Top Story with Tom Llamas - Thursday, December 19, 2024

Episode Date: December 19, 2024

Tonight's Top Story has the latest breaking news, political headlines, news from overseas and the best NBC News reporting from across the country and around the world.

Tonight, accused murderer Luigi Mangione getting a New York welcome, escorted by the NYPD, who hunted him down. The stunning spectacle as Mangione is extradited from Pennsylvania boarding a plane and a helicopter before arriving in New York City. The mayor, Eric Adams, meeting the suspect at the helipad in the unusual perp walk. What message did this high-profile transfer send? plus federal prosecutors announcing additional charges. Their filings revealing new details about Mangione's notebook. Also breaking just now, Republicans failing to get the votes. President-elect Trump backing that new legislation to prevent a government shutdown,

but what about all the whiplash on Capitol Hill caused after he and tech billionaire Elon Musk tanked the initial bipartisan funding agreement? Georgia District Attorney Fannie Willis disqualified from Trump. election interference case, the appeals court decision handing a major blow to the prosecution after Willis was scrutinized for her personal relationship with the special prosecutor, she appointed. Will the case move forward, or is this the end of the road? We'll explain. Questioning Putin, Arir Simmons, pressing the Kremlin after former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia. What he reveals reveals about their relationship and his assessment on the state of the war in Ukraine and how he will negotiate with President-elect Trump.

The celebrities accused of misusing millions of dollars in pandemic relief funding, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, and Marshmallow, allegedly spending millions in COVID-19 grants on parties and private jets. The Business Insider Report exposing those lavish receipts and why it could be legal. The wild brawl at Chicago's O'Hare Airport, video showing travelers turning a terminal into a royal rumble using wet floor signs as weapons. And our series, Is This Real, makes a return for the holidays. We're trying out viral products that claim to bring the spirit of the season alive.

What about a way to bring a white Christmas to your home, regardless of the weather, or roasting s'mores on a portable open fire? So are they too good to be true? Our Ellison Barber finds out. Plus, the concerning recall over Lays classic potato chips, what you need to know tonight. Top story starts right now. Hey, good evening. Tonight, Luigi Mangione, the CEO murderer suspect, behind bars in New York City.

The city where prosecutors allege he came to kill. This, just two weeks after the targeted attack that ignited a massive manhunt and his eventual arrest in Pennsylvania. And now he's not just facing state charges, but federal ones as well. Tonight, it's his transport. Back to New York, though, that is grabbing the most headlines. The 26-year-old arriving in court this morning in Blair County in central Pennsylvania for the charges he faces in that state and on his extradition to New York. Mangione ultimately waiving his extradition and was immediately handed over to NYPD officers in the courtroom.

He was then whisked away in a motorcade and taken to a nearby airport. Officials saying they wanted to avoid a media spectacle because they had a fight. five-hour drive all the way to New York. So here's what they did instead. They took him to Altoona Blair County Airport, where he got on a plane to MacArthur Airport and flew over there and then boarded a helicopter to New York City. Here, he lands at the Wall Street helipad surrounded by NYPD officers and tactical gear and long guns, the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, and even law enforcement boats in the water. New York City Mayor Eric Adams making a point of being part of the perp walk, greeting Mangione as he arrived, the NYPD commissioner, also there.

The suspect immediately taken to federal court. It comes just hours after federal court documents were unsealed, revealing an additional four charges. Mangione, retaining a high-powered criminal defense attorney, you see her here walking into court with her husband, who happens to be the lawyer representing Sean Diddy Combs. Will the star attorney couple handle this case together? We have a lot to get to this evening. We start tonight with NBC's Stephanie Gossk. Luigi Mangione extradited from Pennsylvania and back in New York City today, flown in on an NYPD helicopter, handcuffed, and shackled. Police Commissioner Tish and I want to send a very clear, loud message that this act of terrorism would not be tolerated in the city.

