Blockchain forensic firm Elliptic says there’s “no evidence” that Hamas is receiving a significant volume of cryptocurrency donations to fund its attacks against Israel.
“There is no evidence to support the assertion that Hamas has received significant volumes of crypto donations,” Elliptic said in an Oct. 25 statement. The amounts raised “remain tiny,” the firm added.
Elliptic’s statement was framed as a rebuttal to recent articles and letters written by The Wall Street Journal and United States lawmakers, which the firm says had misinterpreted data to make the case that cryptocurrency is widely used to fund Hamas’ “terrorist” activities.
As an example, Elliptic pointed to a “prominent” Hamas cryptocurrency fundraising campaign, operated by Gaza Now, a pro-Hamas news outlet, which has only raised $21,000 since the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7.
Of the $21,000 raised, $9,000 was frozen by stablecoin issuer Tether, while another $2,000 was frozen after it was sent to a cryptocurrency exchange — presumably to cash out, Elliptic noted.
Elliptic said it reached out to WSJ to correct a statement that initially claimed that over $130 million in cryptocurrency was raised by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad between Aug. 2021 and June 2023. WSJ later revised the statement to say “as much as $93 million” in an Oct. 10 update.
The WSJ article had been cited in a letter written by Elizabeth Warren and over 100 other U.S. lawmakers to the White House and U.S. Department of the Treasury on Oct. 17.
Warren and other lawmakers argued that cryptocurrency poses a “national security threat” to the U.S. and its allies and that Congress and the Biden administration must take “strong action” to thoroughly address risks with cryptocurrencies in facilitating illicit activity before it can be used to finance another “tragedy.”
However, Elliptic reiterated that its data was misinterpreted:
“Over the past two weeks, politicians and journalists have portrayed public crypto fundraising as a significant source of funds for Hamas and other terrorist groups, but the data simply does not support this.”
~20% of US Congress signed a letter based on incorrect facts. Elliptic just corrected the facts. Will @WSJ & the ~20% of Congress correct their statements now?@nic__carter, thank you for demanding truth here, and holding power accountable for misstatements of fact https://t.co/TazXQnjjgW
On Oct. 18, blockchain forensics firm Chainalysis also posted a blog attempting to address supposed misconceptions circulating in the media. One particular wallet highlighted by media reportedly received $82 million across 7 and a half months, but Chainalysis explained that of that, only $450,000 was transferred to a known terror-affiliated wallet.
Meanwhile, Elliptic also noted that in April 2023, Hamas suspended cryptocurrency fundraising conducted through Bitcoin (BTC), citing a “concern about the safety of donors and to spare them any harm.”
In 2021, Israel’s National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing also began issuing seizure orders for cryptocurrency wallets tied to Hamas and worked with exchanges to freeze accounts used by them.
These events suggest cryptocurrency isn’t an ideal means to facilitate terrorism fundraising, Elliptic argued:
“This illustrates the weakness of crypto as a terrorism fundraising tool. The transparency of the blockchain allows illicit funds to be traced, and in some cases linked to real-world identities.”
Cointelegraph reached out to WSJ for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay’s first child has been born, and it came on a day he believes a higher power had in mind.
The Rams announced the birth of Jordan John McVay on Wednesday, who was born the day prior, in a hilarious way, as their X post made it look like a normal NFL transaction. McVay noted that he is “healthy” and how much of a “blessing it is.”
McVay also divulged the backstory of when he and his wife, Veronika, learned when Jordan’s initial due date was. It made him realize “something special going on.”
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay celebrates a touchdown during the fourth quarter the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium on October 15, 2023, in Inglewood, California.(Harry How/Getty Images)
“His original due date was when my grandpa passed a year ago on the 31st, which is pretty special,” McVay told reporters on Wednesday. “If you don’t believe in a higher power, there’s certain things that occur that you realize there’s something special going on.
“I come from a family of faith, I’m a man of faith. The influence you guys know my grandfather had on me, but also our family. He had a special relationship with Veronika as well. [I] thought that was only appropriate to be able to have his middle name after my grandfather and his legacy lives on. I know he’s looking down and smiling with what occurred yesterday.”
John McVay rose through the ranks of coaching from high school all the way to the NFL, where he led the San Francisco 49ers from the front office as vice president and director of football operations, making decisions on a roster that won five Super Bowl titles. McVay was eventually named Executive of the Year in 1989.
