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Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Warped internet creeps CELEBRATE murder of NYC exec mom in skyscraper massacre as they push Blackstone conspiracy theories
Warped internet creeps are celebrating the murder of a New York City mom and Blackstone executive who was gunned down in her lobby of her Manhattan office building. Wesley LePatner, 43, was killed along with three others when crazed shooter Shane Tamura stormed 345 Park Avenue on Monday. Tamura is believed to have been looking for the NFL offices which are headquartered in the building when he fatally shot married, mom-of-two LePatner as she was leaving work. The senior manager was killed along with expectant father-of-three NYPD officer Didarul Islam, security guard Aland Etienne, and Rudin Management associate Julia Hyma before Tamura then turned the gun on himself. Within hours of the massacre, social media was flooded with disturbing messages praising LePatner's death, describing it as 'cosmic justice' for her role in the housing market and branding her a symbol of corporate greed. As LePatner's sobbing children laid her to rest today, the torrent of twisted memes, messages and even fake eulogies continued to spring forth online. Many advanced conspiracy theories about Blackstone manipulating the housing market by buying up single-family homes and driving up rents. Several of the viral posts blasting LePatner's legacy also confused Blackstone with BlackRock, two separate financial companies that are often lumped together online by conspiracy theorists. Ashton Deroy, who identifies as a 'they/them' from Ontario, Canada, created an entire highlight reel on their Instagram dedicated to LePatner with the title 'Villain arch' where they incorrectly assert she worked for Blackrock. 'Like it or not. We the #Poor aren't fans of #Blackrock or #RealEstate #Wealth. It contributes to our #HousingBubble in how it's managed which means more #Homelessness. Again I repeat I am glad her #Wealthy family in #NewYork or somewhere in #USA has to mourn,' he wrote. In another video, Ashton delivered a mock eulogy. 'Wesley LePatner died in New York. Known for championing women - just not poor women… This is a warning shot,' the user said, tagging the post with #EatTheRich. In another post, they wrote: 'Wesley LePatner more proof #Death is not always tragic.' However they were not alone, with others joining on the sick trend. 'Just reiterating that the death of Wesley LePatner was cosmic justice for the massive amounts of sheer misery, life ruining in some cases, that she inflicted on thousands and thousands of people in the name of profit,' a post from one user read. 'The world is better off without her and I'm glad she's dead. And I sincerely wish nothing but the absolute worst of the worst for whatever soulless, inhuman monster they select to fill her corporate shoes.' 'Good. This b**** wreaked havoc on families trying to buy a home,' another Reddit user wrote. One user on X drew parallels between LePatner's murder and the assasination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was shot and killed in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, 2024. Thompson's death also sparked widespread celebrations by lunatics online. 'Wesley LePatner is dead because she extorted the working class. Brian Thompson is dead because he extorted the working class,' one post read. 'I hope the trend continues. Maybe we'll get the f**king message through.' Investigators believe that Tamura may have been targeting the NFL, as he left a note blaming football-induced Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) for his mental health problems. CTE is a degenerative neurological disease which has been linked to head trauma from impact in sports. LePatner, a Yale grad and mother of two, had spent nearly two decades rising through the ranks of the finance world. At Blackstone, she led a major real estate fund and was known internally as a mentor to other women in the male-dominated industry LePatner was also a board member at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the UJA-Federation of New York, the Abraham Joshua Heschel School, and Yale's Library Council. She also served on the Advisory Board of Governors for the National Association of Real Estate Investment Managers. LePatner was killed in the lobby as she tried to hide behind a pillar. She was on her way out to meet a friend for a drink when she was shot dead. On Wednesday, LePatner's husband Evan and her two children, Emerson and Jonathan, gathered in the city's Central Synagogue alongside her colleagues, friends, and family for her funeral. Blackstone President Jonathan Gray broke down in tears in a call with employees Tuesday morning as he remembered his colleague and friend. 'This is a person who was the source of so much good and light in the world, who herself was so accomplished, and yet was the highest integrity, most supportive colleague and friend,' McCarthy told the Wall Street Journal. 'It's so rare to have those things in combination.'
