Latest news with #Chen
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
After waiving Julie Vanloo, Valkyries talk about difficulty of ‘breaking up the family'
OAKLAND — The WNBA allots only 12 roster spots per team, and as some members of the Golden State Valkyries returned from EuroBasket this past week, the team announced that Julie Vanloo, Chloe Bibby and Bree Hall had been waived. While 'basketball is a business,' as guard Kate Martin put it, it doesn't mean the decisions were made without a heavy heart. 'It's heartache, it's painful,' said head coach Natalie Nakase. 'Breaking up the family, it's tough. It doesn't feel good. Even for myself, I know I signed up for this position, but how I feel, no one ever has been able to set me up for that. You know, you can warn me, I've leaned on my mentors, but how I personally felt about each and every one of them, it's literally like giving kids away.' Vanloo brought Belgium its second consecutive EuroBasket championship and was on her flight back to San Francisco when her release was announced. The news came as a shock to her, as it did for many who expected only players signed to fill the roster during EuroBasket would be waived. 'After traveling 18 hours back to the Bay, I missed the fan ceremony and the chance to share that special medal moment with my family and friends. I got back to San Fran as soon as I could,' Vanloo posted on Instagram. 'To hear 1 hour upon arrival: we have to waive you. Honestly, that stung. I understand it's business, but nothing prepares you for the loneliness that comes with getting cut.' Many of the Valkyries took to the comment section of Vanloo's post, leaving heart emojis and expressing their love for Vanloo. Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski commented with a broken heart emoji on the post. Nakase said she understood that this is an emotional time for the players who were waived — as it is for her and the Valkyries who remain on the team — and wants to give them space in the meantime. She plans to speak with the players who were waived 'when the time is right.' 'We know basketball is a business, and, you know, I trust our front office and I trust our coaching staff. People are going to be missed,' said Martin. 'Every single person who came in did exactly what they were supposed to do, everybody who was gone for EuroBasket basket, we missed dearly. And you know, I've grown great friendships with a lot of those players. And so the girls that got cut, got waived, we're gonna miss them dearly.' But as the Valkyries 'broke up the family,' the decision to waive Vanloo might mean an opportunity for newer additions to secure a spot on the roster. Kaitlyn Chen was a third-round draft pick for the Valkyries and was one of the players who were waived before the season. Chen was re-signed by Golden State to fill a temporary roster spot when players left for EuroBasket, playing over 20 minutes in three of her last four games. Chen scored her first double-digit game in the Valkyries' victory over the Chicago Sky. One key adjustment Chen has made since being back on the roster is her aggressiveness and confidence on the court, something she credits to discussions with the Valkyries' coaching staff and watching film. 'She worked out while she was gone, so that's a player who is a pro. She stayed ready when her name was called,' Nakase said about Chen. 'We went 5-2 with five of our players gone … so I'm definitely not not looking at (Chen's performance), if that makes sense.' Upon seeing who was waived, Chen's immediate reaction was 'a little bit of shock.' 'Well, I feel it's sad seeing people go. I was very close with Chloe and Bree,' Chen said. 'So that part was sad, but, I mean, I'm just happy and grateful to be able to be here and be a part of this team.' Valkyries roster reshuffling is likely not over — it has yet to be announced how the team will move forward with center Iliana Rupert, and the futures of Laeticia Amihere and Chen are not set in stone. For now, the only certainty is that the Valkyries have bid their farewells to Vanloo, Bibby and Hall. 'It's not always gonna be the same without them, but it's been pretty cool to see everybody who's come in and has stepped up and done their role and has done it seamlessly,' said Martin. 'But, yeah, you know, that's the name of the game. That's how the WNBA is, and they'll be missed, and I wish everybody nothing but the best in their future.'
