The Philip DeFranco Show - PDS 3.8 GoFundMe Scammers Face 10-20 Years, Massive Trudeau Corruption Scandal, New Hope to Cure HIV

Starting point is 00:00:00 Sup you beautiful bastards hope you're having a fantastic Friday Welcome back to the Philip DeFranco show and if you're new here on Fridays We do something a little bit different. On Fridays I try to cover more viewer requested stories from the week. Sometimes it's for the better Sometimes it's for worse, but with that said let's just jump into it. The first thing we're gonna talk about today are massive updates for a story that we have covered for far too long and that is the $400,000 GoFundMe scam story. And if this is the first you're hearing about it, just here's a quick oversimplified TLDR. So within this story, you have Johnny Bobbitt,

Starting point is 00:00:29 Mark D'Amico, and Kate McClure. Kate and Mark were a couple. They claimed that Bobbitt, who was homeless, used his last $20 to help McClure get gas when her car ran out on the interstate. Right, just this beautiful story. And so the couple says, you know what? Let's start a GoFundMe.

Starting point is 00:00:40 Let's raise money for it. And they end up raising over $400,000 from around 14,000 contributors. But from there, Bobbitt ends up suing the couple over what he says is mismanagement of the funds. He accuses them of using the money for vacations, luxury cars, gambling. The couple deny doing so.

Starting point is 00:00:53 They say something about Bobbitt spending so much money on drugs. If he can kick the drugs, they'll give him the rest of the money. And all of a sudden the authorities are involved in the couple's house. They end up getting raided by police. They seize their BMW, financial statement, stuff like that.

Starting point is 00:01:05 Then after that, investigators say all three of them were actually in on it together to scam people out of money via GoFundMe. Where we last left this story, one, GoFundMe was out there reimbursing people who had donated, but also more importantly, all three were hit with charges. But with all of that said, the latest news we have on this story, according to the Associated Press,

Starting point is 00:01:22 Johnny Bob at 36 of Philadelphia pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering Kaitlyn McClure 28 of Bordentown, New Jersey pleaded to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud And as far as their stupid prizes for the stupid game that they played Bobbitt is reportedly facing up to 10 years in prison with McClure facing 20 and also for those of you wondering about Mark like what has he been charged with he is actually still not been charged by Federal authorities, although all three of them are still facing state charges. The situation is not done We are ever closer. Yeah main point stupid prizes for stupid games in my opinion I think you make an example out of people that are trying to screw people who want to help right but all that said I Really do hope that they serve a good amount of time

Starting point is 00:02:01 It's just so disgusting that they were preying on people wanting to provide some good in the world. Like with other frauds out there, you make it even less likely that other people will support the people that really need it in the future. Yeah, that's where we are with that one. Then in industry slash internet-y news, we have news, but it's actually not on YouTube. This news is about Facebook, specifically Facebook Watch, even more specifically about Red Table Talk. And if you've never heard of Red Table Talk, it is Jada Pinkett Smith's series. She's been doing it since April of 2018. It's kind of a conversation slash interview show. And the news is that their episode, Jordan Wood Shares the Truth, broke records. According to Facebook, in the first 24 hours,

Starting point is 00:02:34 7.5 million people watched at least 60 seconds of it. That reportedly making it the most viewed original episode in that same time period for them. And looking at the video now now it has over 31 million views And that's just the original video my reaction to all of this is of course this pulled numbers in Kardashian family drama between Khloe Kardashian Tristan Thompson Jordan was there cheating blah blah blah was all happening in real time you had very public Accusations and denials all of a sudden Jada Pinkett Smith snags exclusive Interview and that's on top of the Smith family just by themselves being immensely popular.

Starting point is 00:03:07 Turns out the internet likes tea, who knew? But that said, from a business standpoint, I am interested to see what level of success this is for Facebook, or how much of this is actually genuinely good, effective marketing for them. I ask because last year there were reports that for these original watch series, like some series were getting like one to two million,

Starting point is 00:03:24 others, according to reports, were getting like 1 to 2 million, others according to reports were getting like 5 to 10 million dollar annual budgets. And I have to imagine or at least hope for Facebook's sake that they are also selling quality ads on that content because as a creator on Facebook, by the way, we have a Facebook page right now, essentially we just segment out certain stories from the PDS, we post it there. Our video covering She Who Should Not Be Named got 3.7 million views. I don't think I can talk numbers But let's say I'm not jumping ship anytime soon, but a question that I will tag on to this story Where do you I mean this this probably isn't the greatest place to pull but how about this other than YouTube?

