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kaiijo · 2 years

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genshin impact law drama au

characters: diluc, ayato, gorou, heizou, albedo, itto, childe notes: gn! reader, reverse harem, spoilers for childe’s real name, all legal knowledge comes from ace attorney (so it’s not going to be accurate but it will be fun), follows some ace attorney plot, non-graphic mentions of murder and death, brief non-graphic mention of an attack, very unedited

you

you’re a rookie defense attorney. you work at ragnvindr & gunnhildr, the premier law firm for defense attorneys. jean gunnhildr, one of the partners at the firm, directly mentored you.

the first few weeks of your job are kind of slow. the cases that you receive are pretty minor, defending people accused of small crimes like petty theft. you weren’t complaining — it’s good experience no matter what, but you will say that you wouldn’t mind something more exciting.

you immediately regret wishing for that because it’s a week later that your other boss, diluc ragnvindr, comes storming into the office, saying that you’ve been summoned to the detention center, specifically requested by someone being held there. you don’t have time to ask diluc who it is or what their crime is before he’s hurrying to into his car and you’re driving to the detention center

a guard leads you to the defendant, who you’re shocked to see is jean’s younger sister, barbara, a renown and beloved pop star

she’s sobbing and beside herself and diluc finally tells you what barbara’s being accused of — murdering jean in her apartment

through her sobs, barbara insists that she didn’t do it and both you and diluc (well, more you because diluc’s not great at handling tears) assure her that you know she didn’t do it and that you’ll get to the bottom of it and jean will be given justice

diluc ragnvindr

your boss and the sole head of ragnvindr & gunnhildr now

when you first met diluc, you thought he was kind of cold and sort of uptight. he’d avoid your eyes in the break room and in the first few days of knowing him, he spoke all of ten words to you

things shifted when you were working on a case and lost track of time. most people were gone, including jean, who usually stayed later, but you saw diluc’s office was still light. you peeked your head in to find him poring over evidence, eyes flitting across the page frantically

“sir,” you said and diluc jumped. “sorry, i didn’t mean to startle you. is everything alright?”

“i’m fine,” he said.

“is that the livingstone case?” he confirm that it is and finally admits that he’s having a difficult time proving that your client is innocent. you sit down with him and the two of your work through the evidence until you hit a breakthrough at 2 am

diluc thanks you and drives you home, refusing to let you get on any public transportation that late. he brings you coffee the next morning, just the way you like it — you didn’t know that he had paid attention when you made it in the break room

you and diluc work together on clearing barbara’s name, going to the scene of the crime to investigate and find clues. you examine where jean’s body was found, the murder weapon, and other piece of evidence that help you build and strengthen your case

you and diluc work late into the nights on the case and something about toiling into the early morning hours brings you closer and closer

there’s one night, right in the middle of the case, where you’re both exhausted and drained and you both flop onto the couch in diluc’s office. you tell him you’ll close your eyes for a second and the next thing you know, you’re waking up an hour later with your head on his shoulder and his stacked atop yours. he stirs as well and springs back, apologizing profusely

the case takes five days of courtroom procedure, investigations, and interrogations until you finally uncover the true culprit: a businessman named pallad. jean had had documents that would reveal unsavory business practices, and pallad needed to swipe the documents in order to save himself from scandal. he had planned to break into the office and steal the documents, but jean and diluc’s workaholic spirits made it impossible to really find a viable time so he decided to invade jean’s apartment and look for documents there. she found him searching and he broke a vase over her head and framed barbara for her death

as pallad is hauled off and barbara gives you her thanks, diluc asks, “would you like to come to dinner with me?”

“as a date?” you ask teasingly and diluc sputters and scoffs and turns bright red at the suggestion

“no—! not that i wouldn’t want— it’s— dinner as a celebration for your winning your first big case”

you agree and he brings you to the fanciest restaurant in town, angel’s share, which he tells you this was his father’s restaurant and that it’s the place he always goes to after long and taxing cases. bashfully, he adds that he shares ownership with his brother, kaeya, who happens to be there that night too

kaeya is just as good-looking as diluc and you feel your face warm a little when he swaggers over to your table and offers you a charming smile. “diluc, you didn’t tell me you had such an attractive partner”

“they’re not my partner,” diluc replies but his face is that red shade again from before. you decide to put diluc out of his misery and tell kaeya that you work at the firm and that you really are just co-workers, to which kaeya responds with a drawn out, “sure…”

kaeya eventually leaves, saying that he’ll let you two resume your little date, and you and diluc eat your delicious meal. diluc’s face slowly returns to its original shade and he drives you home, walking you to your door like a gentleman

you two stand at the entrance for a second, quiet, and diluc breaks the silence, saying, “i had a nice evening. perhaps we could… do this again sometime…”

“i’d like that,” you say. “good night, diluc, i’ll see you tomorrow.” you give him a warm hug before entering your building and what you don’t get to see is diluc blushing again and smiling brighter than he had in a long time

kamisato ayato

ayato is your rival prosecutor. he’s known as a prodigy through the legal community and he and his sister, ayaka, inherited their father’s law firm

he’s the prosecutor in barbara’s case, and he’s just as skilled as everyone says he is. he cuts down each breakthrough you and diluc have with a surgical precision, and his arguments are always watertight and seemingly impenetrable

still, you and diluc manage to win the case and ayato loses for the first time… ever

after the case, diluc tells you that he needs to talk to barbara privately, and you wait in the lobby for him since you’re going to dinner together

ayato approaches you and congratulates you for a job well done. you’re shocked to say the least

you expected ayato to be cold and stand-offish given his reputation but he’s genial and kind as he speaks to you. he tells you that he thought that his first loss would feel worse but he finds himself content; the truth was revealed and justice doled out, and that’s all he ever wants. it’s why he and ayaka became prosecutors

you’re standing there, kind of gaping at him, and he laughs, saying, “i sadly have to be off now but i have a feeling i’ll be seeing you more in the future”

indeed you do

now that you’re taking on more high-profile cases, solo now, you find that ayato in your opponent very frequently. he performs just as well as he always does with every case, and just like he did after barbara’s case, he congratulates you when you win and even when you lose

your conversations get flirtier and fliriter with each interaction and it eventually leads to the two of you exchanging personal phone numbers. you talk frequently, never about upcoming cases that the two of you work on, but about everything else. you both have a love for boba and for a certain historical drama, and you actually set up a time to grab boba and watch it together

you eventually encounter ayato’s sister and their assistant and close friend, thoma

they’re both super sweet and ayaka says, “you must be the person ayato talks about so much!”

thoma adds, “he manages to work you into a lot of conversations. it’s not a bad thing, it’s pretty entertaining”

“yeah,” ayaka says, “i’ve never heard him talk about someone so much”

ayato shows up a few minutes later and ayaka and thoma quickly excuse themselves, continuing onto whatever they had to do, and ayato asks you, “what did you three talk about?”

“oh, just you”

he chuckles, “i hope only good things?”

“i should be saying that to you — i hear you talk about me a lot”

he moves closer to you and says, “of course it’s only good things. you’re quite… special to me”

gorou

cases seem endless. ever since barbara’s case, you and diluc have been receiving a high influx of them.

to combat this, you suggest hiring assistants for both of you but diluc is stubborn and insists that he doesn’t need one but “you can get one of if you want”

you’re not really sure where to start so you reach out to ayato to see if he could help, given that he has thoma, who is just such a sweetheart (and, as it turns out, is a childhood friend of diluc’s)

ayato tells you that thoma told him a good friend of his named gorou is looking for a job and would be perfect for the position

so you invite gorou in for an interview

thoma was right that gorou is an ideal candidate: he’s organized and diligent and he takes initiative, so you hire him on the spot. he’s so eager that you swear if he were a dog, you’d see a tail wagging rapidly

gorou helps you sort through cases and figure out which ones to hand off to other attorneys in the firm and which ones to prioritize. you two have a good rhythm going with each other, falling into it after a week or two — you run like a well-oiled machine

he also goes with you on investigations and you find that he’s great at uncovering hidden clues and evidence

you ask him, half-joking, how he’s so good at it and he tells you that he used to be in the military, working a job that required keen observation skills — it actually explained a lot of stuff about him, including his sky-high expectations for himself

one thing that you absolutely love is that gorou brings you pastries in the morning from your favorite bakery a few blocks away. they’re usually accompanied with a handwritten note with words of encouragement like It’s going to be a great day today!

gorou also cleans and organizes your desk when it gets buried under stacks of papers and empty coffee cups

as time goes on, you come to realize that gorou developed a crush on you. it wasn’t hard to figure out with his puppy eyes and the way he began adding small hearts to the end of your notes

you’re not sure if you should say anything, not wanting to make the relationship awkward and it doesn’t interfere with any of your work so you keep quiet for now, enjoying the little hints gorou gives, intentional or not

shikanoin heizou

the top detective in the police force

heizou works mostly with prosecutors like ayato but you see him a lot on investigations and he’s always very chatty, which you’ve heard drives his superior, a woman named kujou sara, nuts

heizou is very charismatic and a very smooth talker. you’ve seen him run verbal rings around officers at crime scenes, able to get them to agree to let you onto a scene you may not necessarily be authorized to be at before they know what they agreed to

he also leaks bits of information under the guise of “accidentally” letting it slip but you know he’s far too sharp for that

there’s a particularly tricky case you face where you can’t make any sense of the evidence and, more importantly, how you can use it to prove your client’s innocence

you and gorou keep going over the evidence at the scene, bouncing ideas off each other and wondering aloud until you hear heizou say, “you know, when i’m trying to solve a puzzle, i find that it’s helpful to look at it from a different angle to see where the pieces fit together”

he leaves it at that and gorou takes the photo in your hand that you’ve been staring at, flipping it around and everything clicks now. you feel stupid but you’re grateful for heizou’s assistance

when the case is done, you take a trip down to the precinct and see him bickering with the front desk lady over something. he stops when he sees you and he says, “this is a nice surprise! you have a new case i haven’t heard about?”

you shake your head and ask if you can talk to him in private. he brings you to his office and you say, “i wanted to thank you for all your help on this last case”

“i didn’t do anything,” he said, “just wanted to share a hobby.”

you both laugh at that and you say, “can i buy you lunch or something. not just as a thanks for this time but for all the times”

“i’m free right now,” he says and luckily, so are you.

as you two head out of the office, you hear officers shout after heizou, “where are you going? don’t you have to address those compla—”

“where are you taking me?” heizou speaks over the yelling, “or is it a surprise?”

albedo

you’ve never actually met albedo in person but you’ve heard of the genius forensic analyst that works for interpol. he wasn’t just a brilliant analyst but he actually created new tools and software that enabled easier and more accurate forensic analysis

your meeting with albedo is completely by chance, totally unrelated to your job

you run into him at the supermarket, where he’s buying groceries, accompanied by a little girl

you wonder briefly if it’s his daughter and then, albedo sees you. he gives you a polite nod and greets you by name, taking you by surprise. “how do you know who i am?”

“well, it’s nearly impossible to not hear about the rookie defense attorney who handed kamisato ayato his first loss,” albedo says. “plus, i’ve done quite a few forensics tests on evidence for your cases”

that’s right — how could you forget about all the samples that come back, signed by albedo

you feel your face heat up in embarrassment. you don’t get to wallow in it for long when the little girl albedo is with taps albedo. “how do you know this pretty person?” she asks and albedo says, “i work with them.”

she nods and turns to you. “hi!” she chirps, eyes bright. “i’m klee, ‘bedo’s my big brother!” ah, that makes more sense

you run into albedo again when you’re working on a case that has interpol involved. (you also unfortunately run into your ex-boyfriend, but that’s for later) albedo goes along with you and gorou on investigation for this particular case, bringing the famous handheld device he invented that allowed for forensic analysis on the go

it’s the most thorough investigation you do and because of how strong the forensic evidence is in favor of your client’s innocence, the case is also one of the smoothest that you have

because of all the time you two have to spend together, you learn a lot about albedo — klee’s not his biological sister but she’s the closest thing he has to it, he knows kaeya and diluc as they all used to work in interpol (you have to diluc about that later), he also knew jean

albedo also drops the fact that he’s single, which was so quick that you swear you misheard something and albedo’s nonchalance backs that up, but the subtle brushes of your hands and shoulders suggest otherwise

arataki itto

itto is the head of a small time gang, the eponymous arataki gang, as well as a frequent client of yours

you swear that he’s cursed or something to be in the wrong place at the wrong time because he’s always somehow caught up in a crime

he never actually does whatever crime he’s accused of but like you said, wrong place, wrong time, all the time

itto storms into your office one day, garnering a tired sigh from diluc when he sees him. itto beelines to your office and when you see him, you ask, “what’re you caught up in this time, itto?” you’re surprised they haven’t brought him into the detention center yet

he slams his hands on your desk and says, “you need to help me!”

“i know, i just asked what—”

“it’s not me, it’s about shinobu!”

it’s certainly a shock to you that anyone could accuse kuki shinobu, itto’s right-hand woman, of murdering some in cold blood because she’s the only one who has their head screwed on straight in the gang and she’s pretty nice from what you remember

plus, the arataki gang doesn’t wheel and deal in murder. “gang” really is a ceremonial title, it’s mostly just a bunch of itto’s friends getting together for things like beetle fighting, whatever that is

anyways, you have to calm itto down since he’s getting hysterical and you tell him you’ll help shinobu. he throws his (very buff) arms around you and chants “thank you” about a thousand times before you get him to release you

it’s not a very hard case, the evidence against shinobu is all circumstantial and flimsy, and ayato’s not even the prosecutor on the case — it’s some guy named royce

you prove shinobu’s innocence and, as a thank you, itto insists that you come to their “super awesome, totally lit ‘congrats on your innocence, shinobu, and thanks for your help, attorney’ party”

you figure that it will be fun and you go, finally formally meeting the rest of the arataki gang

it’s actually a very fun night with lots of good food, drinks, and itto’s arm around you for most of the time

childe

ajax is your ex-boyfriend and one of interpol’s best agents

you guess he’s going by childe now

your relationship didn’t end on the best note. you broke up because childe was never honest with you. it wasn’t about his job at interpol — you understood the need for secret there — but it was like every part of childe was closed off. so many parts of him felt ingenuine like a persona

there was a lot of sharp, hurtful words flung around, some meant and most not, and lots of condescension on ajax’s part

you also had a sneaking suspicion that he was involved with some organization other than interpol, something darker and perhaps not wholly legal but you never asked because it really sounded outlandish

you see ajax — sorry, childe — for the first time since your breakup on the interpol case. he looks just as you remembered: tall, lean but toned, and infuriatingly handsome

he still wore that easygoing smile, winking at some of the other agents, who blushed and giggled

you’ll readily admit that you felt a bolt of satisfaction run through you as you see his face fall when he spots you. he quickly recovers, striding over in three fluid steps and a drawl of “nice to see you again.”

“you too” that’s the longest sentence to say to him

you thankfully don’t spend a lot of time with childe, who’s gathering intel and performing raids and stuff like that. most of the intel that he gets is passed through many people before it gets to you. you can’t even distinguish info from him from other agents’

there is one night where you’re heading back to your apartment and someone jumps you. you don’t have to attempt to fight them off for long before they’re being hauled off you and you see childe holding them by the throat against the nearest building

he arrests them swiftly and calls another colleague to come and collect them. when they take your assailant away, childe rushes to you and asks, “are you okay?”

“yeah, i’m fine, a little shaken up,” you reply. then, you ask, “were you following me?”

“agents have been assigned to keep an eye on individuals involved with the case as a precaution,” he tells you. you don’t ask if he requested to be the one to watch over you. “come with me.”

“what?”

“i’m taking you to my hotel room”

“why?”

