South Korea mayor faces sexual misconduct allegations
By Elizabeth Shim
Oh Keo-don (R), South Korean mayor of Busan, resigned this week following allegations of sexual misconduct.
File Photo by Yonhap/EPA-EFE
(UPI) -- The mayor of South Korea's second-largest city may be confronting multiple allegations of sexual misconduct after he resigned Thursday.
Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don, a member of Seoul's ruling Democratic Party, is facing accusations of sexual harassment, and possibly assault, after a victim first came forward in early April, South Korea's MBC and Segye Ilbo reported Friday.
A second allegation now under police investigation dates back to October, when a female government worker appeared on a South Korean YouTube channel, claiming she had been sexually harassed.
The source had said she was paid hush money to keep quiet about Oh's misconduct during 2018 regional elections. Oh had also filed a $400,000 suit against the group that uploaded the YouTube confession, according to Segye Ilbo.
Oh at the time had described the interview as "fake news," that "even cows would find funny."
Oh's main accuser who came forward in April is currently under the protection of a rape crisis center in Busan. Her identity remains undisclosed.
"The victim is currently in a very painful and difficult situation," a source at the center said. "Only after the passage of time will she be able to decide on whether or not to pursue a lawsuit."
The rape crisis center also said the victim is suffering from trauma that "may prevent her from being able to work again."
On Thursday, Oh shed tears as he told reporters of his decision to resign.
"I made an unnecessary physical contact with the person during a short, five-minute meeting," he said while bowing deeply, according to The New York Times.
"I have realized that this could amount to sexual assault...Regardless of the severity of my act, I admit that it cannot be forgiven."
'He groomed us': Bellator champ and sister claim 'disgusting' coach offered schoolgirls cash for sex acts in campaign of abuse
Caution: graphic details below
Bellator flyweight champion Ilima Macfarlane has vowed that basketball coach Dwayne Yuen's "time is up" after filing against him for a string of sexual abuse offenses that she alleges she suffered at a private school in Hawaii.
The Honolulu-born fighter has claimed she abandoned her dreams of becoming a basketball professional and turned to wrestling because of Yuen's behavior, which is said to have started when she was a 12-year-old and included sending explicit photos of his penis, forcing the pair to touch his genitals and offering cash for sex acts, according to the lawsuit filed at Honolulu Circuit Court.
"I was in sixth grade and Mahina was a freshman when the sexual abuse and grooming started," Macfarlane told fans, describing Yuen's alleged actions at the school she had attended since kindergarten as "sexual assault in the first, second, third and fourth degree."
"My sister reported him to the school when it happened and they swept it under the rug. Punahou knew I was a victim and witness to my own sister’s abuse and didn’t even bother to check on me.
"As a result, we were retaliated against by him and the basketball program and had to see him every day, still allowed on campus around minors.
"I ended up losing my love for basketball, which was crazy. That’s what I wanted to do as a career. I wanted to play professional basketball in the WNBA."
Yuen, who was in his early 30s at the time, is said to have taken an "immediate and perverted" interest in Mahina, despite the teenager not even initially being on the team he was coaching.
An assistant for the Junior Varsity team before becoming head coach of the school's Intermediate team, Yuen is described as giving Mahina "special attention," including rides home from school alone after practice.
He is alleged to have bought her expensive gifts including shoes, clothes and a cellphone, becoming increasingly sexually flirtatious and offering her $1,000 for a "hand-job" and to watch him pleasure himself.
Despite Mahina apparently growing upset and asking to drop out of school, other coaches who were also allegedly sent photos by Yuen of his private parts are said to have described his behaviour as "Dwayne just being Dwayne."
Macfarlane is described as a "gym rat" in the documents, which suggest that her former coach showered her with presents, made and delivered her food and took requests for destinations while driving her around in his SUV vehicle with dark tint, which made her feel "cool."
He is alleged to have bought her a phone and plan, using it to text and call Macfarlane as part of a scheme that made her "fall in love" with him, including taking her to his house where he would fall asleep next to her, as well as sending her explicit photos and showing her crude pictures on campus.
Macfarlane says Yuen told her to "deny, deny, deny" any suspicions from others and caused her to have a nervous breakdown in school.
Their co-defendent has named "repulsive" sexual acts, "sexually explicit recitals" of acts involving toys and penetration and the sending of hundreds of "menacing sexual extortion messages" as part of her suit.
The alleged abuse took place in 2003 and 2004, and the sisters are said to have "courageously" asked the school to take action in 2004 and 2005, receiving no protection while Yuen was allowed to continue playing a key role in the campus basketball program.
They say that coaches and members of the school community called them "liars" and "sluts," ridiculed them and benched them as a result of their claims.
