Latest news with #Aponte
Mint
7 days ago
- Business
- Mint
China's Cosco Eyes Veto Rights in Deal for Li Ka-shing's Ports
China's biggest shipping company is set to join the global consortium that's acquiring Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing's overseas ports, and is requesting a powerful role in the group in order to secure Beijing's blessing for the controversial deal, people familiar with the matter said. State-owned China Cosco Shipping Corp. is asking to have veto rights or equivalent powers in the entity taking over the 43 ports, including two strategically important ones along the Panama Canal, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing private matters. Cosco has argued such rights are necessary to block any decisions that are potentially harmful to China's interests, the people added. Li's CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd. and the original buyer group, which includes BlackRock Inc.'s Global Infrastructure Partners unit and Italian billionaire Gianluigi Aponte's Terminal Investment Ltd., have agreed that Cosco should have full informational access to the operation, the people said. But talks are still ongoing as to the powers that Cosco will have in the consortium and no final decisions have been made, they said. Read: Chinese Firms in Talks to Join Group for Li Ka-Shing's Ports A 145-day period for exclusive talks between CK Hutchison and the consortium is likely to lapse on July 27, and details of Cosco's role in the consortium could be settled by the end of September, some of them said. Cosco didn't respond to calls and a faxed request for comments. CK Hutchison and the Aponte family's MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co., which controls Terminal Investment, didn't respond to separate requests for comment. BlackRock declined to comment. Cosco's demands mark the latest twist for a deal that's become a proxy for US-China rivalry, after President Donald Trump painted the transaction as the return of Panama Canal to US influence. Chinese regulators have, for their part, vowed to investigate the transaction, and Li and his family have come under intense scrutiny and criticism. The Hong Kong tycoon's younger son Richard Li's talks to expand his insurance business into mainland China have stalled after the ports deal upset Beijing, Bloomberg reported earlier this month. That followed another Bloomberg report in March that China told its state-owned firms to hold off on any new collaboration with businesses linked to the Li family. The original structure of the buyer consortium was designed to give the Aponte family-controlled Terminal Investment ownership of all the ports except the two in Panama, whose control will go to the BlackRock unit. With assistance from Silla Brush. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Business Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
China's Cosco eyes veto rights in deal for Li Ka-shing's ports
[HONG KONG] China's biggest shipping company is set to join the global consortium that's acquiring Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing's overseas ports, and is requesting a powerful role in the group in order to secure Beijing's blessing for the controversial deal, sources familiar with the matter said. State-owned China Cosco Shipping is asking to have veto rights or equivalent powers in the entity taking over the 43 ports, including two strategically important ones along the Panama Canal, the sources said, asking not to be identified discussing private matters. Cosco has argued such rights are necessary to block any decisions that are potentially harmful to China's interests, the sources added. Li's CK Hutchison Holdings and the original buyer group, which includes BlackRock's Global Infrastructure Partners unit and Italian billionaire Gianluigi Aponte's Terminal Investment, have agreed that Cosco should have full informational access to the operation, the sources said. But talks are still ongoing as to the powers that Cosco will have in the consortium and no final decisions have been made, they said. A 145-day period for exclusive talks between CK Hutchison and the consortium is likely to lapse on Jul 27, and details of Cosco's role in the consortium could be settled by the end of September, some of them said. Cosco did not respond to calls and a faxed request for comments. CK Hutchison and the Aponte family's MSC Mediterranean Shipping, which controls Terminal Investment, did not respond to separate requests for comment. BlackRock declined to comment. Cosco's demands mark the latest twist for a deal that's become a proxy for US-China rivalry, after US President Donald Trump painted the transaction as the return of Panama Canal to US influence. Chinese regulators have, for their part, vowed to investigate the transaction, and Li and his family have come under intense scrutiny and criticism. The Hong Kong tycoon's younger son Richard Li's talks to expand his insurance business into mainland China have stalled after the ports deal upset Beijing, Bloomberg reported earlier this month. That followed another Bloomberg report in March that China told its state-owned firms to hold off on any new collaboration with businesses linked to the Li family. The original structure of the buyer consortium was designed to give the Aponte family-controlled Terminal Investment ownership of all the ports except the two in Panama, whose control will go to the BlackRock unit. BLOOMBERG
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bristol police searching for missing 16-year-old girl
BRISTOL, Conn. (WTNH) — Bristol police are seeking the public's help in locating 16-year-old Yomari Aponte, who hasn't been seen or heard from since Friday. Aponte is a Hispanic female who stands at five-feet-five-inches and weighs 120lbs. She has brown eyes, a light complexion and red-dyed hair. Her clothing description is unknown. According to police, Aponte left her house at 2:00 p.m. two days ago and has not contacted her family. Anyone who sees Aponte or knows her whereabouts must call the Bristol Police Department at 860-584-3011. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Tow truck driver arrested in St. Pete crash that killed 2, injured boy