“because i’m sending agents to check your apartment.” you feel a zip of cold, spine-chilling fear down your back and you nod silently, walking with childe for the next few blocks to the hotel interpol put him in

he uses the time to try and catch up and slowly, you open up. not fully but you let him in just a little. you’re worried about telling him more than what you have, worried that he’ll worm his way back into your heart

you ask about his younger siblings and his parents back in snezhnaya, he tells you that teucer and tonia ask about you a lot and that he hasn’t exactly had the heart to tell them that you broke up almost a year ago. you don’t know why that makes your heart flip a little

when you make it to his hotel room, you see there’s only one bed. you expect him to make some joke about you having to share a bed but he just says, “i’ll sleep on the couch.”

you insist that you sleep on the couch and he takes his bed (“it’s your hotel room!”) but he refuses. it goes back and forth for a while before you just resolve to sleep on the bed together — it’s should be big enough

he lends you clothes to sleep in and a spare toothbrush and when you climb into bed, your backs are to one another and you don’t dare to move an inch. you think about needing to have agents investigate your house to make sure no one’s going to hurt you and a barb of fear wedges itself into your chest. you shuffle a little closer to childe and at the movement, he turns around and wordlessly pulls you close

you don’t resist and you don’t say a thing, heart pounding. it feels too intimate, too familiar, too comfortable. you think briefly about scooting away from him but you let yourself be lulled to sleep by the rise and fall of the same chest you’ve fallen asleep against so many times prior

you wake up in the same position and neither of you can find it in yourselves to move away

#genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #diluc x reader #diluc ragnvindr x reader #kamisato ayato x reader #ayato x reader #ayato kamisato x reader #gorou x reader #shikanoin heizou x reader #heizou shikanoin x reader #heizou x reader #albedo x reader #arataki itto x reader #itto arataki x reader #itto x reader #childe x reader #.𖥔 ݁ ˖ kaiijo writes

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lboogie1906 · 23 hours

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Charles Henry Mahoney (May 29, 1886 – January 29, 1966) was an attorney, politician, and businessman, and the first African American appointed as a delegate to the UN. He was the first African American to serve on the Detroit Planning Commission, the Wayne County Board of Supervisors, and the Michigan Labor Council.

He was born in Decatur, Michigan to Barney, and his wife, Viora Simpson. He attended Olivet College where he was renowned by professors as giving the best speech in the history of the college. He received his BA from Fisk University and earned his JD from the University of Michigan Law School.

In 1918, Detroit Mayor James Couzens appointed him to the Detroit City Planning Commission, the first African American to serve in such a capacity. In 1925, he was hired by the NAACP to be the defense attorney for Dr. Ossian Sweet and 10 other defendants who had been accused of murder, serving as an associate attorney to Clarence Darrow who was hired for the case. The case ended with Sweet’s acquittal. In 1928, he co-founded the Great Lakes Mutual Insurance Company, serving as the first President of the company until his departure in 1957. In 1939, he was appointed to the Michigan Department of Labor and Industry, by the Governor of Michigan, Frank Fitzgerald.

On July 26, 1954, he was nominated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to serve as part of a delegation to the ninth session of the UN General Assembly, under the leadership of Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.

In 1955, he helped organize the Public Bank of Detroit, becoming a member of its board of directors. He was a member of the Republican Party. He twice unsuccessfully campaigned for election to Congress. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence #alphaphialpha

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uszizz · 1 year

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Being the son of the most renowned political figure, Hunter Biden often came into controversies. But this is the one side of the coin there are many advantages too that Hunter Biden got as the son of President Joe Biden. The businessman, artist, and American attorney have made a million of wealth with the benefits of having his father in the White House and also with the support of the Democratic party leaders. So here we will throw some light on Hunter Biden Net Worth and a brief bio of the famous personality.

#hunterbiden #hunterbidennetworthforbes #frankbidennetworth #whereishunterbiden #whoishunterbidensmother #hunterbidenchildsupport #hunterbidenpaintings

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maranofamilylawyers · 1 year

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The Best Family Lawyer in Sydney

The best Family Lawyer in Sydney will ensure that their clients have preventive measures for child care and property settlement issues. They will also draft supervised visitation plans and apprehended violence orders for their clients who are victims of domestic violence.

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Boyes & D’Souza Solicitors

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Finding a good lawyer can be difficult, but it is important to choose the right one for your situation. Choosing the best Family Lawyer in Sydney will make your legal issue easier to manage.

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O’Sullivan Legal

Getting divorced is complicated enough without having to deal with the emotional trauma, property division, and custody issues. This is why it’s important to have a talented Family Lawyers in Sydney

on your side. They can explain the legal process to you in simple terms and help you reach a fair outcome.

The attorneys at Norton Law Group specialize in different fields of family law and can assist you with a range of situations, including contested custody agreements. They understand that each case is unique and will work to find a solution that meets your needs.

Dr Kathryn O’Sullivan’s research is primarily focused on family and property law, especially the various legal systems that govern the division of assets while a relationship continues and upon separation. She also conducts comparative research on the societal implications of family property schemes.

Maspero Legal

Maspero Legal is a top-rated family law firm with affordable lawyers located throughout Sydney. They handle divorce and separation, child custody, property settlements and more. They are highly experienced in family law and have a 5-star rating. They are also known as the best divorce lawyers in Sydney.

Need help navigating to Maspero Legal? Moovit’s free app gives you turn-by-turn directions to any location, including yours in Botany. Get directions from any bus or train station, and check traffic and transit times to plan your trip.

Nolan Lawyers

Nolan Lawyers is a full-service law firm that offers efficient, quality legal services. Its team of dedicated lawyers specializes in Family Law (including divorce, consent orders and parenting arrangements), Property Law and Wills & Estate Planning. The firm also provides representation in commercial disputes and debt collection matters.

Ken Nolan is an admiralty and marine insurance trial attorney with a significant national practice. He represents shipowners, charterers, stevedores, supply chain logistics providers and traders in shipping disputes involving bills of lading, cargo claims, collisions, total loss and fire cases. He is also counsel to hull underwriters and protection and indemnity (P&I) clubs on marine insurance matters.

He also defends public and private employers in a variety of employment-related litigation including workers’ compensation, discrimination and retaliation claims. Nolan also has experience handling claims involving close corporations valuation, inheritance disputes and property disputes in both state and federal courts.

#best Family Lawyer in Sydney #Mediation Lawyer Sydney #Best Family Lawyers Sydney #best Family Lawyer Sydney

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gibsonkatz8 · 2 years

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alexriehman · 4 years

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Trip to Bronzeville

Recently I was able to tour the historic neighborhood of Bronzeville, located in Chicago’s south side. Stretching from 31st Street south to Pershing Road and elapsing laterally from the lakefront westward to the Dan Ryan expressway. This neighborhood cements its storied past during the Great Migration, a period of time in the United States, in which seven million African Americans emigrated from southern rural states to the urban cities of the north (Grossman, 2005). Due to social differences the growing African American population was mainly independent from the existing Chicago population. Thus an African American enclave was born, and the community created independent economic, social, and political functions. These functions would generate the success that eventually led to the ‘Black Metropolis.’ The metropolis constructed by these newly immigrated African Americans was considered a city within a city, offering services that were turned off to many African Americans.

Map of Bronzeville

Prior to the turn millennium, in 1998 the city named nine historic landmarks as significant to the once thriving Black Metropolis. The nine named include: Unity Hall, the Chicago Defender Building, Sunset Cafe, the Eighth Regiment Armory, the Supreme Life Building, Victory Monument, the Overton Hygienic Building, the Chicago Bee Building, and the Wabash Avenue YMCA (Faye, 2015). Of the previously listed nine landmarks, I was able to visit four on my visit of Bronzeville, and a few other sites that find historical significance.

I began my journey to Bronzeville at the intersection of 35th Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Drive. King Drive once entitled Grand Boulevard was originally engineered as part of the Chicago park and boulevard system. The park and boulevard system was designed to provide bicycle riders an enhanced transit system for greater ease around the city. The park system also solved an issue of escape for city dwellers. Prior to the implementation of the park and bike system, so commonly vital to the city today, those living in the city would retreat to cemeteries for green spaces (WTTW, 2010). The park system produced and protected needed green space to the urban environment. Standing today at the crossroads of King Drive and 35th Street are many historical sightings for onlookers to appreciate. I was able to visit three significant sites at this intersection of the neighborhood alone, two of which the city deems significant to the metropolis.

The most obvious of the three sites was the large monument standing in the middle of King Drive. Victory Monument is the large structure that stands honoring the accomplishments of the neighborhood’s military regiment for their service in World War I. The Eighth Regiment, an all African American unit, provided heroic services for the allied forces during the Great War (City of Chicago, 2020). The unit has a special claim as the final regiment to evacuate German forces from the Aisne-Marne reign in Belleau, France, prior to the Armistice (National Park Service, 2020). The monument was dedicated on Armistice Day of 1928, and the soldier seen on top was added later in 1936.

Victory Monument

In relation to Victory Monument is one significant site I have passed many times and have paid little attention too. Just east of Victory Monument, now where stands the Chicago Military Academy of Bronzeville, a public college preparatory academy. The building this academy claims rights to today was once built as an armory for the first African American military regiment in 1915 (National Park Service, 2020). The armory established a home for the Eighth Regiment, also commonly referred to as the ‘Fighting Eighth.’ The same regiment honored by Victory Monument. This branch was designed to act as an infantry division for the Illinois National Guard. As touched on previously, this legendary African American regiment is one of the nine defining sites of the Black Metropolis.

Chicago Military Academy, or once Eighth Regiment Armory

The next landmark I was able to observe is one in which a nonobservant eye may miss. While approaching Victory Monument if you are to look down on the walkway leading to the monument; stars can be seen, each inscribed, remembering a noteworthy individual to the neighborhood. This landmark is the Bronzeville Walk of Fame, highlighting the most notable African American residents of the neighborhood. I was able to witness four plaques, the first honoring Colonel Franklin A. Denison, the commander of the historic Eighth Regiment and also the Assistant Attorney General of Illinois. The second person memorialized is Lieutenant George R. Giles, who is remembered as a hero of the Great War. The following name enlisted upon the walk relates to another landmark during this excursion, more specifically the Supreme Liberty Life Insurance Company. The two men remembered are Truman Gibson Sr. the founder of the historic African American financial business, and his son Truman Gibson Jr. an influential civilian aide to the Secretary of War during World War I. The final impactful person on the Walk of Fame is Major Robert H. Lawrence Jr. the first African American astronaut. Although the five men previously listed all accomplished great accomplishments that the neighborhood holds intimately, the Walk of Fame includes many other important figures to Bronzeville. The Black Metropolis was an economic and cultural haven for African American immigrating to the north, seducing the interest of many other famous professionals including Louis Armstrong, Ida B. Wells, and Bessie Coleman, just to list a few.

Bronzeville Walk of Fame, Colonel Franklin A. Denison

As touched on previously Truman Gibson Sr. was the founder of the Supreme Liberty Life Insurance Company. Although Gibson Sr. has passed on the building in which his business inhabited still stands today. Identified as one of nine landmarks with historical significance to the neighborhood, I was able to observe the building. The extensive African American history found in Bronzeville can be witnessed through the Supreme Life Company, the insurance company was the first of its kind, being the first black owned and operated company in the north (City of Chicago, 2020). It holds such significance in history because during a time of great racial tension, African Americans were turned away from common city lenders. Because of this the Supreme Life Insurance Company was able to serve to a market that was untapped. Once financing the expansion of the neighborhood, business and social functions boomed in Bronzeville, creating the isolated enclave renowned for its service to the African American community.

Supreme Life Insurance Co. Building

Later in the day during my trip to Bronzeville, I walked east toward the lakefront, until I reached the Stephen A. Douglas Tomb. Born in Vermont, and later journeying to Illinois to establish a practice of law. Douglas would serve on the Illinois Supreme Court prior to his seat in the House of Representatives. Although accomplished, Douglas may be most well known from his debates for the Illinois Senate seat in 1858 with at the time an unknown opponent, Abraham Lincoln (History.com Editors, 2018). The two had a series of debates arguing the issues of the time, most importantly slavery and the potential practices of expansion for the trade. Douglas would best Lincoln, and continue a third term as senator. Bronzeville and Douglas find relation with one another as the land the neighborhood claims was once owned by Douglas. In 1852, the senator bought seventy acres in Chicago, establishing an early University of Chicago, and even using part of the land as a Civil War camp that once housed Confederate prisoners of war (WTTW, 2010). The tomb erected for Douglas is quite simple, with a singular slim tower, being surrounded by four pillars, each presenting a different word. The four pillars list the words: eloquence, justice, history, and Illinois. Transitioning to modern social issues, some members of the neighborhood view the tomb for Douglas as disrespectful to the African American community. Because of his views on slavery, many believe the memorial symbolizes a man who did not envision equality for all. Political issues aside, the tomb was fascinating to witness in person, and the ornate detail that can be appreciated only added to the experience.

Tomb of Stephen A. Douglas

As the end of my trip approached I was encouraged to visit a landmark not far from the very university I attend. The Overton Hygienic Building is well known from its pioneering owner Anthony Overton. Anthony Overton was the founder of numerous business ventures, including Overton Hygienic, Douglas National Bank, Victory Life Insurance Company, Great Northern Realty Company, and a famous African American newspaper, The Chicago Bee (African American Registry, 2020). Most significant to Overton as a businessman, is he was the first African American to establish a major conglomerate. Overton built his fortune through cosmetics, specifically targeting the needs and complexions of the African American women. The Overton business empire was incredibly salient to the growth of the neighborhood, and without Anthony Overton’s investment in Bronzeville the landscape may look vastly different than what stands today.

Overton Hygienic Building

I would amalgamate all my experiences throughout my trip to Bronzeville as extremely mind opening. During my trip I would find myself repeatedly caught off-guard by buildings that were deemed as historical landmarks, but structures I have glazed over without appreciation. Being in my third year at the Illinois Institute of Technology, it somewhat pains me to learn so late of all the history the neighborhood has to present. Incredible and something I found unique to the neighborhood were the numerous murals, artwork, and pictures scattered throughout, even the local Mariano’s displays photos along its windows of an early Black Metropolis. Each of these artistic expressions displayed Bronzeville's historic past, honoring the African American community that built the neighborhood that survives today. These expressions most importantly value and continue the African American culture that Bronzeville holds so dear to itself. I would recommend anyone unfamiliar with the history of the neighborhood to explore how Bronzeville grew to the ‘Metropolis’ it once was; booming with African American focused economic, social, and political development.

Sources

African American Registry. (2020, January 01). Anthony Overton, Business Pioneer. Retrieved September 11, 2020, from https://aaregistry.org/story/anthony-overton-business-pioneer/

City of Chicago. (2020). Supreme Life Building. Retrieved September 11, 2020, from https://webapps1.chicago.gov/landmarksweb/web/landmarkdetails.htm?lanId=1431

City of Chicago. (2020). Victory Monument. Retrieved September 11, 2020, from https://webapps1.chicago.gov/landmarksweb/web/landmarkdetails.htm?lanId=1444

Faye, M., & Pugh, R. (2015, July 01). Chicago Landmarks. Retrieved September 11, 2020, from https://magazine.iit.edu/summer-2015/chicago-landmarks

Grossman, J. (2005). Great Migration. Retrieved September 11, 2020, from http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/545.html

History.com Editors. (2018, August 21). Stephen A. Douglas. Retrieved September 11, 2020, from https://www.history.com/topics/us-politics/stephen-a-douglas

National Park Service. (2020). Eighth Regiment Armory. Retrieved September 11, 2020, from https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/chicago/c18.htm

WTTW (Director). (2010, November 29). Biking the Boulevards with Geoffrey Baer [Video file]. Retrieved September 11, 2020, from https://video.wttw.com/video/geoffrey-baer-tours-biking-the-boulevards-with-geoffrey-baer/

Photos

All of the photos illustrated throughout the blog were taken by me except for the following images:

Map of Bronzeville:

https://oluduro.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/map.jpg

Park and Boulevard Map :

https://www.lakeviewhistoricalchronicles.org/2014/11/the-missing-link- diversey.html?m=1

Stephen A. Douglas Tomb:

https://live.staticflickr.com/8597/15318378834_239bb14d4c_b.jpg

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avalilys-blog · 5 years

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Entrepreneur Werner J Wicker Lawsuits

Werner J. Wilhelm Wicker has become a renowned entrepreneur within Germany and has made his mark in other regions of the world as well. The entrepreneur first started out with the Wicker Clinic, which was officially founded in 1965. The clinic was named the Wicker Sanatorium and had 85 employees, along with 280 beds, back in 1965. Since then, Mr. Wicker has significantly grown his estate and founded the Wicker Group. The Wicker Group now owns and operates a number of hotels, thermal baths, and, of course, clinics. The headquarters of the Wicker Group lies within the Waldeck-Frankenberg district of Hesse.

