NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Monday, March 25, 2024

Episode Date: March 26, 2024

Federal agents have searched the homes of Sean "Diddy" Combs, an appeals court has reduced Trump's bond in the civil fraud judgment, the Boeing CEO announced he'll step down, and more on tonight's broadcast.

Breaking news tonight, the federal raid on homes in two cities owned by music mogul Sean Diddy Combs. Agents from the Department of Homeland Security raiding Combs' mansions in Los Angeles and Miami. It comes as the rapper faces lawsuits and claims of sexual abuse. What were the fads looking for? Also tonight, the last-minute reprieve for former President Trump. The appeals court cutting the $464 million bond in his civil fraud case by more than half, but also a setback, the new date set for Mr. Trump's hush money trial. The majors shake up at Boeing

after a series of scary mishaps, the CEO announcing he's resigning and he is not alone. The spring storms delivering blizzard conditions to the Midwest and the Plains. Al Roker is here. The UN Security Council passing a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and why Israel is canceling a high-level visit

to the US over it. New details in that deadly terror attack at a Moscow concert hall, who Vladimir Putin is blaming after the suspects appeared in court. L.A. Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani breaking his silence. What he said about his interpreter who was fired amid allegations of theft and gambling. And hurry up and wait. The Paris tradition making its return ahead of this summer's Olympic Games.

This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Good evening. We begin with breaking news tonight. Federal agents staging coordinated and coast-to-coast raids on residences associated with record producer and music mogul Sean Diddy Combs. Police in tactical gear executing search warrants at Mr. Combs' residences in Los Angeles and Miami. That source is familiar with the matter, tell us, is related to a trafficking and sexual assault investigation in New York. The three-time Grammy winner has recently been swept up in a series of civil lawsuits in which he has been accused of sexual assault, he has denied all the accusations. Steve Patterson is in Los Angeles now with late details.

Tonight, the multiple homes of Sean Diddy Combs from coast to coast, raided by federal Homeland Security investigations agents. Heavily armed and armored tactical teams sweeping through Combs' posh Los Angeles property this afternoon, guns drawn, clearing room to room, people in handcuffs as agents made their way through the property. A similar scene playing out in Diddy's homes more than 2,000 miles away on Miami's Star Island, where several celebrities, including Gloria and Emilio Estefan and Jennifer Lopez, also have homes. The fact that Diddy's home was raided means that agents for Homeland Security were able to show probable cause that a crime was committed and that evidence of that alleged crime would be found at these homes. Combs' whereabouts right

now, unknown, but multiple sources tell NBC News Diddy was in the Miami area when the searches began. The raids were conducted by DHS on search warrants originating from federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York. A person familiar tells NBC News multiple witnesses have been interviewed by prosecutors and investigators in connection with the case. The speed at which it appears these raids were conducted suggests that agents were concerned that they needed to secure evidence quickly and prevent anyone from destroying evidence before they got there. It's the latest in a legal firestorm surrounding the 54-year-old music mogul, with multiple lawsuits alleging sexual assault, abuse, harassment, forced drugging, and the distribution of illegal firearms and narcotics. The allegations began last year with Combs' ex-partner, R&B singer Cassie, filing a lawsuit in New York. She was seeking $30 million, alleging physical and sexual abuse, as well as sex trafficking. They settled for an undisclosed amount. Several other women came forward with similar accusations. Representatives for Combs did not immediately respond to NBC's request for comment. And Steve, you're joining us now outside a home that feds have been going through all day. Are they still there? Lester, absolutely. This is still an

incredibly active scene with police activity stretching beyond this roadblock, really as far as the eye can see into this affluent, quiet neighborhood. We're hearing a very similar situation in Sina, Miami, where multiple sources are now telling us that three phones were seized at Diddy's property 2,000 miles away. Lester. All right, Steve Patterson, thank you. We turn now to the major developments in two of Donald Trump's court cases in New York, just as the former president was up against a deadline to post a $464 million bond to cover his civil fraud judgment, an appeals court gave him a lifeline. But it comes as he lost a bid to further delay his hush money criminal trial. Here's Laura Jarrett. Tonight, a win for former President Trump at the last minute, an appeals court reducing the bond in his civil

fraud case by more than half to $175 million. The trial judge had set it at more than $450 million. Mr. Trump praising the ruling. What they do is they do election interference, which is court cases. And let's try and tie him up and let's take as much of his money as possible. I respect the appellate division for substantially reducing that ridiculous amount of money. With no lenders willing to cover the staggering penalty while he appeals, Mr. Trump was facing the prospect of New York's attorney general seizing his iconic properties and bank accounts as soon as today, but now has 10 days to come up with the far smaller bond. Mr. Trump saying he has the cash and was pressed by NBC's Garrett Haig.