San Francisco Chronicle
5 hours ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Court orders reinstatement of convictions of ex-Fox executive, marketing firm in FIFA bribery case
NEW YORK (AP) — A federal appeals court on Tuesday ordered reinstatement of the convictions of a former Fox executive and a South American sports media and marketing company in the FIFA bribery investigation. Hernan Lopez, the former CEO of Fox International Channels, was convicted by a jury in March 2023 along with the marketing company Full Play Group SA of one count each of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy related to the Copa Libertadores soccer tournament. Full Play was convicted of two additional counts each of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy related to World Cup qualifiers and friendlies and to the Copa America, the continent's national team championship. U.S. District Judge Pamela K. Chen, who presided over the trial in Brooklyn federal court, granted a motion for an acquittal in September 2023, citing a May 2023 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in cases involving Joseph Percoco, an aide to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and construction firm owner Louis Ciminelli. Chen wrote those decisions meant Lopez's conviction could not be sustained under the honest services fraud statute. The U.S. government then appealed. U.S. Senior Circuit Judge John M. Walker Jr. and U.S. Circuit Judges Beth Robinson and Sarah A. L. Merriam vacated Chen's decision and ordered her to reinstate the convictions and to conduct additional proceedings consistent with their opinion. Walker, writing for the panel, said 'the nature of defendants' conduct (bribery), coupled with the character of the relationship between the bribed officials and the organizations to whom they owed a duty of loyalty (employer-employee relationships), place the schemes presumptively within the scope of' the statute. They added: 'The foreign identity of certain organizations and officials does not remove the schemes from the ambit of' the statute, 'especially where, as here, relevant conduct occurred in the United States, for the benefit of United States-based executives and organizations (e.g., Lopez and Fox), and the victims were multinational organizations with global operations and significant ties to the United States.' The circuit judges said it was up to Chen to decide whether to grant a defense motion questioning whether the government's evidence was sufficient to prove a conspiracy to deceive the South American governing body CONMEBOL. 'The proceedings that resulted in Hernan's conviction were afflicted with numerous defects,' John Gleeson, a lawyer for Lopez, wrote in an email to The Associated Press. 'Today, the Court of Appeals ruled against us on one discrete legal issue — the same issue that we believe Judge Pamela Chen ruled on correctly when she acquitted our client after trial. We intend to seek review of that issue in the Supreme Court of the United States, and have no doubt that our client will eventually be fully vindicated.' Mayling C. Blanco and Michael Martinez, lawyers for Full Play, did not respond to emails from the AP seeking comment. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York had no comment. Dozens of people have pleaded guilty or been convicted after a U.S.-led investigation into FIFA and international soccer. The probe became public in 2015 when U.S. prosecutors accused the leaders of soccer federations of tarnishing the sport for nearly a quarter-century by taking $150 million in bribes and payoffs. 'Corruption in international soccer is not new,' the circuit court wrote. 'It was rampant for decades before the events at issue here.' ___
Fox Sports
5 hours ago
- Business
- Fox Sports
Court orders reinstatement of convictions of ex-Fox executive, marketing firm in FIFA bribery case
Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — A federal appeals court on Tuesday ordered reinstatement of the convictions of a former Fox executive and a South American sports media and marketing company in the FIFA bribery investigation. Hernan Lopez, the former CEO of Fox International Channels, was convicted by a jury in March 2023 along with the marketing company Full Play Group SA of one count each of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy related to the Copa Libertadores soccer tournament. Full Play was convicted of two additional counts each of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy related to World Cup qualifiers and friendlies and to the Copa America, the continent's national team championship. U.S. District Judge Pamela K. Chen, who presided over the trial in Brooklyn federal court, granted a motion for an acquittal in September 2023, citing a May 2023 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in cases involving Joseph Percoco, an aide to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and construction firm owner Louis Ciminelli. Chen wrote those decisions meant Lopez's conviction could not be sustained under the honest services fraud statute. The U.S. government then appealed. U.S. Senior Circuit Judge John M. Walker Jr. and U.S. Circuit Judges Beth Robinson and Sarah A. L. Merriam vacated Chen's decision and ordered her to reinstate the convictions and to conduct additional proceedings consistent with their opinion. Walker, writing for the panel, said 'the nature of defendants' conduct (bribery), coupled with the character of the relationship between the bribed officials and the organizations to whom they owed a duty of loyalty (employer-employee relationships), place the schemes presumptively within the scope of' the statute. They added: 'The foreign identity of certain organizations and officials does not remove the schemes from the ambit of' the statute, 'especially where, as here, relevant conduct occurred in the United States, for the benefit of United States-based executives and organizations (e.g., Lopez and Fox), and the victims were multinational organizations with global operations and significant ties to the United States.' The circuit judges said it was up to Chen to decide whether to grant a defense motion questioning whether the government's evidence was sufficient to prove a conspiracy to deceive the South American governing body CONMEBOL. 'The proceedings that resulted in Hernan's conviction were afflicted with numerous defects,' John Gleeson, a lawyer for Lopez, wrote in an email to The Associated Press. 