The Wicker Group is certainly not all that Werner J. Wicker has become known for. Back in the later 1970s, Wicker had a dream to start a new casino, but his idea seemed farfetched to some. He did, however, end up running a casino, now a popular venue called Casino 2000, situated in Bad Mondorf.

In recent times, the name Werner J Wicker has once again surfaced. This time, however, the name is not coming up due to a new business or investment opportunity, but rather due to two particular lawsuits that Werner is now heavily and directly involved in.

S.J. Abraham Against Werner J. Wilhelm Wicker

This overview of Mr. Wicker’s legal involvement will start out with a look at a lawsuit that was filed against Werner J. Wilhelm Wicker. The case was initially filed by an individual named Sanjana Jon Abraham. Defendants that are part of this case include Werner J. Wilhelm Wicker and Werner J. Wicker Inc. (one of Werner’s companies).

The plaintiff made the following disturbing claims against the defendants including alleged sexual assault, torture, and violations of human rights laws.

The case file that was submitted requested more time for the plaintiff to serve the defendants with an official case and claims. In turn, a cross-motion was filed by Wilhelm J. Wicker, requesting that the case be dismissed. The request for dismissal made by Wilhelm J. Wicker, which was a cross-motion, was swiftly denied by the court. The motion to extend the time for the plaintiff to serve the defendant was granted, however. The plaintiff was provided with a period of 120 days, with the condition that the plaintiff personally serves the orders to the defendant, being Wilhelm J. Wicker in this case. As more details emerge of the alleged abuse, assault, torture, violations of human rights, and mere severity of the case, the case is garnering more and more attention within the United States and abroad. The case has required Mr. Wicker to visit the United States on multiple occasions.

Werner Wicker Against Prabu Paramatma

In the other case that Wicker is currently involved in, Wicker is rather the plaintiff, the only plaintiff involved in this case.

In the case file, Mr. Wicker explains that he had been personal friends with spiritual advisor Prabhu Paramatma for more than two decades. They shared close living quarters in Germany and Switzerland and have always been in constant communication, often several times daily. Mr. Wicker allegedly relied on Paramatma with his real estate investments and frequently relied on him to provide information on new potential opportunities that may yield improvements to Mr. Wicker’s already existing portfolio, as well as an increase in profit. Wicker allegedly went as far as to grant Paramatma full control of all US-based real estate investment including the purchases of land and an apartment complex in Georgia. However, Wicker allegedly now cannot recollect putting such a deal in place.

In the case report that was filed, the attorney explains that Paramatma seems to have taken advantage of several facts about Mr. Wicker, including the fact that he was an elderly man. Furthermore, the fact that Mr. Wicker is a German citizen who is unable to speak and read English was another factor that seems to have been exploited in this alleged conspiracy. However, the defendants deny Wicker’s account and stated that Wicker has been notified of every transaction since the inception of business dealings in the USA.

In addition to obtaining more funds from Mr. Wicker for additional deals, Paramatma has produced documents authorizing his Power of Attorney for Wicker. Mr. Wicker suddenly “discovered” that Paramatma entitled himself to 50% of the Wicker, LLC, company, which he also founded on behalf of Mr. Wicker. It is still unclear if this case is based on Wicker’s “selective memory” or bad business dealings. One thing is clear, this case further compounds Wicker’s troubles in the United States.

Werner’s Casino 2000

As mentioned previously in this article, the idea behind Casino 2000 started out during the late 1970s. It wasn’t until 1983, however, that the Casino opened its doors. The entrepreneur Werner Wicker mentioned that the idea of the casino was unique, but that it was also both a challenge and a significant risk. As Mr. Wicker successfully won a bid to run and manage the casino in 2000, it was still unclear whether Wicker had enough confidence in the plan to fulfill his vision.

Even today, Casino 2000 remains the only casino in the local region, and it has grown popular. One of the main reasons why we decided to mention this is because Casino 2000 will soon celebrate its 36th anniversary. All has looked stellar from the outside however, the license to operate the Casino is up for renewal and it remains to be seen if it is renewed. Any link from the Casino to Mr. Paramatma is unclear.

Other noteworthy info about Mr. Wicker include his girlfriend, Kathrin Fuchs, age 41, half Mr. Wicker’s age, and as is typical with Mr. Wicker, she was his part-time employee in his spa.

Wicker’s Troubles Making Headlines

Entrepreneur Werner J. Wilhelm Wicker might be famous for his range of clinics, hotels, and other companies, but recent mentions of him rather focused on two lawsuits that involved the German businessman. In one case, a suit was filed against Mr. W.J.W. Wicker, while the other was case initiated by the entrepreneur against someone the defendant once viewed as a trustworthy individual. Verdicts in both cases are yet to be made. Case details are available in the public domain.

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aetonlawpartners-blog · 5 years

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joshuajacksonlyblog · 5 years

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BREAKING: George Bush’s Son Received $300K From OneCoin Scammer

Neil Bush, son of former US President George H. W. Bush, was paid $300,000 by Ruja Ignatova for attending a meeting related to her fraudulent cryptocurrency known as OneCoin, according to law360, citing a failed subpoena bid.

Former Locke Lord Attorney Misled by Bush’s Connection with OneCoin

Mark Scott, a former attorney at international firm Locke Lord, is facing trial in a US court law for allegedly conspiring with Ignatova, nicknamed Cryptoqueen, and her brother Konstanin Ignatov, to launder illicit money from the renowned ponzi scheme, OneCoin. Ignatova is indicted on money laundering charges and has gone into hiding, while her brother was apprehended earlier this year.

Back to Scott. He doesn’t accept the charges against him and claims that he thought everything was legal. Scott’s attorney, Arlo Devlin-Brown, told US District Judge Edgardo Ramos that Neil Bush – brother of former President George W. Bush and son of late President George H.W. Bush – met with Ignatova and this is why Scott felt comfortable with the deal.

“This isn’t just: ‘We saw the name Bush on a transaction and cut a subpoena,” Devlin-Brown said. He wants Bush to be testified.

Investor Neil Bush was previously contacted by the FBI agents investigating the scheme, as he is a board member at Hoifu Energy, a company owned by Chinese businessman Dr. Hui Chi Ming. The company was involved in a $60 million loan deal that would be financed with cash and, strangely enough, OneCoin.

Bush testifying about his role would demonstrate that the deal was not the scam the US government claims it to be, Devlin-Brown said.

Judge Ramos asked Scott counsel David Garvin:

So, there was an actual meeting with Ms. Ignatova, Mr. Bush and Mr. Hui?

Garvin responded affirmatively and said that Bush was paid $300,000 for attending the meeting.

Neil Bush Met with Ignatova and Mr. Hui in Hong-Kong

Garvin read aloud an FBI interview with Neil Bush speaking about the meeting that took place in Hong Kong, the headquarters of Hoifu Energy. The investor was about to profit from the oil field deal. As per the FBI report:

Bush recalled that the head of Hoifu Energy, Dr. Hui Chi Ming, received a bunch of cryptocurrency for an oil deal in Madagascar. Bush had a residual interest in the cryptocurrency from the oil deal. Bush met the woman from the cryptocurrency company, Ruja Ignatova, in Hong Kong with Dr. Hui.

Garvin cited the FBI files, saying that Hui had told the former President’s son he was entitled to 10% of the deal if Hui could sell the cryptocurrency. Nevertheless, the deal failed.

David Gerger, the counsel of Neil Bush, admitted that the investor was present at the meeting with Ignatova, but he wasn’t a board member at Hoifu Energy, and he had nothing to do with Scott. Gerger explained:

He did not exercise that option and he did not invest. After he attended one meeting, I think he asked a few more questions, and that was it.

Gerger claims that Bush’s testimony wouldn’t make any difference, especially when his interview is already recorded.

In the end, the judge agreed that Bush’s testimony was not relevant to Scott’s defense and rejected to look further into that.

Konstantin Ignatov Pleads Guilty

In October, Cryptoqueen’s brother Konstantin Ignatov pleaded guilty and might face up to 90 years in prison. He was charged with money laundering and fraud. While his plea deal was signed last month, it became public on Thursday.

Ignatov was arrested in March of this year at Los Angeles International Airport.

Investigators estimated that the OneCoin ponzi scheme had raised about $5 billion so far. The Bulgaria-based entity behind the scheme operates to this day.

Are you surprised about Bush’s meeting with Ignatova? Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Image via Shutterstock

The post BREAKING: George Bush’s Son Received $300K From OneCoin Scammer appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.

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iv-kplpt · 7 years

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you steal the air out of my lungs

plot summary: au for charlie and oswald inspired by my fav movie - “red eye”. loosely inspired. she falls for a handsome friend of a friend. he turns out to be not who he claimed to be. she’s conflicted. there is some Sad involved. also, a man dies - actually, make that 2. basically i built another au with a lot of potential. i always wanted a batman universe without the batman. will be put on ao3 along with the collegeverse as soon as i write some more weird aus.

10k words. no explicit violence or sex. skyler hill belongs to @alan-of-all-trades and louise still belongs to my babe. thanks for letting me use them, i love you guys.

At first it was just a blind date.

It all began about three months earlier, when her friend set her up on a casual date with someone. Charlie had moved to Gotham about six months earlier, because her parents - renowned hotel owners, behind family-owned Crowne Continental suggested a change of surroundings might help her. They wanted to try and branch out a bit, and Charlie was tasked with overseeing Crowne Continental's first branch outside of New York.

Being a resolute person, she quickly found some friends in Gotham to hang out with during rare free evenings - a lawyer, two journalists and a secretary, all young, elegand and succesful; and in relationships. She actually befriended two couples - and they were absolutely wonderful, helpful and welcoming when needed and snarky at other times; but their pet names and lovestruck gazes felt a bit like salt to the wound of her own loneliness.

She was not on good terms with her ex-husband. Their - quick and ugly - divorce left her feeling scarred and disillusioned; but at the same time, she missed and craved the emotional intimacy of a relationship, the pet names, the feelings, the physical aspect. She missed being in love and she missed the feeling of someone being in love with her.

(She knew the world is not a loveless place. She still had people around to remind her of this fact.)

So when Louise - her lawyer friend, who was actually an assistant district attorney, working under Harvey Dent - offered to hook her up with a friend of hers Charlie didn't really mind.

"He's a decent guy." she assured her, when they were sitting in their favorite café, drinking iced lattes. "He's kind of... Obnoxious at times, but he's an old friend. He's a charmer, really."

"Alright, let's say I'm in. Is he handsome?"

"That depends on your definition of handsome, sugar. He's definitely not my type."

"Well, what does he look like?"

"Like an asshole." Louise replied instantly, laughing quietly. "Sorry. Me and Tommy, we go way back and after some time this became my default way of describing him. He's... Tall. Black hair, grey eyes... Kinda slim. I'm sure he's handsome in eyes of people who like the bad boy type, because that's his main aesthetic. And he's very committed to it. He's great at pretentious dishevelment."

"Did you just quote Robert Pattinson?"

"Maybe." Louise replied nonchalantly, taking another sip of her coffee. "But how would you know this in a first place? Been watching some interviews, Charlie?"

"I liked Twilight for some time." Charlie confessed. "I was totally Team Edward."

"Fuck, seriously? We're no longer friends, I was Team Jacob. But I guess... You might like Tommy, considering your shitty taste in men." Louise said with a smirk and Charlie groaned, almost regretting mentioning that in the first place.

"So, are you up for it?"

"Alright." Charlie agreed more enthusiastically than she planned to. "Set us up on a date. Just... Don't make it a coffee date. I'm starting to get sick at the thought of bean juice."

"Oh, you high maintenance minx." Louise sighed dramatically. "Fine. No coffee. It's a good thing he prefers tea anyway. When are you free?"

"I have a slow afternoon tomorrow."

"Perfect."

She took out her phone and - not taking her eyes off Charlie's amused face - called someone.

"Hey asshole." she said after a moment. "Are you free tomorrow? She said yes. What? Oh, sure. Hey Charlie, any location preferences?"

"Somewhere near Crowne would be perfect, I have a meeting in the evening-"

"You heard her, somewhere near Crowne. Mmmhmmm. Yeah. Sure. Don't be late. Fuck off. Bye!"

She hung up and smiled cheerfully.

"He can meet you at three at Aisha's. You know where that is, right?"

"I've been there a few times. They have great cupcakes there."

"Great, then you're all set. He says he's looking forward to meeting you."

"Does he know how I look like?"

"I told him you're pretty. And... Very red-haired. Is that even your natural color?"

"It is, actually. It runs in the family."

"You're a mutant."

"Aren't we all?"

*** The thought of - altough a casual and with no strings attached - her upcoming date with Louise's mysterious friend was making her slightly nervous and excited at the same time. She knew Lou wouldn't set her up with a complete douche - she had faith in the people Louise surrounded herself with. He was an old friend, after all; their relationship lasted for years for a good reason.

She was slightly late, when she arrived at Aisha's Teahouse - her previous meeting was longer than she planned and then she got lost on the way, because she decided to not take a cab.

The place was crowded when she walked in, her hair a mess and her cheeks red, thanks to the wind. She looked around quickly, trying to figure out if her date is already there.

"Are you Charlie?" she suddenly heard a voice; an elderly waitress was standing in front of her, resting her empty tray on her hip. "There is a young man waiting for you. There, in the corner."

"Thank you!" she replied, taking her jacket off and putting it on a rack. "Oh, I see him."

Tommy indeed was already there - in the far corner of the room, occupying one of the more secluded tables. He was reading something on his phone and only looked up as she approached the table; and during her short walk she had a chance to take a good, long look at him.

He was handsome, she decided. Exactly her type, if she even had one - if she was younger and still in her rebellious phase, she'd probably fall for him instantly, for his smirk, for his bright eyes and a small scar across the bridge of his nose.

"Hey." she said nervously. "Sorry I'm late."

"Not a problem." he said; he put his phone down and got up, looking at her and for a brief moment she found herself completely lost in his eyes and the first hints of crow's feet next to them. "I have to say, Lou's words didn't quite do you justice."

He winked at her, gently took her hand and brushed it with his lips, still looking her in the eye. She was almost glad her cheeks were red from the wind - it masked her blush a bit.

"She was right when she said you're a charmer." she said, as he pulled out a chair for her and she sat down, noting the faint scent of his - definitely not cheap - cologne.

(Her father was a connoisseur, and she learned the difference between the good colognes and the cheap stuff at a fairly young age. In fact, she was almost sure Tommy is using the same brand as her father.)

They ordered - classic Earl Grey and blueberry muffin for him, and Darjeeling and strawberry cheesecake for her - and she started playing with her fingers, staring at her palms and only glancing at him occasionally.

He was smiling every time she looked at him, his head tilted slightly to the side.

"So, Charlie... Who talks first?" he said finally. "You? Me?"

"Let's play rock-paper-scissors." she suggested and his face lit up. "The loser has to be first to introduce themself like a loser."

"Deal." he said, hiding his right hand under the table.

He lost and she took a sip of her hot tea to hide her smile.

"Let's see..." he said eventually, stirring his tea. "My name's Thomas, I've lived here and there, and I'm not related to the Gotham businessman named Thomas Elliot. I like... Dogs. Nerd stuff. Oh, and boxing. And color red." he finished with a smirk, glancing at her hair. "Now's your turn."

(His eyes on her felt rigt.)

"My name's Charlie, I'm from New York and yes, I am related to those slightly obnoxious hotel owners. I like..."

She paused for a moment, trying to find the right stuff to list (and to not impulsively say you).

"I like games. And good tv shows. Not soap operas though, those are unbearable. Red wine. Penguins. Lace."

"That's an interesting combination. Penguins? Really?"

"They are cute." she said defensively. "Also I watched Pingu a lot as a kid. Must have imprinted in my brain, or something."

"I'm not judging. Usually people pick cats or horses or snakes as their favorite animals. Not... Penguins."

"Yeah, well, I'm one of a kind." she said nonchalantly and he grinned and her heart skipped a beat.

"Then I guess I'm a really lucky guy."

They spent a nice afternoon together, once she loosened up a bit - Tommy really was a charmer. He was funny, attentive, great at compliments; and there was something in the way he looked at her, the way he tilted his head that was making her feel a pleasant warmth.