And now that the bond's been reduced, are you going to start putting money into your campaign? Well, first of all, it's none of your business, I mean, frankly, but I might. The court found Mr. Trump falsely inflated the value of his properties to get banks to give better loan terms. His attorneys are appealing, saying there were no victims, that the banks were repaid. But today, New York Attorney General Letitia James highlighted the former president is still on the hook should he ultimately lose his appeal, saying Donald Trump is still facing accountability for his staggering fraud. The $464 million judgment, plus interest against Donald Trump and other defendants, still stands. Meanwhile, the presumptive GOP nominee sat stone-faced in a different courtroom today,

receiving a serious setback. A judge in Manhattan setting a new date of April 15th for the first-ever criminal trial of a former president. Facing charges of doctoring his company's records to cover up an alleged affair before the 2016 election, Mr. Trump's legal team today failed to convince the judge from delaying the trial any further. I don't know how you can have a trial that's going on right in the middle of an election. Not fair. They're all trying to damage Trump as much as possible. It's having the reverse effect.

And Laura, so this trial will get underway in three weeks. Former president was asked today whether he would testify in the case. Yes, Lester. And he says he would have no problem testifying, saying he's done nothing wrong. And he did take the stand in his civil fraud trial. But a criminal trial comes with very different risks, Lester. All right, Laura, thank you. Let's bring in NBC's Garrett Haik, who covers the Trump

campaign. And Garrett, his campaign is eager to highlight these legal battles. That's right, Lester. They've become central to Mr. Trump's campaign. He's had almost no public events since locking up the GOP nomination, and he has none scheduled. His social media posts are almost entirely focused on the cases against him. And most critically, his repeated claims of election interference by Democratic prosecutors have become central to his fundraising strategy. So far, he's doing well against President Biden in polls, but the risk here, could the independent voters who decide close elections sour on the former president if he is convicted of a felony? Lester.

Garrett Haig here in New York. Thank you. Let's get to that big overhaul at Boeing, which has been shaken by quality control failures, including that door plug blowout in flight. CEO Dave Calhoun announced he'll leave Boeing this year, and he's not the only one. Here's Tom Costello. He's the CEO of one of the country's critical economic drivers. Now under pressure, Boeing's Dave Calhoun says he'll leave by year's end. After five years of crisis and groundings involving two MAX 8 crashes that killed 346 people, the MAX 9 door plug blowout and quality control breakdowns across Boeing. We're going to get ahead of all of the issues at the FAA, and way more importantly, our own people bring to our attention,

and we'll get ahead of it. That will happen. It comes as the company is the focus of criminal NTSB and FAA investigations. Last week, FAA Chief Mike Whitaker told Lester he was surprised during meetings at Boeing that their priorities seem to be production, not safety. I think it really shows how the mindset has been on production. And I think you would have expected at least more of a show of focus on safety, and that was lacking. Calhoun responding today.

I recognized exactly what he was talking about because I heard it from all of our own people. Airline confidence in Boeing has also been shaken following the door plug blowout. It makes you mad. It makes you mad that we're finding issues like that on brand new airplanes. In a stunning rebuke, a group of airline CEOs recently asked to meet with Boeing's board but without CEO Calhoun. Now with Boeing stock down 26 percent this year, the board is making big changes. In addition to Calhoun, the head of commercial aircraft is leaving. The head of 737 production has already left and Boeing's board chair will not seek re-election. Boeing needs to ensure the quality control and the safety metrics that the airlines are looking for. Several airlines today said they're committed to Boeing as it moves to buy and integrate Spirit Aerosystems, its troubled

