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Yankees down Red Sox in thriller to force winner-take-all Game 3

NEW YORK — After nine taut innings of epic playoff baseball and one wild sprint around the basepaths, the New York Yankees survived to play a winner-take-all game against their bitterest rivals.

Jazz Chisholm scored the go-ahead run all the way from first base on Austin Wells’ single to shallow right field, and the Yankees finally cracked the code against an indomitable Boston Red Sox bullpen to claim Game 2 of the wild card series with a 4-3 victory at Yankee Stadium Oct. 1.

No, it doesn’t quite have the same ring as Game 7. But Game 3 of this sprint of a playoff series – winner goes to Toronto, loser chooses between 3-wood and driver – should make for delicious theater when the two meet Oct. 2 in the Bronx.

Yet it’s a tall order to live up to the first two games of this donnybrook.

In Game 2, it was Chisholm who saved the Yankees on both sides of the ball.

With the score tied 3-3, two men on and Game 1 hero Masataka Yoshida looking to repeat his pinch-hitting heroics from a night before, Chisholm ranged up the middle, dove and gloved Yoshida’s grounder by the thinnest of margins. No, he could not throw him out at first, but the Gold Glove-caliber play kept the game level and the bases loaded.

Barely: Trevor Story, whose RBI single and two-run single accounted for all of Boston’s runs, nearly sent the Red Sox to the ALDS with a 393-foot, 102-mph drive to center. But that’s where balls go to die in Yankee Stadium. Inning over.

After starter Brayan Bello was lifted after 2 1/3 innings, five Boston relievers held the Yankees to one run, on an Aaron Judge RBI single that was dropped by left fielder Jarren Duran.

But manager Alex Cora hoped to get two innings out of set-up ace Garrett Whitlock. He fell one out shy of pulling it off.

Whitlock issued a two-out walk to Chisholm and then engaged Wells in a full-count battle. Wells prevailed, lining a pitch just down the first base line. It trickled off the slanted side wall in short right field and back toward the infield.

Chisholm did not break stride, capping his 270-foot journey with a long headfirst slide into home ahead of Nate Eaton’s throw and Carlos Narváez’s tag.

The Stadium erupted. David Bednar worked a tireless ninth, and the stakes were set:

Yankees-Red Sox. Loser goes home.

– Gabe Lacques

Yankees use clutch two-out hit to take lead

In the bottom of the eighth with two outs, Boston reliever Garrett Whitlock walked Jazz Chisholm, then Austin Wells laced a single to right field, and Chisholm scored all the way from first, just beating the tag at home plate with a head-first slide to give New York a 4-3 lead and leaving them three outs away from tying up the best-of-three wild card series.

Carlos Rodon finished after 6 innings; Yankees escape bases loaded jam

Rodon is finished after 91 pitches in six innings. He gave up three runs on four hits, walking three and striking out six. He was relieved in the top of the seventh by Fernando Cruz after Nate Eaton walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch and hitting Jarren Duran with a pitch.

Cruz escaped the damage by retiring Ceddanne Rafaela and Nick Sogard, but Masataka Yoshida, pinch-hitting for Rob Refsnyder, had an infield single to load the bases before Trevor Story flied out to deep center to end the inning.

Red Sox tie score on Trevor Story home run

The Red Sox won’t go away, tying up the score at 3 when Trevor Story sent a 2-0 slider from Carlos Rodon 381 feet in the left field seats for his second career postseason homer. Alex Bregman walked, but was erased when Romy Gonzalez grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Aaron Judge gives Yankees fifth-inning lead

After Anthony Volpe flied out to center and Ryan McMahon grounded out to the pitcher to start the fifth inning, Trent Grisham worked a walk and advanced to second on Justin Slaten’s wild pitch. Reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge then singled to right, scoring Grisham to give New York the lead back 3-2.

Bello gets early hook

Boston starter Brayan Bello was replaced with one out in the third by left-hander Justin Wilson. Bello threw 28 pitches, allowing two earned runs on four hits, walking one, and didn’t strike out a batter. Wilson got the final two outs of the frame, leaving Yankees stranded on 2nd and 3rd.

