Episodes – Page 1393

Steve Penny, former USA Gymnastics president, arrested for allegedly tampering with evidence in Larry Nassar case

U.S. Marshals Service(GATLINBURG, Tenn.) — Steve Penny, former president of USA Gymnastics, was arrested Wednesday night for allegedly tampering with evidence in the case of disgraced team doctor Larry Nassar.

Penny was arrested by the U.S. Marshals service in Tennessee on a warrant issued by the state of Texas. He was indicted by a grand jury on a charge of tampering with evidence, a felony, on Sept. 28.

He allegedly removed documents from the Karolyi Ranch, the U.S. gymnastics’ training facility in Huntsville, Texas, related to Nassar’s activity at the gym.

“The indictment further alleges that the removal of the documents was done for the purpose of impairing the ongoing investigation by destroying or hiding the documents,” the U.S. Marshals said in a press release. He allegedly ordered the documents be sent to him at USA Gymnastics headquarters in Indianapolis. Those documents have never been recovered, authorities said.

Penny was taken into custody at a cabin in rural Gatlinburg, Tennessee, by the U.S. Marshals and Smoky Mountains Fugitive Task Force, according to authorities. He is awaiting extradition to Texas.

He faces up to 10 years in prison, if convicted.

The Karolyi Ranch was operated by Bela Karolyi and wife Marta Karolyi, the two people tasked with selecting and developing athletes for the U.S. national team. It served as the national team’s training facility from 2001 until earlier this year. Nassar worked at the facility and several of his accusers said they were abused by him at the facility.

Penny resigned as USA Gymnastics president in March 2017 amid allegations of sexual abuse against Nassar. Nassar pleaded guilty to seven counts of child molestation, but more than 130 women and girls, including Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas and Aly Raisman, have accused him of assaulting them. Many of those accusers testified at a hearing in January when he was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison. He pleaded guilty in two other cases — one pertaining to assault and another possession of child pornography — as well.

Rhonda Faehn, Penny’s former deputy, testified to the Senate in June that she brought up allegations of misconduct to him and she was told to keep quiet. Penny, who appeared before the same committee, chose to plead the Fifth and not testify.

USA Gymnastics has been in near-constant turmoil since the Indianapolis Star broke the story in September 2016 of Nassar’s abuse of gymnasts under his care, both with the U.S. national team, where he was the team doctor, and at Michigan State University, where he was a faculty member. Nassar had been dismissed from his job with the U.S. national team in 2015, but only said it was done due to “athlete concerns.”

After Penny’s departure in March 2017, he was replaced by Kerry Perry in November 2017. But Perry’s tenure was marked by consistent criticism over the handling of the Nassar scandal as well. She resigned less than a year after being named as Penny’s replacement.

Perry was criticized by stars, like Raisman, over her lack of transparency about how the organization planned to protect athletes going forward. She resigned days after she hired Mary Lee Tracy, in part to replace the Karolyis, as the sport’s top coach. The hiring of Tracy received condemnation from athletes because she supported Nassar in the immediate wake of accusations against him.

But the neverending parade of presidents didn’t end with Perry’s ouster.

Just this week, former Congresswoman Mary Bono, who was tasked with replacing Perry as interim president of USA Gymnastics, was forced out for a pair of scandals — less than a week since her hiring. A day after her hiring, Biles criticized Bono, a Republican, for a photo posted on Twitter in which she was shown blacking out a Nike logo over the company’s hiring of Colin Kaepernick as spokesperson. She publicly apologized for the photo.

A few days later, Raisman joined calls for Bono’s ouster after discovering that Bono worked for the same law firm that worked with USA Gymnastics during the Nassar scandal and crafted excuses for his absences.

Bono was not directly involved in the law firm’s representation of USA Gymnastics, but she stepped down nonetheless on Tuesday.