fuselage maker. In an email to employees, Calhoun today said, the eyes of the world are on us and I know that we will come through this moment a better company. And Tom, Boeing's headaches have not been limited to the 737 MAX. No, that's right. The 787 Dreamliner, Air Force One, the military tanker aircraft have all had issues. And Boeing's Starliner spaceship is set to carry its first crew to the space station next month, five years behind schedule. So there are challenges company-wide, Lester. All right. Tom Costello, thank you. More heavy snow tonight across parts of the plains and upper Midwest, where as much as a foot more of snow could fall in some

areas, producing blizzard conditions. To the south, millions could see severe weather this evening. Al Roker is watching it all. Al, what should we be focusing on? Well, Lester, right now we're focusing on this line of severe storms pushing their way in. We have tornado watches up until 8 p.m. from Louisiana and parts of Arkansas all the way down into parts of Mississippi as well. We are also looking at 9 million people at risk for a few strong tornadoes, wind gusts of up to 70 miles per hour. This hatched area, we could be looking at EF2 plus tornadoes and they could be overnight. And those are the most deadly. Also, 40 million people under wind advisories stretching from the Appalachians all the way down into Texas. Rainfall amounts anywhere from two to three inches

of rain, the southeast on into the lower Gulf and another foot of snow possibly on up into northern Minnesota. Lester. All right, Mr. Roker, thank you. Tonight, Israel saying it will press on against Hamas despite a U.N. resolution calling for a ceasefire and is now canceling a meeting in Washington in protest of how the U.S. voted. Raf Sanchez is in Tel Aviv and Raf, it's another sign of the strain between President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu. That's right, Lester. The U.S. could have vetoed this resolution as it's done in the past. Instead, it abstained, allowing it to go through.

Prime Minister Netanyahu slamming that decision, canceling a visit to Washington by senior Israeli officials and accusing the White House of backtracking because this resolution does not explicitly link the ceasefire to Hamas releasing hostages. Now, the White House is saying there is no change in U.S. policy, but with this resolution unlikely to make much of a difference on the ground, it is looking like the best chance of a breakthrough, both for the hostages, but also for Palestinian civilians suffering in Gaza, is going to be at those ceasefire negotiations underway right now in Qatar.

Lester. OK, Raph, thank you. In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin tonight blaming radical Islamists for that terrorist attack at a concert hall that killed at least 137 people. Here's Matt Bradley. Tonight, Moscow mourns as eyewitnesses tell the world about the horrors they endured. I honestly thought it was a firecracker, said this survivor. These crackles, they were like this. They weren't stopping. There was screaming, panic. Gunmen went on a rampage

through a concert hall Friday, shooting, throwing bombs and dousing the building with flammable liquid. Witnesses said at least 137 people were killed. They were just walking and gunning down everyone methodically in silence, said the survivor. Tonight, Russian President Vladimir Putin saying radical Islamists were to blame. Over the weekend, Putin had blamed Ukraine for trying to help the terrorists escape, something Ukraine denied. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. The U.S. says the group is an Afghan-based affiliate called ISIS-K.

ISIS-K was responsible for a suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. troops and more than 180 Afghans during the chaotic American withdrawal from Afghanistan. The four accused gunmen in Friday's terror attack, all of them Tajik nationals, were caught by police. Two of the four pled guilty. All looked beaten and battered. Videos of what appear to be brutal interrogations airing on Russian government-backed news channels. And Lester, this attack has clearly rattled Europe. Italy and France have both raised their domestic security levels. Lester. OK, Matt, thanks. In 60 seconds, MLB superstar Shohei Otani speaking out for the first time about the betting scandal involving his own interpreter, what he's calling a complete lie.