Boston gets equalizer on Story’s single

Carlos Rodon’s smooth ride through the Boston lineup ended in the third. After needing six pitches to get through the second, Rodon allowed a single to Jarren Duran, walked Ceddanne Rafaela, and his errant throw to first on Nick Sogard’s sacrifice loaded the bases. Rob Refsnyder struck out swinging before Trevor Story’s single plated Boston’s first two runs.

Ben Rice home run strikes first for Yankees

After getting the first two batters with only five pitches, Brayan Bello allowed a single to Cody Bellinger and then served up a 95 mph sinker that didn’t sink to Ben Rice, who put it over the right field porch to give New York the early lead.

Red Sox get nothing in 1st

Carlos Rodon is dealing early, striking out Rob Refsnyder and Trevor Story swinging before Alex Bregman flied out to left to end the inning. Rodon needed only 15 pitches to get through the first; 11 were strikes.

Boone comments on Jazz Chisholm being back in lineup

NEW YORK – Chisholm is back in the starting lineup and batting sixth for the must-win Game 2 wild card against the Red Sox. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he saw Chisholm’s reaction after the Game 1 loss when he spoke to reporters.

‘Every player is not going to agree with every decision that I make,’ Boone said. ‘I try and help make them understand my thought process and what I am thinking.

‘I did that with Jazz. He is a guy who wears his emotions on his sleeve. So, it wasn’t necessarily how I handled it, but I don’t need him to put a happy face on. I need him to go out and play his butt off for us tonight. That’s what I expect to happen.’

Yankees lineup today

  1. Trent Grisham (L) CF
  2. Aaron Judge (R) RF
  3. Cody Bellinger (L) LF
  4. Ben Rice (L) 1B
  5. Giancarlo Stanton (R) DH
  6. Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L) 2B
  7. Austin Wells (L) C
  8. Anthony Volpe (R) SS
  9. Ryan McMahon (L) 3B

Red Sox lineup today

  1. Rob Refsnyder (R) DH
  2. Trevor Story (R) SS
  3. Alex Bregman (R) 3B
  4. Romy Gonzalez (R) 1B
  5. Carlos Narváez (R) C
  6. Nate Eaton (R) RF
  7. Jarren Duran (L) LF
  8. Ceddanne Rafaela (R) CF
  9. Nick Sogard (S) 2B
This post appeared first on USA TODAY

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Cubs vs. Padres highlights: San Diego stays alive with Game 2 win

After winning their MLB postseason opener, the Chicago Cubs had the opportunity to advance to the National League Division Series with a victory over the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field on Wednesday. They came up short, getting shut out by the Padres.

The Padres used four pitchers, including each of their three-headed monster in relief — Adrian Morejon, Mason Miller, and Robert Suarez. The three of them allowed only two Cubs’ baserunners over the final 5.1 innings of relief, and one of them only reached base via hit by pitch.

Here are the highlights from this thrilling Game 2.

FINAL: Padres 3, Cubs 0

Although Xander Bogaerts stumbled on a sharply hit ground ball by Seiya Suzuki, he was able to recover and start a game-ending double play.

The Padres may have used a lot of their best bullpen options, but they forced a Game 3 on the strength of four outstanding pitchers resulting in a shutout.

On offense, all it took was a first inning sac fly and a two-run shot by Manny Machado to secure the win.

Game 3 will be tomorrow at 3:08 p.m. ET.

Mason Miller is human after all

Mason Miller was untouchable for the first 1.2 innings he pitched in Game 2. He’d struck out every batter he faced in the series and each of the last 11 batters he’d face in total. The streak finally snapped when Miller grazed Michael Busch’s foot with a pitch. That broke Miller’s strikeout streak, gave the Cubs their first baserunner since the fourth inning, and prompted Shildt to move to Robert Suarez for the final four outs of the game.

Suarez faced some trouble against Nico Hoerner though, throwing two balls to lead off the at-bat and then surrendering a hard line drive to right field. Luckily, Fernando Tatis Jr. was there to make a great running catch to end the inning. We head to the ninth; Padres still lead 3-0.

Mason Miller hits 104 mph

The Padres’ not-so secret weapon, Mason Miller picked up right where he left off after striking out the side in his lone inning of relief in Game 1.

He dazzled in the seventh inning, picking up another three strikeouts, even getting Carson Kelly on a 104 mph fastball.