Penny is one of at least three people arrested in connection with the handling of the Nassar scandal. Debbie Van Horn, a trainer who worked with Nassar, was arrested last month in Walker County, Texas. She has denied charges, according to her lawyer, who spoke to the Houston Chronicle.

William Strampel, the former dean of Michigan State University’s osteopathic medical school and boss of Larry Nassar while he was a sports doctor there, was charged March 27 with neglect of duty and criminal sexual conduct. His case will go to trial at a yet-to-be-scheduled date.

Cardi B returns to “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to talk fame, pain of childbirth, and how she still wants more babies

ABC/Randy Holmes It’s hard to believe considering how many money moves she’s made in such a short time, but Cardi B made her television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live! only a year ago.

A mantel full of awards later, Cardi returned to the show Wednesday night and talked about fame, her baby, and how she wants more siblings for little Kulture Kiari Cephus, her baby with husband Offset.

“Almost exactly one year ago you made your television debut right here on this stage,” Kimmel said, from his temporary home at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. “How have things been going since then?”

The Bronx-born Cardi exclaimed, “Oh my God, it’s crazy. It’s only been 12 months, I can’t even believe it!”

Jimmy asked her if her fame is fun. “It’s not,” the “Bodak Yellow” rapper admitted. “Because you want to know something? Like…there’s certain things that I want to do with my daughter. Like I want to go to the beach with my baby. I want to take a stroll down the street with my baby, and it’s just like I can’t, because I just I don’t know who’s next to me and who has certain intentions.”

She added of little Kulture, “I don’t want to show my baby out to the public right now. I just want to protect her. I’m not like mentally ready…Paparazzi everywhere…[R]ight now I’ve got to keep it very low key.”

However, Cardi noted of motherhood: “It’s the best. It’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, should have had you when I was a teenager!'”

She wants as many as four kids, but she did have one caveat about Kulture. “She broke my vagina,” Cardi said, bringing down the house. “Why nobody tells you about those things?”

Is The Weeknd headed to the big screen?

Photo by Steven Ferdman/WireImageThe Weeknd may be heading to the big screen.

The Grammy-winning singer, born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, was spotted at the New York City hotspot 1 OAK earlier this week, filming a scene for Adam Sandler‘s upcoming film, Uncut Gems, sources tell the New York Post.

“They’re filming there and took over for several days,” says the source. “They’re shooting a club scene.”

The Weeknd reportedly performed during the filming, but it’s unclear how big his role is in the movie.

Uncut Gems, executive produced by Martin Scorsese, stars Sandler as a jewelry store owner with a gambling problem, searching for a way to pay off his debts. Eric Bogosian, Judd Hirsch and Idina Menzel co-star.

Kandi Burruss denies she's pregnant, but is hoping for another baby

Josh Brasted/FilmMagicKandi Burruss‘ career is going full throttle with music, television, restaurant, and cosmetics projects, but personally, she’s frustrated by her fertility problems. The Real Housewives of Atlanta star and her husband, Todd Tucker, are trying for a third child together.

“We’re definitely trying to figure out ways to grow our family,” Burruss tells Essence. “I know a lot of people thought that meant that I was pregnant. But I’m not pregnant. Let’s be clear. I saw that floating around the Internet.”

“Unfortunately, it’s not happening,” the 42-year-old singer says of her efforts to conceive. “For years and years, I was on birth control [and I] didn’t even know that I didn’t need it anymore.”

Burruss offers advice for other women who are also coping with fertility issues.

“It’s about being patient and knowing what’s for you is for you, and pray about it, and look at all your options and whatever you can try to make happen, make it happen if you can,” she says.

The Grammy winner is continuing to perform with Xscape, and she plans to release a solo EP early next year.

Tamar Braxton laughs off the possibility of returning to “The Real,” claims Toni Braxton was recently hospitalized

ABC/Randy HolmesTamar Braxton says she has officially moved on after her abrupt exit from The Real almost two years ago.

During Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Tamar responded to a viewer who asked when the last time she saw her The Real co-hosts was, and whether or not she’d be open to returning to the show.

“The last time I spoke to them was at the Emmys [in September],” Tamar said. “Would I return to do what?”

“To be on the show, sweetie,” Andy Cohen clarified.

Tamar laughed and responded “I don’t know — Andy, you’re the best!”

“I have a feeling the answer is no!” Andy said.

Meanwhile, according to Tamar, her sister Toni Braxton was recently hospitalized due to a complication with her lupus. The “Unbreak My Heart” was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease in 2010.

“I talked to my mom last night. I talked to Towanda last night. I talked to Toni last night,” she said, confirming that the explosive recent family therapy session with Iyanla Vanzant hasn’t stopped her from checking in with her family.

“She has lupus, but she’s in the hospital and so I made sure she’s O.K.,” Tamar added. “So I’m going to go to Atlanta and check on her.”

Remy Ma clarifies her comments regarding the use of the N-word

ABC/Randy HolmesRemy Ma is responding to accusations that she condones the use of the N-word.

During a segment of the Revolt web series State of the Culture, the “All The Way Up” rapper stated about the N-word, “I don’t usually get offended, regardless of what your nationality is, if I feel like you’re not using it as a racial slur.”

Many people were offended by her statement and now Remy has clarified her statement on Instagram, as captured by The Shade Room.

Responding to the comment, “Very disappointed in your N-Word stance,” she wrote, “I don’t want to, nor would I, promote my people to attempt to ‘own’ a word, and try to stop certain people from using a word that has caused so much oppression and pain, a word NOBODY should be using regardless of the color of their skin.”

The three-time Grammy nominee compared groups “owning” a word to prior laws that led to racial discrimination.

“I try to tell them to own property/real estate, life insurance, health insurance, degrees, etc.,” she continued. “Words that are only allowed to be used by certain race[s] is no different from bathrooms, water fountains, and sections on buses. We have to teach our future to be better than our past.”

“This is coming from someone that is a woman that is black, that has been in the prison system that (unfortunately) uses the ‘n’ word,” she added. “I’m not perfect but I aspire to be the best I possibly can.”

Remy was released from prison in 2014 after serving six years for assault and illegal gun possession.

A collar might help prevent concussions in sports like soccer: Study

iStock/ThinkstockBY: DR. TAMBETTA OJONG

(NEW YORK) — Team sports build character, teach discipline and keep your kids healthy, but for some sports, like soccer and football, they could also increase their risk of brain injuries. Helping to prevent these injuries, a new neck collar has shown promising results in protecting the brain.

The specialized collar, developed by researchers at the Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati, applies pressure to the back of the neck. This pressure allows the artery in the neck to safely backfill the brain with blood, turning the blood into a cushion that makes it less likely for the brain to move upon impact.

The idea for the collar was born out of “biological mimicry,” Dr. David Smith, a visiting research scientist at the Children’s Hospital who led a study that tested the collar, told ABC News.

Essentially, Smith and his colleagues looked to nature to solve a medical issue. “If a woodpecker could repeatedly hit its head and not sustain any head injury, why couldn’t this be applied to humans,” Smith said.

The study involved 75 teen girls ages 14 to 18 who played for two local high school soccer teams. Only one team received the collars, and then they played soccer. Both teams were asked to undergo brain scans at the beginning and end of the season, as well as during the off-season.

The scans showed that while the brains of the team that hadn’t worn the collars showed signs of damage from head impacts, the brains of the team that had worn the collars remained the same.

The results are encouraging considering that even minor impacts over the course of an athlete’s career can have long-lasting effects on their cognitive functioning.

Concussions have emerged as a major health concern across the United States, according to the American Academy of Physicians. Emergency departments report more than a million visits annually for traumatic brain injuries, most of which are concussions.