"God!" she said eventually, glancing at a clock and getting up. "I have to go, I'm going to be late!"

"Time flies when you're having fun." he stated playfully. "Now, before you go... Will I see you again?"

"If you want to." she said quickly, her heart beating surprisingly fast; she damn sure wanted to see him again. "But now I really have to go. I'll take your number from Lou... Oh, and next time's on me."

She - hastily, and clumsily - planted a kiss on his scruffy cheek and hurried outside, grabbing her jacket on the way out, her face burning red and her heart pounding.

Later that day, somewhere around midnight - as she was heading to bed, tired but pleased - her phone rang. It was Louise.

"Hey girl!" she heard her friend's chipper voice. "So, how was it?"

"It was... Alright." she said reservedly, not having the right words to describe her feelings - how she felt a connection and how Tommy was the first man in many months to make her blush and how he made her skin tingle.

"...just alright? I'm going to kick his ass."

"No! Fine, it was great. I like him, and I think... He likes me. And we'll see where it goes from here."

"That's better." Louise said with satisfaction. "Hit me or other girls up if he fucks something up though. We'll fix him up."

"Noted." she said, yawning quietly. "Sorry Lou, I feel like I'm about to pass out... I really need some sleep."

"Sleep tight! I'll tell the asshole he did well."

"Yeah, you do that. Night!"

The next morning she couldn't remember what she dreamed about, but she woke up with a smile on her face and her heart filled with a pleasant, soft warmth.

The next weeks were a long string of meetings and calls, mixed with occasional dates with Tommy. The initial chemistry she felt never faded away - he was still a delight to have around and he was still acting like her company's his favorite part of the day. They kept things as casual as possible, and slow - it took them ten dates and eleven weeks to actually talk about their plans for the future.

This time they decided to go for a walk in Gotham's most beautiful park - recently funded by a Cobblepot family, one of the cities oldest, most respected families. She never had a chance to see it and he claimed it's a must-see, especially during the sunset.

"So, I've been thinking..." he said as they were walking among the trees. "It's been some time. How do you feel about me?"

"What do you mean?" she asked carefully, admiring flowers planted next to the sidewalk.

"I very much enjoy our time together, Charlie." he said hesitantly, standing behind her as she crouched to take a closer look at a particularly eye-catching daffodil. "I think... I might be developing feelings for you."

She gasped quietly, as her heart - very literally - stopped beating for a moment and a sound of her own blood briefly filled her ears.

She absolutely, desperately wanted to hear him say that - but it was still almost shocking to hear. Almost surprising, even despite the way he looked at her.

It's been months since she divorced Harry, since she found out who he really is. Maybe it was time for her to give love another shot. Maybe Tommy - Thomas Elliot - was the right person. He was funny and nice and hotter than hell and always knew exactly what to say and she often found herself missing him. Maybe he was the right one for her.

She got up and turned around to face him and he was looking at her expectantly, hopefully, tenderly. He had his hands in his pockets and she absentmindedly reached out to take some pollen off the collar of his coat.

"The feeling's mutual." she said finally and she could see the relief in his eyes. "I... You make me feel something. And it's a good feeling. And I think... We should give relationship a shot."

"Can I kiss you?" he asked and instead of answering, she closed her eyes and leaned in, thanking herself for wearing heels that day; without them, she'd have to tiptoe to reach him.

The kiss felt right, it just felt right - and so did his hand on her back and another one in her hair.

"God, you're fun to kiss." he whispered eventually. "Why didn't I do it sooner?"

"Because you're a gentleman?" she suggested softly, her hands still on his arms. "I don't know."

He kissed her again, and again, and a few more times, before someone interrupted them - a visibly disgruntled, older couple, telling them to either get a room or stop being disgusting in public.

"They are probably right, you know." Charlie giggled as they walked away hastily, her fingers intertwined with Tommy's. "I want some ice cream."

"Everything for you, darling." he said nonchalantly. "Pick a stand. They're all good. I'd know. I've tested all of them."

"Are you an ice cream connoisseur?" she asked, trying to decide whether she wants sorbet or something with dairy or maybe something fancy.

"You could say that."

They got their ice cream and left; the sun had set and other people started to leave the park, only leaving silence and trash behind.

He walked her home that evening; and for a moment, for a brief moment, she considered inviting him upstairs, for some wine. They'd talk. She'd kiss him and he'd give in and they'd spend the night together; it'd be her first night with someone in long, long months.

But in the end, she ended up not inviting him. Instead, she planted a kiss on his cheek and he kissed the back of her hand, looking her in the eye, just like he did on their first date.

"See you around, darling." he said and one more time she considered kissing him properly - but she knew she wouldn't stop if she started.

(And as much as she wanted him, she also wanted to not scare him away.)

"See you." she said instead, turned around and entered the building, feeling like she's about to burst, or start singing and dancing, or both.

And that was the last time Charlie ever saw Tommy Elliot.

*** He didn't disappear without a trace, no. It was simply a matter of time - Crowne Continental Gotham's grand opening night was coming up and she was too busy with preparations. He understood - they still had texts and calls. She missed his lips and his warm embrace, but she kept telling herself that once everything is done and the hotel is officially open and the guests are gone she'll finally invite him over for dinner.

He actually called her twenty four hours before the party. She didn't feel as tense as she did during the last week; all the most important guests - the Waynes and the Cobblepots and the Kanes and the Hills and many, many other people - RSVPed already, confirming their presence. The catering was taken care of, and so were the decorations and even her parents told her to take a night off, to relax before her night.

(Of course, they were supposed to be there, as the original brand owners - but it was supposed to be her night.)

So, when her phone called she picked up without giving it a second thought.

"Hey honey." she said, closing her laptop.

"Are you free tonight?"

"I might be." she said flirtatiously. "Why?"

"Because I miss you, obviously. Also there's something we should... Talk about."

"Did something happen?"

"It's complicated. And I'd... Rather do it face to face."

She was worried for a moment, but he didn't sound sad or tense - so probably everything was fine.

"Alright. Where do you want me?"

"Aisha's?"

"I'll be there in thirty. See you!"

When she entered the - crowded, as usual - teashop she instantly spotted him, sitting at the same table as during their first meeting. He looked... Different.

His usually carelessly messy hair were slicked back and he was wearing a suit, instead of his usual, casual clothes. His sack-like trench coat was nowhere to be seen; and he looked damn good, but she was still a bit surprised by this change of image.

(He still had his bad boy charm to him though. He was still scruffy and he still had that scar she loved to kiss.)

"Hello, darling." he said, as she approached him. "You look beautiful."

"What's up with your clothes?" she asked, as he pulled out a chair for her.

"What, you don't like it?"

"You look... Different. It's not bad, just... Different."

"Serious clothes for a serious occasion." he said, ostensibly nonchalantly - but she could sense some gloom and seriousness in his tone.

It took them a while to get to the point, but eventually it happened. Tommy - a man she knew as Tommy, a man she started falling in love with, a man she fed ducks with, a man she wanted to introduce to her parents eventually - cleared his throat and she looked at him.

"Charlie." he said finally. "There's something... I need to apologize for."

(Hit me or other girls up if he fucks something up though. We'll fix him up.)

"What?" she asked calmly, nervously playing with a paper napkin, tearing it to shreds. "What happened?"

"I'm not Thomas Elliot. That is not my real name, my real identity."

His words echoed in her head, like a monastery bell in an empty hall. Her heart dropped and her vision became slightly blurry.

"Then who are you?" she asked finally. "And... Why have you been lying to me?"

"My real name... Is Oswald. Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot." he said calmly, looking at her apologetically and she laughed, shaking her head.

"That's impossible. I've met Oswald Cobblepot. He looks... Nothing like you."

"I'm not saying I'm the only Oswald Cobblepot in Gotham. No, the man you met - pale and short and polite to the bone - is my cousin. My father and his mother... Are twins. We're both heirs to the Cobblepot fortune." he said, weighting every word, not taking his eyes off her. "I asked him to not mention me. I told him... You don't know I exist."

"But why?" she asked faintly, suddenly realizing how tense the atmosphere in the teahouse was that afternoon. "Why were you lying to me?"

"Charlie, I assure you, this was the only lie I've ever told you. Everything I said... I meant it. Every word. And every kiss."

"But why?"

"I had my reasons. But... Does it change how you see me? Does it change your feelings for me?"

She took a sip of her drink, trying to think of a good answer. Tommy or Oswald, rich or not, heir to a fortune or an orphan - sitting in front of her was still a man she had feelings for. He was still the same person.

At least he admitted to his own lies.

"I'm not sure." she said finally. "Why admit to all of this now though?"

"Because..."

He reached out and brushed her free hand with his fingertips and she felt the familiar, electric tingling go through her body.

"Because I need your help." he said finally. "I need your help in killing someone."

"What?" she asked after what felt like a infinity, filled with surreal, palpable, thick silence. "What? What? What?"

"Your reaction is understandable." he said quietly, sorrowfully. "And I'm deeply, truly sorry for getting you tangled up in this mess. I swear it wasn't my idea."

"Is this a joke?" she uttered, not fully comprehending her situation. "T... Oswald. Is this a joke?"

"No. I am very serious, my darling."

"Don't call me that." she snapped at him and he winced and his eyes got darker. "What the fuck is going on, Oswald?"

"Do you want a long or a short version?"

"Doesn't matter. I'm not helping you."

"And yet you're still here." he said quietly, his eyes still on her and she almost felt uncomfortable under his piercing, burning gaze. "It's quite simple, really. I need you to move the main event to another part of the main wing. That's it."

"This is a joke." she stated suddenly, deciding to hold onto this possibility for as long as possible. "Right? This is just a fucked up joke. One that's going to almost ruin us, yes... But it's nothing that can't be fixed. Yes?"

"So you want proof. Fine. I can give you proof. Ever heard of the Penguin?"

Of couse she heard of him - who didn't? A mysterious, masked individual, who also happened to be world's most elusive and efficient assassin. Nobody ever saw his face and lived to tell the tale. Some said he was a demon; some said it was an inherited title; some said it was a series of very devoted impostors and that the original Penguin was long, long dead.

"I am the Penguin." Oswald Cobblepot said quietly. "Well, the current one at least. On my phone, I have a recording of me... Putting the mask on."

"How am I supposed to know it's not a replica?"

"Think about it, Charlie. Cobblepots are an old, very rich family... Our money didn't come out of nowhere. It all makes sense, you simply... Have to accept it."

"Accept it?" she repeated bitterly. "Accept what? That- that someone I loved had been lying to me for months? That a man I loved is actually a fucking hitman? That someone is trying to use me - again?"

"Darling..."

"Don't call me that!" she repeated, her heart breaking; she loved the way he said this word. It always made her feel at peace. "Please. Just... Don't."

"I am sorry." Oswald said and she covered her face with her hands to avoid looking at him. "I really, really am. Please... Charlie..."

"No." she said firmly, feeling... Almost empty.

(What she hated the most about this whole situation, was the fact it didn't feel half as bad as when she found out what was Harry really after. Harry kept lying till the very end; Oswald was being honest and open. It was fucked up.)

"I'm not going to help you kill anybody." she continued, her voice muffled by her hands. "What I am going to do though is to go straight to the police. Tell them everything."

"They're not going to believe you." he said quietly, his voice tense. "Nobody's going to believe you."

"Well, somebody's going to believe me."

He didn't say anything and she slowly moved her hands away from her face to look at him.

He wasn't looking at her anymore; his gaze was stuck on his own hands, lying on the surface of their table. He looked sad, really, genuinely sad. Resigned.

"What now?" she asked finally, feeling waves of inert calmness washing over her. "You just confessed to being the Penguin and I refused to help. What now?"

"What are you suggesting, d... Charlie?"

"Are you going to kill me?"

"I'd rather take my own life here and now than hurt you." he said quietly and oddly tenderly. "No, I'm not going to kill you. But I can't just let you go either. Not until you agree."

"But I'm not going to agree to anything!"

"But you have to, Charlie. You have to. Please." he pleaded. "I am not going to hurt anybody. But people I work for..."

"People you work for?!"

"People I work for... They don't have my morals, Charlie. They don't follow my don't touch the innocent principle. And they know you. And your family."

She felt the ice cold grip of fear tighten around her throat.

"What?" she asked slowly. "No..."

"Please." he pleaded. "Help me and I will get you out of this mess. They won't go after you if you help me. That'll give me a chance to fix everything. I give you my word."

"Your word is worthless, Oswald." she said impassively, feeling like someone dumped her insides in gasoline mixed with salt and sulfur. "It means nothing. You lied to me - fine. I'd accept it as some dumb test, to see if I like you or your name. I'd accept it. I'd move on. But this... No, Oswald. No."

She felt like she's about to pass out. She looked at him, trying to keep calm.

"Excuse me for a moment." she said, getting up. "I need to use the restroom. I'll be right back."

"You do that." he said quietly and she turned around and walked away. She knew he's following her with his eyes; and she knew there's no window in the ladies room. No escape routes. The only way out was either through the main door, or through the back door, accessible through the kitchen - both of them visible from where he was seated.

She felt trapped and terrified and sad and heartbroken and empty and oh god, she felt so many, many things at once, colliding, overflowing, confusing.

She stood by the sink, staring at her own reflection, her face a picture of shock and heartbreak and fear. She saw the drops of water stuck in her lashes. She remembered Tommy - Oswald, she firmly corrected herself - saying he'd kiss each and every of her freckles if he had a chance. She remembered looking at him and thinking they were shaped for each other.

All gone now, replaced with this bizarre knowledge of her partner being a hitman in need of her help.

(It wasn't all gone, but she muffled it, repressed it, hid it, locked it away. It didn't matter anymore anyway.)

As she was walking back to their table, a faint outline of a plan formed in her head. First she had to get away. Then... She'd figure something out, she was sure of it.

As she was right next to their table and as he was looking up, she grabbed a glass from the nearby table and smashed it on his head, spilling orange juice everywhere. Before anyone reacted, she turned around and ran out of the teahouse, frantically reaching for her phone. The battery was dead - because of course. She had a spare in her apartment; and she decided there's no time to try going to the police. She had to call her parents, she had to warn them. She had to get away. Figure something out. Figure out who on her guest list is Penguin's target. Warn them.

(She remembered his eyes when he first told her he's developing feelings for her. She remembered every kiss, every word. Was it all a lie? A ploy? A manipulation tactic? She hoped so. It would make hating Oswald Cobblepot so much easier.)

She got in the nearest cab, slamming the door behind her. The driver looked at her in the rear mirror; he looked amused. The plaque attached to vehicle's radio announced his name is Brian Thomas.

"Bad day?" he asked, as she nervously gave him her destination and asked him to be fast.

"The worst." she replied, rubbing her forehead with her palm; everything she felt was gone, replaced with weariness. She wanted to fall asleep and never wake up. "What's the absolute worst date you've ever been to?"

"He didn't show up." Brian replied casually and Charlie sighed, wishing this could be her problem as well. A simple case of being stood up; not... Whatever the hell was this.

"I can take you to a police station if your date tried something funny." the driver suggested, and she shook her head quietly, looking outside the window. They were passing soon to be opened hotel building; the sight of it sent a shiver down her spine.

"It's not like this." she said eventually. "He just made me... Uncomfortable. And now I just need some wine and a bath."

"Suit yourself. We're here. Hey, beautiful stranger." he said suddenly, as she was reaching for her wallet. "Can I get your number?"

"I'm sorry, Brian." she said tiredly, handing him a wad of cash; a tip to be remembered. "I'm sure you're a very sweet guy, but for now I don't think I'm in mood for anything. Maybe next time."

"Here's to hoping our paths cross again." he said cheerfully as she got out and closed the doors behind her.

She practically ran inside the building, not looking back at Brian, who only took off after the doors closed behind her.

"Good evening, miss!" the receptionist greeted her cheerfully as she hurriedly approaced the counter.

"Leslie, I need a huge, huge favor. There might be someone looking for me here anytime soon." she said quickly, looking at the attentive young woman. "Please don't let them in. Tell them I'm not here. Anything. I know you'll think of something."

"Naturally, miss. Should I call the police?"

"No!" she said with exasperation. "Please. No police. I have this under control."