Oh, he then threw three 103 mph fastballs to Pete Crow-Armstrong. How are the Cubs supposed to mount a comeback against filth like that?

Manny Machado home run, Padres lead by 3

In Game 1, the Cubs broke the game open with two home runs in the fifth, today though, it’s Manny Machado launching a two-run home run in the fifth to help the Padres.

Coming into today’s game, Shota Imanaga had struggled with surrendering home runs. He’d given up 12 in his last six games coming into tonight. That issue got him today. As the Cubs offense struggles to get going, every run counts.

Padres lead 3-0.

Cease out, Morejon in

After 3.2 strong innings, Cease was unable to finish off the Cubs in the fourth, giving up a two-out double to Seiya Suzuki and walking Carson Kelly to put two runners on with two outs.

Padres manager Mike Shildt had seen enough, going to his bullpen likely much sooner than he would have liked, but in a win-or-go-home Game 2, anything is on the table. He chose lefty Adrian Morejon to face PCA. Crow-Armstrong would bounce out to first base to end the inning.

Morejon pitched one inning in Game 1, surrendering two hits but not letting up a run.

MID 4: Padres 1, Cubs 0

It was crickets on the scoreboard since the first inning with Shota Imanaga dealing for the Cubs. Then the fourth inning rolled around. After a walk to Jackson Merrill to lead off the inning, Imanaga threw 15 pitches to Xander Bogaerts and Ryan O’Hearn, the latter of whom pulled a single into right field.

Jose Iglesias was unable to drive the runners home, but he did smoke a line drive right at Pete Crow-Armstrong in center field. So, the onus fell to Jake Cronenworth, who hit a hot shot, but right at Dansby Swanson. Though the Padres threatened, they could not do any damage, the same situation they faced yesterday.

If history does in fact repeat itself, the Cubs don’t have to worry about their one-run deficit.

Shota Imanaga in for Chicago

Kittredge only lasted one inning. Now, it’s Shota Imanaga’s turn. Normally a starter, this is Imanaga’s first ‘relief’ appearance of the season, as he’ll likely be in for multiple innings. He sent the Padres down in order in the second inning, capping off the frame with a strikeout against Jake Cronenworth. Padres still lead 1-0.

Padres strike early

It seems Craig Counsell’s plan to go with an opener backfired a bit, as both Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Arraez would lead off the game with singles. After a double steal, both runners would move into scoring position.

Jackson Merrill would then drive Tatis home on a sacrifice fly, marking the first time in Andrew Kittredge’s postseason career that he’s surrendered a run.

Padres lead 1-0.

What time is Cubs vs Padres game today?

First pitch is scheduled for 3:08 p.m. ET at Wrigley Field.

How to watch Cubs vs Padres: TV channel, stream

Tuesday’s game will air on ABC and can be streamed with Fubo.

Watch Cubs vs. Padres MLB playoffs on Fubo

Cubs vs Padres betting odds

Game 1 summary

The Cubs got the win by a 3-1 final yesterday, putting them just one win away from reaching the division series. However, Game 1 could have very easily gotten out of hand early for Chicago if not for a few key pitches and defensive plays.

In both the second and fourth innings, San Diego threatened, putting runners on third base with one or fewer outs. However, two terrific defensive efforts from Cubs’ shortstop Dansby Swanson kept the runs from scoring. Paired with timely pitching, resulting popouts and strikeouts from starter Matthew Boyd, the Padres were unable to do much with runners in scoring position.

The fifth inning is where the Cubs started to turn it around. After Padres’ starter Nick Pivetta set down 11 straight Cubs entering the frame, Seiya Suzuki took Pivetta deep. The very next batter, Cubs’ catcher Carson Kelly did the same, giving the Cubs the lead.

From then on, the Cubs bullpen dominated, rarely allowing the Padres to reach base. In the end, the Cubs ended up with more hits and more baserunners, but for a moment near the start of the game, there was concern that the Padres would leave Chicago in the dust.

Padres vs. Cubs, Game 2 pitching matchup

  • Padres: Dylan Cease (8-12, 4.55 ERA)

After finishing fourth in Cy Young voting a year ago, Cease did not live up to lofty expectations coming into 2025. Albeit he has still been serviceable.

