Latest news with #KPNX
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
Influencer Emilie Kiser's husband could face felony child abuse charge in drowning death of son
Influencer Emilie Kiser's husband could face a charge of felony child abuse in the drowning death of their 3-year-old son Trigg in a backyard pool in Arizona. The Chandler Police Department said in a Tuesday post on X that it had completed its investigation into Trigg's May 18 death and "following a thorough review of the evidence, investigators have recommended a Class 4 felony charge of child abuse against Brady Kiser." The case has been submitted to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for review. Police and the Maricopa County Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Trigg died six days after he was found unconscious in a backyard pool. NBC affiliate KPNX of Phoenix reported that the drowning occurred at Kiser's home, and Trigg was hospitalized in critical condition until his death. Brady Kiser told police that he was distracted by the couple's infant son when Trigg went outside to play, according to a search warrant affidavit obtained by KPNX. He said he lost sight of Trigg for a few minutes and then went outside to check on him, and that's when he found the boy unconscious in the pool. Brady Kiser, who said his wife was out with friends at the time, called 911. Emilie Kiser, who has built millions of followers across TikTok and Instagram with mom and wife content, has not publicly commented on the death of her son. In May, she filed a lawsuit against multiple Maricopa County public offices to keep records of her son's death private. A judge temporarily blocked the release of records last month. Her attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. This article was originally published on
NBC News
7 days ago
- NBC News
Influencer Emilie Kiser's husband could face felony child abuse charge in drowning death of son
Influencer Emilie Kiser's husband could face a charge of felony child abuse in the drowning death of their 3-year-old son Trigg in a backyard pool in Arizona. The Chandler Police Department said in a Tuesday post on X that it had completed its investigation into Trigg's May 18 death and "following a thorough review of the evidence, investigators have recommended a Class 4 felony charge of child abuse against Brady Kiser." The case has been submitted to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for review. Police and the Maricopa County Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Trigg died six days after he was found unconscious in a backyard pool. NBC affiliate KPNX of Phoenix reported that the drowning occurred at Kiser's home, and Trigg was hospitalized in critical condition until his death. Brady Kiser told police that he was distracted by the couple's infant son when Trigg went outside to play, according to a search warrant affidavit obtained by KPNX. He said he lost sight of Trigg for a few minutes and then went outside to check on him, and that's when he found the boy unconscious in the pool. Brady Kiser, who said his wife was out with friends at the time, called 911. Emilie Kiser, who has built millions of followers across TikTok and Instagram with mom and wife content, has not publicly commented on the death of her son. In May, she filed a lawsuit against multiple Maricopa County public offices to keep records of her son's death private. A judge temporarily blocked the release of records last month.
New York Post
23-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Ex-TV news anchor Stephanie Hockridge convicted in massive scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID relief funds
Stephanie Hockridge, a former Phoenix news anchor turned fintech entrepreneur, has been convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a federal case involving hundreds of millions of dollars in COVID relief funds. A jury in the Northern District of Texas found Hockridge guilty on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She was acquitted on four additional counts of wire fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 10. Hockridge's conviction was announced on Friday. Advertisement 6 Stephanie Hockridge is a former television news anchor who worked in Phoenix. Facebook / Stephanie Hockridge 6 Hockridge was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Facebook / Stephanie Hockridge According to federal prosecutors and investigative reports, Hockridge and her husband, Nathan Reis, fraudulently obtained over $300,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for themselves, including one application that falsely claimed he was a veteran and an African American. Advertisement The couple's Scottsdale-based fintech firm, Blueacorn, which they co-founded in 2020, processed over $12.5 billion in PPP loans — with somewhere between $250 million and $300 million going to the company's ownership — including Hockridge. Blueacorn received over $1 billion in taxpayer-funded processing fees for facilitating PPP loans but spent less than 1% ($8.6 million) on fraud prevention and only $13.7 million on eligibility verification, according to a congressional investigation. 6 Hockridge and her husband, Nathan Reis, are alleged to have fraudulently obtained hundreds of millions of dollars in PPP loans. KPNX The PPP was an $800 billion federal loan initiative launched in 2020 to help small businesses keep workers employed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Advertisement It was part of a broader effort — including grants, tax credits, and emergency loans — aimed at stabilizing the US economy and preventing mass business closures and layoffs. Investigators alleged that the couple used the proceeds to enrich themselves personally. Congress said it obtained a video created by Reis and Hockridge showing off large amounts of cash in a bar on Dec. 21, 2021. According to public records, Reis relocated to San Juan, Puerto Rico, which has no capital gains tax, following his work at Blueacorn. An Oct. 8, 2021, video obtained by congressional staffers which was geolocated to San Juan showed Hockridge and Reis on the balcony of a luxury beachfront apartment. Advertisement According to a congressional report, Blueacorn routinely failed to properly vet applicants and charged illegal 'success fees' to borrowers — violating Small Business Administration rules. 6 The couple is alleged to have pocketed anywhere between $250 million and $300 million in profit as a result of the scheme. Facebook / Stephanie Hockridge The congressional report detailed how Blueacorn's leadership instructed staff to prioritize speed over accuracy. Internal messages showed reviewers were told to 'push through' questionable applications, ignore red flags, and skip identity checks unless fraud was 'extremely obvious.' Some staff processed hundreds of loans with no training — sometimes within 30 seconds each. 6 Reis is alleged to have fraudulently obtained loans by claiming he was black. Facebook / Stephanie Hockridge The subcommittee also uncovered the existence of a 'VIPPP' program that allowed high-dollar clients to bypass standard review protocols. Founders dismissed smaller loan applicants with phrases like 'delete them,' 'who f–king cares' and 'they go elsewhere.' Hockridge, 42, was once a familiar face in Arizona households. She spent seven years as an anchor at KNXV-TV, the ABC affiliate in Phoenix, and had previously worked as a reporter for CBS News Radio in London. She was nominated for an Emmy and named 'Favorite Newscaster' by Arizona Foothills Magazine. Advertisement Reis is scheduled to stand trial in August 2025 on related charges. Prosecutors allege he played a lead role in directing the company's operations and handling its financial distributions. 6 Hockridge spent seven years anchoring the news at KNXV-TV in Phoenix. Facebook / Stephanie Hockridge Hockridge's conviction marks one of the highest-profile PPP fraud cases to date involving a public figure. Fraud related to COVID-19 relief programs was unprecedented in US history, with losses estimated in the hundreds of billions — possibly up to $1 trillion. Advertisement The PPP, Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and unemployment insurance programs were especially vulnerable — with watchdogs reporting widespread misuse, insider abuse and systemic failures in fraud prevention. The Post has sought comment from Hockridge and Reis.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
TikTok influencer sues to keep records about her son's death private
TikTok influencer Emilie Kiser is suing Arizona officials to keep records about her 3-year-old son's death private. Earlier this month, Kiser's eldest son, Trigg, died several days after he was found unconscious in a backyard pool at the family's home in Chandler, about a 30-minute drive southeast of Phoenix, according to local reports. Kiser shares her life as a mom on TikTok where she has four million followers. On Tuesday, Kiser filed a lawsuit against Arizona officials, arguing the disclosure of records related to her son's death 'causes renewed trauma to surviving family members and violates their right to grieve privately.' Kiser 'is going through a parent's worst nightmare right now' after the 'heartbreaking accidental drowning' of her son earlier this month, according to the suit. The toddler died in hospital six days after he was found in the pool, KPNX reported. 'Emilie is trying her best to be there for her surviving son…but every day is a battle,' the lawsuit said. Kiser and husband, Brady, welcomed their second son, Theodore, in March. Since Trigg's death, more than 100 public records requests have been filed with the city of Chandler and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office. "Emilie and her family desperately want to grieve in private, but sadly, the public will not let them. Trigg's death has become a media frenzy,' the suit read. While the suit does acknowledge Arizona's Public Records Law, which gives the public the right to view records maintained by public offices, 'this right of access is not absolute.' Kiser's lawyers argue Arizona law also, 'recognizes that family members have a compelling privacy interest in preventing the disclosure of graphic materials related to a loved one's injuries or death.' Kiser has not posted on TikTok since May 12. The suit names several Arizona public offices, including the city of Chandler, the Chandler Police Department, the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner and the Arizona Department of Health Services. Jason Berry, director of communications for Maricopa County, told NBC News on Thursday, 'When Maricopa County learned the family was pursuing a court order to prevent the release of these records, the Office of the Medical Examiner worked with the family to place a seal on the record.' Berry said court proceedings will determine if the records related to Trigg's death will be permanently sealed.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Influencer Emilie Kiser files lawsuit to keep details of 3-year-old son's death private
Arizona influencer Emilie Kiser filed a lawsuit Tuesday against multiple Maricopa County public offices to keep records of her 3-year-old son's death private. Trigg Kiser was pronounced dead on May 18, six days after he was pulled unconscious from a backyard pool, according to the Chandler Police Department. He was hospitalized in critical condition until his death, NBC affiliate KPNX of Phoenix reported. Emilie Kiser — the 26-year-old influencer who built a TikTok following of 3.4 million for her mom-and-wife lifestyle content — filed the suit over privacy concerns. Kiser also has a 2-month-old son, Theodore, with husband Brady Kiser. "Emilie and her family desperately want to grieve in private, but sadly, the public will not let them," the suit read. "Trigg's death has become a media frenzy." More than 100 public records requests have been filed with the city of Chandler and Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office since Trigg's death, which was accidental, according to the lawsuit. Kiser has not reviewed any of the records requested, including the police report, security camera footage, body camera footage or autopsy reports, the suit stated, nor does she intend to. Authorities found a 3-year-old unconscious and being pulled out of a pool when they responded to the drowning call in Chandler, about 20 miles southeast of Phoenix, on May 12, KPNX reported. The Chandler Fire Department previously told KPNX that police officers were the first to arrive and began CPR until firefighters arrived. The lawsuit cites Arizona law recognizing that family members have a compelling privacy interest related to the death of a loved one. "Disclosure of graphic or intimate death-related records causes renewed trauma to surviving family members and violates their right to grieve privately," the suit reads. A number of municipal offices were named as defendants in the suit, including the city of Chandler, the Chandler Police Department and Maricopa County. "When Maricopa County learned the family was pursuing a court order to prevent the release of these records, the Office of the Medical Examiner worked with the family to place a seal on the record," Jason Berry, director of communications for Maricopa County, told NBC News on Thursday. Spokespeople for the city of Chandler and Chandler Police Department told NBC News on Thursday the offices do not comment on pending litigation. Kiser's lawyers did not immediately respond to NBC News' requests for comment. Kiser has not posted on social media since May 12. This article was originally published on