'Today, the Court of Appeals ruled against us on one discrete legal issue — the same issue that we believe Judge Pamela Chen ruled on correctly when she acquitted our client after trial. We intend to seek review of that issue in the Supreme Court of the United States, and have no doubt that our client will eventually be fully vindicated.' Mayling C. Blanco and Michael Martinez, lawyers for Full Play, did not respond to emails from the AP seeking comment. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York had no comment. Dozens of people have pleaded guilty or been convicted after a U.S.-led investigation into FIFA and international soccer. The probe became public in 2015 when U.S. prosecutors accused the leaders of soccer federations of tarnishing the sport for nearly a quarter-century by taking $150 million in bribes and payoffs. 'Corruption in international soccer is not new,' the circuit court wrote. 'It was rampant for decades before the events at issue here.' Fox Corp., which split from a subsidiary of international channels during a restructuring in 2019, was not charged and has denied any involvement in the bribery scandal. ___ AP soccer: recommended
Winnipeg Free Press
5 hours ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Court orders reinstatement of convictions of ex-Fox executive, marketing firm in FIFA bribery case
NEW YORK (AP) — A federal appeals court on Tuesday ordered reinstatement of the convictions of a former Fox executive and a South American sports media and marketing company in the FIFA bribery investigation. Hernan Lopez, the former CEO of Fox International Channels, was convicted by a jury in March 2023 along with the marketing company Full Play Group SA of one count each of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy related to the Copa Libertadores soccer tournament. Full Play was convicted of two additional counts each of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy related to World Cup qualifiers and friendlies and to the Copa America, the continent's national team championship. U.S. District Judge Pamela K. Chen, who presided over the trial in Brooklyn federal court, granted a motion for an acquittal in September 2023, citing a May 2023 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in cases involving Joseph Percoco, an aide to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and construction firm owner Louis Ciminelli. Chen wrote those decisions meant Lopez's conviction could not be sustained under the honest services fraud statute. The U.S. government then appealed. U.S. Senior Circuit Judge John M. Walker Jr. and U.S. Circuit Judges Beth Robinson and Sarah A. L. Merriam vacated Chen's decision and ordered her to reinstate the convictions and to conduct additional proceedings consistent with their opinion. Walker, writing for the panel, said 'the nature of defendants' conduct (bribery), coupled with the character of the relationship between the bribed officials and the organizations to whom they owed a duty of loyalty (employer-employee relationships), place the schemes presumptively within the scope of' the statute. They added: 'The foreign identity of certain organizations and officials does not remove the schemes from the ambit of' the statute, 'especially where, as here, relevant conduct occurred in the United States, for the benefit of United States-based executives and organizations (e.g., Lopez and Fox), and the victims were multinational organizations with global operations and significant ties to the United States.' The circuit judges said it was up to Chen to decide whether to grant a defense motion questioning whether the government's evidence was sufficient to prove a conspiracy to deceive the South American governing body CONMEBOL. 'The proceedings that resulted in Hernan's conviction were afflicted with numerous defects,' John Gleeson, a lawyer for Lopez, wrote in an email to The Associated Press. 'Today, the Court of Appeals ruled against us on one discrete legal issue — the same issue that we believe Judge Pamela Chen ruled on correctly when she acquitted our client after trial. We intend to seek review of that issue in the Supreme Court of the United States, and have no doubt that our client will eventually be fully vindicated.' Mayling C. Blanco and Michael Martinez, lawyers for Full Play, did not respond to emails from the AP seeking comment. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York had no comment. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Dozens of people have pleaded guilty or been convicted after a U.S.-led investigation into FIFA and international soccer. The probe became public in 2015 when U.S. prosecutors accused the leaders of soccer federations of tarnishing the sport for nearly a quarter-century by taking $150 million in bribes and payoffs. 'Corruption in international soccer is not new,' the circuit court wrote. 'It was rampant for decades before the events at issue here.' Fox Corp., which split from a subsidiary of international channels during a restructuring in 2019, was not charged and has denied any involvement in the bribery scandal. ___ AP soccer:
The Sun
13 hours ago
- The Sun
Two Chinese nationals arrested in US for espionage
WASHINGTON: Two Chinese nationals have been arrested for espionage and for allegedly seeking to recruit members of the US Navy to serve as intelligence assets, the Justice Department said Tuesday. Yuance Chen, 38, and Liren Lai, 39, face charges of acting as agents of the Chinese government and a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted, the department said. Chen, a resident of Happy Valley, Oregon, and Lai, who arrived in Houston, Texas, in April on a tourist visa, were arrested by the FBI on Friday, it said. According to a criminal complaint, Chen and Lai carried out a number of intelligence activities in the United States on behalf of China's Ministry of State Security. The activities included paying cash for national security information and seeking to recruit members of the US Navy as potential assets of the Ministry of State Security. 'This case underscores the Chinese government's sustained and aggressive effort to infiltrate our military and undermine our national security from within,' Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. According to the criminal complaint, Lai recruited Chen, a legal permanent resident of the United States, to work for the Ministry of State Security in 2021. Asked about the case on Wednesday, China's foreign ministry said it 'opposed the hyping up of so-called Chinese spies'. 'We will also take necessary measures to safeguard the lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens', foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.