His only start against the Cubs this year didn’t exactly go according to plan though. Cease surrenedered seven hits and three runs (only two earned) across just 5.2 innings. Fortunately, the Padres would go on to win that game 10-4. For his career, Cease holds a 4-2 record with a 2.47 ERA and 61 strikeouts in eight games against the Cubs.

  • Cubs: Andrew Kittredge (4-3, 3.40 ERA)

Cubs manager Craig Counsell had been very shy about revealing his Game 2 starter. Now we know it’s because he was planning on using an opener all along. Kittredge is a reliable veteran, with a track record of success in the postseason. In fact, he’s never allowed a run in the postseason, albeit only across 5.1 innings.

He was also fantastic in Game 1, pitching a scoreless eighth inning. Instead of vying for one of his starters to take the bump, it’s clear Counsell is trying to win Game 2 outright, using his team’s strong suit to do so and hopefully giving his bullpen some much needed rest should they win.

Cubs lineup today

  1. Michael Busch (L) 1B
  2. Nico Hoerner (R) 2B
  3. Ian Happ (S) LF
  4. Kyle Tucker (L) DH
  5. Seiya Suzuki (R) RF
  6. Carson Kelly (R) C
  7. Pete Crow-Armstrong (L) CF
  8. Dansby Swanson (R) SS
  9. Matt Shaw (R) 3B

Padres lineup today vs Cubs

  1. Fernando Tatis Jr. (R) RF
  2. Luis Arraez (L) 1B
  3. Manny Machado (R) 3B
  4. Jackson Merrill (L) CF
  5. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS
  6. Ryan O’Hearn (L) DH
  7. Gavin Sheets (L) LF
  8. Jake Cronenworth (L) 2B
  9. Freddy Fermin (R) C
This post appeared first on USA TODAY

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San Francisco Giants rule out big name in manager search

After the Giants fired Bob Melvin on Monday, Sept. 29, speculation grew about whether they might look at the four-time World Series-winning manager. The 70-year-old became available Monday after he and the Texas Rangers agreed he would end his tenure in the dugout there.

Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey said Wednesday he talked to Bochy a couple days ago, but he doesn’t view him as a candidate for manager.

‘I don’t even know what Boch’s plans are, if he wants to continue to manage or not,’ Posey told reporters. ‘The door’s always open here for some sort of role, but the way I think things are coming into picture in my mind with where we want to go next, I don’t see us going that route with Boch.’

Bochy won championships with the Giants in 2010, 2012 and 2014. He also won the 2023 World Series with the Rangers.

Bochy has been offered a front office role with Texas.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

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Syntheia Closes Call Center Guys Acquisition

Syntheia Corp. (CSE: SYAI) (‘Syntheia’ or the ‘Company’) (Syntheia.ai), is pleased to announce that, further to its press release of September 25, 2025, it has completed the previously announced acquisition (the ‘Transaction’) of certain assets of Call Centre Guys Inc. (‘CCG’). As consideration for the Transaction, the Company paid $750,000 cash and issued an aggregate of 10,000,000 common shares of the Company (each a ‘Common Share’) to Imran Butt, the principal of CCG. The Common Shares are subject to a statutory four-month and one day resale restriction and are subject to an 18-month voluntary escrow on a 25% release schedule with the first escrow release on closing of the Transaction and the following three releases every 6 months thereafter. Further, the Company issued a 10% secured promissory note as previously disclosed in the press release of the Company dated September 25, 2025.

‘With the acquisition of the CCG call center assets combined with our conversational AI platform, we expect savings and efficiencies which will significantly increase the customer experience,’ commented Tony Di Benedetto, CEO of Syntheia. ‘We are excited to continue our industry wide roll out across North America deploying our conversational AI platform in call center acquisitions. We look to enhance revenue growth, realize savings, and increase customer satisfaction, while creating consistent accretive shareholder value,’ said Tony Di Benedetto, Chief Executive Officer.

In connection with the Transaction, Imran Butt, the principal of CCG, has joined the board of directors of the Company and has been appointed as President of the Company replacing Richard Buzbuzian as President. Mr. Buzbuzian will continue to serve as a director of the Company and Capital Markets advisor for the Company.