He passed away on Halloween last year at the age of 91.
His grandson spoke more about the moment he became a father himself.
Sean McVay the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on September 25, 2023, in Cincinnati, Ohio.(Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
“Everybody kind of tells you what to expect, and it couldn’t even be as good as everybody says,” McVay explained. “And they certainly talked about what a special moment it was. Just amazing how well my wife handled it and what a stud she was throughout that whole process, and even yesterday. The people were amazing in terms of the nurses and the doctors, and their help.”
Jordan’s birth has been a topic of conversation for quite some time as the season has gone along, with rumors that McVay not being able to coach these past two weeks because Veronika was so close to the due date.
“I think there was a lot made about me missing a game. I’m not going to miss a game. My son knows better,” McVay said in a previous news conference.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay walks the field before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium on October 15, 2023, in Inglewood, California.(Harry How/Getty Images)
With Jordan born now, McVay won’t be missing any Rams games, including this week’s matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. But McVay certainly has new inspiration on and off the field for years to come.
Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
Fantasy football players, gamblers and Atlanta Falcons fans alike were disheveled when they saw running back Bijan Robinson have just one touch on Sunday afternoon.
Robinson apparently fell ill on Sunday, but he was never listed on the team’s injury report. Teams must report injuries or if there is indication a player will get significantly less playing time prior to the game.
So, the NFL has decided to take a deep dive into Robinson’s seemingly sudden lack of usage.
Bijan Robinson, #7 of the Atlanta Falcons, stands on the sidelines during the national anthem prior to an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on October 22, 2023, in Tampa, Florida. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
However, head coach Arthur Smith isn’t worried one bit at what the NFL might throw at them.
“You’re talking about sensationalized things,” Smith told reporters this week, via USA Today. “I understand outrage and drama sells. Guys, if you really understand how things really operate . . . there’s nothing there. So, I don’t know what, I haven’t given one second of thought about it.”
Robinson’s playing time, or lack thereof, affected the gambling industry hugely (which is why teams must give an injury report in the first place). DraftKings held a promotion in which bettors could wager Robinson, among three others, to score a touchdown in a parlay.
Three of the four players scored; the one who did not was Robinson. So, the book refunded wagers placed on the promo.
Bijan Robinson, #7 of the Atlanta Falcons, stretches prior to an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on September 24, 2023, in Detroit, Michigan.(Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
The book also announced that they would refund “all Bijan Robinson player prop markets,” including “parlay wagers where he was the only losing selection” as bonus bets.
Of course, numerous people plugged Robinson into their fantasy lineups as well, practically all of which they assumed safely. Then, he scored just 0.3 points.
The rookie out of Texas has been just as advertised. Taken with the eighth selection in this year’s NFL Draft, he rushed for 401 yards on 80 carries, while also catching 26 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns in his first six games. Even before Sunday, some fans were still perplexed at his usage, so one could imagine the disbelief when he played in just 17% of snaps.
Bijan Robinson, #7 of the Atlanta Falcons, stands on the sidelines during the national anthem prior to an NFL preseason football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 24, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia.(Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
After the New York Yankees missed the postseason for the first time since 2016, they could be looking to make a huge splash – and they’re reportedly looking one of the biggest fish in the sea.
SNY reports that the Yanks have had “preliminary” discussions with the San Diego Padres regarding Juan Soto.
Last year, Soto was traded from the Washington Nationals to San Diego, who made a push to the National League Championship Series. However, they took a massive step backwards and finished 82-80, as did New York.
Soto is set to become a free agent after the 2024 season, and given his status as a perennial All-Star at the ripe age of 25, it is certainly not out of the question that he will land a $500 million contract.
Juan Soto, #22 of the San Diego Padres, celebrates after hitting a home run in the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on July 21, 2023, in Detroit, Michigan. (Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images)
Because of that, San Diego may be looking to move on, as they are also locked into long-term deals with Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Xander Bogaerts, all of whom are signed through at least 2033 on deals worth at least $280 million.
SNY says that Soto can be available at the right price, and the Yankees have potential contracts to dump and prospects to send in a possible deal.
The Yankees finished with their worst record since 1992, despite re-signing 2022 AL MVP Aaron Judge and having the likely American League Cy Young winner in Gerrit Cole, but outside of Judge, who missed time with a couple injuries, just about everything went wrong for them.