Macfarlane graduated from Punahou in 2009 and began her stellar MMA career five years later, swiftly signing for Bellator as part of a rise that has required a toughness which she feels may have prevented her from talking publicly about her school days.
"I never really shared my own story," she said. "I have to be strong. I’m a professional fighter. I can’t show any vulnerability. To be honest, I was in denial and didn’t want to admit that it affected me as much as it did. I can’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he infiltrated my thoughts, relationships and life even 15 years later. But here we are. The time is now."
In a statement released to Hawaii News Now, the school said it was "deeply troubled" by the reports and that an investigation was underway with the aim of achieving "resolution and healing." “In no uncertain terms, Punahou stands with survivors of sexual abuse everywhere, and we respect the courage it takes to report these incidents,” the statement read.
Macfarlane insisted that the school had been negligent. "My sister and I tried our best to move on with our lives until [the allegations] resurfaced in 2018 when more victims came forward," she said. "Punahou claimed they were doing an internal investigation but again didn’t contact me and refused to share the results of the 'investigation' with my sister.
"Disgustingly, we found out that he’s still coaching and teaching minor girls. So here we are now, 15 years later seeking justice together. "He can’t get away with this anymore. Dwayne Yuen, your time is up."
Macfarlane, 30, is a hero on her home island, where an annual day in her honor takes place in September. Known as 'The Ilimanator', she is unbeaten in 11 pro MMA outings, last defeating Kate Jackson via unanimous decision in December.
Bellator fighter Leah McCourt, UFC middleweight Puna Soriano and former US presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard were among those to offer their support following her announcement on social media.
Yuen did not reply to a request for comment, ESPN reported.
Ex-NFL star Telvin Smith arrested after
'paying 17-y/o girl $100 for sex'
'paying 17-y/o girl $100 for sex'
A SWAT team has raided the home of 29-year-old Telvin Smith, a former linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars, as he was arrested on charges of unlawful sexual activity with minors, according to reports in the US.
Smith’s Florida home was raided on Wednesday as he was taken into custody and held on $50,000 bail. Police records say the arrest pertains to offenaes that allegedly occurred on the last day of August last year at a residence.
Officials say they have a raft of evidence against Smith, including voice recordings and DNA to prove his guilt over the accusations that he offered an underage girl $200 for sex.
Smith was taken from his house in the late afternoon and transferred to Duval County Jail. The alleged victim has spoken of the incident and said that she used the money given to her by Smith in order to buy contraception - and that there was a further incident later that year in which he picked her up in his Cadillac Escalade, where they again allegedly had sex.
The SWAT team that combed through Smith’s house arrived with guns drawn as they believed someone was armed at the property, though that later proved not to be the case.
The Jaguars released a statement on the matter, saying: “The Jaguars are aware of the report involving former linebacker Telvin Smith. The club is unable to comment further on this ongoing investigation.”
Florida has somewhat different laws when it comes to the age of consent, and in the state anyone who is aged 24 or above can be charged with a second degree felony if found to have engaged in sexual activity with someone aged 16 or 17.
Smith had his car towed last November in what is believed to be a similar investigation, although charges were not brought on that occasion.
Harvard math professor put on administrative leave after report of ties to pedophile Jeffrey Epstein
The disgraced billionaire pedophile gave $6.5 million to the professor's research center
Photo: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images
CARLOS GARCIAThe Blaze
A report of the ties between Harvard University and deceased billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein has led to a math professor being placed on administrative leave.
The report was ordered by Harvard's president and found troubling access given to Epstein at the behest of Martin Nowak, a director of the Program for Evolutionary Dynamics. Epstein gave $6.5 million to help establish the research center in 2003.
According to the Associated Press, the report found that Epstein was allowed to have an office at the office of the program by Nowak, who bent the security rules to give Epstein unfettered access.
Nowak said that the office belonged to Epstein "in name only," but the report found differing accounts from others in the program.
Officials put Nowak on leave on Friday while their investigation into his behavior continued.
"We do not take this step lightly, but the seriousness of the matter leads us to believe it is not appropriate for Professor Nowak to continue in his role," said Claudine Gay, a Harvard dean.
The report found that other faculty members travelled with Epstein and even visited in jail.
The accusations against Epstein gained new life in 2019 as more women went to the press and told their stories of sexual assault by the politically connected billionaire.
He was found dead in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 after what appeared to be a suicide. The highly charged circumstances of his death led to many conspiracy theories relating to the powerful people that he might have been able to implicate in his crimes had he continued to live.
'Professor lockdown' Ferguson resigns after violating quarantine he designed to meet married lover
'Professor lockdown' Ferguson resigns after violating quarantine he designed to meet married lover
Imperial College Professor Neil Ferguson © Wikipedia / Marshaj2020
Professor Neil Ferguson, author of apocalyptic coronavirus models, has resigned from his position as adviser to 10 Downing Street after revelations that he violated quarantine himself to meet with a married lover.