A tow truck driver has been arrested on vehicular homicide charges in connection with an October crash in St. Petersburg that killed two adults and seriously injured a 9-year-old boy. George Phillip Aponte, 45, of Clearwater, was arrested Tuesday in connection with the incident, which occurred Oct. 15 on 5th Avenue South near 20th Street South. The crash occurred about 5 p.m. that day as Aponte drove west on 5th Avenue South. His truck hit a Honda CR-V driven by Shakesha Desence, 35, who had been making a left onto 5th Avenue from 20th Street South, police said. Desence was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. Her passenger, Dilean Desence, 72, died at the scene. His 9-year-old grandson, who was also a passenger in the vehicle, was taken to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital and was initially listed in critical condition. The boy was later released from the hospital but 'continues to mend from his injuries,' police said in a news release Tuesday announcing Aponte's arrest. Aponte is facing two charges of vehicular homicide and one count of reckless driving causing injury. He was being held at the Pinellas County Jail Tuesday; bail information was not yet available. An arrest affidavit also was not immediately available on Tuesday to provide details about what gave police probable cause to arrest Aponte. Records show Aponte has been cited at least nine times in Pinellas County since 2020. They include three citations for careless driving and two for driving 10 to 14 miles per hour over the speed limit. In January, about three months after the crash, St. Petersburg police cited Aponte for driving 55 mph in a 35-mph zone on Freemont Terrace South near 34th Street, records show. Aponte pleaded no contest in March and a judge ordered him to complete a driver improvement course within 60 days, which he failed to do, records show. Court records say Aponte was employed by A-1 Recovery at the time of the crash. A person who answered the phone at A-1 Recovery Tuesday said no one was available to speak with a reporter and provided the name of the company's attorney. The attorney did not immediately return a voicemail message.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Middletown man pleased guilty to Medicaid fraud
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH) — A Middletown man waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty Friday to offenses related to a Medicaid fraud scheme that defrauded the Connecticut out of more than $1.8 million. According to evidence and testimony, Ramon Apellaniz, also known as Kristopher Rockefeller or Kris, previously operated The Gemini Project, LLC ('Gemini'), a Newington-based business that offered counseling to patients with mental, behavioral, and emotional disorders. According to the State of Connecticut's public license database, Apellaniz is not a licensed provider. In 2020, Apellaniz was charged by the state with larceny, health care fraud, and identity theft offenses related to his providing services to numerous Medicaid beneficiaries as a non-licensed provider, and Gemini billing Medicaid for those services, or for services that were not rendered at all. Medicaid paid Gemini and Apellaniz $909,268 for the false claims. Apellaniz pleaded nolo contendere and, on April 17, 2024, was sentenced in Hartford Superior Court to eight years in prison, execution suspended after 15 months, and five years of parole. He was released from Department of Correction custody on November 19, 2024. Suhail Aponte was the sole principal and registered agent of Minds Cornerstone LLC, dba Minds Cornerstone Behavior Therapy Services ('Minds Cornerstone'), an Autism Specialist Group, which was registered with the State of Connecticut in June 2021. Aponte is also not a licensed provider. Although Apellaniz does not appear on any of Minds Cornerstone's Medicaid enrollment forms, had no ownership interest in the company, and had no signatory authority to any of its bank accounts, he conspired with Aponte and ran the company under a pseudonym, including while he was incarcerated. Beginning in approximately November 2021, Apellaniz and Aponte used Minds Cornerstone to defraud the Connecticut Medicaid Program by submitting fraudulent claims for applied behavior analysis ('ABA') services to children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder ('ASD'). The scheme involved billing for Medicaid for services purportedly rendered to patients when company payroll records indicate employees were not compensated for the associated services. Parents of patients and former employees of Minds Cornerstone confirmed many of those services did not occur. From Nov. 2021-Jan. 2025, Apellaniz and Aponte submitted or caused to be submitted to Medicaid fraudulent claims that resulted in a loss of approximately $1,876,617 to the Connecticut Department of Social Services. The investigation revealed that Apellaniz used some of the funds Minds Cornerstone received to pay a portion of the restitution he owes as a result of his state prosecution. From approximately May 2022-Nov. 2024, Aponte was also employed by the State of Connecticut in the Office of Policy and Management. Apellaniz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, which carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for August 15. Apellaniz has been detained since his arrest on Jan. 16, 2025. Aponte pleaded guilty to the same charge on April 30 and awaits sentencing. Apellaniz and Aponte have agreed to the forfeiture of approximately $469,000 in funds seized during the investigation, as well their interest in additional bank accounts and two parcels of land in Hartford. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