Their .227 batting average was the second-worst mark in all of baseball, and outside of Cole’s 2.63 ERA, which was the second-lowest in baseball, every other Yankees starter had an ERA north of 4.50.
Juan Soto, #22 of the San Diego Padres, smiles in the dugout after hitting a home run in the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on July 21, 2023, in Detroit, Michigan. (Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images)
If Soto were to come aboard, he or Judge would have to move off their natural position of right field, but surely, the Yankees will have a much-needed left-handed bat and equally-as-needed outfielder.
San Diego is in a midst of changes, as well, as Bob Melvin bolted to take the San Francisco Giants’ managerial job.
The Yankees have not missed back-to-back postseasons since 2013 and 2014, and even those years ended on high-notes, thanks to the unforgettable farewells of Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter.
Juan Soto, #22, and Ha-Seong Kim, #7, celebrate with Manny Machado, #13, of the San Diego Padres after scoring two runs during the seventh inning to go up 5-3 against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game four of the National League Division Series at PETCO Park on October 15, 2022, in San Diego, California.(Harry How/Getty Images)
Soto led the majors in walks for the third time in his career this past season with 134, slashing .275/.410/.519 while hitting 35 homers and driving in 109 runs. His .410 OBP was the third-highest in baseball. He has three All-Star nods to his name, boasts a career OPS of .941 and is the active leader in on-base percentage (.421).
GTA and CoD veterans’ new studio collabs with Immutable
Web3 gaming ecosystem Immutable is helping Random Games join the blockchain gaming world. The studio was founded by veteran developers and storytellers from famous franchises including Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty, Fortnite, Batman, Star Trek, The Walking Dead, Star Wars and South Park. The collaboration centers around Unioverse, a Web3 sci-fi franchise spanning multiple mediums.
Random Games plans to create a platform offering high-quality assets for game creation without royalty fees. The Unioverse community will be encouraged to produce their own stories, games and content using official assets.
Unioverse hopes to foster a continuous stream of professional and user-generated content, given its royalty-free nature. Users can monetize their creations by selling merchandise such as comic books, T-shirts and lunchboxes and retain all the profits.
Heroes from the first release in the Unioverse. (unioverse.com)
Immutable’s vice president of global business development, Andrew Sorokovsky says Immutable will provide the blockchain platform, tools and services, including its zkEVM for scaling and Immutable passport for digital IDs:
This will allow the team to focus on shipping a great game without having to become blockchain experts in the process — letting us take care of the heavy lifting,”
Unioverse features Hero NFTs, which are high-quality 3D digital items that you can own in the digital world. Hero NFTs started minting with ‘Reyu’ in Jan. 2023 and sold 20,000 NFTs, which was followed by the launch of ‘Krishah’ in June. With over a million NFTs minted and more than 110,000 verified accounts with connected wallets, they also debuted the first part of a six-part comic book series and introduced Proving Grounds, their first alpha game environment, in May.
Random Games previously raised $7.6 million in a seed funding round co-led by Resolute Ventures and Asymmetric.
Brawlers by Magic: The Gathering creator to launch on Epic Games Store
Brawlers, a player-versus-player blockchain card game will be launched on the massive, mainstream Epic Games Store.
It’s the debut game of Tyranno Studios, WAX blockchain’s inhouse game development team led by gaming industry veteran Michael Rubinelli, who has 25 years of experience at companies such as Disney, Electronic Arts and THQ.
Centered around the theme of pro-wrestling, Brawlers’ player-versus-player (PvP) mode was designed by Richard Garfield, famous for his creation of the popular card game Magic: The Gathering.
Releasing a blockchain game on EGS is a big deal for any developer, as the platform has over 230 million users, including 70 million monthly active users. But releasing a blockchain game on the platform is an even bigger deal as Web3 companies generally can’t access such a massive audience under such a reputable name. WAX’s Chief Gaming Officer Rubinelli calls EGS the “next step on our journey to the mass adoption of Web3.”
This launch further accelerates the paradigm shift in gaming as a whole, bringing blockchain-powered fairness, inclusivity and player-centric approach even closer to the mainstream audience.”