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
McDonald's Issues Official Response to Nationwide Boycott
After experiencing a drop in sales, one of the world's largest fast food restaurants is officially responding to an organized boycott of its business. McDonald's has issued a response to the national boycott organized led by The People's Union USA. The movement accuses the company of raising prices, "corporate greed" and a reluctance to adhere to previously established DEI measures. "As a brand that serves millions of people every day, McDonald's opens our doors to everyone, and our commitment to inclusion remains steadfast," the company said in a statement to Newsweek. The official boycott from The People's Union USA comes as McDonald's has seen a decline in sales in America over the last fiscal quarter. Same-store sales were down 3.6%, a drop the company attributes to "economic uncertainty" and "dampened consumer sentiment." The drop was the largest decline of its nature for McDonald's since the height of the pandemic in 2020. "Alongside our 2,000 local franchisees across the U.S., McDonald's provides meaningful work opportunities for over 800,000 restaurant crew, spends millions with local suppliers, and serves as an engine of economic opportunity for local communities," the company said in its statement. "The McDonald's System also generates billions in federal, state and local taxes annually, and we'll continue to pay our fair share." Earlier this year, McDonald's scaled back some of its DEI efforts after the Supreme Court's ruling on affirmative action. The company noted the "shifting legal landscape" and cited other companies taking similar action after the court's ruling. The changes ended specific diversity benchmarks required for senior leaders within the company, and ended efforts focused on increased representation and training among minorities. The People's Union USA has been joined in its official boycott by Black former franchisees who are suing McDonald's for alleged racial discrimination. The combined parties are requesting that the company "keep their promises, renew their commitment to the Black community, and finally do right by the Black owners and operators like us who deserved—but did not get—a fair shot at success." In response, McDonald's says that it is "disappointed" to learn of "misleading claims that distort our values and misrepresent our actions. Our focus remains on serving our customers and communities. We're here and ready to serve." The People's Union USA has called for further boycotts of more companies in the coming months for similar reasons, including Starbucks, Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart and Lowe's. McDonald's Issues Official Response to Nationwide Boycott first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 26, 2025
Entrepreneur
26-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
CEOs Aren't Rockstars. Stop Paying Them Like They Are
If a CEO can walk away richer while the company lays off thousands and loses money and value—what exactly are we rewarding? Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. There's a CEO I met once—let's just say the name was well known. What shocked me wasn't the private jet or the outrageous spending perks. It was the number: US$140 million. That was his annual pay package—in a year when the company lost money, its share price tumbled, and its market cap was less than US$300 million. Let that sink in. We live in a time when the average worker is being told to tighten their belt, accept layoffs, or "pivot" their skills. Meanwhile, the same executives who preside over declining revenue, shrinking market share, and mass firings, are cashing in 8-figure checks without a hint of shame or any accountability. The Numbers Are Obscene When I was younger, my grandfather would tell me: "If a man makes more than 100 times what the average employee makes, he's not a good leader." Today, CEOs are pulling in not 100 times, but sometimes 10,000 times the median employee pay. Yes, we have ESG reporting, Environmental, Social and Governance, where companies are required to disclose the CEO-to-median pay ratio. But disclosure without accountability is performative. The ratios are exposed—and ignored. The defenders of this system will say: "But the CEO creates value for shareholders!" I say, absolutely, but show me the KPIs. Show me the shareholder return. It should be proportional and we should never have a golden parachute for failure. If a CEO can walk away richer while the company lays off thousands and loses money and value—what exactly are we rewarding? Walk The Talk And Start With Yourself If you believe in risk and reward, and I do, then you should believe in earned rewards, not unearned windfalls. When I started the company, I made a simple rule: I'll take zero stock for myself, or what is called issued shares for executives, unless I create a value to everyone: employees and shareholders. And since inception for the past seven years, I haven't taken a single share from the company. My bonus is also linked to the performance of the firm, so when we had troubled years, I ensured I declared in public: zero bonus and zero shares for myself as the CEO, which is the opposite to what happens in the market. Additionally, I ensure to distribute all these shares to the employees of the firm. Why? So they feel empowered, own part of the company, and believe