The accused murderer greeted by Mayor Eric Adams and new federal criminal charges, four counts including. including stalking and a murder charge that could bring the death penalty. That federal criminal complaint is on top of the 11 state charges he already faces in New York, including murder in the first degree in the furtherance of terrorism for allegedly gunning down 50-year-old father of two Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Health Care. It was targeted, premeditated, and meant to sow terror. The federal complaint unsealed today reveals new investigative details. Some time in the hour before the early morning murder, Mangione was depicted using a cell phone,

at least once, according to federal prosecutors. It makes no mention of who he may have been talking to. The complaint also gives details of what was in the notebook police found on Mangione when he was arrested in a Pennsylvania McDonald's. The handwritten pages express hostility towards the health insurance industry and wealthy executives in particular. to the complaint, an entry marked August 15th says the details are finally coming together, also adding the target is insurance because it checks every box. Another entry describes

an intent to whack the CEO of one of the insurance companies at its investor conference. The complaint says Mangione undertook extensive efforts to identify the victim, place the victim under surveillance, and track the victim's whereabouts. The 26-year-old started his day back in a Pennsylvania courthouse where he told a judge he would waive an extradition hearing. New York authorities took him into custody immediately and drove him to the airport where a plane was waiting on the tarmac. Mangione then made his first appearance in federal court. He has not yet entered a plea. Mr. Mangioni appreciates everyone's support. Before the charges were announced, his attorney said federal charges in a case like this are highly unusual and raises constitutional

concerns, adding, we are ready to fight these charges in whatever court they are brought. Stephanie Goss joins us tonight from outside the courthouse in downtown Manhattan. So Stephanie, Mangione is charged with state and federal crimes. How do officials plan to navigate this? Well, it's interesting, Tom. Tonight he's in a federal prison in Brooklyn, but federal prosecutors made a point of saying that it'll be the trial on state charges that actually happens first, Tom. And Stephanie, you've covered a lot of big cases in New York City all over the country.

and the world. And we sort of know how these things happen, and it's not by accident, right, that we had, that everyone had cameras, pretty much every place where Mangione was being transported to. There's a reason why they didn't want these images to be lost, correct? Absolutely, Tom. We were all struck by it today. From the moment he was transferred into New York Authority's custody, we saw nearly every step of that journey that you so well described the beginning of the show, the moment he gets on the plane. Then there is the moment the helicopter lands in Manhattan. And he is greeted quite literally by the mayor of this city and the police commissioner.

And the mayor saying that he wants the message to be sent that you can't get away with that kind of act of terror in this city. But you have to wonder about these images from someone who has been by some people embraced for what he did being paraded around New York. New York City, whether it might have a different effect on people who see it. Stephanie Goss, leading us off tonight here on Top Story. Stephanie, we thank you for that for more of the charges against Mangione and what they could mean. I'm joined tonight by NBC News legal analysts and a friend of Top Story. Catherine Christian, she's also a trial attorney with more than 30 years of service in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. Catherine, thank you for being here.

I saw you nodding your head. Did they make a mistake in making this such a big spectacle in the way they brought him in? I don't know if it was a mistake, but it was over the top. I've never seen a mayor, any mayor of New York City, be part of a perp walk, which is basically what in law enforcement you call what happened today, which happens all the time. There are, you know, law enforcement like to show off, you know, the person they've arrested. But I've never seen, if you look at the photo, the mayor of the New York City is basically kind of right behind the defendant.

So I know it's a high profile case. It was a horrible crime that he allegedly committed. But he's not the Oklahoma City bomber or Osama bin Laden. I mean, one person horribly was murdered, and it was, you know, lots of press, but, you know, they have, you know, elevated this to something very big. And it's interesting, you mentioned those notorious criminals, right? Because someone mentioned to me, while we were putting together the story today, that when looking at these images, it almost felt like a Batman movie, right? You had the biggest villain in the world had now come to Gotham, if you will. And I asked that because, you know, there was this issue about lionizing him.