In the game, players compete in wrestling matches and earn BRWL tokens which can be used to craft or purchase content. Apart from the Brawlers themselves, every in-game item can be crafted, used, sold, traded or gifted among players as they’re NFTs.
Garfield emphasized the game’s similarity to traditional physical card games, where players can buy card sets and maintain complete control over their assets, enabling easy trading and exchange.
The game allows cross-platform functionality via NFT bridges to Polygon, Ethereum and Binance’s BNB Chain.
Over $2 billion invested in blockchain gaming so far in 2023
Blockchain gaming investments are up $600 million in the third quarter of 2023, bringing the year-to-date total to an impressive $2.3 billion in the midst of a bear market, according to DappRadar and BGA Games’ most recent joint blockchain gaming report.
Investments in Web3 gaming projects between Q3 2022 – Q3 2023. (DappRadar)
However, 2023’s tally only accounts for 30% of the preceding year’s total investments. But considering the state of the wider market, it’s a respectable figure that proves that a lot of people are willing to bet a lot of money that blockchain games will still be The Next Big Thing.
The report underscores how Web2 gaming giants are “making assertive strides into the Web3 realm.” One of the most notable being FarmVille creator Zynga’s successful introduction of Sugartown, which received instant adoption and high praise from the Web3 community. It’s a welcome development as better studios generally mean better games.
Daily unique active wallets (UAWs) saw an uptick of 12% compared to last quarter, reaching a daily average of 786,766 UAWs. Alien Worlds, a community-built metaverse, kept its crown as the most-played blockchain game of Q3 2023, capturing over 60% of WAX’s blockchain activity.
Web3 games with the highest transaction volumes for Q3 2023. (DappRadar)
Web3 gaming’s flagship titles, Axie Infinity and Gods Unchained, blazed the trail in terms of transaction volume, with volumes of $90 million and $55 million, respectively.
In the third quarter, virtual worlds experienced a dip from the last quarter’s $58 million as numbers showed $13 million in trading volume with 28,000 land sales. Despite virtual worlds’ declining trading volume, substantial investments like Animoca Brands’ $20 million funding for Mocaverse keep the metaverse fire alive.
Upland’s Spark shines on Ethereum
Metaverse platform Upland will enable trading of its in-game utility token, Spark, on Ethereum. The decision was approved by 87.25% of voters in a recent community governance vote.
Results Are In! The UIP-2 vote on the Sparklet White Paper has passed with an 87.25% YES vote!
This means the Upland Team’s proposal to move forward with the process of making Spark tradable on external exchanges has been approved by the Community. STAY TUNED for more! pic.twitter.com/cCa54KsmzD
Known as the Sparklet White Paper, the proposal was presented to the Upland community in late September. The plan involves bridging the game’s in-app token, Spark, to the Ethereum blockchain, where it will be mirrored and minted as the Sparklet token. Each Sparklet is equivalent to one-thousandth of a Spark.
Upland co-founder and co-CEO Dirk Lueth says the move is a win for decentralization:
Adhering to our mission to build the largest digital open economy, Sparklet allows us to take the next step towards progressive decentralization in a responsible way by offering tradability to our users while having mechanisms in place that can shield and protect Upland’s economy from unwanted externalities.”
A finite supply of 1,000,000,000 Sparklet tokens will be issued on Ethereum, although Upland has not shared the exact timeline yet. The Sparklet supply will be mirrored by the minting of 1,000,000 Spark on the EOS blockchain, ensuring a balanced ownership structure between the platforms.
Hot Take: Guild of Guardians
Guild of Guardians is a mobile rogue-lite squad RPG that is being developed by Mineloader and published by Immutable. It held a “friends and family demo event” this week for testing and I was one of the fortunate people that got to try the game.
As soon as the game opens, nicely composed Harry Potter-esque background music welcomes you to the world of Guardians. The demo consists of core dungeon battles, crafting loops, quests and level-up options. The graphics look decent, while the music and sound effects are on point.
Players assemble a team of heroes and venture into dungeons for combat. When assembling a team, you need to consider factional, elemental and class synergies and team composition. For instance, a team composed entirely of Hordes receives a raw attack boost, while teams of all fire elements have an increased chance of inflicting damage over time. Heroes are also split into traditional RPG roles like tank, healer, support and DPS – short for damage per second, which is used to describe damage-focused characters.