"Take care, miss." Leslie said as she was disappearing inside the elevator.

She forgot where exactly she put her spare phone and it took her about fifteen minutes to find it, and then - with her fingers shaking - another five to take her SIM card out of her dead phone and put it into the charged one. She stared at her contact list, frantically trying to decide who to call first. She didn't have time to call every single person from her guest list, but she knew the victim is there. Was it Bruce Wayne? Was it Harvey Dent? Was it one of the Kanes?

For a brief moment she considered calling Louise, but quickly abandoned the idea. Louise was not to be trusted anymore. After all, it was her who set her up with "Tommy" - and other girls weren't much better either, considering "Tommy" was also their friend. Maybe they also worked for the same people as he did.

She decided to call her father first. His calm demeanor always helped her focus and she knew he'll think of something. Make everything right.

But neither her father nor her mother picked up. They were probably busy, or asleep; and they weren't picking up.

She spent the next few minutes sitting in the middle of her spacious living room, crying out of frustration.

As she was getting up - she wanted to go to her bedroom and get her handgun, just in case - someone's strong arm suddenly wrapped around her, tighthly pressing her arms to her torso. Someone's gloved hand covered her mouth, as she began to scream.

"Please don't scream." Oswald Cobblepot whispered into her ear, holding her tight. "I only want to talk. Please."

"Mmmhmmhmff!" she gurgled angrily, aggresively trying to stomp his foot; but it wasn't very effective, considering she took her killer heels off as soon as she entered her flat. Oswald sighed.

"Please don't make me tie you up, Charlie." he said tiredly, still holding her.

(She hated and despised the fact fear didn't come first. What came first was... Definitely not fear.)

"I'm now going to take my hand off your mouth and you are going to not scream bloody murder. Deal?"

She shook her head furiously and he sighed again and rested his chin on her head.

"I'm going to do it anyway." he muttered eventually and did as he promised; she was free to speak, but he still hadn't let go of her. "Oh. You're not screaming. That's nice."

"Let go off me." she said quietly, writhing in his iron grip. "How did you get in anyway?!"

"The back door." he said tiredly, letting her to much to her surprise. "And then the stairs. Your receptionist's unharmed and unaware."

"What now, Oswald?" she asked, deciding to put all of her eggs in one basket. "You have me. What now?"

"I told you, I'm not going to hurt you. I want to talk some sense into you."

"SENSE?!" she practically exploded. "Sense?!"

"Charlie..."

She was facing him and she punched him in the chest and he didn't even budge, looking at her with his tired, tired eyes. His hair were a familiar mess again and he almost looked like that man she had ten dates with.

(She still had to warn her parents. She still had to figure out who's the target.)

She turned around and ran into her bedroom and he followed her, not letting her lock the door behind.

"Charlie, please." he said as she groaned with frustration. "What do you want me to do, get down on my knees?"

"The chance to explain yourself was about five dates ago, Oswald!" she said frantically, as he came closer.

Her fingers finally found her gun and she pulled it out triumphantly. The gun was loaded, and she pointed it at Oswald, her hand shaking. "Don't... Don't come closer."

"You know what? Fine." he said, running his fingers through his hair, looking her in the eye. "I'm tired, Charlie. Shoot me if you want to. I probably deserve it."

He did drop down on his knees and looked up at the gun she was holding in her shaking, shaking hand.

"What are you doing?" she asked frantically, as he gently took her hand and guided it, until the gun was touching his forehead.

"Pull the trigger if you want to." he repeated tiredly. "Let's make a deal though: if you can kill me, fine. Have it your way. No one else will die and this will be the end of this Penguin. Someone else will take the mask. But if you can't... You will hear me out."

She was looking at him, her body trembling, her eyes wide open, her heart pounding, her breaths short and shaky. Could she do it? Would she do it?

(Harry came back to mind. How adamant he was in his lies, how his lies turned into threats. It was her parents who saved her that day.)

"I can't do this." she said eventually, her eyes filled with tears. "I... I can't. I can't kill you."

"Why?" he asked quietly, his eyes closed. "What's stopping you?"

(The way he looked at her, the way he kissed her, the way he laughed at her terrible jokes.)

"You said... You meant everything you said to me as Tommy." she said eventually. "Is that true?"

"It's painfully true, Charlie."

"What was first - me or the job?"

"You." he replied instantly, his eyes still closed. "You were first. If it depended on me... I wouldn't get you mixed up in all of this."

"Then why did you get me involved? Me and my family?"

"Because the person who ordered a hit had some very... Strict preferences. And people I'm currently working for... They are perfectionists. Everything has to go in accordance to our client's preference, otherwise... Otherwise someone close to me will pay the price for my mistakes."

He finally opened his eyes and looked at her and she felt her heart almost melt.

"So please, Charlie." he continued quietly, gently taking her hand away and the touch of cold leather on her skin made her almost drop her loaded gun. "Help me with this one thing. Help me keep you safe. And I.... I will take care of the rest."

(His words were a promise of a bloodbath and she hated the fact she believed in his promises of safety.)

"Fine." she said finally, putting the gun away. "Fine. Have it your way."

"Do you hate me now?" he asked, getting up and putting his gloved hand on her arm. "Please. I need to know."

"I'd love to." she blurted out. "I'm trying to. But I can't. I just... Can't."

"I'll make it up to you, somehow. I can... Disappear from your life forever, once this is all done."

"Just tell me what do you want from me." she said tiredly, rubbing her eyes with her hand. "Don't give me any details, just... Tell me."

"I only need you to move this thing to another part of the main wing, that's all. Move it to the Scarlet Lounge."

Her phone was ringing in another room. Her parents, probably.

"Who's the target?" she asked finally and Oswald sighed.

"Hamilton Hill."

"He has a family, Oswald."

"Who do you think ordered the hit?" he asked quietly. "Have you met his daughter?"

Of course she met Hamilton's daughter. Her name was Skyler, she was few years younger than her and was beautiful like a sunset and sharp like a razor. She was a brilliant young woman, on her way to becoming one of Gotham's best lawyers.

"She has her reasons. Very good reasons. Have you ever thought about what kinds of people Penguin kills? Corrupt politicians, abusers hiding behind their public faces."

"You're going to ruin my family's good name." Charlie muttered, once again feeling like she's about to pass out. "This is going to be a disaster."

"Skyler had the same concerns, that's why she insisted on not making it look like an accident. She's a thoughtful girl."

"Fine. Fine. Fine. I'll do it." she finally gave up, putting the gun away. "Oswald..."

"Yes?"

"Don't disappear from my life." she blurted out. "I... I don't know how I feel about you anymore, but please, don't disappear."

"I won't." he said softly. "Do you want me to go now?"

"Fuck, I don't know. I feel like an idiot now. I don't know."

"You're not an idiot, Charlie. You're an opposite of an idiot. You think on your feet, and you stalled me for hours. And I'm a professional hitman... Who might or might not be slightly blinded by his feelings."

"That's not a compliment a girl wants to hear, you know."

"And what do you want me to say? That you're beautiful? And distracting? And charming?"

"...for example, yes." she muttered and he smiled faintly.

"I can tell you a lot of sweet nothings and compliments, Charlie. But I'd rather do it over dinner and some wine."

"Are you... Asking me out?" she asked slowly. "After... All of this? You're asking me out?"

"Yes. I... I already made a reservation." he confessed and she smiled nervously. "At Lafontaine's. Two days after tomorrow."

"Fine." she said eventually and his face lit up. "I'll be there. Now... Can you please go? I have some... Calls to make."

She almost stopped him from leaving, actually. She almost kissed him and almost put his gloves off and put his hands on her back. She was feeling tired and yearned for physical touch, now that she knew what was really going on.

(Don't make me tie you up, Charlie.)

But instead, she saw him leave, closing the door behind him. She sighed. She rubbed her forehead, wondering where did all her emotions go suddenly.

(She never liked Hamilton Hill. He was a Republican, and a really far-right one. She knew his stances on various social issues; and sure, he was courteous and polite during their rare meetings, but he was still a disgusting man. And she wondered what exactly prompted his own daughter to order a hit on him. What was happening behind the closed doors of the Hill family?)

*** Hamilton Hill died at her party.

Everything was splending - nobody minded the fact everything was moved to another place, which she excused with some unforeseen technical difficulties that were previously overlooked. People hired to help were paid triple for the fact they suddenly had to move everything to another part of the main wing. Everything was great and her parents were so, so proud of her. She kept looking around, searching for Oswald - her Oswald, not his polite, short cousin - but naturally he was nowhere to be seen.

(She did some reading and apparently the son of Esther and Theodore had been absent from Gotham for a few months now. She kept wondering why exactly is he living a double life.)

"Charlotte!" she heard his cousin's voice behind her and she turned around to face the smiling, young man in a tux. "What a lovely night."

The shorter Cobblepot leaned in.

"I have a gift from my cousin." he whispered into her ear, sliding something into her palm. "He says... Thank you."

"Thank you, Oswald." she said calmly, hiding a small box inside her purse. "Enjoying yourself?"

"Oh, very. Your mother is absolutely incredible. Such grace!"

"I'm very glad to hear it." she said, glancing at the Hills over Oswald's shoulder. They looked peaceful, calm, happy. Skyler noticed her gaze and slightly nodded in her direction, quickly turning her attention back to her mother.

The Scarlet Lounge had a better view on the city, than the Golden Hall - one of it's walls was made entirely out of glass. Charlie could see almost everything from where she was standing - the stars, the river, the Wayne Tower, the mayor's office.

Hamilton Hill was standing there, alone, with a glass of champagne, staring at a city that wanted him dead.

She approached him with a glass of wine, wondering if everything had been just a bad dream. Nothing had happened so far; maybe Skyler called off the hit? Maybe it really was just her imagination?

"It's a beautiful night in Gotham, isn't it?" Hamilton said, not looking at her. "From here, it all looks so peaceful... So right."

"I have to admit, I'm growing quite fond of this city." she admitted, taking a sip of her wine. "It looks and sounds like chaos, but there is beauty in its pulse."

"It's a shame it's been infected with so much scum." he muttered and she rolled her eyes. "Bah. Life's so short. I wish I had more time to help this city shape itself into something truly beautiful, you know? I wish I had more time."

"Can't do, Hill." she suddenly heard a raspy, artificially modified voice behind them. They both quickly turned around - only to face the Penguin himself, to stare into his mask's black, lifeless eyes.

She had no idea how he got there unnoticed, but he did - and now the others were noticing something's going on.

"All debts must be paid, Hill." Penguin said calmly, completely ignoring mortified Charlie standing next to the politician. "And your debt is long overdue."

He pulled out a gun, and she scoffed at the sight of it. Of course he was using a silenced AMT Hardballer. He pointed his gun at Hamilton's face and everyone in the room froze in place.

"Turn around, Hill." Penguin ordered quietly and Hill mindlessly obeyed.

The hitman turned his head and looked at Charlie.

"You might want to take few steps back." he informed her in a polite, casual tone of voice. "So sorry to ruin your party like this... But you know how it is. Work is work."

Charlie slowly stepped back, unable to take her eyes off Hill's mortified profile. Penguin put his gun to mayor's head.

"Take a good look at this city, mayor. Take a good look at everything you almost ruined. And now... Goodbye."

He pulled a trigger and someone in the room screamed when Hamilton Hill's blood splattered on the glass in front of him.

Penguin slipped away in the ensuing chaos, and Charlie somehow ended up next to exceptionally calm Skyler, who was staring at her father's corpse the way someone else would look at a broken pen.

"I know what you did." Skyler said quietly, so quietly only Charlie could hear her. "Thank you."

"Things we do for love." Charlie replied equally quietly, glancing at Skyler. "Why did you do it?"

"I didn't do anything."

"I hope you won't regret this, Skyler."

"Oh, trust me. I won't. This is a childhood dream come true."

The tone of her voice told Charlie everything she needed to know about what was going on behind the closed doors of the Hill family.

When the police arrived - lead by a very disgruntled (who could blame him? Gotham's mayor just got murdered on his watch) Jim Gordon, accompanied with visibly stressed out Harvey Dent - Charlie came off clean. Her story about an overlooked technical problem in the Golden Hall miraculously turned out to be true; they found some issues with the water pipes. Nobody questioned Penguin's interaction with her - the elusive assassin was well-known for being a gentleman towards people who were not his targets.

"That's one hell of an opening night." her father muttered, downing a glass of whiskey and her mother sighed and shook her head.

"Nobody could foresee this." she said sadly. "Usually political assassinations are not on a list of possible problems."

"Bah! Political my ass." her father scoffed and Charlie turned her head away to hide her smile. "Democrats don't have what it takes to order a hit on anyone. Bunch of weenies."

(In his youth, Crispin Schiller-Aberdeen used to be an antifa activist. With age - and marriage - he softened down a bit; but it was a well known fact he sometimes still bails out anarchists and other young antifas out of prison.)

"A man is dead, Crispin." Eleanor said coldly, rolling her eyes and taking her husband's hand. "No more whiskey for you tonight, darling."

Louise showed up, tapping Charlie's shoulder.

"Charlie? A word." she said to her, and briefly turned her attention to Charlie's parents. "Louise McDonagh, assistant district attorney. Pleased to meet you. My superior needs to talk to your daughter."

She grabbed Charlie's hand and pulled her away.

"Does Dent really want to talk to me?" Charlie asked finally, after making sure nobody can hear them. Louise shook her head.

"No, but I do. I guess... I should apologize."

"Yes." Charlie said coldly. "You should. You could have warned me."

"There's no good way to warn anyone of something like this, you know. What was I supposed to say?"

"The truth!"

"Look, I'm sorry! Okay? I'm sorry! I'm really, really sorry! I didn't know he's going to get this job! If I knew, I'd tell him to stay the fuck away from you!"

"This is all I wanted to hear, you know." Charlie sighed, awkwardly putting her hand on Louise's shoulder. "Look. I'm... Fine. I think my reputation's fine as well. A bit of a shocker... It might be a good advertisement."

"This is the most fucked up think I've heard this year. How is mayor's death a good advertisement?!"

"You know how people are."

"Fuck. You're right. Uh-oh." she muttered, glancing at her phone. "Turns out Harvey does want to speak to you. And he's... Not happy. Fuck."

"You can't expect him to be happy, considering what happened tonight. But don't worry, I'm sure his boyfriend will cheer him up." she said with a smirk and Louise snorted quietly.

*** Only after finally getting home - which happened after the dusk - Charlie opened a gift from her Oswald.

It was pearls; he gave her a pair of pearl earrings, and matching necklace and a bracelet. Attached to the bracelet was a note.

Once again - so sorry for ruining your night, darling.

She smiled faintly to herself, wondering what's going to happen between her and Cobblepot next. She was still shocked by his identity - she never expected her date to turn out to be a fucking Penguin - but she also felt... Excited. She felt a pleasant thrill.

(At least he was honest. And she appreciated this honesty more than she cared to admit. The man who kissed her was a killer.)

She wondered what's going to happen next, now that he abandonded his Tommy Elliot persona. Did it mean they're going to become something serious?

(She hoped so.)

Finally, their date night had arrived. He asked her to meet him at 6pm; and he even sent out a limousine to pick her up. It seemed like he's very determined to make their affair public - and she didn't mind.

Lafontaine's was one of the best restaurants in America, and the best one in Gotham. Some people waited for their reservations for literal years; but it seemed like all it took to get in was to have the right name. Like Cobblepot, for example.

Mere moments after she stepped inside Lafontaine's luxurious hall, she was approached by a chipper maître d' with a spring in her step.

"Miss Charlotte Schiller-Aberdeen, I presume?" the woman asked politely, and Charlie winced slightly, hearing the disliked full version of her name.

"Yes. This is me."

"Mister Cobblepot is awaiting you. Please, follow me."

Their table was in the middle of the well-lit room. She could hear smooth jazz playing quietly in the background, mixed with a quiet shimmer of the water from the nearby decorative fountain.

"Charlie, you look simply breathtaking." Oswald said as soon as he noticed her, tapping his finger on the surface of their table and getting up. "And those pearls... Look very familiar."

"Same can be said about your hair and cologne, Oswald."

"Ah, so it's working. Good." he said with a wink. "I have to be honest... I was half expecting you to cancel."

"It can still be arranged, you know."