they are equally compensated for the value they bring. I simply link it to the performance of the firm. If the company makes money, everyone does too! I recall I gathered the top 40 managers of the company one year and told them they will all be millionaires as we will issue them shares that they can cash in as the company grows and they will surely pass the $1M$ mark. And guess what? That is exactly what happened, and why? Because I was able to give them that percentage from the stock pool that is usually kept for the CEO of a company. Sometimes the CEO takes a staggering 1/3 of that pool! Some people said what I did was silly, and that it would look like the board doesn't value the CEO. They said no one would care. And maybe they're right—externally, no one cared. But internally? Employees got rewarded, and that's what matters. Real Leadership Isn't About Extraction Let's stop pretending that a US$50 million bonus is what it takes to keep talent. If your CEO's only motivation to stay is money, you've got the wrong person in the job. Leadership is about accountability. Ownership. Vision. Not just cashing in stock options and delivering jargon-laced earnings calls. And don't get me started on the idea that these compensation packages are about "retention." What are we retaining? Someone who might otherwise go start a business? Great. Let them. The System Needs a Reset We need a hard cap—or at the very least, hard KPIs—on CEO compensation. Not some cooked metric that gets "massaged" into compliance. I'm talking real performance thresholds tied to real shareholder and employee value; something different so they can get highly compensated when everyone, and the company, does very well. Make executives rich off performance, not presence. If they hit the numbers, let them win big. If they don't, they walk away like everyone else—with nothing. Because right now, the richest people in the world aren't inventors. They're not founders. They're not even owners. They have obscenely negotiated contracts. And the rest are paying the bill. This isn't about being anti-capitalist. It's about capitalism with consequences. If you want to be paid like a genius, you better perform like one. And if the company crashes under your leadership, or even if the market condition is bad, you are a part of it too. We need to stop rewarding failure, start aligning incentives, and bring ethics back into executive pay. Otherwise, the only thing we're scaling is inequality—and the only thing we're disrupting is trust.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'The Minimum Wage In This Country Is Ridiculous,' Says Joe Rogan, Asks, 'How Do You Live Off $7?'
Comedian and podcaster Joe Rogan and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) spoke openly in their latest conversation on 'The Joe Rogan Experience,' diving deep into the realities of low wages, automation, corporate greed, and the future of human purpose in a tech-driven world. 'When it comes to labor, when it comes to minimum wage, I think you and I are in agreement,' Rogan told Sanders. "The minimum wage in this country is ridiculous," Rogan continued, echoing a frustration felt by millions of Americans about the low federal minimum wage. "It's insane," he said. "How do you live off $7?" Don't Miss: Invest early in CancerVax's breakthrough tech aiming to disrupt a $231B market. Back a bold new approach to cancer treatment with high-growth potential. Peter Thiel turned $1,700 into $5 billion—now accredited investors are eyeing this software company with similar breakout potential. Learn how you can invest with $1,000 at just $0.30/share. He referenced a viral video of someone buying a $25 sub and added, "Imagine you have to work three and a half hours just to pay for a sandwich. That's insane. How do you eat dinner, how do you eat lunch, how do you eat breakfast?" Sanders, a longtime advocate for wage reform, agreed. 'We are trying to raise the minimum wage to $17 an hour,' he said. 'It's going to be real difficult to live off of 17 bucks an hour, but at least you could get a sandwich in under two hours of work,' Rogan quipped. In a January Senate hearing, Sanders called the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 'shameful,' stating that millions of Americans are struggling to survive on what he called 'starvation wages.' Despite repeated attempts, Congress has failed to pass legislation to raise the federal minimum wage. Sanders continues to push for a federal standard, arguing that it's essential to protect all American workers. Trending: Maximize saving for your retirement and cut down on taxes: Schedule your free call with a financial advisor to start your financial journey – no cost, no obligation. The pair also discussed how technology has not resulted in better lives for workers. Sanders noted that real wages are actually lower now than they were 52 years ago, despite massive gains in productivity. Rogan agreed, saying it's now virtually impossible for one income to support a family. 'That's a giant issue,' he said. Both also warned about artificial intelligence and automation. 'There are signs advertising from AI companies saying 'Don't hire humans,'' Sanders said with Rogan adding, 'That's demonic.' Sanders proposed shortening the workweek to 32 hours without reducing pay. 'Instead of throwing you out on the street, I'm going to reduce your workweek,' he said. He argued that workers should share in the gains of technology. Rogan worried about meaning and purpose in an automated world. 