The main challenge Guild of Guardians needs to tackle is that squad-based PvP gaming has somewhat matured. None of the heroes feel original or new, and the user interface looks like every fantasy-element-bearing mobile game ever.
Guild of Guardians promotional art. (Guild of Guardians)
Of course, it’s not fair to judge such aspects by a “friends & family” demo, so it’s better to check the full version to see if there are improvements and refinements to form your own opinions — it’s going to be free-to-play anyway. Who knows, you might love it and find your next 600-hour addiction!
More from Web3 gaming space:
– Zynga’s Web3 IP Sugartown introduces an NFT collection called Oras.
– NFL Rivals announces 6-month partnership with Amazon Prime Gaming.
– Gods Unchained Season 2: Tides of Fate launches Oct. 25.
– Social web game Habbo ditches ‘Habbo NFTs’ for ‘Habbo Collectibles’ in its terminology.
– Animoca Brands subsidiary Darewise raises $3.5 million in token presale for sci-fi Web3 game Life Beyond.
– Business simulation strategy game Legacy launches on Oct. 26.
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Erhan Kahraman
Based in Istanbul, Erhan started his career as a gaming journalist. He now works as a freelance writer and content creator with a focus on cutting-edge technology and video games. He enjoys playing Elden Ring, Street Fighter 6 and Persona 5.
The 21st season of LeBron James’ storied NBA career tipped off on Tuesday night.
James has logged a significant amount of minutes on the basketball court over the years, but during the season opener against the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets, the four-time NBA champion was limited to 29 minutes of action.
Second-year Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham said that James’ workload on Tuesday was indicative of the team’s plan.
“It’s easy with him to get caught up in the emotion of the game, and you tend to forget you want to play these long stretches, but in order for him to be as effective as possible, we have to be mindful of the minute output and how long his stretches are,” Ham said.
LeBron James, #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers, walks off the court after losing to the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Opening night game at Ball Arena on October 24, 2023, in Denver, Colorado.(Justin Tafoya/Getty Images)
The Nuggets held a program championship ring ceremony and appeared to be energized early on in the game. Denver jumped out to 18-point lead and went on to win 119-107.
Despite the minutes restriction, James finished the night with a team high of 21 points.
“Listen, I mean, I always want to be on the floor. Especially when you got an opportunity to win a game, or you feel like you can make an impact,” James said after the game. “But this is the system in place, and I’m going to follow it.”
James also expressed confidence about his ability to impact the game for however long he is on the basketball court.
“Besides the fact that we didn’t win,” James said, “I think for me, my performance and what I did individually in the time that I was out there, I think I was productive. I think so. I mean, I was a plus-seven for the game. No turnovers. I like the no turnovers more than anything.”
LeBron James, #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers, dribbles the ball during the game against the Denver Nuggets on October 24, 2023, at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.(Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)
James was sidelined with a foot injury for 27 games during the 2022-23 season, but he averaged 35.5 minutes per game over his 55 appearances. He played in 56 games during the 2021-22 campaign.
Ham noted that James’ longtime athletic trainer, Mike Mancias, was included in team’s conservations about trying to keep James in the 28- to 30-minute range for this season. James was “not surprised” about his workload on Tuesday.
LeBron James, #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers, looks toward the crowd during a timeout against the Denver Nuggets in the second half of the NBA Opening night game at Ball Arena on October 24, 2023, in Denver, Colorado.(Justin Tafoya/Getty Images)
Ham did hint that the number of minutes James plays this season is not set in stone.
“It’s going to be a day-by-day process, gauging how he’s feeling, get communication from him, our training staff, our medical staff,” Ham said.
Eight-time All-Star Anthony Davis finished the game with 17 points, but he struggled to score in the second half. Davis said the Nuggets changed their defensive approach in the second half.
“They started double-teaming,” Davis explained. “They were trying to crowd the paint. I missed some easy layups around the rim and little jumpers. Just trying to make the right play, give it up to our guys. If I’m doubled, kick it out. Rui [Hachimura] had an open 3, Gabe [Vincent] had open 3s. They just didn’t fall. But I got to shoot it more.”
Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
Asset manager Hashdex recently held a meeting with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission to address the regulator’s concerns about its application to allow the Hashdex Bitcoin Futures exchange-traded fund (ETF) to hold spot Bitcoin, a source familiar with the matter told Cointelegraph.
