pritzker Organization

Tom Pritzker's other cousin - JB's sister - is Penny Pritzker, pictured right. The former Obama Administration's Secretary of Commerce now sits on Harvard's oversight board, known as the Harvard Corporation, and was instrumental in the appointment of President Claudine Gay, who's just resigned from her post over plagiarism and anti-Semitism scandals

Tom Pritzker’s other cousin – JB’s sister – is Penny Pritzker, pictured right. The former Obama Administration’s Secretary of Commerce now sits on Harvard’s oversight board, known as the Harvard Corporation, and was instrumental in the appointment of President Claudine Gay, who’s just resigned from her post over plagiarism and anti-Semitism scandals 

At no point did Giuffre suggest that she'd slept with Pritzker on the urgings of Epstein or Maxwell

At no point did Giuffre suggest that she’d slept with Pritzker on the urgings of Epstein or Maxwell

In her ruling Judge Preska gave 14 days for any Does who objected to their documents being made public to object, after which they would be unsealed.

The documents in the case have been released on a rolling basis since 2019 when the first batch were made public days before Epstein also hanged himself in prison while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Among the revelations in previous batches of documents were emails between Andrew and Epstein in 2015 when Roberts made allegations about him.

Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20 year prison sentence for sex trafficking, was questioned under oath about her relationship with Epstein and his associates in the document release.

Advertisement

The long-anticipated ‘list’ of 187 previously unknown Jeffrey Epstein associates was finally revealed on Wednesday. 

The files were made public by the Southern District of New York after the deadline for appeals passed, around 6:30pm Wednesday night.

Investor Glenn Dubin is the first name to appear, in a transcript of a taped depostion with Ghislaine Maxwell where Maxwell was asked if Epstein accuser Johanna Sjoberg had ever been asked to massage Dubin.

Maxwell answered: ‘I don’t believe, I have no recollection of it.’  

Jeffrey Epstein pictured in 2019, months before he died in prison. The long-awaited list of his associates and friends named in a 2015 lawsuit was today partially released

Jeffrey Epstein pictured in 2019, months before he died in prison. The long-awaited list of his associates and friends named in a 2015 lawsuit was today partially released 

For years, many have speculated over who else could have been involved in Epstein and Maxwell group. While he took his secrets to the grave, she maintains she has never been involved in any sex trafficking

For years, many have speculated over who else could have been involved in Epstein and Maxwell group. While he took his secrets to the grave, she maintains she has never been involved in any sex trafficking 

Many were already linked to Epstein and some are the names of previously identified victims.  

Advertisement

Three people filed appeals and one has been granted – that of Jane Doe 107. Another – filed by John Doe 110 – is under review. 

Doe 110 is said to have been widely associated with Epstein in the past, but filed a last minute request to stay anonymous. 

They are described in court documents as an ‘alleged Epstein affiliate’.  

The names were all redacted in a 2015 lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre against Ghislaine Maxwell. 

The case was settled in 2017 but the names remained secret until now. 

Advertisement

Judge Loretta Preska finally agreed to unseal the documents in December last year, ruling there was no longer a legal need to keep the names hidden. 

Some have been calling for their release for months. 

Among them is Alan Dershowitz, a former Epstein associate who says releasing the documents puts all the information into the public forum and ‘proves’ he did nothing wrong. 

Ghislaine Maxwell, who in June 2022 was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for her role in the sex trafficking ring, has ‘nothing to say’ about the files, according to her attorney, Arthur Aidala. 

Aidala however said the papers may disappoint many, who think they will reveal a conspiracy or previously-unknown names. 

Advertisement



Source link

Virginia

Flu cases surging in northern Virginia, health officials say

Published

on

Flu cases surging in northern Virginia, health officials say


Get the flu shot, wash your hands and stay home if you’re sick — that’s the message coming from Virginia’s Health Department as data shows flu cases soaring in northern Virginia.

Flu-related emergency room visits have tripled in just the last couple of weeks.