Following Ferguson’s resignation on Tuesday night, the Daily Telegraph made it public that the man known as ‘Professor Lockdown’ had allowed a married mother with whom he was having an affair to visit him at least twice during the quarantine. The woman was identified as Antonia Staats, 38.
The Telegraph✔
@Telegraph
🔴 Prof Ferguson allowed the woman to visit him at home during the lockdown while lecturing the public on the need for strict social distancinghttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/05/05/exclusive-government-scientist-neil-ferguson-resigns-breaking/?
Exclusive: Government scientist Neil Ferguson resigns after breaking lockdown rules to meet his...
Prof Ferguson allowed the woman to visit him at home during the lockdown while lecturing the public on the need for strict social distancing
"I accept I made an error of judgment and took the wrong course of action,” Ferguson told the Telegraph, confirming that he has resigned from the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE). He maintained the need for the continued lockdown, however.
“I deeply regret any undermining of the clear messages around the continued need for social distancing to control this devastating epidemic. The government guidance is unequivocal, and is there to protect all of us,” he said.
Ferguson’s team at Imperial College London is behind the computer model that predicted more than half a million Britons would die from the virus unless the country was locked down, a view which eventually prevailed over the ‘herd immunity’ approach initially floated by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
With Johnson himself contracting the virus and being sidelined for weeks, the government has continued to follow Ferguson’s recommendations, repeating the mantra “Stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives” for seven weeks now.
The UK has just crossed the threshold of 30,000 deaths attributed to the coronavirus, outpacing the previously hardest-hit European countries such as Italy and Spain.
More than 9,000 people in England and Wales have been fined for breaches of the lockdown over the past seven weeks – one every five minutes, according to the Telegraph – while a senior Scottish medical official had to resign after being caught visiting her second home in defiance of government orders.
Following Ferguson’s prescriptions, the UK government allows people to leave their homes only for daily exercise, essential food shopping, medical emergencies, and specific kinds of work.
The professor’s prior claim to fame was the 1990s model predicting up to 50,000 deaths from the human form of bovine foot-and-mouth disease, which led to a mass culling of animals in 2001, wrecking the British food industry and inflicting an estimated £10 billion loss to the economy.
'I felt so ashamed and blamed myself': WWE icon Nikki Bella reveals harrowing details of double rape as teenager
Harrowing excerpts from WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella's memoir reveal she was sexually assaulted on two separate occasions, both while she was in her teens.
Californian Bella has released her memoir 'Incomparable' - penned with twin sister Brie - and it contains some truly shocking revelations about the WWE wrestler’s upbringing, including two accounts of when she was subject to sexual assault by older men.
And while she kept details of the attacks secret, they unfortunately had a lasting effect, coloring her relationships for many years afterwards.
"When that happened to me, I immediately just felt so ashamed and blamed myself, and that's what made me want to keep it such a secret,” she writes.
“And keeping that a secret and blaming myself, I started to lose my confidence. I started to disrespect myself. And then the relationships I got into at a young age, I let other people disrespect me and felt like, that's okay, this is what I deserved.”
Bella, who went on to appear in WWE spin-off reality show 'Total Bellas' was in a relationship with fellow WWE legend John Cena for six years, and she credits him with having a very positive impact on her, helping her to ‘respect herself.’ She’s now engaged to Dancing with the Stars’ Artem Chigvintsev.
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French league football star arrested for 'masturbating in public' on same day he signed bumper new contract
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| El Melali (right) |
Angers winger Farid El Melali was detained by police after neighbors saw him indecently exposing himself while looking through a woman’s window.
Algerian Ligue 1 player El Melali, 22, was taken into police custody on Monday night after shocked neighbors said they witnessed him masturbating in the courtyard of his apartment block - on the same day he signed a lucrative contract extension with his club until 2023.
El Melali told police that his attitude was inappropriate, and that he thought he was alone in the courtyard of the complex, located in the center of Angers.
Although his lawyer Sandra Chirak Kollarik said that the player “was not targeting anyone and was not aggressive towards anyone,” El Melali immediately admitted his guilt and was released in the early hours of the morning, French media report.
Kollarik is expected to say in mitigation that El Melali didn’t think the female neighbor could see what he was doing.
Incredibly, police sources say that it isn’t the first time the player has been reported for exactly this kind of offense, however the witness wasn’t able to 'positively identify him' after an alleged incident last month.
He is likely to face a fine this time around, but while his club have confirmed his arrest, they haven’t announced if they will take further disciplinary measures against him, instead saying they will “wait for the decision.”
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