As per a memorandum released by the Division of Trading Markets, the meeting took place on Oct. 13, with six SEC officials and representatives of Hashdex, NYSE Arca, Tidal Financial Group and law firm K&L Gates in attendance.
In the meeting, Hashdex presented its mechanism allowing spot Bitcoin (BTC) to be traded and held in the ETF on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), which the Commodity Futures Trading Commission regulates.
Hashdex’s filing differs from other spot Bitcoin applications because it doesn’t have a surveillance-sharing agreement with crypto exchange Coinbase. Instead, Hashdex proposes to acquire spot BTC from physical exchanges within the CME market, thus making it entirely reliant on CME pricing for transactions, according to an SEC filing by NYSE Arca in late August.
A presentation shared with SEC officials during this month’s meeting shows that the strategy is also built on the commission’s Teucrium Order, which states that the Bitcoin futures market is sufficiently developed to support financial products seeking exposure to BTC.
As a next step, the SEC may ask for more information before the application’s first deadline on Nov. 17, according to the person with knowledge of the matter.
Screenshot of Hashdex’s presentation to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Source: SEC
Hashdex claims to have over $380 million in assets under management and 14 exchange-traded products (ETPs) across seven countries.
The SEC approved Hashdex’s Bitcoin Futures ETF in April 2022. The product has been listed on NYSE Arca since September last year. If the rule change is approved, the ETF will be able to hold spot Bitcoin as well.
Michigan State has found former head football coach Mel Tucker responsible for violating the university’s sexual harassment policy against Brenda Tracy, a prominent rape survivor and activist.
A 73-page report by a university hearing officer found that Tucker “sexually harassed and exploited Tracy” after masturbating and making sexual comments to her without consent during an April 2022 phone call, according to USA TODAY. Tucker had previously hired Tracy to speak to his football team about sexual violence prevention.
Tucker was also found to have made “unwanted sexual advances toward Tracy” prior to that April call as well as to have been engaged in quid pro quo sexual harassment afterward.
Brenda Tracy appears at an NCAA Pac-12 college football game between the Stanford Cardinal and the Utah Utes on October 6, 2018, at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, California. (David Madison/Getty Images)
Tucker’s account of the situation was that he and Tracy had been in a romantic relationship and had consensual phone sex. The report, which was shared by Tracy to USA TODAY, said that Tucker had a less-plausible account that wasn’t support by the evidence, compared to Tracy’s.
“In sum, considering all available evidence, the Resolution Officer finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, that there is sufficient evidence to conclude that Respondent subjected Claimant to unwelcome conduct based on sex when he FaceTime video called Claimant without a shirt on; when he attempted to meet up with Claimant alone following the Spring Game; and when he non-consensually masturbated and used graphic, sexual language on a phone call with Claimant,” the report concluded.
“My first reaction was tears of relief,” Tracy told USA TODAY.
Amanda Norris Ames, the Title IX attorney who served as the hearing officer in this case, noted Tucker having contradictory statements to the investigator, which made his account with Tracy hard to believe. Ames also stated that Tucker hadn’t provided witnesses to back his claim that he and Tracy had been involved romantically.
Michigan State announced in late September that Tucker had been officially fired for cause due to the sexual harassment case. The university said his contract had been terminated due to “admitted and undisputed behaviors which have brought public disrespect, contempt and ridicule upon the university; and constitute a material breach of his agreement, and moral turpitude.”
Tracy filed the complaint with Michigan State’s office of civil rights nine months earlier.
Head coach Mel Tucker of the Michigan State Spartans walks the tunnel prior to a game against the Richmond Spiders at Spartan Stadium on September 9, 2023, in East Lansing, Michigan.(Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
Tucker had an estimated $80 million remaining on his massive 10-year, $95 million contract extension he received to continue leading the Spartans’ program in November 2021.
An ESPN report stated that Tucker’s lawyers had sent a 106-page letter to Michigan State officials presenting evidence that Tracy “appears to have made a career out of misleading and manipulating people” earlier this month. The letter states that Tracy also manipulated a key witness and deleted key evidence.
A portion of the letter claims that Tracy had ulterior motives when she filed her complaint with Michigan State, one of which being financial gain.