Imran is a senior business executive in the customer experience industry whose career spans over two decades of building, scaling, and transforming contact centers. He launched Matrix 5 Inc. in 2002, and within months became a leading industry partner which later evolved into Voysus Group Inc., serving major communications and media companies among other industries. After successfully exiting Voysus in 2012, Imran founded CCG in 2017, blending people-first values with advanced technology to deliver solutions supporting international organizations including major telecommunications companies, cosmetic brands, tech services firms, IT service providers and a Big Four accounting firm.

‘With over 20+ years in the call center space, I look forward to bringing my operational experience and industry contacts to my new role as President of Syntheia Corp. We have a significant opportunity in the call center market enhance the customer experience with AI, which Syntheia has now developed. It is a very exciting time at Syntheia!’ commented Imran Butt, President Syntheia Corp.

About Syntheia

Syntheia is an artificial intelligence technology company which is developing and commercializing proprietary algorithms to deliver human-like conversations and deploying our technology to enhance customer satisfaction while dramatically reducing turnover and traditional staffing issues.

For further information, please contact:

Tony Di Benedetto
Chief Executive Officer
Tel: (844) 796-8434

Cautionary Statement

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This news release contains certain ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as ‘plan’, ‘expect’, ‘project’, ‘intend’, ‘believe’, ‘anticipate’, ‘estimate’, ‘may’, ‘will’, ‘would’, ‘potential’, ‘proposed’ and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions ‘may’ or ‘will’ occur. These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements in this news release includes, but are not limited to, the synergies derived from the acquisition of the assets in the Transaction. Readers are cautioned that forward‐looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflects the Company’s management’s expectations, estimates or projections concerning the business of the Company’s future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made.

Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward‐looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements. Please refer to the Company’s listing statement available on SEDAR+ for a list of risks and key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward‐looking information. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward‐looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions should change unless required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

The securities of the Company have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/268810

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Gold’s Meteoric Rise: Can the Price Break US$4,000 in 2025?

Gold’s momentum has price predictions heading upwards of US$4,000 per ounce by the year’s end.

Rising by more than 44 percent since the start of the year, in 2025 the price of gold has hit highs once unthinkable. Aggressive central bank buying, US Federal Reserve rate decisions, ongoing geopolitical conflicts and US trade policy uncertainty have weakened the US dollar and escalated federal debt concerns. The resulting increase in demand for safe-haven assets is pushing investors toward gold, from physical bars to gold exchange-traded funds.

This week, the US government shutdown drove the price of gold even higher, approaching the US$3,900 level as it reached US$3,896.30 early in the morning of Wednesday (October 1) before pulling back.

Let’s take a look at what’s driving the gold price in the final stretch of 2025.

US monetary policy and dollar weakness

Gold traditionally has had an inverse relationship to the dollar, and has benefited greatly this year as the dollar has weakened. Many agree that this trend is set to continue feeding the gold price in the months ahead.

While China has been the focal point of gold buying this year, the World Gold Council’s Joe Cavatoni said western investors looking for risk diversification are helping to drive the latest surge in the gold price.

In his view, the Fed has how begun signaling to investors that economic deterioration — and a possible move into a stagflationary environment — is imminent.

Global conflict stoking central bank buying

Strong central bank buying is another key catalyst for gold’s record price streak.

Although the rate at which the world’s central banks are scooping up the precious metal has slowed somewhat in 2025 compared to the last few years, governments are still set to be net buyers this year.

For a fourth year in a row, Cavatoni sees central banks continuing to buy gold despite higher prices, although he noted that they may make price-sensitive adjustments to buy more strategically. According to the World Gold Council’s latest annual central bank survey, conducted in June, 95 percent of the 73 respondents expect to increase their gold holdings over the next 12 months. At the same time, 73 percent expect to lighten their US dollar reserves.

Countries are building up their strategic reserves of gold as security. Just look at the top two buyers of gold recently: China and Poland. Both are at the center of rapidly escalating geopolitical conflicts.

China has responded to escalating US trade tensions by taking a defensive stance economically, and that has included significantly boosting its gold reserves by 36 metric tons over nine months as of this past July.