"Don't." he said softly and she smiled, glancing at her hands. "How is... The aftermath?"

"Everything's under control... On my side of the bargain." she replied quietly. "And on your end?"

"I took care of everything." he said very seriously. "Just like I promised I would."

(She wondered how many people had died because of her. She wondered if he was covered in their blood.)

"So." he said in a more upbeat tone, "Let's switch to more pleasant topics. Such as all the compliments I owe you."

He looked at her tenderly and she tilted her head, wondering what happened to that almost broken man who put her gun to his head and told her to kill him if she wants to.

"Go on." she said eventually. "Just... Not all at once. Save some for later."

"Oh? Are you implying... There will be more?"

"Of course." she said softly, brushing his hand with her fingertips. "I still stand by everything I said, you know."

They spent a nice evening with wine and truffles and other fancy food. They talked; she told him about her divorce and in return he told her about his last ugly breakup. She almost forgot he's an assassin. She almost forgot she almost killed him.

(They didn't know they parents are in the same restaurant. It turned out Crispin and Esther used to be friends during their rebellious youths. They decided to have a double married date; and now were sitting not too far from their children, who were too busy with each other to notice their parents.

"Reminds me of our first date..." Esther sighed, looking fondly at the way her son brushed Charlie's hair away from her face. "We raised our boy well."

"You better." Crispin grumbled and Esther and Eleanor laughed in response. "He better be good for my girl."

"He's my son, Crispin. Of course he'll be good... Or I'll whoop his ass." Esther said archly. "But what about your child?"

"Oh, Charlie used to be a little hearbreaker!" Eleanor giggled. "But I think this is serious for both of them."

"Mmmmhmmm." Theodore said absentmindedly, watching his son. "I'd recognize those pearls everywhere."

"Let's give them some space though." Crispin suggested, taking his eyes off Oswald's face. "Now, let's drink to a bright future...")

He walked her home that night.

"Do you want to... Stay the night?" she asked hesitantly, as they were quietly standing in front of the entrance to her building.

"I don't know." he replied nonchalantly, brushing her palm with his gloved fingers. "Do you want me to stay the night?"

"Yes." she said almost instantly and he smirked. "You're not going to kill me, right?"

"We've been through this already."

"I just want to be sure."

"My father and his sister were also Penguins, you know." Oswald said quietly. "And look at their spouses now. Alive and well. And I assure you... Mom and uncle had both been in this exact same situation."

He brushed her hand with his lips, looking her in the eye, sending electric shivers down her spine.

"I won't hurt you, unless you want me to." he assured her with a wink. "So?"

"Stay the night." she said breathlessly, thanking herself from few hours ago for putting on some nice, lace lingerie.

They entered the building hand in hand, saying good evening to Leslie.

"Miss!" she called out to Charlie. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, Leslie, why do you ask?"

"Well, last time I saw you you acted like you're running from someone..." Leslie said, visibly abashed and Charlie smiled.

"Everything's fine, Leslie. Your concern is very touching though. Have a good night."

"Yes, Leslie, have a good night!" Oswald repeated, nodding vigorously and winking at Leslie, who gasped when she realized who's that standing next to Charlie.

"She's going to tell everyone." Charlie muttered in the elevator, between kisses.

"Do you mind other people knowing? About us?"

"No, but I don't want any pesky journalists digging into my life."

She gasped when his hand crawled under her dress.

"I'll take care of them." he promised in a raspy voice and she sighed, wondering if he's going to bribe them or kill them. "Now hush. They're not important."

He made her forget about everything, for a night - the journalists, Hamilton Hill, her gun put to his head, her doubts. He made her forget her own damn name. All that mattered was his presence intertwined with hers, their breaths tangled together, his skin and her skin, her voice and his kisses.

He was still there when she woke up; he was asleep next to her and in that one moment, Charlie couldn't decide which of the three men - Oswald, Tommy and Penguin - is lying in her bed.

She decided she doesn't care. She loved him anyway; and something told her the feeling's mutual.

*** One week later Oswald Cobblepot was in Perth, Australia. He was visiting an old friend - of sorts. It was not going to be a friendly visit.

The man he was looking for went by many names, but he only cared about two of them - Harold Spencer and Alexander Krill. They worked together a few times years ago, but then went their separate ways - and Oswald hadn't really thought of his old coworker, until he learned what happened between Charlie Schiller-Aberdeen and her ex-husband; a con-artist, who first wanted to simply steal her fortune and run away, but - after being found out - attempted to kill her in cold blood. Charlie was saved by her parents's surprise visit; and she wasn't aware Oswald Cobblepot knew Harry.

Or Alex. Depends on who you ask.

He knew there are better ways to steal a girl's heart than to kill her ex husband who used her. He gave her pearls. He complimented her. Took her out on fancy dates, made her writhe under his touch. He was good at this game and he knew that - even despite a rocky beginning - his relationship with Charlie is secure.

Still, he felt like killing Alexander is just... A right thing to do.

(He considered calling it "one last job" - he knew his cousin has his eyes on the mantle of the Penguin. Maybe it was high time for him to step back and to live the way rich playboy should; no assassinations, just champagne, fancy clothes and his beautiful darling at his side. Yeah. It felt and sounded right.)

So there he was in Perth, where Krill had holed up, probably planning his next big scam. He was hiding in a crappy apartment complex - even though Oz was well aware his old co-worker can afford something luxurious.

He put his mask on. He fixed his tie. He knocked; he very much enjoyed the peculiar sound of a hand covered with a glove made out of expensive, high quality leather knocking on a cheap wooden surface.

Krill opened the doors after a while and he wasn't happy to see Oswald.

"Fuck, Penguin?" he asked, visibly disgruntled. "What do you want?"

"To talk. Let me in."

"Alright, but make it quick." Krill said, turning around and coming back to his shitty living room. "I have stuff to do."

"No, you don't." Penguin replied calmly, reaching for his gun. "And to be honest... You're not going to be doing a lot of things ever again, Alexander."

"What?" Alex asked with annoyance, turned around and froze at the sight of Oswald's gun. "Dude. What the fuck?!"

"One last shitty joke, before we part ways forever, partner." Penguin sad, tilting his head to the side. "Do you know what penguins eat?"

"N-no!" Alexander replied, his face a picture of pure fear. "What do you want from me?!"

"Penguins - among other things - eat krill." Oswald replied calmly. "Say aaaa."

Alexander Krill opened his mouth to scream and Penguin pulled the trigger.

The bullet was faster than his voice.

*** "How was your trip?" Charlie asked him a few days later, once he was back in Gotham and he dropped by to pay her a visit in her office. The business was booming, it seemed - Crowne Continental Gotham was filled with guests. It seemed like a recent death of the mayor that took place in the same building didn't discourage anyone.

"Perfectly uneventful." he said, deciding on not telling her the true purpose of his sudden trip to another continent. "My parents are hosting some fundraiser at out park in two weeks. Care to come as my plus one?"

"Does it mean you want to introduce me to your family?"

"Well, my cousin already knows you, and you met his parents... But I guess this might be a good time to tell my parents to stop trying to hook me up with Kate Kane." he said with a smirk and she giggled.

"Really? They tried that?"

"A lot of times."

"Well, I don't have any plans, so count me in." she said after taking a look at her schedule and he smiled lightly at the way afternoon light played with her red hair.

He noticed a small drop of dried up blood on his shoe; probably Krill's. But it didn't matter.

"I missed you." Charlie said suddenly. "Come on. Kiss me."

They kissed in her office at the top floor of Crowne Continental and he had blood on his hands and she still hadn't decided who does she really love; but none of this mattered. The Penguin gave up his title and all was good in Gotham City.

(In the other part of the town, Skyler Hill was watching the sunset with her mother. They were both dressed up in black. They were both relaxed and happiest they've been in many, many years. There were no regrets in the Hill Mansion. There were no regrets to be found anywhere in Gotham.)

#dc #telltale batman #ff #eng #oc #pinnguin

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movietvtechgeeks · 7 years

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Latest story from https://movietvtechgeeks.com/understanding-donald-trump-russian-connections/

Understanding all those Donald Trump Russian connections

No matter how much distraction President Donald Trump throws out, there's always a new connection to Russia and Vladimir Putin that arises every week with his associates. This is something that won't go away no matter how many bombs he sets off, the FBI has cranked up the time and resources they are spending on this investigation. Despite Russia’s harmful national interests against the U.S., and its human rights violations around the world, President Trump and his team are directly and indirectly tied to Russia. Throughout the 2016 presidential election, President Trump not only refused to criticize Russian President Vladimir Putin, but was even friendly and accommodating in his remarks. In his own words, President Trump called President Putin “highly respected." More recently, President Trump put the U.S. on equal moral footing with Russia when responding to Bill O’Reilly’s question about Putin being a "killer," saying "We've got a lot of killers... you think our country's so innocent?" This is absolutely false moral equivalence, and unheard of for the President of the United States to insult and demean the country he leads. President Trump has harshly criticized NATO, and exclaimed that only the NATO allies that paid equally to the alliance deserved protection from the United States. Though these remarks were softened by British Prime Minister Theresa May, who claims that President Trump fully supports the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), it's still unclear how supportive he will be of NATO allies like the Baltic states in light of his relationship with Russia. President Trump has also surrounded himself with people who do business with and are sympathetic to Russia. The New York Times reported that members of Trump’s 2016 campaign and other Trump associates had frequent contact with senior Russian intelligence officials throughout the campaign. In addition to these questionable communications, here are a few other associates with ties to Moscow: Donald Trump: Not only does his past and current team have ties to Russia, but the President himself also does. He has traveled to Russia extensively, done business there often, and has ties to Russian interests. For example, in 2008 he made a real estate sale to Russian billionaire, Dmitry Rybolovlev. Trump bought a Palm Beach mansion in 2004 during a bankruptcy sale for $41 million, and less than four years later, without ever having moved in, Trump sold the mansion to Rybolovlev for $95 million. Michael Flynn: Flynn, President Trump’s former National Security Advisor, was asked to resign just weeks after he was sworn in. His resignation came after it leaked that he misled Vice President Mike Pence about his communications with Russian officials, specifically Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak, before President Trump’s inauguration. In these communications, Flynn discussed sanctions imposed by the Obama administration on Russia – while President Obama was still in office. Earlier last year, he stated that the U.S. needs to respect that “Russia has its own national security strategy, and we have to try to figure out: How do we combine the United States’ national security strategy along with Russia’s national security strategy,” raising troubling questions. In 2015, Flynn delivered remarks at a Moscow gala honoring RT, Russia’s propaganda arm, where he was seated next to Putin. Flynn accepted $33,750 for this speech by RT, and did not correctly report the payment, thus concealing payment from a foreign government, and possibly violating the law in the meantime. Flynn continued to appear on RT as a foreign policy analyst. Altogether, Flynn was paid more than $67,000 by Russian companies before the 2016 presidential election. Jeff Sessions: Sessions, President Trump’s Attorney General, had two conversations with Ambassador Kislyak during the 2016 presidential election. However, during later confirmation hearings, he claimed that he “did not have communications with the Russians” when prompted by Senator Al Franken. Once reports of his meetings with Kislyak surfaced, Sessions recused himself from any investigation into Russia’s interference in our 2016 presidential election. Many officials are continuing to call for his resignation. Rex Tillerson: Tillerson, President Trump’s Secretary of State, worked on energy projects in Russia for two decades during his career at Exxon. He has publicly described his “very close relationship” with President Putin and was awarded Russia’s Order of Friendship in 2013, the highest state honor possible for a foreigner. Jared Kushner: Kushner is President Trump's son-in-law and current Senior Advisor. Along with Michael Flynn, Kushner met with Ambassador Kislyak during the Presidential transition. The White House later acknowledged that following that meeting, Ambassador Kislyak requested a second meeting, which Kushner had a deputy attend. However, at Kislyak's request, Kushner did later meet with Sergey Gorkov, the head of Russia's state-owned development bank, who has close ties to President Putin. The U.S. placed this bank on its sanctions list following Russia's annexation of Crimea. The Senate Intelligence Committee plans to question Kushner about his meetings with Russian officials. The New York Times recently reported that Kusher failed to disclose dozens of contacts with foreign leaders on his application for top-secret security clearance -- one of those contacts being Ambassador Kislyak. Donald Trump, Jr.: Trump, Jr., President Trump’s son, met with Fabien Baussart, a leader of a Syrian opposition group backed by the Russian government, and others about how the U.S. could work with Russia on the Syrian conflict weeks before Donald Trump was elected President. He has also been quoted saying that his father’s businesses “see a lot of money pouring in from Russia”, and that he had visited Russia on business over a half dozen times. Paul Manafort: Manafort, who has business connections to Russia and Ukraine, was hired as Trump’s campaign manager in March 2016. He then resigned in August of the same year, after reports surfaced that suggested he had received $12.7 million from Victor Yanukovych, Ukraine’s pro-Russia former president. It was recently revealed by AP that Manafort proposed in a strategy plan from as early as June 2005 that he would work to influence politics, business deals, and media inside the U.S. and Europe to benefit Putin. This plan was pitched to Oleg Deripaska, a "Russian aluminum magnate" with close ties to Putin. Manafort eventually signed a $10 million contract with Deripaska in early 2006. The Trump Administration and Manafort have both said that Manafort never worked for Russian interests. Since the FBI confirmed in a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing on March 20 that investigators are examining whether the Trump campaign and its associates coordinated with Russia to interfere in the 2016 election, the White House has made attempts to distance itself from Manafort, claiming that he played "a very limited role" in the campaign, despite his clear leadership role as campaign chairman leading up to the Republican National Convention. Carter Page: Page, hired as a foreign policy advisor to Trump’s 2016 campaign, was known to have deep ties to Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned gas company. In July 2016, a month after Russia's DNC meddling was reveled in the press, Page traveled to Moscow to make a speech. The Trump campaign approved this trip, saying he would not be traveling as an official representative of the campaign. In the speech he delivered in Moscow, he criticized American foreign policy as being hypocritical – remarks which ultimately led to his resignation from Trump’s campaign. Before joining the campaign, he was a businessman “of no particular renown” working in the Moscow branch of Merrill Lynch before creating his own consulting agency. Previously, Trump identified Page as one of a small group of advisors helping to craft his foreign policy platform during the campaign. However, President Trump’s staff now claims that “Carter Page is an individual who the [then] president-elect does not know.” Page met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak at the Republican National Convention in 2016. Buzzfeed recently reported that Page had met with a Russian intelligence agent named Victor Podobnyy in 2013, who was reportedly trying to recruit Page. Podobnyy was later charged by the U.S. for acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government. Tevfik Arif: Arif, who founded Bayrock, a real estate group known to have many deals with Trump, had a 17-year career in the Soviet Ministry of Commerce and Trade. Roger Stone: Stone, a former advisor to Trump, had back channel conversations with Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, which is the organization that published the DNC leaks and Podesta emails during the 2016 elections. He also had exchanges with Guccifer 2.0 -- a hacker believed to be linked to Russia involved in the 2016 hacking of Democratic National Committee emails -- in August 2016. Also in August, he tweeted "it will soon [be] Podesta's time in the barrell." About two months later, Wikileaks began posting John Podesta's emails. Felix Sater: Sater, formerly a senior advisor to the Trump Organization, is a Russian-born Bayrock associate with extensive involvement in organized crime. Alex Shnaider: Born in Russia, Shnaider co-financed a real estate project with Trump. Shnaider’s father-in-law, Boris J. Birshtein, was a close business associate of Sergei Mikhaylov, the head of one of the largest branches of the Russian mob. JD Gordon: Gordon, a national security advisor for the Trump campaign met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in July, who he told he would like to improve US - Russia relations. He advocated for a change to the GOP national platform to make their policies more pro-Russian and less pro-Ukraine, a change which Gordon said was directly supported by then-candidate Donald Trump. Wilbur Ross: Ross, President Trump’s Secretary of Commerce, was the top shareholder in the Bank of Cyprus, an institution with deep Russian ties and investors who made fortunes under Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to McClatchy, the banking system in Cyprus, because of its dependence on Russian investors, is money-laundering concern for the US State Department. Ross served as the vice chairman of the board of directors for the Bank of Cyprus. The second largest investor in the Bank of Cyprus was Viktor Vekselberg, who once served on the Russian state-owned oil giant Rosneft, which is under partial sanction by the US Treasury Department. Vekselberg is known to have a close relationship with Vladimir Putin. In February, six senators sent a letter to Ross inquiring about his relationship to Vekselberg. The senators also inquired about Ross’s relationship with Vladimir Strzhalkovsky, who is also linked to the Bank of Cyprus, was a former KGB agent, and is believed to be a Putin associate. Erik Prince: Prince, who had no formal role with the Trump campaign or transition team, had a secret meeting with a Russian close to President Putin, arranged by the United Arab Emirates, the Washington Post recently reported. The meeting reportedly took place around January 11, 2017 on the Seychelles islands, and was allegedly part of an effort to establish a back-channel line of communication between Russia and then President-elect Trump. The UAE agreed to facilitate the meeting in order to explore Russia's willingness to curtail its relationship with Iran. Prince was a supporter of Trump, and has ties to Steve Bannon and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who is his sister. He was also seen in Trump transition offices in December. In addition to these ties, it appears that Trump and his team are conscious of their guilt. In late February 2017, CNN reported that “the FBI rejected a recent White House request to publicly knock down media reports about communications between Donald Trump's associates and Russians known to US intelligence during the 2016 presidential campaign.” This request may be a violation of procedures that limits communications between the White House and FBI on pending investigations. Why is America’s leader and his team so close to Russia? This is either due to poor judgement or a deeper personal, financial, or political link between President Trump and Russia. It is not normal for the leader of our country to be so extensively tied to a foreign government that has sought to undermine democracies across the globe, and connections like these should be concerning to American citizens everywhere.