'Even if people have universal basic income, they don't have meaning,' he said. Sanders agreed, saying, 'You want to be a productive member of society.'Sanders then emphasized the importance of health care as a human right with Rogan agreeing, 'Imagine if you were a diabetic and now you don't have access to insulin because you lost your job.' They criticized the food industry for selling addictive, harmful products. Rogan pointed out that companies sell healthier versions of the same products in Canada. 'They look kind of plain,' he joked, 'they don't have that bright pop to them that cancer gives you.' 'We are the wealthiest country in the history of the world,' Sanders said. 'With all of this artificial intelligence and robotics, we are going to be wealthier. We're not in the 1820s, where people had to work 100 hours a week to grow food to eat. You're not in the 1920s, you're in 2025. So, how do we utilize it to create a decent standard of living for all people?' Rogan agreed. 'If you really love America, you want more people to have a chance.' Read Next: The average American couple has saved this much money for retirement — How do you compare? Image: Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article 'The Minimum Wage In This Country Is Ridiculous,' Says Joe Rogan, Asks, 'How Do You Live Off $7?' originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
The Guardian
14-06-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Impose unlimited fines on unsafe-cladding firms, report says
Companies responsible for unsafe cladding should face unlimited fines and permanent bans from public contracts, according to a report that also says England's existing laws have not gone far enough to prevent future tragedies. The thinktank Common Wealth said the law fails to effectively hold companies to account for corporate negligence, leaving the door open for another disaster like the Grenfell fire, which killed 72 people in June 2017. The report's author, Leela Jadhav, said England was falling behind other countries which have stronger due diligence laws. 'The Grenfell Tower fire was a disaster caused by corporate greed, not an accident,' she said. 'Justice in real terms means sanctions, prosecutions and a more robust and enforceable accountability regime. Nearly a decade has passed – accountability is long overdue.' A police investigation into the blaze is ongoing but there have been no criminal prosecutions to date. In February, the government announced that seven companies linked to Grenfell would be investigated and face possible debarment from public contracts. The Grenfell inquiry, which concluded last year, found that 'systematic dishonesty' led the tower block to be clad in combustible material, and firms such as Arconic, Celotex and Kingspan 'manipulated the testing process, misrepresented data and misled the market'. The thinktank report says corporate manslaughter laws, which can lead to sanctions including unlimited fines, have a 'very high threshold for liability' meaning they are ineffective – there have only been 32 convictions since the law came into force in 2008. It called for civil and criminal penalties for Grenfell-level negligence, including unlimited fines, disqualification of directors for up to 30 years and permanent exclusion from public procurement. Under the new Procurement Act, firms can only be excluded from public contracts for five years. The report said financial penalties should be linked to a company's global turnover, with no fixed upper limit, to ensure 'meaningful deterrence'. 'A more effective approach might involve permanent debarment, an unlimited fine that amounts to significant disruption of corporate activities, disqualification of directors for 15 to 30 years, and a rebuttable presumption of life imprisonment,' the report stated. The Corporate Justice Coalition, a group of more than 40 civil society organisations, is campaigning for a law to legally force companies to put procedures in place to prevent human rights and environmental abuses. The 'business, human rights and environment act' would force companies to publish an annual plan of their due diligence procedures and their effectiveness, with senior managers liable to a civil penalty if they failed to do so. 'Without proper visibility into corporate behaviour, accountability becomes a game of catch-up,' Jadhav said, adding that the English legal system only kicks in after the damage is done. Grenfell United, which represents survivors and bereaved families from the fire, said it was 'a deep and bitter injustice' that many of the officials criticised in the public inquiry for their actions have continued working in related fields. The Common Wealth report said the threshold for individual accountability is very high and it is difficult to 'allocate sufficient blame' so people 'can be tried under the high threshold of criminal law'. A government spokesperson said: 'We are committed to ensuring that what happened at Grenfell is never forgotten, and to deliver the change needed so it can never happen again. 'We can now take tougher, broader action against supplier misconduct using the Procurement Act's debarment powers. By holding organisations to account, we will ensure our supply chains are secure and can deliver growth and renewal for working people through our Plan for Change.'