Starting point is 00:03:54 Where and how do you consume video and then let's talk about the news that came out this week around HIV If you didn't see this week researchers in London announced that their patient has experienced sustained remission from HIV after 18 months off of medication. Now, despite some headlines that you've seen, it is still too early to say that the patient was cured, though, scientists are optimistic. So, how did they do it? Well, along with HIV, the patient had Hodgkin's lymphoma that was not responding to chemotherapy, so they required a bone marrow transplant. But, instead of just taking any match for a bone marrow donation, researchers led by Ravindra Gupta, an infectious diseases physician at the University of Cambridge. They found a donor that had two copies of a mutation on the CCR5 gene that gives people resistance to HIV infection. Why does it do that, Dr. DeFranco? You may ask.

Starting point is 00:04:34 Well, CCR5 codes a receptor on the surface of white blood cells, which is incredibly important because that is what HIV binds to in order to enter and attack the cell. But with this mutation, the receptor does not function properly and HIV can't latch to the cell. So when a patient gets a bone marrow transplant, it destroys their blood cells and replaces them with stem cells from the donor. And because it's all coming together, this donor had HIV resistant cells, now that patient has HIV resistant cells.

Starting point is 00:04:57 And reportedly 16 months after the transplant, the patient stopped taking their anti-retroviral drugs, which are the usual treatment for HIV, and in the latest follow up, about 18 months after they stopped the drugs, there was no trace of HIV in their system. Now, once again, this is not enough time for it to be considered cured, but they are optimistic that the current results

Starting point is 00:05:14 will continue. Now, also of note, this is not the first time that someone has been reportedly cured of HIV. Over a decade ago, German physicians announced that they had been able to cure the Berlin patient, Timothy Ray Brown. Brown had leukemia that wasn't responding to chemotherapy, so the doctors ended up giving him two bone marrow transplants from a donor with the CCR5 mutation. And afterward,

Starting point is 00:05:30 he was given harsh immunosuppressants and suffered severe complications that required him to be put into a medically induced coma, and he nearly died. But ultimately, he did not, and he was cured of HIV. And after Brown's case, researchers tried to duplicate the cure, but often after nine months of being off of treatment, HIV would come back or the patient would just die of cancer. So, this made many people think that Brown could have been a fluke, but this new London patient has given new hope for a cure. With Dr. Gupta saying, Everybody believed after the Berlin patient that you needed to nearly die basically to cure HIV. But now maybe you don't. Which on that note, Isostem, a group of European scientists using stem cells to treat HIV, they are currently tracking 38 HIV infected people that have received bone marrow transplant.

Starting point is 00:06:07 That number reportedly includes six that did not have a donor with the mutation, but the London patient is number 36 on that list and number 19 on the list is being called the Dusseldorf patient. That patient has reportedly been off HIV medication for just four months now. But the main point here is as of right now, it is not definitive, but there is a reason to hope. And this is something that the International AIDS Society president Anton Posniak said in a statement. Although it is not a viable large-scale strategy for a cure, it does represent a critical moment in the search for an HIV cure. These new findings reaffirm our belief that there exists a proof of concept that HIV is curable. The hope is that this will eventually lead to a safe, cost-effective, and easy strategy to achieve these results using gene technology or antibody techniques. And I will say, given the history of HIV, it is amazing that this is even a point of our conversation.

Starting point is 00:06:51 I mean, something to really think about, since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, more than 70 million people have been infected with HIV, and about 35 million have died following complications. Also, while we're talking about this, I feel like some people have this thought where it's like, oh, HIV's not that big of a deal anymore I understand in no way do I want to add to any stigma around HIV It's a big deal be safe the number of newly infected with HIV in 2017 dropped to 1.8 million Which is a fantastic number when you compare it to the number of like the three millions in the 90s That's still a lot of people whose lives are altered now, but ultimately that is where we are today

Starting point is 00:07:22 I'm very excited to see what other information comes from this test. Also, if you're interested in things around medical news, I highly recommend you follow Dr. Mike. In addition to his more viral videos where he's like reviewing medical memes and reacting to medical TV shows, he also does some interesting breakdowns of stories like the one we covered here, and he's really good with making it understandable.

