Latest news with #Piston
USA Today
03-07-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Former Pistons guard Malik Beasley paid barber, dentist $60,000 after lawsuit
Malik Beasley is having an offseason to forget. The former Detroit Pistons guard is under federal investigation for gambling and information regarding Beasley's finances have come to light in the immediate aftermath. Beasley was in serious talks with the team to finalize a three-year, $42 million contract, according to ESPN's Shams Charania, but that deal is now on hold. Beasley is coming off a one-year, $6 million deal with the Pistons. It leaves the free agent's NBA future up in the air, but brought something else into focus – Beasley's financial struggles. Court records obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network, showed that Beasley paid a barbershop and dentist more than $60,000 on July 2 after both businesses sued him last September for not repaying loans. According to the records, the former Piston paid Rekar Jaff of Cairo Cuts, a Milwaukee area barbershop, $26,826.76. Hassan Alshehabi, a dentist at Delicate Smiles LLC on Silver Spring Drive, received $34,389.70. Beasley's wages were garnished by the Pistons to help pay back some of the debts. The Bucks and Jaff declined the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's requests for comment, while Alshehabi and Beasley's attorney, Steve Haney, were not immediately available for comment. Records show that the guard was lent money from both businesses in 2024, when Beasley played for the Milwaukee Bucks. Cairo Cuts lent Beasley $15,000 on March 23, 2024. On April 2, Cairo Cuts lent Beasley $1,000 and on April 3 lent him another $4,000. On April 11, Beasley provided a "loan agreement and promissory note" of $30,000 to Delicate Smiles, and the company provided a $20,000 advance to Beasley. Then on April 24, Delicate Smiles gave a $10,000 advance to Beasley. On April 30, Cairo Cuts lent Beasley $1,000. The next day, Cairo Cuts lent Beasley $9,000, and he gave the company another loan agreement and promissory note for $30,000. Then on May 3, Delicate Smiles lent Beasley $1,000, followed by $2,000 on May 8 and $3,000 on May 12. It comes on the heels of a report by the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, that Beasley was sued in June by Paperclip Properties, a Detroit property manager, for non-payment of rent. Hazan Sports Management Group, Beasley's former agency, is another group that has a legal matter with the player. The agency sued him in April for breach of contract, saying Beasley did not pay back a $650,000 advance, instead sending "little more than drips and drabs of sporadic payments and vague promises to repay the balance over time." Beasley was previously suspended for 12 games by the league in 2021 for felony gun charges that also resulted in jail time. The former Piston became the most recent NBA player involved in a gambling-related investigation. In January 2025, it was revealed that the Miami Heat's Terry Rozier was being looked at for a series of curious bets placed on him during a March 2023 game when he played for the Charlotte Hornets. Rozier was cleared of any wrongdoing in relation to the matter. Former Toronto Raptors' forward Jontay Porter was handed a lifetime ban from the league after he was discovered to be making prop bets on himself. He also revealed crucial information to bettors while also changing his level of play depending on the wagers. For now, Beasley's attorney is adamant about maintaining his client's innocence – pointing out that he hasn't been charged with anything yet. Haney, Beasley's attorney, said in a statement to ESPN: "An investigation is not a charge. Malik is afforded the same right of the presumption of innocence as anyone else under the U.S. Constitution. As of now he has not been charged with anything.' The investigation remains ongoing.
Entrepreneur
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Entrepreneur
Piston Raises $6.1 Million to Modernize Fleet Fuel Payments and Expand Network
Currently, Piston serves over 120 fleets across 800 stations, processing more than $20 million in annualized volume and growing by 50 per cent month over month You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Piston, a startup aiming to overhaul how commercial fleets and gas stations handle fuel payments, has raised $6.1 million in seed funding led by Spark Capital, with participation from Pear VC and BOND. This round brings the total raised by the Cupertino and Lehi-based company to $7.5 million, following a $1.4 million pre-seed round through the PearX accelerator. According to a press release issued by the company, the capital will be used to scale operations and grow its network of fleet and gas station partners. Founded by former fleet operators Vikram Sekhon and Shivam Shah, Piston has developed a cardless payments platform designed to eliminate long-standing issues in the fuel ecosystem, including rampant card fraud and inflated retail pricing. Drivers make payments via a secure QR code generated by the Piston app, which ties each transaction to a specific vehicle, time, location, and fuel type. On the other end, gas stations plug directly into Piston's infrastructure, gaining access to real-time data and commercial customers without installing new hardware or relying on intermediaries. "Fuel was our second-largest expense after payroll, and the most chaotic to manage," said Vikram Sekhon, co-founder and CEO. "We tried every solution on the market when we ran our own fleets, and none of them worked. So we decided to build one ourselves from scratch without the baggage of legacy card networks." Currently, Piston serves over 120 fleets across 800 stations, processing more than $20 million in annualized volume and growing by 50 per cent month over month. For the 90 per cent of U.S. gas stations that are franchise-owned, Piston offers a direct path to commercial business. The company also has a growing presence in India. Its Kolkata office, launched in April 2023 with five people, now supports over 25 team members, including the entire engineering team. "Being from Kolkata and having lived and worked here for many years gave me the insight and conviction that we can build a world-class payments product from here," said co-founder Shivam Shah. "Piston isn't just replacing the fleet card, it's redefining the economics of commercial fuel payments," said Arpan Shah of Spark Capital. Shravan Reddy of Pear VC added, "They identified a huge problem impacting an underserved market, and we believe there is enormous opportunity." For fleet operators like Saga Kapital Group, the impact has been immediate. "We've lowered our fuel spend by double digits and cut reconciliation from two days to two clicks," said company president Ash Kapoor.
Entrepreneur
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Entrepreneur
Piston Raises USD 7.5 Million to Expand Cardless Fuel Payment Infrastructure for Fleets
The startup plans to use the funding to expand its engineering, operations, and go-to-market teams, as well as grow its network of fleet and gas station partners You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Piston, a payments platform designed for commercial fleet fuel transactions, has raised USD 7.5 million in total funding. The latest USD 6.1 million seed round was led by Spark Capital, with participation from Pear VC and BOND, following an earlier USD 1.4 million pre-seed round through the PearX accelerator. The startup, founded by former fleet operators Vikram Sekhon and Shivam Shah, operates a cardless fuel payment system that allows fleet drivers to pay at gas stations using app-generated QR codes. Each transaction is tied to specific data points such as vehicle ID, location, fuel type, and time, in an effort to improve traceability and reduce fraud. The system is aimed at replacing conventional fleet card systems, which are often criticised for high fees and limited control. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Piston also maintains a significant engineering and operations team in Kolkata, India, where the company has grown from five to over 25 employees since April 2024. The startup plans to use the funding to expand its engineering, operations, and go-to-market teams, as well as grow its network of fleet and gas station partners. According to company-provided figures, Piston is currently used by over 120 fleet operators across 800 gas stations, processing more than USD 20 million in annualised transaction volume. The company claims month-on-month volume growth of 50 per cent. Piston's model also offers independent gas stations. Many of which operate under franchise agreements, direct access to commercial fleet demand without needing to install new hardware. The platform is designed to work without integration with existing point-of-sale systems.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Spirit of Detroit jersey takes a stand against gun violence
He's dressed up as a Tiger, a Red Wing, a Piston and a Lion. But on Friday, June 6, the hulking Spirit of Detroit — the famous Marshall Fredericks bronze statue — got a new outfit to tout a different cause: putting an end to gun violence. Organizers credit Dr. Lawrence Diebel, a Detroit trauma specialist, for coming up with the idea to place an orange jersey on the Spirit of Detroit as a symbol. After years of treating gunshot victims in the city's emergency rooms, Diebel raised funds for the jersey from the public and other local physicians, fed up with the constant traumatic injuries they treat, according to a news release. 'Holding our End Gun Violence event at the foot of the Spirit of Detroit statue is a fitting location to symbolize our unity. The jersey is a symbol of what we've lost, the urgency of the moment, and a celebration of progress,' Diebel said in a written statement. "Although statistics show reductions in the number of victims of gun violence, we still have a long way to go to eradicate this epidemic." New approach to domestic violence in Warren to help victims, hold suspects accountable Hosted by the City of Detroit ERG Wellbeing Committee, the event was followed by a 'Stop the Bleed' training on how to respond to severe bleeding emergencies before first responders arrive, as well as a Community Mental Health Resource table and a Memorial Table for reflection. The annual Silence the Violence event at Church of the Messiah is set for Saturday, June 7, at 10 a.m. and will include a community resource fair until 2 p.m. Events happening across the state during June can be found on End Gun Violence Michigan's website at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Spirit of Detroit dons new jersey calling for halt to gun violence
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Detroit Pistons Linked to Fan-Favorite Free Agent
The Detroit Pistons, around Cade Cunningham, are aiming to be a title frontrunner in a weak Eastern Conference as soon as next season. With the Cleveland Cavaliers suffering an early injury, the Boston Celtics devastated by Jayson Tatum's injury, and the New York Knicks having limited flexibility moving forward, being a frontrunner is not a crazy expectation. This summer, the Pistons will have to contend with Malik Beasley, Tim Haraway Jr., Paul Reed, Lindy Waters III, and Dennis Schroder all being free agents. Detroit will likely use its ample cap space to round out its roster, and adding a quality third-string center could be a priority. © Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images While Steven Adams is far from a star, he has positively impacted every team he has played for, and can provide minutes, rebounding, and defense off the bench. Advertisement Detroit wouldn't need much out of Adams, as he'd be the third big man in the rotation behind Duren and Stewart, but Adams is still a rebounding machine and a bigger body than any current Piston," wrote The Athletic's Hunter Patterson. "He would likely be an inexpensive signing, but he'd add to the experience the veterans on Detroit's roster bring. Adams showed he still has more basketball left in him against the Warriors, so he's worth at least considering." Adams averaged 3.9 points and, impressively, 5.6 rebounds for the Houston Rockets this season. He shined in the postseason despite losing in the first round to the Golden State Warriors, and the Pistons could use his veteran presence in a young frontcourt. Adams would slot into the depth chart behind Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, and based on his track record, would happily accept a lesser role in the name of team success. Check out the All Pistons homepage for more news, analysis, and must-read articles. Related: NBA Mock Trade Adds Star Scorer Next to Cade Cunningham on Detroit Pistons Related: Bill Simmons Suggests Detroit Pistons Trade for NBA Champion