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#Carter Page #Donald Trump #Erik Prince #Featured #Politics #Roger Stone #Russia #Vladimir Putin

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newslegendry · 4 years

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Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein’s closest confidante, was arrested by the FBI in New Hampshire on Thursday. Who is Ghislaine Maxwell?She’s a 58-year-old British heiress, born in France as the youngest of nine children to Elizabeth and Robert Maxwell, and raised in a 53-room mansion in Oxford. Robert Maxwell, a publishing tycoon who once served in the British Parliament, was a charismatic but shady businessman who died in mysterious circumstances in 1991 when he disappeared from the deck of his yacht, the Lady Ghislaine, anchored off the Canary Islands. Family observers previously told The Daily Beast that it was not strange that Ghislaine and some of her sisters were drawn to larger-than-life, strange men. “They attach themselves to bizarre psychopaths like their father,” one researcher said.Ghislaine Maxwell has a degree from Oxford University, speaks four languages, and is a trained private helicopter pilot. She was involved in social clubs at Oxford and perhaps not surprisingly given her upbringing, has moved in high society circles her whole life. She has homes in several countries but largely resided in her London townhouse during her time with Epstein.What was her relationship to Jeffrey Epstein?Maxwell was close to her father and, after his death, she moved to the United States. She lived in a friend’s apartment overlooking Central Park, worked at a luxury real estate company, and quickly ingratiated herself with the high-society set in New York. She met Epstein at a party in the '90s when he was a wealthy but exceptionally private financier who didn’t yet move in high-society circles. While they initially dated, their relationship has been murkier over the years and she has been described as his live-in companion, his best friend, his assistant—and his “madam.” She is credited with introducing Epstein to the New York social scene and notable figures like Prince Andrew, a member of the British royal family. ‘Villian’ Ghislaine Maxwell Lived ‘Life of Privilege’ as FBI Hunted HerMaxwell continued to socialize after Epstein served a 13-month sentence in Florida in 2008 for soliciting a minor for prostitution but the pair were not seen together as often. What has she been charged with today?Maxwell has been charged with six offenses relating to the transportation and enticement of minors to engage in illegal sex acts. It relates to three underage victims and covers the period 1994 to 1997. She is accused of recruiting and grooming girls who traveled to Epstein’s homes in New York and New Mexico, and Maxwell’s London home for erotic massages that turned into sexual abuse. She allegedly procured the girls and built a rapport by taking them shopping and asking about their lives. She then slowly normalized sexual abuse by undressing in front of them, discussing sexual topics, and being present when they gave Epstein massages, an 18-page indictment says. She is also accused of participating in some of the massages and sexual abuse. She and Epstein often gave victims expensive travel and education opportunities, leaving them feeling indebted to the pair. Maxwell is also charged with two counts of perjury for allegedly lying during a 2016 deposition in which she said she’d never participated in any massages and she’d wasn’t aware of Epstein’s persistent sexual abuse. Epstein was charged with several sexual abuse and sex trafficking offenses last year but committed suicide in his jail cell after being denied bond.Is this the first time we have heard these allegations? No. Maxwell is facing three civil lawsuits by women who accused her of helping Epstein procure girls who were sexually assaulted and trafficked out to other pedophiles on multiple continents. She is accused of participating in some of the sexual abuse in the form of threesomes with Epstein and underage girls. Most notably, Virginia Giuffre accused Epstein and Maxwell of keeping her as a sex slave when she was 16 and loaning her out to high-powered men—including one of Maxwell’s high-society connections, Prince Andrew, who went on to become a close Epstein pal—for erotic massages and sex. Maxwell denied the allegations and counter-sued Giuffre for defamation with the case settled in 2017 on confidential terms. Despite a photo existing of him and Giuffre in Maxwell’s London townhouse, Prince Andrew has denied knowing Giuffre and maintained that he knew nothing about his close friend Epstein’s sexual abuse.Epstein Victim: Ghislaine Maxwell Made Me Recruit ‘Youngest-Looking’ Girls for EpsteinAnother victim, Jennifer Araoz, is suing both Maxwell and Epstein’s estate over repeated sexual abuse in the early 2000s that culminated in a brutal rape in Epstein’s New York mansion. She alleges that Maxwell and Epstein’s employees recruited her from outside her high school and introduced her to the billionaire pedophile under the guise of helping her fledgling musical career. Maxwell helped to identify and hire underage girls, schedule appointments for erotic massages, and later intimidate witnesses into not disclosing abuse, the lawsuit says. Two other victims have suits against Maxwell and Epstein’s estates: an unidentified 13-year-old known only as Jane Doe; and Annie Farmer, who was flown out to Epstein’s New Mexico ranch in the '90s and accuses the pair of rape, battery, and false imprisonment. Sarah Ransome, who accused Maxwell of hiring her to give massages to Epstein and threatening to harm her if she didn’t comply, settled a suit against Maxwell and Epstein’s estates. Why has it taken so long to arrest her?Maxwell has been in hiding since Epstein’s arrest last year, refusing to accept service of the civil lawsuits and only communicating with courts through her lawyers, who said they didn’t know where she was living. She filed a lawsuit in Superior Court in the U.S. Virgin Islands in March this year seeking money from Epstein’s estate to cover legal and security costs, claiming Epstein had promised to always look after her financially.Rumors have swirled in the past year, placing Maxwell in Brazil, Paris, and rural France. Last August, it appeared she was living in Manchester by the Sea, Massachusetts, in the home of a possible boyfriend, Scott Borgerson, CEO of CargoMetrics, a hedge fund firm involved in maritime data analytics. Locals said they’d seen her walking her dog on the beach and going by the name “G.” Later that month, she was supposedly photographed eating at an In-N-Out in Los Angeles but the photos, which ran in the New York Post, were later proven to have been staged by her friend, the lawyer attorney Leah Saffian.Southern District of New York prosecutors said Thursday they had been keeping tabs on her all along and she had “slithered away to a gorgeous property in New Hampshire” where she was still living in luxury. In a court filing, prosecutors said Maxwell had moved at least twice recently, had switched her primary phone number (which she registered under the name “G Max”) and email address, and had ordered packages under different shipping names. The 156-acre property in Bradford, New Hampshire, was paid for with cash in December using a “carefully anonymized LLC,” the filing says.What kind of high-society connections did she have? Maxwell’s longstanding friendship with Prince Andrew has perhaps caused the most ructions. She introduced him to Guiffre during a London trip, leading the British royal to be dogged for years by accusations of underage sex. In a car-crash interview with the BBC, Prince Andrew said he couldn’t recall ever meeting Guiffre and said he could disprove her allegations of a disturbingly sweaty sexual encounter because he was unable to sweat. The royal was a frequent guest at Epstein’s private island, where staff claim they saw him engaging in sex acts with underage girls. Prince Andrew Claims He Offered to Make Jeffrey Epstein Witness Statement ‘At Least Three Times’Maxwell had close connections to the Clinton family, too. She attended Chelsea Clinton's wedding in 2010, appeared at a dinner at the Clinton White House with Epstein in 1993, and participated in the Clinton Global Initiative as recently as 2013, through her oceanic non-profit the TerraMar Project, according to the Initiative’s website. Bill Clinton’s name appeared on flight logs for Epstein’s private plane—and witnesses placed him on the private island—but he has denied any involvement in illegal acts. Similarly, Chelsea Clinton maintains she had no idea about Maxwell’s alleged sexual grooming.What does she do for a living?She has had numerous streams of income over the years, from running social clubs at Oxford to working for a Madison Avenue real estate company to living off a trust fund set up by her father. Maxwell launched a bizarre, and now defunct, oceanic environmental non-profit called TerraMar in 2012 that advocated for the protection of oceans. The FBI had reportedly been investigating whether TerraMar was a shell company. The New York Post reported that Maxwell pumped $283,429 worth of loans through the company between 2012 and 2017, and gave out just $874 in grants. What was her family like?The Maxwell family has been described as having more skeletons in the closet than a haunted house. After Robert’s mysterious death in 1991, rumors abounded that he was an Israeli spy. It also emerged that his companies were in massive debt and he had plundered hundreds of millions of dollars from the pension fund of one of his newspapers. Two of his sons were implicated in the corporate theft but later cleared. Two of her sisters, twins Isabel and Christine, were internet pioneers who started the early search engine Magellan. Her brother-in-law Al Seckel, who gave TED talks on optical illusions, reportedly fell to his death in 2015 after he was exposed as a swindler in Los Angeles. Robert Maxwell’s parents and siblings were killed during the Holocaust, inspiring his French Protestant wife, Elisabeth, to become a renowned Holocaust scholar. Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3gnqabs

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nathanielburgos · 5 years

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If You Love America, Thank an Immigrant on Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving as you debate President Trump’s most outrageous quotes at the dinner table, take a moment to thank an immigrant.

Immigration reform may have many Americans divided, but we should all agree on this – immigrants have given back to America in spades. Immigrant contributions to this country are endless. For over two hundred years, immigrants’ contributions have helped shape the United States into what it is today. Let’s give thanks.

Thank an Immigrant in Your Family

If you’re not an immigrant yourself, you can start with a salute to your ancestors. Americans are all pilgrims in one form or another. With the exception of a small number of Native Americans, we all came to America as pilgrims or have ancestors that were pilgrims. Regardless if the trip was made on the Mayflower in 1620 or a Boeing 747 in 2014, families took a leap of faith in search of a better life.

Thank a Founding Father

The United States is the world’s lighthouse for democracy – thanks to immigrants. Although not perfect, the American government was set up with checks and balances that provide strength and stability unlike any other national government. The Constitution is the brainchild of our founding fathers, a group of people with roots in other countries with imperfect political and economic systems. They settled in a new land to found something greater, something that today is the United States of America.

Did You Know? Casimir Pulaski (March 6, 1745 – October 11, 1779) was a Polish nobleman, soldier and military commander who has been called “the father of the American cavalry.” He also saved the life of George Washington. In 2009, the U.S. granted him honorary citizenship.

It isn’t just the separation of powers that makes our Constitution great. What about the freedom of religion? Freedom of speech? And freedom of press? These amendments, known collectively known as the Bill of Rights, make up a beautiful collection of rules that provide equality and justice for all.

It’s safe to say that the Constitution and the country that grew from it could not have been so brilliant without the unique immigrant perspective of our founding fathers. On Thanksgiving, be sure to thank an immigrant founder.

Thank an Immigrant Entrepreneur

While our Founding Fathers built the foundation for America’s success, early immigrants set the stage for creating an economy unequaled by any other in the world. Columnist George F. Will once wrote that immigration itself is an “entrepreneurial act.” Immigrants have to be willing to risk a lot to leave their home country in pursuit of more promising opportunity in America. They are the same personalities that are willing to challenge the status quo in business, science and technology.

Did You Know? One man, a South African-born entrepreneur, founded PayPal, SpaceX and Tesla Motors. Like Henry Ford, J.P. Morgan and the men that built America before him, Elon Musk is changing the business landscape forever with innovative technological advancements. Read more >>

In fact, there are countless immigrants that have started iconic American businesses. They include Procter & Gamble (William Procter from England and James Gamble from Ireland), DuPont (Éleuthère Irénée du Pont de Nemours of France), Comcast (Daniel Aaron from Germany), Sun Microsystem (Vinod Khosla from India), Colgate (William Colgate from England), Wang Laboratories (Dr. An Wang from China), NVIDIA (Jen-Hsun Huang from Taiwan), Levi Strauss (Levi Strauss from Germany), Kohl’s (Max Kohl from Poland), Anheuser-Busch (Eberhard Anheuser & Adolphus Busch from Germany), Google (Sergey Brin from Russia), Intel (Andy Grove from Hungary), Bose Audio (Amar Bose from India), Yahoo! (Jerry Yang from China), Goldman Sachs (Marcus Goldman from Germany), Kraft (James Kraft from Canada), News Corp. (Rupert Murdoch from Australia), and Nordstrom (John Nordstrom from Sweden).

These are just a few of the long-standing businesses created by immigrants that are responsible for millions of U.S. jobs created. There are countless more technology startups with immigrant founders trying to create the next generation of jobs. Let’s thank an immigrant entrepreneur.

Thank an Innovator/Inventor

Immigrants have made monumental contributions to science, technology and engineering. Their innovations and inventions have resulted in major U.S. companies (see above) and even new industries. A few of the other immigrant innovators include: VA Shiva Ayyadurai, inventor of email (India); Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone (Scotland); Ole Evinrude, inventor of the outboard motor for boats (Norway); Charles Kao, “Father of Fiber Optics” (China); Willem Kolff, inventor of artificial kidney (Netherlands); Dr. James Naismith, inventor of basketball (Canada); John Augustus Roebling, designer of the Brooklyn Bridge (Germany); and Yellapragada Subbarao, renowned cancer researcher (India).

Did You Know? David Ho (born November 3, 1952) is a Chinese American HIV/AIDS researcher who gained notoriety for pioneering the use of protease inhibitors in treating HIV-infected patients with his team. Ho is the scientific director and CEO of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center.

Let’s thank an immigrant innovator for contributions to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

Thank an Entertainer

There are far too many immigrant entertainers to name them all. Immigrants infuse our sports teams, fascinate us with their musical talents and amuse us on the big screen. Some of the notable names over the years include: Mikhail Baryshnikov (Russia), Adrián Beltré (Dominican Republic), Yul Brynner (Russia), Miguel Cabrera (Venezuela), Jim Carrey (Canada), Andy Garcia (Cuba), Alfred Hitchcock (England), Bob Hope (England), Harry Houdini (Hungary), Bob Marley (Jamaica), Dave Matthews (South Africa), Paul Rodriguez (Mexico), Gene Simmons (Israel), Albert Pujols (Dominican Republic), Charlize Theron (South Africa), and Eddie Van Halen (Netherlands).

Did You Know? Arnold Schwarzenegger (born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian American actor, producer, businessman, philanthropist, former professional bodybuilder and politician. Schwarzenegger gained worldwide notoriety as an actor in several blockbuster films and as the 38th Governor of California.

We have some of the best entertainers and performers in the world. Thank an immigrant entertainer the next time you’re enjoying yourself. View more famous immigrant birthdays.

Thank an Immigrant Veteran

There are currently over 30,000 non-citizens serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Approximately 129,587 members of the military have naturalized to become U.S. citizens since 2001. Immigrants have sacrificed for this country since the revolutionary war and continue to serve with honor in areas of conflict today.

Hyman George Rickover (January 27, 1900 – July 8, 1986) was a Polish American four-star admiral of the U.S. Navy who is known as the “Father of the Nuclear Navy.” He directed the original development of naval nuclear propulsion and controlled its operations for three decades.