Starting point is 00:07:41 And in fact, I'll link to his video on this specific topic because he goes into why this isn't a wide scale cure, but it is still incredibly exciting. But that said, that's where I'm gonna end it. And of course, I pass the question off to you regarding what are your thoughts on this story? Yeah, big, impressive steps. And then let's talk about a viewer requested story

Starting point is 00:07:57 from our brothers and sisters from the North, not that North, there you go. And this story centers around Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. And for those who do not know, Trudeau was elected back in 2015. He's a member of the Liberal Party. He has also been championed by many as a progressive icon

Starting point is 00:08:11 for promising more honest government practices, climate change action, and refugee rights. But now, Trudeau is involved in a corruption scandal that alleges his office attempted to settle a criminal case against SNC-Lavalin, a multinational engineering and construction firm based in Canada. And the criminal case against SNC claims that the company paid millions of dollars in bribes to officials in Libya in order to secure lucrative contracts. And this reportedly including millions in bribes paid to the regime of Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi.

Starting point is 00:08:35 So, let's break this down. SNC is a huge Canadian company. While it is based in Quebec, it boasts more than 50,000 employees worldwide. And what we're talking about is 10.1 billion in revenue in 2018, like massive company. But this company is also not new to corruption allegations. SNC has been accused of corrupt practices for years in multiple countries.

Starting point is 00:08:54 This including Bangladesh, India, Mexico, and its home country of Canada. And in fact, just last month, a former SNC CEO pleaded guilty in Montreal on 15 charges, including fraud, conspiracy, and forgery. And of note here, this is just six years after the same CEO was first arrested and accused of bribing public officials.

Starting point is 00:09:10 Nine people were charged in that case, and one Quebec police investigator called it the biggest case of corruption fraud in Canadian history. And the case we're talking about today actually started back in February of 2015 when Canadian authorities charged SNC with paying 47.7 million Canadian dollars in bribes to officials in Libya.

Starting point is 00:09:25 And that was along with defrauding the Libyan government of 129.8 million Canadian dollars. And if SNC is convicted, it could be banned from federal government contracts for a decade, which is a move that could seriously hurt its business and eliminate numerous Canadian jobs. So, how does Justin Trudeau fit into all of this? Well, after Trudeau took office in 2015,

Starting point is 00:09:41 his Justice Minister and Attorney General, Jody Wilson-Raybould, was given oversight of the case regarding Libya. Wilson-Raybould also identifies as indigenous and her appointment was applauded by many in Canada who took it as a sign of Trudeau's commitment to indigenous people and women. But then in January of 2019,

Starting point is 00:09:55 Trudeau reassigned Wilson-Raybould to the Veteran Affairs Department, which is a major demotion. Then on February 7th, the Globe and Mail publishes an investigative report that says Trudeau and his aides had actually attempted to direct Wilson-Raybould's handling of the SNC case. She then resigns from her post on February 12th, less than a week after the Globe and Mail story was published. Then, just last

Starting point is 00:10:12 month, she gives a testimony to a parliamentary committee. And in that testimony, she claimed that Mr. Trudeau and his aides had pressured her to settle the case against SNC by using political interference and veiled threats. Wilson-Raybould said that she had 10 meetings, 10 phone calls and a series of emails regarding the case with 11 government officials. She also specified that the conversations were quote, "'Inappropriate but not illegal'," stating that despite the pressure, no one ever directly told her to order prosecutors

Starting point is 00:10:34 to reach a settlement with SNC. But she did say she felt that Trudeau and his aides had crossed informal lines that were supposed to keep politics and prosecution separate. And she also added that they did this by repeatedly raising concerns about the possibility of job losses and potential political ramifications of a trial.

Starting point is 00:10:48 With her saying that Trudeau specifically said, "'There would be many jobs lost "'and that SNC will move from Montreal.'" And that he asked her to quote, "'Find a solution here for SNC.'" Wilson-Raybould says that she resisted that pressure and believes that she was removed from the position as a consequence.