Advertisement

Pharmacies including this one are also reportedly seeing more patients coming in for the flu, with more severe symptoms.

By the numbers:

According to new data, 30% of Virginia residents received flu shots this year, despite doctors saying it’s one of the best ways to protect against the illness.

Advertisement

“I’m seeing an increase in the number of people who are coming here for medication and severity as well,” said Janice Granmayeh, who works at a pharmacy in McLean. “Peak season in our area is usually January, February, March.”

The Virginia Department of Health says flu diagnoses at emergency room visits tripled the last two weeks of December. 

Advertisement

“I’m a firm believer in the vaccine. I’ve been vaccinated. All I can say is do your best to stay healthy,” Manassas resident Michael Spratley told FOX 5. 

We’re told flu cases across all of Virginia are increasing based on two reporting periods — one ending Dec. 13 and another ending being Dec. 27. 

During this second reporting period, there were 1,800 reported flu cases compared to just shy of 100 COVID cases.

Advertisement

What they’re saying:

Health officials say while a spike in flu during the holidays is normal, it’s the extreme spike that’s raising concerns.

Advertisement

“The first thing is vaccination. Vaccination is still very effective even with the news,” said Dr. David Rose with the Alexandria Health Department. 

It’s not too late to get the flu shot and doctors and pharmacists are encouraging people to do so.

NewsHealth
Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Virginia

Five takeaways from Virginia basketball’s road win at NC State

Published

on

Five takeaways from Virginia basketball’s road win at NC State


Save for the first several minutes of the second half, the No. 21 Virginia Cavaliers dominated NC State on Saturday afternoon to pick up their first ACC win of the year, 76-61. Sam Lewis led all scorers with 23 points, 20 of which came in the first half as he alone matched NC State’s first-half output.

A 40-20 halftime lead gave the Cavaliers the cushion they needed to handle a big NC State run to begin the second half. The ’Hoos allowed the lead to slip to just nine points, but they responded with a run of their own that restored the lead to 22 points. The Wolfpack were unable to respond again, and the Cavaliers cruised to victory down the stretch.

From the first ACC win of the year, here are five takeaways:

This was a much-needed win for Virginia.

Advertisement

The Cavaliers were on the road again for their second straight game to begin ACC play. After an underwhelming performance in Blacksburg on Wednesday resulted in a triple overtime loss, getting a win in Raleigh was a must. Doing so in a largely dominant fashion was the cherry on top.

The Cavaliers jumped out to a 20-point halftime lead and looked to be headed for a comfortable win. The Wolfpack responded with a 15-4 run to begin the second half, far from what Ryan Odom would have liked to see from his team. However, the ‘Hoos promptly responded with a 20-6 run that restored the 20-point lead.

Thijs De Ridder was the catalyst in that stretch, scoring a few tough buckets in the paint and drilling a three-pointer. The Belgian big man totaled 12 points and six rebounds in the second half.

Sam Lewis bounced back from a poor shooting performance vs. Virginia Tech.

For the first time all season, Ryan Odom started Devin Tillis over Sam Lewis against the Hokies on Wednesday. Neither player shot the ball well – Tillis went 3-of-12 from the floor, Lewis was 0-for-5 – and the Cavaliers suffered a triple overtime loss to their rival.

Advertisement

Odom went back to the lineup he’s used most of the year, starting Lewis against NC State. The move paid off as Lewis caught fire in the first half, scoring 20 points to match NC State’s team total in the first half. The Toledo transfer scored the first six points of the game and 12 of Virginia’s first 15 points. He drilled 4-of-5 from three in the first half alone.

Lewis finished the game with 23 points on 8-of-12 from the field and 5-of-9 from three.

Quick ball movement remains the key to UVA’s offensive success.

Duh, every basketball coach at every level will tell you that. But the quick ball movement Virginia operated with extensively in the first half proved as much, causing the NC State defense major problems. The ‘Hoos were getting open looks from the outside, both by whipping the ball around the perimeter and from kicking it out on drives into the paint. NC State couldn’t keep up.