“I’m filing a formal complaint with MSU,” Tracy wrote to her former assistant, according to partially redacted messages provided by Tucker’s attorneys. “… [My lawyer] said after that we can let him know that we want to come to an agreement then it doesn’t have to go to a hearing or anything unless he wants it to.”
Messages also included, “Money is my only recourse to make him feel like there is a punishment.”
Tucker’s attorney did not immediately answer Fox News Digital’s request for comment about the report.
There is a 10-day appeal process for Tucker, who can also submit new evidence if it wasn’t available for the hearing officer to review.
Michigan State coach Mel Tucker walks the sideline during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Richmond, Saturday, September 9, 2023, in East Lansing, Michigan.(AP Photo/Al Goldis, File)
The ticketing company Eventbrite notified Riley Gaines that she is prohibited from promoting her November 3 speech at the University of California, Davis on its website.
Eventbrite informed the institute in an email that the listing violates its terms of agreement.
“Hello,
We’re reaching out regarding your event listing, Protecting Women’s Sports with Riley Gaines,” the email began.
“We have determined that your event is not permitted on the Eventbrite marketplace as it violates our Community Guidelines and Terms of Service, with which all users agree to comply. Specifically, we do not allow content or events that – through on- or off-platform activity – discriminate against, harass, disparage, threaten, incite violence against, or otherwise target individuals or groups based on their actual or perceived race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, immigration status, gender identity, sexual orientation, veteran status, age, or disability. As a result, your event has been unpublished. Please be aware that severe or repeated violations of our guidelines may result in the suspension or termination of your Eventbrite account.
Please reply directly to this email if you have any further questions. We appreciate your understanding and thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Best,
Eventbrite Trust and Safety”
The leadership team at Eventbrite is steadfast that women should share their locker rooms with men who call themselves “women.”
A sign supporting The Protection Of Women And Girls In Sports Act outside the U.S. Capitol on April 20, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla)
Thus, groups are not allowed to support a traditional view of female athletics or to protest the advent of transgenderism on the site.
The company made that clear in July when it removed the page for “Let Women Speak Austin,” an event focused on protecting women’s sex-specific spaces like bathrooms.
Eventbrite called that listing a violation of its “hateful content” policy.
But what is allowed, and apparently not hateful, at Eventbrite is the advertising of rallies that spread the messaging from the terrorist group Hamas.
Today, Eventbrite users can sign up to attend an event on Nov. 1 called “Stop the Genocide! Free Palestine!” at The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in New York City.
A description for the event, uploaded to Eventbrite, carries the following telling of the events on Oct. 7:
“Early on Saturday, October 7th, Palestinian resistance fighters broke through Israel’s siege of Gaza. In response, Israel has declared total war against the people of Gaza, completely cutting off access to food, water, and electricity, while bombing the Strip and killing entire families. This attack on Gaza takes place after 75 years of settler-colonial violence conducted by the Israeli state. This panel will explore the historical context that led to the current moment, the dynamics currently at play, and the possibilities for building international solidarity for Palestinian liberation.”.
That is one way to describe how Hamas organized a coordinated offensive on southern Israel by massacring 260 civilians at a music festival, the largest one-day slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust:
Here is a look at the programmed radicals you can join using the Eventbrite website:
The site has also permitted the QMUL School of Law to advertise a similar rally called “Carnage in Palestine: Oppression, Complicity, and Ethical Responsibility” next month.
“Given Israel’s siege and bombardment of Gaza the question of challenging western academic complicity with Israeli institutions that are directly complicit in the crimes of apartheid and genocide is more critical than ever. This talk addresses the importance Palestinians have attached to non-violent forms of solidarity in their struggle for freedom, justice and equality,” reads the page.
You might wonder how Eventbrite could justify banning Riley Gaines’ event but allow the promotion of terrorist sympathizers.
We wondered the same. And if calling Hamas terrorists “resistance fighters” violates any of the policies the company says Gaines’ event would.
OutKick reached out to a public relations executive at Eventbrite to find out. We also contacted Julia Hartz, the CEO of the company.
Unfortunately, we have yet to hear back from either party. If we do, we will be sure to update this article.