Starting point is 00:11:01 But Trudeau has denied putting pressure on her. And in part, here's what he said after her testimony. I and my staff always acted appropriately and professionally, and therefore I completely disagree with the characterization of the former Attorney General about these events. But Trudeau's problems do not stop with Wilson-Raybould. On Monday, Treasury Board President Jane Philpott

Starting point is 00:11:23 resigned from her post, writing in a resignation letter, "'I have been considering the events "'that have shaken the federal government in recent weeks, "'and after serious reflection, "'I have concluded that I must resign "'as a member of Cabinet.'" She then goes on to cite a provision in Canada's constitution that requires ministers

Starting point is 00:11:37 to defend all of the Cabinet's decision. "'Continuing, given this convention "'and the current circumstances, "'it is untenable for me to continue "'to serve as a Cabinet Minister. "'Sadly, I have lost confidence "' in how the government has dealt with this matter and in how it has responded to the issues raised There can be a cost to acting on one's principles But there is a bigger cost to abandoning them

Starting point is 00:11:54 So another resignation of a minister and it comes just weeks after Trudeau's top political adviser Gerald Butts quit in late February Although Butts denied the allegations which he has also been impl in, he has still cited them as a reason for his resignation. And just this last week, Butts testified in front of a House of Commons panel. And during that testimony, Butts denied ever pressuring Wilson-Raybould to settle the SNC case, claiming that his discussions with her about the case

Starting point is 00:12:16 were limited and friendly. And the few discussions he did have were about the economic implications of the trial, stating, "'When 9,000 people's jobs are at stake, "'it is a public policy problem of the highest order. "'It was our obligation to exhaustively consider "'options the law allows.'" And also saying,

Starting point is 00:12:30 "'In a case like this, "'when so many people's livelihoods are at stake, "'we took a really hard look at.'" And along with this, Butts also denied that Wilson-Raybould was removed as Justice Minister and Attorney General because of the SNC case. And as far as Chadeau after this, he responded in a press briefing after stating,

Starting point is 00:12:43 "'In regards to standing up for jobs "' and defending the integrity of our rule of law, I continue to say that there was no inappropriate pressure. But, with all of that said, what happens now? Well, you have the leader of Canada's Conservative opposition, Andrew Scheer, calling for Trudeau to resign, stating, Justin Trudeau simply cannot continue to govern this country now that Canadians know what he has done. Scheer has also called for the police to launch a criminal probe of Trudeau's actions, a request that was actually joined by other members of opposition parties, some of whom have also called for an independent inquiry. Additionally, the ethics commissioner of Canada's parliament has started an investigation into the matter, but by law, the commissioner can only look for conflicts of interest. And as far as Trudeau here, for his part, he has continually denied the allegations, but has also said that he is taking the concerns seriously.

Starting point is 00:13:26 Also, big note here is he is going to be facing a federal election in October, which is just seven months away. And so even if nothing comes from these allegations, his opponents have already used this incident to portray him as a leader who directed aides to bully an indigenous woman, to protect a corporation from a criminal conviction

Starting point is 00:13:39 in a corruption case. Right, not the best look for someone who promised government transparency as a self-described feminist and supporter of indigenous rights. But then also on the other front for Trudeau, many people believe that major job losses at the SNC headquarters in Quebec would hurt Trudeau in a province where votes will be crucial for him. But, ultimately, this is one of those situations where we're gonna have to wait and see what happens next. Is it a case of corruption or is it a case of miscommunication?

Starting point is 00:14:01 And of course I pass that question off to everyone, but specifically to my Canadian brothers and sisters, I'd love to know your thoughts. All right, this is your backyard, so I'd love to know what you're seeing, what you're thinking. And that's where we're going to end today's show. And remember, if you like this video, let me know. Hit that like button.

Starting point is 00:14:13 Also, if you're new here, you want more, be sure to subscribe. Definitely click that bell to turn on notifications. Maybe even follow me on Twitter. Oh, you don't have Twitter? Also follow me on Instagram. Although on Instagram, I usually forget to promote the videos and I just talk about random BS. But back on script, if you missed yesterday's Philip DeFranco show, you don't have Twitter? Also follow me on Instagram. Although on Instagram I usually forget to promote the videos and I just talk about random BS.

Starting point is 00:14:25 But back on script, if you missed yesterday's Philip DeFranco show, you want to catch up, maybe you missed the morning news deep dive, you can click or tap right there to watch those. But with that said, of course, as always, my name's Philip DeFranco, you've just been filled in, I love yo faces, and I'll see you Monday.

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The Philip DeFranco Show - PDS 3.8 GoFundMe Scammers Face 10-20 Years, Massive Trudeau Corruption Scandal, New Hope to Cure HIV

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