Did You Know? Lance Cpl. Jose Gutierrez (January 1, 1981 – March 21, 2003) was a Guatemalan American Marine rifleman dreaming to become a U.S. citizen and architect. He was killed in action in Iraq and was awarded U.S. citizenship posthumously. Gutierrez came to the U.S. undocumented and left us a hero. Read more >>

Sergeant Uday Singh (April 23, 1982 – December 1, 2003) was one of the first Americans to die during Operation Iraqi Freedom. For his actions Uday, an Indian American U.S. Army soldier, received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

These are just a handful of the thousands of immigrants who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. Remember to thank an immigrant veteran and learn more about immigrants in the military.

About CitizenPath

CitizenPath provides simple, affordable, step-by-step guidance through USCIS immigration applications. Individuals, attorneys and non-profits use the service on desktop or mobile device to prepare immigration forms accurately, avoiding costly delays. CitizenPath allows users to try the service for free and provides a 100% money-back guarantee that USCIS will accept the application or petition. We provide support for the Petition to Help a Relative Obtain a Green Card (Form I-130), Citizenship Application (Form N-400), and several other commonly used USCIS forms.

The post If You Love America, Thank an Immigrant on Thanksgiving appeared first on CitizenPath.

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deniscollins · 5 years

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How Jeffrey Epstein Used the Billionaire Behind Victoria’s Secret for Wealth and Women

What would you do if you were CEO of Victoria’s Secret and you were told that your personal financial adviser and trusted friend was posing as a Victoria Secret’s lingerie talent scout to lure women into personal modeling auditions and sexually assaulted them? Why? What are the ethics underlying your decision?

In May 1997, Alicia Arden, a model in California, was introduced to a man who identified himself as a talent scout for Victoria’s Secret. He invited her to his Santa Monica hotel room to audition for the brand’s catalog. When she arrived, Ms. Arden said, the man grabbed her, tried to undress her and said he wanted to “manhandle” her. Ms. Arden, then 27, fled in tears.

It was the type of crisis that should not have come as a complete surprise to leaders at L Brands, the parent company of Victoria’s Secret.

In the mid-1990s, two senior executives had discovered that the same man, a close adviser to the company’s chief executive, Leslie H. Wexner, was trying to pitch himself as a recruiter for Victoria’s Secret models. Mr. Wexner was alerted, according to the two executives.

It is unclear what if any action Mr. Wexner took in response. But the man — Jeffrey E. Epstein, a New York financier — had developed an unusually strong hold on Mr. Wexner, one of the country’s most influential corporate titans.

Within years of meeting Mr. Epstein, Mr. Wexner handed him sweeping powers over his finances, philanthropy and private life, according to interviews with people who knew the men as well as court documents and financial records.

Mr. Wexner authorized him to borrow money on his behalf, to sign his tax returns, to hire people and to make acquisitions. Over the years, Mr. Epstein obtained a New York mansion, a private plane and a luxury estate in Ohio — today valued at roughly $100 million all together — previously owned by Mr. Wexner or his companies. At the same time, he drove a wedge between Mr. Wexner and longtime associates and friends.

Virtually from the moment in the 1980s that Mr. Epstein arrived on the scene in Columbus, Ohio, where L Brands was based, Mr. Wexner’s friends and colleagues were mystified as to why a renowned businessman in the prime of his career would place such trust in an outsider with a thin résumé and scant financial experience.

It is a mystery that has taken on new importance in the weeks since federal prosecutors in New York charged Mr. Epstein, 66, with sex trafficking involving girls as young as 14.

And it is posing a potentially grave problem for L Brands, a publicly traded company whose brands include Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works. Mr. Wexner, the longest-serving chief executive in the S&P 500 and L Brands’ largest shareholder, once praised Mr. Epstein as “a most loyal friend” with “excellent judgment and unusually high standards.”

What is clear is that during the period in which he worked closely with Mr. Wexner, Mr. Epstein became extraordinarily rich.

Representatives of Mr. Wexner and L Brands refused to share even basic details of the work that Mr. Epstein performed for Mr. Wexner.

“While Mr. Epstein served as Mr. Wexner’s personal money manager for a period that ended nearly 12 years ago, we do not believe he was ever employed by nor served as an authorized representative of the company,” said Tammy Roberts Myers, a company spokeswoman.

Ms. Myers said that, at the direction of the company’s board, L Brands recently hired lawyers “to conduct a thorough review” into the relationship. She declined to say what the investigation would entail.

Through a spokesman, Mr. Wexner, 81, declined repeated requests for an interview. In a letter this month to L Brands employees, he said he was “NEVER aware of the illegal activity charged in the indictment.”

“I would never have guessed that a person I employed more than a decade ago could have caused such pain to so many people,” he wrote.

Mr. Epstein pleaded not guilty to charges that he and his employees paid dozens of underage girls to engage in sex acts. He is being held without bail as he awaits trial. His lawyer, Martin G. Weinberg, declined to comment.

‘There Was Just Nothing There’

Mr. Wexner grew up in Ohio, where his parents owned a women’s apparel store, Leslie’s. Their son started The Limited in a Columbus shopping mall in 1963.

By the 1980s, Mr. Wexner was emerging as a force that would shape the American shopping mall — “The Merlin of the Mall,” as The New York Times would later describe him. His company was expanding its namesake chain, The Limited, as well as the retailer Express, while snapping up the likes of Henri Bendel and Lane Bryant.

Mr. Wexner, who would go on to buy Abercrombie & Fitch and launch Bath & Body Works, made his most important acquisition in 1982: an obscure company called Victoria’s Secret. He soon built it into a global behemoth that for decades would define many Americans’ perceptions of female sexiness.

Mr. Wexner wanted to diversify his personal investments beyond his retail chains. He was planning to build a luxury residential community in New Albany, Ohio, and also wanted to get more involved in the arts, philanthropy and Jewish causes, according to Robert Morosky, the former vice chairman of The Limited who resigned in 1987.

It was around then, in the mid-to-late-1980s, that Mr. Wexner and Mr. Epstein were introduced by a mutual acquaintance, an insurance executive named Robert Meister.

Mr. Epstein, a 30-something Coney Island native, didn’t fit the mold of financial adviser to the superwealthy. A college dropout, he had briefly taught math at the Dalton School in Manhattan and then worked at Bear Stearns, the investment bank. He told people that he was a tax expert and a fraud detective with a gift for devising sophisticated investment strategies.

After Mr. Meister’s introduction, Mr. Epstein started spending more and more time around Mr. Wexner, leaving longtime colleagues puzzled about why he was embracing this newcomer.

Mr. Morosky looked into Mr. Epstein’s background and was not impressed. “I tried to find out how did he get from a high school math teacher to a private investment adviser,” Mr. Morosky said. “There was just nothing there.”

Mr. Epstein’s formal role was to help manage Mr. Wexner’s fortune and to provide him with financial advice. The normal bread and butter of a financial adviser to a billionaire is to invest in all sorts of securities and assets, as well as hedge funds and private equity firms, pocketing a fee derived from any profits.

It isn’t clear that there was any official agreement detailing Mr. Epstein’s role or compensation. Representatives for Mr. Wexner and the company declined to answer questions about what investments Mr. Epstein made for Mr. Wexner, how any such investments performed and whether Mr. Epstein was ever audited or provided Mr. Wexner with documentation about the financial services he was providing.

“This whole thing has been a real mystery to me,” said Pete Halliday, a classmate of Mr. Wexner who helped him raise money when The Limited went public about 50 years ago. The Limited later became L Brands.

‘Manager of Fortune’

Longtime colleagues and friends of Mr. Wexner soon found themselves getting iced out of his life.

Jim Duberstein for decades attended Ohio State University football games and dinner parties with Mr. Wexner; they even invested in real estate together. Shortly after Mr. Epstein showed up, he was late for a meeting with Mr. Duberstein at Mr. Wexner’s office. When Mr. Epstein did arrive, he put his feet up on Mr. Wexner’s desk, Mr. Duberstein recalled. Mr. Wexner joined the meeting by phone and instructed Mr. Epstein to treat his old friend like family.

Soon, though, Mr. Duberstein and Mr. Epstein had a disagreement — Mr. Duberstein doesn’t recall what it was about — and Mr. Wexner cut Mr. Duberstein out of his life. He repeatedly called and sent letters to Mr. Wexner, hoping to rekindle the friendship. Mr. Wexner never replied.

“His allegiance apparently went to Epstein,” Mr. Duberstein said. “Les Wexner, until the time he quit talking to me, was probably the finest person I ever met in my life. He was the most charitable, the most generous, the most understanding. I have nothing but praise for him — until he just cut his umbilical cord.”

From the outset, Mr. Epstein’s role extended far beyond that of a traditional money manager. In the late 1980s, Mr. Wexner started building Limitless, a 316-foot yacht. Mr. Epstein managed its construction and design, said Craig Tafoya, who captained Mr. Wexner’s ships for 15 years.

In meetings with shipbuilders in London, Mr. Tafoya said, Mr. Epstein dove into details about the yacht and cast himself as a tough negotiator. “He didn’t take B.S. from anybody,” Mr. Tafoya said, adding that Mr. Epstein didn’t spend much time on the yacht because he “could look at a glass of water and get seasick.”

The clearest sign of Mr. Wexner’s nearly limitless comfort with Mr. Epstein came in July 1991. Mr. Wexner signed a three-page legal document, known as a power of attorney, that enabled Mr. Epstein to hire people, sign checks, buy and sell properties and borrow money — all on Mr. Wexner’s behalf. Mr. Epstein, the document stated, had the “full power and authority to do and perform every act necessary” for Mr. Wexner.

“It takes a vast amount of trust to give someone total control,” said William P. LaPiana, an associate dean at New York Law School and a trust and estates expert who reviewed the document at the request of The Times. “Essentially what this means is, I can sign your name to anything.”

For the next 16 years, that document gave Mr. Epstein unmatched authority over Mr. Wexner’s financial affairs — and it corresponded to a period in which Mr. Epstein came to control or own valuable assets that previously belonged to Mr. Wexner or his companies.

Soon, Mr. Epstein’s name appeared on numerous Securities and Exchange Commission filings, listing him as a trustee for a series of ambiguously named entities like Health and Science Interests, Health and Science Interests II and International Charitable Interests, as well as trusts for Mr. Wexner’s children. Mr. Epstein had voting power over those interests, which came to own millions of dollars’ worth of Limited shares.

In Swiss banking documents related to some of Mr. Wexner’s entities, Mr. Epstein’s role was described as “manager of fortune.” The documents were included in an enormous leak of confidential records to the French newspaper Le Monde. They were shared with The Times through a collaboration organized by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.

Master of Ceremonies

By the time Mr. Wexner married Abigail S. Koppel, a New York lawyer, in 1993, Mr. Epstein was already deeply embedded in his client’s life.

In the early 1990s, as Mr. Epstein was getting more involved in Mr. Wexner’s charitable pursuits, a dispute arose on a Wexner family foundation over the composition of the board of trustees. The foundation, with Mr. Epstein as a trustee, ended up suing Mr. Wexner’s mother, Bella, who had been temporarily replaced as a trustee while she was ill. Ms. Wexner died in 2001.

Mr. Epstein wasn’t shy about injecting himself into clients’ personal lives. “If my client needs protecting — sometimes even from his own family — then it’s often better that people hate me, not the client,” he told Vanity Fair in 2003. Mr. Epstein does not appear to have had as long a list of clients as he boasted; Mr. Wexner was by far his largest.

Mr. Epstein became ubiquitous in Ohio. His black book of contactsfilled up with phone numbers with Columbus’s 614 area code. That included dozens of numbers for Mr. Wexner, his personal staff and L Brands executives — even a couple of local doctors. Mr. Epstein, who would fly in and out of Columbus on his private plane, became a fixture at Mr. Wexner’s parties and an annual fund-raiser for the Wexner Arts Center, which included a luncheon at the billionaire’s home.

When Mr. Wexner celebrated his 59th birthday with a dinner party at his mansion, Mr. Epstein acted like a master of ceremonies, giving toasts and introducing guests, according to a person who attended.

As Mr. Epstein managed Mr. Wexner’s fortune, parts of that fortune ended up in Mr. Epstein’s hands.

Mr. Epstein became deeply involved in Mr. Wexner’s upscale real-estate development in New Albany, about 15 miles outside Columbus. He set up shop in the same downtown Columbus skyscraper as Jack Kessler, the co-founder of the New Albany Company and one of Mr. Wexner’s close friends. Mr. Kessler declined to comment.

Inside the New Albany development, a 23-room, 10,600-square-foot mansion with a pool and bathhouse was being built for Mr. Kessler and his wife, property records show. But Mr. Wexner legally controlled the property, and in 1992 Mr. Epstein acquired it for $3.5 million.

In 1998, another entity linked to Mr. Wexner bought the property back from Mr. Epstein for $8 million, more than doubling his investment. The assessed value of the home has not changed over the past two decades, according to the Franklin County Treasurer, which today lists the value as $7.8 million.

Around the same time, Mr. Epstein, through a separate company, spent $7.95 million to buy Little St. James Island in the United States Virgin Islands, which would eventually become one of his primary residences.

Mr. Epstein in 1998 also took sole possession of Mr. Wexner’s stone mansion on East 71st Street in New York. A person with knowledge of Mr. Wexner’s finances said that Mr. Epstein paid $20 million, although there are no publicly filed documents recording the transaction.

About two years later, a business controlled by Mr. Epstein obtained a Boeing 727 previously owned by The Limited. There do not appear to be public records of the transaction, but the person with knowledge of Mr. Wexner’s finances said Mr. Epstein paid $10 million.

Mr. Epstein assumed leadership positions in Mr. Wexner’s foundations, according to tax records. Two of those foundations contributed a total of about $21 million in stock and cash to a charity that Mr. Epstein had set up, called C.O.U.Q.

Mr. Epstein’s charity contributed money to a variety of organizations, including the Palm Beach, Fla., police department, a Florida ballet group and the Clinton Foundation.

Cutting Ties

Through his proximity to Mr. Wexner, Mr. Epstein gained unique access to young women.

In the summer of 1996, Maria Farmer was working on an art project for Mr. Epstein in Mr. Wexner’s Ohio mansion. While she was there, Mr. Epstein sexually assaulted her, according to an affidavit Ms. Farmer filed earlier this year in federal court in Manhattan. She said that she fled the room and called the police, but that Mr. Wexner��s security staff refused to let her leave for 12 hours.

That was around the time that executives at L Brands learned that Mr. Epstein was trying to involve himself in the recruitment of lingerie models for the Victoria’s Secret catalog, a coveted assignment for young models and aspiring actresses. That was troubling: Victoria’s Secret sourced models from talent agencies, not individuals, according to the two former executives, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they signed nondisclosure agreements after leaving the company.

When Mr. Wexner was informed about what Mr. Epstein was doing, he promised to take care of the issue, the two executives said.

Less than a year after the alleged assault of Ms. Farmer, Ms. Arden visited Mr. Epstein in his Santa Monica hotel room, expecting to discuss appearing in the Victoria’s Secret catalog. “His weapons were his hands,” Ms. Arden said.

She said she went to the police the day after Mr. Epstein attacked her, worried that he could be using his connection to Victoria’s Secret to hurt other women. A week later, when she could not stop thinking about what had happened, she returned to the police station to put her report on the record.

That police report, reviewed by The Times, is one of the earliest known police records of an allegation of sexual misconduct against Mr. Epstein.

Nearly a decade later, in early 2006, Florida authorities charged Mr. Epstein with multiple counts of molestation and unlawful sexual activity with a minor.

It wasn’t until 18 months later that Mr. Wexner cut ties with Mr. Epstein.

In 2008, Mr. Epstein pleaded guilty to state charges of solicitation of prostitution from a minor and was required to register as a sex offender. With the case in the headlines at the time, it finally dawned on Ms. Arden that Mr. Epstein had never worked for Victoria’s Secret.

Since Mr. Epstein’s arrest this month, Ms. Arden said she has wondered whether his connections to Mr. Wexner allowed him to get away with the crimes he is now charged with.

“Why would someone that powerful and successful befriend someone like Jeffrey Epstein?” Ms. Arden said. “I don’t get it.”

#Jeffrey Epstein #Leslie Wexner #Victoria's Secret

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