Poland is the largest net purchaser of gold this year at 67 metric tons. No doubt, the European nation views the metal as a critical safeguard against escalating hostilities with neighboring Russia.

“Everybody has to build up their gold reserves, because the road that all these countries are on is the road of increasing global stress,” explained Chambers, adding that global leaders understand that “paper is no good when you’re fighting a war.’ This is driving the gold price higher as demand comes up against supply.

“There’s only 3,200 tonnes of it mined every year,” he said, “and the price is only going to go one way.”

Is gold heading to US$4,000 in 2025?

However, both Gareth Soloway of VerifiedInvesting.com, and Steve Barton of In It To Win It said gold is likely to trade sideways and even pull back to as low as US$3,500 before making another go at the US$4,000 target.

So will it get there this year?

Nothing is for certain, but there are a few signals gold investors should watch. The World Gold Council’s Cavatoni said he’s keeping a close eye on what the money markets are doing as interest rates start to move, as well as investor sentiment in western markets, the US in particular.

“Pay attention to how people are responding to that risk and uncertainty that we talked to, and economic conditions that are getting clearer, and I think you’ll find that this case for gold is well supporting the price predictions you’re hearing from analysts in the markets,’ he suggested.

Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Charlie Javice sentenced to 7 years in prison for fraudulent $175M sale of aid startup

Charlie Javice, the founder of a startup company that sought to dramatically improve how students apply for financial aid, was sentenced Monday to more than seven years in prison for cheating JPMorgan Chase out of $175 million by greatly exaggerating how many students it served.

Javice, 33, was sentenced in Manhattan federal court for her March conviction by Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, who said she committed “a large fraud” by duping the bank giant in the summer of 2021. She made false records that made it seem the company, called Frank, had over 4 million customers when it had fewer than 300,000, Hellerstein found.

The judge said Javice had assembled a “very powerful list” of her charitable acts, which included organizing soup kitchens for the homeless when she was 7 years old and designing career programs for formerly incarcerated women.

In court papers, defense lawyers noted that Javice has faced extraordinary public scrutiny, reputational destruction and professional exile, “making her a household name” in the same way Elizabeth Holmes became synonymous with her blood-testing company, Theranos.

Defense attorney Ronald Sullivan told Hellerstein that his client was very different from Holmes because what she created actually worked, unlike Holmes, “who did not have a real company” and whose product “in fact endangered patients.”

In seeking a 12-year prison sentence for Javice, prosecutors cited a 2022 text Javice sent to a colleague in which she called it “ridiculous” that Holmes got over 11 years in prison.

Hellerstein largely dismissed arguments that he should be lenient because the acquisition pitted “a 28-year-old versus 300 investment bankers from the largest bank in the world,” as Sullivan put it.

Still, the judge criticized the bank, saying “they have a lot to blame themselves” after failing to do adequate due diligence. He quickly added, though, that he was “punishing her conduct and not JPMorgan’s stupidity.”

Sullivan said the bank rushed its negotiations because it feared another bank would acquire Frank first.

A prosecutor, Micah Fergenson, though, said JPMorgan “didn’t get a functioning business” in exchange for its investment. “They acquired a crime scene.”

Fergenson said Javice was driven by greed when she saw that she could pocket $29 million from the sale of her company.

“Ms. Javice had it dangling in front of her and she lied to get it,” he said.

Given a chance to speak, Javice said she was “haunted that my failure has transformed something meaningful into something infamous.” She said she “made a choice that I will spend my entire life regretting.”

Javice, sometimes speaking through tears, apologized and sought forgiveness from “all the people touched or tarnished by my actions,” including JPMorgan shareholders, Frank employees and investors, along with her family.

Javice, who lives in Florida, has been free on $2 million bail since her 2023 arrest.

At trial, Javice, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, was convicted of conspiracy, bank fraud and wire fraud charges. Her lawyers had argued that JPMorgan went after Javice because it had buyer’s remorse.

In her mid-20s, Javice founded Frank, a company with software that promised to simplify the arduous process of filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, a complex government form used by students to apply for aid for college or graduate school.

Frank’s backers included venture capitalist Michael Eisenberg. The company said its offering, akin to online tax preparation software, could help students maximize financial aid while making the application process less painful.