The offense went a little stagnant to start the second half, and the Wolfpack took advantage, cutting Virginia’s lead to nine points. When the Cavaliers got back to quick passing and stopped getting stuck with one guy dribbling too much, they went on a big run of their own, regained their 20-plus point lead, and allowed the home crowd to leave early to beat the traffic.

Advertisement

Virginia’s defense was stout.

The 61 points scored by NC State in this game were the fewest scored by the Wolfpack this season. The Cavaliers held them to just 20 points and three assists in the first half, while the Wolfpack turned it over seven times.

Will Wade’s group found more success in the second half, scoring 41 points after the break, but it was still far from enough. The Wolfpack offense would have benefited from more of the quick ball movement that the Virginia offense utilized so effectively. Instead, UVA held NC State to only seven assists in the game and a lowly 36.0% from the field and 25.0% from three-point range.

Virginia returns home without needing to hit the panic button.

The Cavaliers sorely missed Jacari White in the loss against Virginia Tech on Wednesday, but his absence was far less noticeable against NC State. Virginia shot 50.0% from the field and 39.4% from three while recording 14 assists. For comparison, against the Hokies, Virginia shot 36.0% from the field and 22.2% from three and notched only 15 assists in the triple overtime affair.

Advertisement

The Cavaliers certainly would like to get White back as soon as possible, but Saturday afternoon’s performance proved it isn’t time to panic about this team’s ability to shoot well against ACC opponents without the spark White has provided off the bench.

Virginia can now return home with renewed confidence for a pair of tough games against California and Stanford ahead of a big road game at No. 16 Louisville. Notably, Cal defeated then-No. 18 UCLA earlier in the year, while Stanford knocked off Louisville on Friday in Palo Alto.



Source link

Continue Reading

Virginia

This Virginia mom ‘had to do something’ after her teen son’s sudden death: ‘There are no do-overs’

Published

on

This Virginia mom ‘had to do something’ after her teen son’s sudden death: ‘There are no do-overs’


NEW KENT COUNTY, Va. — A Virginia mother who lost her 16-year-old son in a car crash six years ago is using her tragedy to advocate for safer roads during what experts say is one of the most dangerous driving periods of the year.

Tammy Gweedo McGee will never forget the phone call she received when her son, Connor, was killed by an unlicensed underage driver leaving a homecoming dance.

“I don’t want another mother to be me,” McGee said. “It’s heartbreaking every day to relive the death of your son.”

According to the National Road Safety Foundation, the end of the year leading up to New Year’s is one of the most dangerous times on roadways and highways, with a spike in crashes. While crash statistics are on the rise in Virginia, McGee has made it her mission to fight for change in honor of her son to make roadways safer.

Advertisement

“For me, it was lay down and die or stand up and fight. For me, I only had two choices: I had to do something,” McGee said.

WTVR

Joseph Conner Williams Guido

I’ve been following McGee’s story for years, but she recently showed me her safe haven — a corner tucked away in her home filled with pictures of Connor, his soccer jerseys and high school memories. Memories McGee says will forever live on.

“He was just so full of life,” McGee said.

A life taken too soon led McGee to start the Gweedo Memorial Foundation, where she travels to speak to teens and adults about staying safe behind the wheel. She’s successfully lobbied for legislative changes in this year’s General Assembly session, inspired by Connor. She says she plans to advocate for more changes so this doesn’t happen to someone else’s child.

Advertisement

“One of the most important things to realize is there are no do-overs in driving,” McGee said. “You don’t get to say, ‘Sorry, I killed your son.’ You don’t get to say, ‘I was just picking up the phone to check my texts, I didn’t mean to.’”

It’s a reminder this holiday season to have fun, but most importantly, be responsible.

CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.

📲: CONNECT WITH US

Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube

Advertisement

Every day CBS 6 is Giving You A Voice. Share your voice with the CBS 6 Newsroomvia email hereor click here to submit a tip. You can also leave a message by calling 804-254-3672. Be sure to leave your name, phone number and detailed description of your story idea.





Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending