Latest news with #Venezuelan-American
Cision Canada
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Cision Canada
Global Music Group KATSEYE Enters Toca Boca World™ as the First-Ever Guest Characters in a Music-Fueled Collaboration Launching June 10
"We want Toca Boca players to feel like they can boldly and unapologetically be themselves," says Emil Ovemar, co-founder of Toca Boca and Head of Play. "This collaboration is all about finding your people, owning your style, and having fun while doing it. Toca Boca and KATSEYE come together in a fun mix of culture, music, and entertainment—bringing our global communities even closer through shared values of inclusivity and self-expression." The six members of KATSEYE are: Daniela (Cuban/Venezuelan-American, from Atlanta, GA), Lara (Indian, from New York, NY), Manon (Ghanaian-Italian, from Zurich, Switzerland), Megan (Chinese-American, from Honolulu, HI), Sophia (Manila, Philippines), and Yoonchae (Seoul, South Korea). Each member's diverse background, iconic charm, style and talent will be relatable to Toca Boca's fans and players. "Our fans have been a part of our journey since our creation and now our EYEKONS can come together in Toca Boca World to experience KATSEYE through playful self-expression, exploring our music all while celebrating their own uniqueness and style," said KATSEYE. A celebration of cultural diversity and individuality, KATSEYE will bring their international flair to the Toca Boca universe where creativity is prioritized, and everyone is welcome to be whoever they want to be. Players worldwide can connect with the KATSEYE members through activations that include: KATSEYE Guest Characters – For the first time ever, Toca Boca World will introduce 'guest characters' reflecting the KATSEYE group members as Toca Boca World characters. Each representation is uniquely designed to highlight their larger-than-life personas and unique personalities – from their hairstyles to facial details like Lara's bindi and Daniela's birthmark. A Voxella Festival TM Stage Takeover – The KATSEYE guest characters will descend on the Voxella Festival stage, arriving one at a time, and once united, unlocking the first KATSEYE song. Music Player – A custom-skinned music player will play four KATSEYE songs including the hugely popular single "Touch" which has over 100 million streams on Spotify, "Debut", "I'm Pretty" and a soon to be released new single that will be added to the player July 2. Style Pack – We're inviting players to unlock their power with the KATSEYE Style Pack. Included are twelve outfits inspired by KATSEYE's dynamic style both on- and offstage, each member's distinct hairstyle and accessories featuring their unique charms. Free Gifts – A free gift event will deliver KATSEYE-inspired digital gifts to fans including a fan outfit, dance rehearsal bag, tumbler, poster and each girl's unique charms complete with magic jewelry box all delivered in branded gift-wrapping paper. "This collaboration with KATSEYE is about more than just music and culture; it's about empowerment," said Mathilda Engman, Head of Creative & Brand at Toca Boca."This is an invitation to shine boldly, inspiring fans to connect through style and storytelling. Players can not only see KATSEYE in Toca Boca World, but also be a part of the magic together with them." The limited-time collaboration will debut on June 10 th and run through August 26 th. For Toca Boca, this initiative reinforces the studio's investment in music and catering to the ever-evolving needs of kids and tweens, where identity development and self-expression are fundamental. About Toca Boca Toca Boca was founded in 2011 with a simple mission – to create playful, safe spaces where kids can have fun and feel free to be themselves. Solo or social, kid, tween or teen. Today, more than 60+ million kids from all over the world play Toca Boca's games every month and. That's right. Every. Single. Month. Toca Boca games have now been downloaded over 1 billion times worldwide. The studio's award-winning app, Toca Boca World, is its biggest game to date. It's an ever-evolving world where kids are in total control. Toca Boca is based in Stockholm, and owned by Spin Master Corp., a leading global children's entertainment company. For more information, visit About Spin Master Spin Master Corp. (TSX: TOY) is a leading global children's entertainment company, creating exceptional play experiences through its three creative centres: Toys, Entertainment and Digital Games. With distribution in over 100 countries, Spin Master is best known for award-winning brands PAW Patrol®, Hatchimals®, Bakugan®, Kinetic Sand®, Air Hogs®, Melissa & Doug®, Rubik's® Cube and GUND®, and is the global toy licensee for other popular properties. Spin Master Entertainment creates and produces compelling multiplatform content, through its in-house studio and partnerships with outside creators, including the preschool franchise PAW Patrol, and numerous other original shows, short-form series and feature films. The Company has an established presence in digital games, anchored by the Toca Boca® and Sago Mini® brands, offering open-ended and creative game and educational play in digital environments. Through Spin Master Ventures, the Company makes minority investments globally in emerging companies and start-ups. With 29 offices spanning nearly 20 countries, Spin Master employs close to 3,000 team members globally. For more information, visit or @SpinMaster on LinkedIn and Instagram. SOURCE Spin Master Corp.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New restaurants serve smoked BBQ baked potatoes, brick-oven pizzas, handcrafted soups
New restaurants recently opened feature smoked barbecue baked potatoes, brick-oven pizzas, handcrafted soups and homemade biscuits. In case you missed any of the stories for subscribers that TCPalm previously posted throughout the past month about new restaurants — as well as those coming soon — here's a roundup with links. Click "read the full story" for the name, location, hours, photos, menu highlights, signature dishes and more information about the restaurants, especially exclusive interviews with chefs and owners. If you have restaurant news, please email A new brunch restaurant has opened with a breakfast menu featuring savory eggs Benedict, old-fashioned buttermilk pancakes, waffles, omelets and healthy options. Its lunch menu includes over a dozen sandwich and wrap options, fresh and vegetable-filled salads and homemade soups. A new Venezuelan-American cafe has opened in a unique location: inside a car dealership. It's the second location for the owners, who are from Caracas, Venezuela. The menu includes empanadas, pastries, sandwiches and desserts. A new restaurant specializes in handcrafted soups and homemade biscuits. It serves a rotating selection of handcrafted soups, such as hearty corn chowder and California marinade vegetable beef soup, as well as "sides you crave" — including cheddar garlic buttermilk biscuits. Read the full story. A new brewery and restaurant with craft beer and cocktails has opened. It's the second location of the brewery after opening their first location in Yaphank, Long Island, New York. The Port St. Lucie location is the same concept with a similar menu, a full bar, craft-style beers, brick-oven pizzas and TVs with seating outside. Read the full story. An authentic Italian pizzeria named after focaccia bread has opened. The new restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and offers free delivery. The menu features specialty pizzas, as well as pizza in "teglia," or pizza in the pan, and appetizers, salads, calzones, strombolis, cold and hot subs and desserts. A barbecue taphouse with a full bar and live music has opened. It serves smoked baked potato, homemade chili and Frito pie, and it features weekly chef's specials, such as jalapeno poppers, BBQ egg rolls, and 'Tipsy Texan' and 'Sloppy Hog' sandwiches. Brewery changes: Sailfish Brewing Co. in Fort Pierce adds craft liquor, cocktails New indoor adventure park: Ride go-karts, play arcade games, plus bowling, glow mini golf 15 best beaches in Vero Beach: Jaycee Park, South Beach, Round Island, Sebastian Inlet Port St. Lucie's first craft brewery is becoming an English soccer pub and brewery. It plans to serve food imported from England that includes Scotch eggs, sausage rolls, fish and chips, bangers and mash, and steak and kidney pies. Even bags of potato chips — 'crisps' — are imported with flavors that include tomato ketchup, pickled onion and prawn cocktail. Laurie K. Blandford is TCPalm's entertainment reporter dedicated to finding the best things to do on the Treasure Coast. Email her at Sign up for her What To Do in 772 weekly newsletter at This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: New restaurants recently opened Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce Vero Beach
Miami Herald
27-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Miami man pleads guilty to stealing millions from Venezuelans for wedding at French chateau
A Miami businessman who stole millions of dollars from hundreds of investors — spending some of the money on a luxurious wedding at a chateau in France — faces about eight years in prison at his sentencing in August after pleading guilty to a wire-fraud conspiracy. Efrain Betancourt Jr., a dual citizen of the United States and Colombia, obtained about $66 million from more than 600 Venezuelan-American investors in the Miami area that he churned through his payday loan company, Sky Group USA, over a five-year period, according to a plea agreement filed last week. Of that total, his company made about $12.2 million in consumer loans, but he and other employees spent the rest of the investors' money on operating costs, sales agent commissions and personal expenses, according to a factual statement filed with the plea agreement. Betancourt, 36, who was born in Venezuela and grew up in the Miami area, pocketed more than $6.5 million that he spent on his French Riviera wedding as well Caribbean vacations, expensive jewelry, a private plane and a luxury high-rise condo on Biscayne Boulevard, the statement said. Betancourt, the former Sky Group CEO, will likely be ordered by U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles to pay a forfeiture of $8.3 million as part of his sentencing, a higher loss figure that includes additional credit card expenses, according to federal prosecutor Roger Cruz. He plans to dismiss six wire fraud counts in Betancourt's indictment at his sentencing. Betancourt has been in federal custody since his arrest last November by FBI agents at Miami International Airport, after Cruz argued he was a flight risk to Latin America or the United Arab Emirates. Betancourt, represented by defense attorney Sam Rabin, cut his plea deal in Miami federal court last Wednesday — about three years after he and his company reached a civil settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission. SEC lawyers accused him of using his payday loan business to swindle investors, and a federal judge ordered him and his company to pay back more than $39 million. 'Ponzi scheme' But since the settlement agreement that he and Sky Group struck with the SEC, Bentacourt's investors have received nothing for their losses, according to authorities. Both the SEC and federal prosecutors accused Betancourt of operating a 'Ponzi scheme' that began in 2016 by selling promissory notes to investors with promises of double- and triple-digit annual returns. Some investors were paid back in part, but most were not, leaving a huge debt after Sky Group imploded during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Betancourt's scheme collapsed when countless borrowers defaulted on their payday loans during the pandemic. His company, Sky Group, incurred a severe cash-flow problem and was unable to make interest payments on investors' promissory notes. 'Never paid a dime' A Miami lawyer representing three investors who won civil arbitration cases against Betancourt said he brought the investment scheme to the SEC's attention five years ago. 'He never paid a dime to resolve the claims,' attorney Richard Diaz told the Miami Herald. 'My clients and I are looking forward to personally attending his sentencing to express to the judge the gravity of his greed and fraud, which economically devastated, not just hurt, many families.' Cruz, the prosecutor, wrote in court papers that 'millions of dollars in fraudulent proceeds directly obtained by this defendant have disappeared, were funneled by him to his wife and other family members, and have otherwise been transferred oversees.' Buys luxury condo at Epic: feds According to the SEC, Betancourt misappropriated investors' money for his personal use, including costs associated with buying a $1.5 million condominium at Epic Residences on Biscayne Boulevard and for service on his personal Piper airplane. Betancourt was also accused of transferring at least another $3.6 million to friends and family, including his ex-wife, Angelica Betancourt, and to EEB Capital Group LLC for 'no apparent legitimate business purpose,' SEC officials said. That company's bank accounts were controlled by Efrain Betancourt and his current wife, Leidy Badillo. In a SEC settlement in 2022, EEB Capital agreed to pay $2.2 million toward the judgment against Sky Group and Efrain Betancourt. Angelica Betancourt argued that she only earned an annual salary of $60,000 from the payday loan company, according to court records. But in 2022, she also agreed to pay about $1.1 million toward the judgment against Sky Group and her ex-husband..
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Supreme Court ruling on TPS stuns South Florida, leaves Venezuelan families in fear
A U.S Supreme Court ruling that allows the Trump administration to strip deportation protections and work permits from hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans — including many in South Florida, home to an estimated 175,000 people from the South American country — sent shock waves throughout the greater Miami region and across the Sunshine State on Monday. 'That the U.S. would terminate the protections for Venezuelans now, when nothing has improved back home, is just unbelievable,' said Betsy Diaz, a Venezuelan-American in Hialeah whose two daughters, five grandchildren and several other relatives will lose the protections. In a two-paragraph order, the nation's highest court on Monday granted an emergency request from the White House to roll back a lower court judge's order that kept in place Temporary Protected Status for about 350,000 Venezuelans. READ MORE: Justice Jackson, who grew up in Miami, opposed allowing Trump to deport Venezuelans with TPS Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans could now be at risk being sent back to a homeland deep in the throes of political repression and economic collapse. Many TPS holders came to the U.S. to flee life-threatening dangers in Venezuela, including government persecution. The impact in Florida will be particularly acute: Of all 350,000 TPS holders living in the state, the Congressional Research Service estimates that about 225,000 are Venezuelan. 'This administration and their cruel choices disregard any basic humanity we are seeking for,' said Cecilia González Herrera, a Venezuelan TPS holder from Kissimmee and one of the individual plaintiffs in the case. 'Returning to Venezuela is not safe at all.' The Orlando area is home to an estimated 66,000 Venezuelans. For the loved ones of TPS beneficiaries, the Supreme Court decision ignites fear of family separations and the loss of livelihoods. When it moved to revoke the TPS protections in February, the Department of Homeland Security said Venezuela had seen 'notable' improvements in economy, public health and crime. But Diaz, the Hialeah grandmother, pointed to a recent State Department travel advisory that warned Americans to not travel there because of the high risk of wrongful detention, torture, terrorism and kidnapping, as well as crime, civil unrest, and the country's poor health infrastructure. 'And yet they're eliminating TPS for Venezuelans?' she asked. 'It doesn't make any sense.' Marisol Silva, 64, and her husband came to Doral in 2021 to reunite with their daughter, a journalist. She had fled Venezuela years before them because the country's government had persecuted her because of her work. She feared facing the same fate as several of her colleagues, imprisoned for reporting on the country's humanitarian crisis. Silva and her husband will keep their work permits through a pending immigration process, but she's deeply worried about losing deportation protections through TPS. Still, she holds out hope that there will be other pathways to stay. 'I still believe there will be other legal avenues for our community,' said Silva. Another group of 300,000 Venezuelans have protections under a separate 2021 designation that is set to run out in September. The Trump administration has not yet officially eliminated the protections, but will almost certainly move to do so in the coming year. Other Venezuelan community leaders in South Florida also expressed dismay following Monday's ruling. Even if the courts ultimately uphold TPS for Venezuela, it won't make much of a difference for those who are deported while litigation is pending because the high court lifted the lower court judge's order. Adelys Ferro, a Miami-based immigration activist whose organization, the Venezuelan American Caucus, is part of the lawsuit, told reporters on Monday it was a very difficult day for the Venezuelan community. 'The fight is not over. The fight does not stop. The fight is barely starting,' said Ferro. 'This is everyone's home. Especially those who cannot return to Venezuela under any concept.' José Antonio Colina, founder of VEPPEX, a nonprofit of politically persecuted Venezuelans who now live in exile, told the Miami Herald the decision is 'totally disastrous' and 'a tragedy.' He said hundreds of thousands of people would now be at risk of being sent to a country run by a government that routinely violates human rights and tortures its citizens. 'Sending those people with TPS back to Venezuela is condemning them to death,' said Colina. He also said that Venezuelans with TPS should consult immigration attorneys to explore ways they may have to stay in the U.S. legally. However, Colina said he worries about Venezuelans who felt secure in the U.S. and spoke out against the Nicolas Maduro regime. 'No one can ensure their safety,' he said. Colina and other activists said the Venezuelan government could target deportees for their social media postings under a recently approved law that establishes penalties such as up to 30 years in prison and disqualification from holding public office for those who support sanctions on the country imposed by other nations. 'Nothing good awaits them,' said Helene Villalonga, president of a Doral-based human rights group, adding that returned Venezuelans would face 'fierce persecution.' From Doral, home to the largest concentration of Venezuelans in the U.S., where more than 40% of residents are Venezuelan and a third are U.S. citizens who influence local elections, only lukewarm statements have emerged from city officials in response to the Supreme Court's decision. Rafael Pineyro, the only Venezuelan American council member in Doral, said in a statement he received the news of the Supreme Court's decision 'with a somber heart.' 'I deeply empathize with the immense stress, fear, and uncertainty this ruling brings to many in our community,' Pineyro said. 'Venezuela remains in a state of political and economic collapse. Every day, innocent people are unjustly imprisoned, tortured, and silenced for daring to stand up to a regime that continues to violate basic human rights.' Read more: A delicate balance: Why Doral GOP pols fight for Venezuelans, but avoid clash with Trump Maureen Porras, the vice mayor of Doral, said the decision would 'likely lead to more confusion' as the case continues through the courts. 'The final decision on termination is still being litigated. Venezuelans are living in limbo, enduring uncertainty and a back and forth from the different courts. I think it's important to provide stability and keep the status quo until a final decision is made,' said Porras. Doral's mayor Christi Fraga called for 'calm and reassurance.' The recent response from Doral city officials to the Supreme Court decision stands in sharp contrast to their own statements made just two months earlier. In March, the same three officials warned that ending TPS would lead to an economic collapse for the city. Read more: Venezuelans fight back against TPS termination, battling for right to stay in the U.S. Venezuelans are a significant demographic in Florida. Over 44% of all residents of Venezuelan origin in the United States live in the state — many of them in South Florida. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, home to the largest Venezuelan community in the U.S., said she was 'heartbroken' for the families who followed the legal process and now face deportation to a brutal dictatorship. 'We continue to stand with those seeking protection from oppression and persecution,' Levine Cava said in a statement in X. Read more: 'It's painful.' Venezuelans torn over Trump as his deportation agenda disrupts lives Federal lawmakers from South Florida also came out in support of TPS for Venezuela on Monday. U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, a Trump supporter from Miami who has positioned herself as a champion for Venezuelans and others fleeing Latin American dictatorships, said in a statement she was 'deeply disappointed' with the high court's decision. She also said she would ask Trump to grant another form of deportation protection, known as Deferred Enforcement Departure, or DED. She is also requesting the protections for over half-a-million beneficiaries from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Haitia of a Biden-era parole program the Trump administration has also moved to end. Trump had previously granted deferred enforcement departure to some Venezuelans during his last term. At the time, he said that the Maduro government was 'responsible for the worst humanitarian crisis in the Western Hemisphere in recent memory.' U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Democrat from Weston, home to many Venezuelans, condemned the Supreme Court ruling. Along with Salazar and others, she has co-sponsored bipartisan legislation to restore and redesignate Venezuela's Temporary Protected Status. 'Venezuelan TPS holders fled the Maduro regime and built lives in America. They sought refuge in America from his oppression and tyranny,' said Wasserman. 'This atrocious decision allows Trump to deport non-criminals back to this murderous dictator.'
NZ Herald
20-05-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
US top court allows lifting of legal protections for Venezuelans
A federal judge in California put a temporary stay in March on the Trump administration's plans to end TPS for Venezuelan nationals. US District Judge Edward Chen said the plan to end TPS 'smacks of racism' and mischaracterises Venezuelans as criminals. 'Acting on the basis of a negative group stereotype and generalising such stereotype to the entire group is the classic example of racism,' Chen wrote Solicitor General John Sauer filed an emergency application with the conservative-majority Supreme Court asking it to stay the judge's order. Reacting to the Supreme Court's decision on Tuesday, Venezuelan-American activist Adelys Ferro blasted 'a xenophobic, discriminatory, racist attack, coordinated for more than a year against a community whose only sin was to run away from a criminal dictatorship'. She pointed to the US State Department's continued Level 4 safety advisory for Venezuela – its highest warning against travel to the country. ' The Trump administration is basically becoming our tormentor, at least of the most vulnerable,' Ferro told AFP by phone. Trump campaigned for President promising to deport millions of undocumented migrants and a number of his executive orders around immigration have encountered pushback from judges across the country – including the Supreme Court. The President lashed out at the Supreme Court last week after it blocked his bid to resume deportations of alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua using an obscure wartime law, the 1798 Alien Enemies Act (AEA). 'The Supreme Court of the United States is not allowing me to do what I was elected to do,' he said. 'This is a bad and dangerous day for America!' In a 7-2 decision, the Supreme Court, which includes three justices nominated by Trump, said the alleged Tren de Aragua members were not being given enough time to legally contest their removal. Trump invoked the AEA, which was last used to round up Japanese-American citizens during World War II, on March 15 and flew two planeloads of alleged TdA members to El Salvador's notorious maximum security CECOT prison. Since taking office, Trump has sent troops to the Mexican border, imposed tariffs on Mexico and Canada for allegedly not doing enough to stop illegal crossings, and designated gangs like TdA and MS-13 as terrorist groups.