Next. Just in tonight, baseball's biggest star breaking his silence about a scandal that has rocked the sport. Shohei Otani pointing the finger at his now fired interpreter amid allegations of theft and gambling. Here's Liz Kreutz. Tonight, baseball's biggest star, Shohei Otani, speaking for the first time about the theft and gambling allegations swirling around his former interpreter, Ipe Misuhara. Ipe has been stealing money from my account and has told lies. I'm very saddened and shocked that someone who I'm trusted has done this. Speaking through a new translator, Otani addressing reports $4.5 million was allegedly wired from his account to a bookmaker in Southern California,

where sports betting is illegal. So I never bet on baseball or any other sports or never have asked somebody to do it on my behalf. Those remarks come nearly a week after the Dodgers fired Ms. Uhara, who allegedly told conflicting stories about what Otani knew and when. The MLB is now investigating. They're going to look at the paper trail with respect to communications between Mr. Otani and his interpreter to see exactly what it is he understood he was authorized when these substantial transfers of funds were being made. According to the LA Times, Otani's name surfaced in a federal investigation into bookie Matthew Boyer. His attorney says Boyer had no interactions with Ohtani, only Misuhara, and no bets were placed on baseball. At some point, Mr. Boyer understood

that a wire transfer had come through with the name Ohtani and the subject line said loan. But that was the only knowledge that Mr. Boyer had, and he never asked any questions about it. The IRS now investigating Boyer and Misuhara. Now, here at Dodger Stadium, Otani did not take any questions from reporters, but he insisted he did not pay off his interpreter's debts. Misuhara has not responded to NBC News' multiple attempts to reach him. Lester. Liz Kreutz, thank you. Up next, with the Supreme Court set to debate access to the abortion pill tomorrow, the women sending it to states where it is currently illegal. Back now with the abortion pill battle. While it's banned in 14 states, some activists have

taken upon themselves to mail it to women in those places. But as Dasha Burns explains, that could all change with a case that goes before the Supreme Court tomorrow. In this basement in upstate New York, one group is giving abortion access to thousands in states where it's illegal. We're not showing faces because they fear repercussions. Where's a lot of this medication going? The medication is going to all the states that the pharmacy will not send to. So I would say the majority are going to Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Georgia. New York is one of six states operating under new shield laws when it comes to telehealth, which protect providers doing this from prosecution for now. How many prescriptions are you mailing out today?

Today we're doing 112. Dr. Linda Prine prescribes pills from New York City. What is the scale of this operation? So before we had the SHIELD law, we were mailing pills to the blue states. After we passed our SHIELD law the first month, we sent about 4,000 pills into restricted states, and now we're up to around 10,000 pills into restricted states, and now we're up to around 10,000 pills a month. Anti-abortion rights groups taking notice.

The fact remains that just because you are sitting in California does not mean that you are not violating the laws of Florida, Texas, and 30 other states. So I think they have a false sense of security about this. But that access in question. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments tomorrow in a case that could prohibit prescription of abortion pills via telemedicine and prevent providers from mailing them. What action do you want the Supreme Court to take? We hope that the Supreme Court will agree with the two lower courts who have already found that it's likely that the FDA broke federal law and its

own rules when it brought the abortion drugs to market. I think what we're talking about is really ways to work around whatever scenario comes up so that we can continue to get these medications to patients. Dasha Burns, NBC News, New Paltz, New York. We'll take a short break when we come back ahead of this summer's Olympics, the century-old balancing act in Paris to see just who is the fastest waiter. Finally, if you appreciate fast service when you go out to eat, Paris has just the competition for you. Here's Stephanie Gosk. This summer in Paris, the fastest athletes in the world will win Olympic

gold and maybe break world records, which is not exactly what was happening Sunday on the streets of the French capital. But nonetheless, the spirit of competition was in the air. 200 waiters from cafes across the city raced 1.2 miles in uniform, carrying trays with water, an espresso cup and a croissant, or as the locals call it, a croissant. The rules were simple. No running, only one hand can carry the tray, and the water can't spill. No one wants a soggy croissant. I don't necessarily expect to be first, this waitress says. I don't have the best cardio. The Paris mayor launched the race, calling the French bistro a way of life.

And the race has honored it for over a century. Waiters facing off since 1914. Some years carrying wine instead of water. Speed walking through the storied streets. In 1929, these two got creative, if also a bit reckless. In recent years, a lack of sponsorship put the race on hold. But with the city's support, it was back. At the end, the winner broke the tape in victory and crumbled in exhaustion. The throngs of Olympic coffee drinkers won't descend upon the city for a few months.

Plenty of time to work on that cardio. Stephanie Gosk, NBC News. What a great tradition. That's nightly news for this Monday. Thank you for watching. I'm Lester Holt. Please take care of yourself and each other. Good night.