In the meantime, Gaines provided the following response to OutKick:
“By allowing pro-terrorist and anti-Semitic groups to keep their scheduled events on the Eventbrite platform, but canceling events discussing the importance of ensuring the safety, fairness, and equal opportunities for women, Eventbrite has sent a clear message to all. Eventbrite is the epitome of organizations taking a stand against women and our basic human rights. If being pro-woman in women’s sports is deemed anti-trans, then being pro-trans in women’s sports is inherently anti-woman. And that is the stand Eventbrite has taken. The event at UC DAVIS is still going to take place next month. My speech will not be stifled.”
Riley Gaines gives a speech at Penn State.(Riley Gaines)
The difference is, of course, the anticipated response.
The transgender community is the most protected class in society. Trans people now sit firmly atop the Hierarchy of Victimhood.
Women sit somewhere above white men and Hispanics.
There is a profound level of sensitivity that surrounds the topic of transgenderism. That was made evident over the past 12 months.
A Gallup poll in June found that 69% of Americans believe transgender athletes should only be allowed to play on sports teams that match their birth gender. Yet so few of them are willing to say so publicly.
Most groups and individuals would rather pretend to support the movement to avoid the consequences that so clearly come with questioning it.
Eventbrite is no different. It hopes to show through its policies that it stands with trans, women be damned.
Riley Gaines advocates for women’s sports
The trans community has the support of those who control the message, and thus control the outrage: the media, politicians, lobbyists and entertainers.
This group of influencers unilaterally decided that trans inclusion would be on the right side of history, and female sports advocates like Riley Gaines would be on the wrong.
By comparison, the same influencers have not yet ruled on where it stands on antisemitism. In fact, early indications are they might side with Hamas.
Palestinian Hamas terrorists are seen during a military show in the Bani Suheila district on July 20, 2017 in Gaza City, Gaza.(Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
(Getty)
Already, Ivy League colleges, progressive politicians, and MSNBC have defended Hamas, primarily in the name of decolonization.
We can now add Eventbrite to that group.
There is, however, a silver lining in the brand’s disparate treatment of Gaines and the terrorists. As we argued in a column last week, it’s a positive that elite college campuses have come out in support of Hamas. By doing so, they have shown the country exactly who they are and where they stand.
It was an unmasking.
See, we don’t want terrorist sympathizers silenced. We want them heard, to where they expose themselves.
Eventbrite has exposed itself. The ticketing company informed us they value the feelings of Islamic nationalists over the feelings of women.
A company is petitioning former Ripple chief technology officer Stefan Thomas for a hard drive containing more than 7,000 Bitcoin (BTC) that he has been unable to access for years.
In an Oct. 25 open letter, crypto recovery firm Unciphered offered to unlock an IronKey hard drive belonging to Thomas containing 7,002 BTC — roughly $244 million at the time of publication. The former Ripple CTO forgot the information to access the drive, designed to erase its data if an individual enters the incorrect password ten times. So far, the German-born programmer has used eight out of his ten attempts.
According to Unciphered, its teams developed a method to crack the hardware and access the BTC keys safely stored for years. Technology magazine Wired reported on Oct. 25 that the company was able to access the data on a similar IronKey after “200 trillion tries” — seemingly bypassing the 10-attempt restriction on the drive.
“Though there are always caveats, this is not theoretical,” said Unciphered. “We can do it; we’ve done it many times before […] And we can do it again. You don’t have to take our word for it […] we would be happy to demonstrate it on as many samples in a row as it takes for you (and everyone) to feel confident before moving forward.”
Speaking to Cointelegraph, Unciphered CEO Eric Michaud said the company accessed the data in the IronKey from the Wired report by extracting some of the drive’s information and using offline servers, giving its team more than one bite at the apple at guessing the password. He declined to say what the firm would ask for in return from Thomas but added Unciphered had created a “sustainable business” helping people recover crypto.
“We’re prepared if Stefan doesn’t want to work with us, but we’re hopeful,” said Michaud. “We already have a business that is growing and we’ll be here when he’s ready.”
There are many highly publicized stories like Thomas’ involving recovery or users unable to locate their keys for one reason or another. In 2021, a Redditor claimed to have regained access to 127 BTC after more than ten years, finding the private keys on an old computer. In 2013, British national James Howells mistakenly discarded a hard drive containing roughly 7,500 BTC — he has made multiple attempts to locate and recover the drive in a landfill without success.
Estimates from 2022 suggested that users could have lost access to roughly 20% of Bitcoin’s supply. This amounted to billions of dollars worth of the cryptocurrency.