Women’s soccer is the third most common cause of concussion in the U.S., and it’s estimated that 1.6 to 3.8 million sports-related concussions occur each year.

There is a debate as to whether the changes shown in the brain scans can result in long-term cognitive decline. However, the areas of the brain that were affected in this study are involved in behavior, personality, expression, decision-making, and long-term memory.

The Academy of Family Physicians states that a concussion is a functional injury rather than a structural one, meaning that it can correlate with symptoms such as changes in sleep, confusion, depression, inability to focus and headache, to name a few. If you’ve experienced a blow to the head and feel some of these symptoms, then see a doctor and ask about concussion.

The study did not account for hormonal fluctuations in the girls, which could affect intracranial pressure. It also didn’t look more deeply into whether or not the observed in the brain led to behavioral or physical symptoms.

That said, if wearing the specialized collar can protect the brain from injuries while athletes continue to enjoy competitive sports, it may be a small price to pay for long-term protection. In the near future, a neck collar may be just another part of your child’s uniform along with cleats and knee pads.

Dr. Tambetta Ojong is a family medicine resident at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.

Meet the internet's newest adorable sensation: LeBron James' daughter Zhuri

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — She’s only 3 years old, but LeBron James’ daughter Zhuri is already making a name for herself online.

The King has been posting about her a lot recently, whether it be style, her ability to be sassy, or just her doing a “Frozen” duet with dear-old dad.

On Tuesday, the NBA Champion and all-time great wrote, “She controls the music when she rides with me. The Boss aka Baby ‘Love is an Open Door’ from Frozen soundtrack #MyPrincess.”

In the ridiculously adorable clip, little Zhuri sings along with the soundtrack, while dad bobs his head and smiles.

In just about a day, it’s gotten more than 5 million views.

But she’s not just a good singer! Zhuri wowed at the “Smallfoot” premiere last month, rocking a denim dress on the blue carpet.

Around the same time, James added another post, boasting about his little girl.

“How is my 3 year old this fashionable though?!?! She asked if she could dress herself today for school. Man what!! She’s AMAZING!! #PrincessZ,” he wrote.

He’s right, how is a 3-year-old so fashionable? Someone call “Project Runway.”

Zhuri isn’t new to the spotlight though. In 2016, after James won the NBA Finals, he brought her to the media room and the reporters saw how much of a doting father he was.

It’s very reminiscent of Riley Curry’s rise to fame.

So, while their dads battle it out on the court, Riley and Zhuri will just be hanging out, bringing the cute comic relief.

Report: Diddy and Cassie have split; is he now he’s dating a 26-year-old model?

John Shearer/Getty Images for The Hollywood ReporterAfter more than a decade together, Diddy and Cassie have reportedly split.

Cassie’s rep tells LoveBScott.com, “They are indeed no longer together and haven’t been for months.” Diddy and Cassie previously broke up in 2015 and then got back together again.

The website also reports that the 48-year-old Bad Boy CEO is now with 26-year-old model Jocelyn Chew. They were spotted attending Drake’s October 12 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Cassie, who’s 32, released her only solo album, which was self-titled, in 2006 on Bad Boy Records when she was 20 years old. Diddy served as the executive producer. Since then, she’s focused on modeling and acting, including two appearances this year on Empire.

Tyrese shares first photos his baby daughter, Soraya

Marcus Ingram/Getty ImagesTyrese has shared the first photos of his baby daughter, Soraya, who was born October 1.

The musician and actor writes on Instagram, “Dear Loved ones, We hesitated to post our angel, and after embracing her love and joy for the last 2 weeks we decided to share our answered prayer. We’re convinced that God must have spent a little more time on her.”

A video montage includes several shots of Soraya with the music of Stevie Wonder’s “As,” from his classic 1976 album, Songs in the Key of Life.

Soraya is the Tyrese’s first child with his wife, Samantha. They married on Valentine’s Day last year. He has a daughter, 11-year old Shayla, from his first marriage.