The company promoted itself as a way for financially needy students to obtain more aid faster, in return for a few hundred dollars in fees. Javice appeared regularly on cable news programs to boost Frank’s profile, once appearing on Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list before JPMorgan bought the startup in 2021.

Javice was among a number of young tech executives who vaulted to fame with supposedly disruptive or transformative companies, only to see them collapse amid questions about whether they had engaged in puffery and fraud while dealing with investors.

In their pre-sentence submission, prosecutors wrote that they were requesting a lengthy prison sentence to send a message that fraud in the sale of startup companies is “no less blameworthy than other types of fraud and will be punished accordingly.”

Prosecutors added that the message was “desperately needed” because of “an alarming trend of founders and executives of small startup companies engaging in fraud, including making misrepresentations about their companies’ core products or services, in order to make their companies attractive targets for investors and/or buyers.”

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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YouTube to pay $24 million to settle Trump lawsuit

YouTube said Monday it would settle a lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump for more than $24 million, adding to a growing list of settlements with tech and media companies that have amassed millions of dollars for Trump’s projects.

Trump sued after his YouTube account was banned in 2021. After the Jan. 6 riot, YouTube said content posted to Trump’s channel raised “concerns about the ongoing potential for violence.” His account was reinstated in 2023.

Monday’s settlement makes YouTube the last major tech platform to settle a lawsuit with Trump, who similarly sued Meta and Twitter for banning his accounts in the aftermath of Jan. 6. Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, settled for $25 million, while Twitter, since renamed X, settled for about $10 million.

A notice of settlement for Trump’s lawsuit against YouTube details that $22 million of it will go toward building a new White House ballroom. Trump has touted that the addition will have room for 900 people, and the White House has said it could cost $200 million to build.

Other plaintiffs that joined Trump’s suit, such as the American Conservative Union and a number of other people, will get $2.5 million of the settlement.

In addition to tech companies, many major media outlets have settled lawsuits with Trump over the past year.

In July, Paramount Global settled with him for $16 million after he took issue with a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris that aired on CBS.

In December, Disney settled with Trump over a lawsuit in which he accused ABC and anchor George Stephanopoulos of defamation in an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C. Disney paid Trump’s future presidential library $15 million as part of the settlement.

Disney came under pressure from the administration again when it recently suspended “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” for nearly a week after two major station owners threatened to stop airing the show. One of the station owners, Nexstar, is seeking clearance from Trump’s Federal Communications Commission chairman for a $6.2 billion merger.

The other station owner, Sinclair, is reportedly considering a merger, which the FCC would also need to approve.

Trump is also suing The Wall Street Journal over its reporting about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, and he recently sued The New York Times for $15 billion. A judge struck down that lawsuit, though Trump could refile it.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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UCLA football, OC Tino Sunseri agree to part ways, per reports

The coaching shake-up at UCLA continued on Tuesday, Sept. 30.

According to an initial report from Ben Bolch of the L.A. Times, the Bruins and offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri have mutually parted ways. Sunseri becomes the second coordinator to leave since the school announced the firing of head coach DeShaun Foster on Sept. 14. Defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe also left the team earlier in September.

Tight ends coach Jerry Neuheisel will take over the play-calling duties for UCLA for its Oct. 4 matchup against No. 6 Penn State at the Rose Bowl. In addition, the L.A. Times reports that former UCLA offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone will assume analyst responsibilities.

Sunseri was the co-offensive coordinator at Indiana under Curt Cignetti in 2024, a season in which the Hoosiers’ offense averaged 47.8 points per game and reached the College Football Playoff. He shared coordinating responsibilities with Mike Shanahan.

UCLA is scheduled to travel to Bloomington, Indiana, for a matchup against Cignetti and the Hoosiers on Saturday, Oct. 25. It seems Sunseri will not be with the team for a reunion.

The success Sunseri enjoyed with Indiana has not followed him to Los Angeles, despite the addition of Tennessee transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava. The Bruins have averaged just 14.2 points per game, ranking 132nd among FBS teams. Only Northern Illinois (10.3 ppg) and UMass (12.3) have averaged less. UCLA is also averaging 321.2 yards per game, which ranks 117th nationally.

Mazzone previously served as UCLA’s offensive coordinator from 2012 to 2015 under head coach Jim Mora.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

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