And the NYPD commissioner, the mayor, detectives saying don't make this guy a hero, he's not a hero, he's a killer, and yet they did this, it almost seems counterintuitive. I don't think they did it to like make him bigger than he was. I think it was, I don't want to say ego. It was just like, we got you. We got you. You did this in New York. You didn't get away with it. And here we are. I find it a little bizarre that the mayor was part of it. But here we are. Does this affect his legal case in any way? Well, what his lawyers will argue is if they ever decide that they want to argue that he should get a change of venue, they're going to say he can't get a fair trial in New York City. So this could have hurt his case? Yeah, they could have hurt the prosecution?

They said the mayor of New York City was here. How can we have a fair trial in Manhattan when this happened? That will be, you know, they won't get a change of venue, but they will use that as one of their many arguments. There's the initial case, which seems like a strong case, of murder. murder in the first degree. And then you have the terrorism charges there. Talk to me about the terrorism charges. Did they go too far or do you think those will stick? I think so. We're talking about the Manhattan case. They have a rock-solid murder in the second degree, which means you intended to kill someone and you kill them. Rock solid. I mean, he clearly will say he's not guilty

for whatever reason. And then they added this charge of terrorism to it, which the New York State Court of Appeals, other appellate courts in New York, have really said it should be. It should be reserved for 9-11, the Oklahoma City bombing, the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. They said to the Bronx District Attorney, who tried to use it for street gang violence, a street gang that basically terrorized the neighborhood. The New York State Court of Appeal says, no, this is not for that case. That was horrible that a little girl was killed and someone was paralyzed, but this is not terrorism.

So I don't see this terrorism, if he is convicted in state court, surviving on appeal, but often prosecutors overcharge in order to squeeze a plea? You know, we saw, as we pointed out in the beginning of the story, that he seems, Mangione seems to be building sort of an all-star legal team, right? He has a very high-profile defense attorney. Her husband is defending Sean Diddy Combs right now as he's serving time right now. He's being held before his trial. We've seen prosecutors win a lot of cases.

They win most of their cases. But we've seen big city prosecutors lose big cases. Should the Manhattan DA's office be worried at all about? this legal team? They shouldn't be worried about the legal team. They should be worried about that terrorism charge. They should also be concerned that two blocks away, the Southern District of New York also has an indictment for murder, which in many ways, and the defense attorney and I heard

her today say she was sort of taken aback. The federal case, he has to be more concerned about, because this is a very clean... E. Bean who? He meaning Manjone. Okay. Because New York State law is very friendly to criminal defendants. Federal law is not. This federal is not an indictment yet.

It's a complaint. He faces a mandatory minimum on the gun charge of 30 years. On the state case, the maximum on the gun charge is 15 years. Yes, the terrorism charge in the state case is life without parole, but as I said, I don't see that surviving. But in the federal case, he is eligible if he's convicted. for the death penalty. So what do you think happens here? I mean... The federal case really is shocking to the defense attorneys. They were not expecting this to happen.

Is that a smart play or is that a little dangerous because it can get precarious between a turf war between the Manhattan D.A.'s office and the U.S. attorneys? Well, I can take the federal U.S. attorney's office doesn't care. They have basically said, you know, in a press release, the Manhattan D.A.'s office case will be tried first. So it seems like they're going to sit back and watch what the Manhattan DA's office is going. going to do. But he, Mr. Manjone, now has, he's stuck between a rock and a hard place. Yeah. Is there anything about this case people aren't talking about enough, at least when it comes to the trial, because that's where we're headed towards? Well, it's not a whodunit case.

His only defense is insanity. And the question is, will there be psychiatrists who will agree that he could not form the requisite intent to commit this crime? Catherine Christian, it has been a pleasure to talk to you about this on a very complicated case and a big story that is still very fresh so far. We thank you for that. We want to go now to that breaking news from Capitol Hill tonight, the House moments ago, voting down a Trump-backed spending bill. We should also say an Elon Musk back-spending bill

that would have averted a government shutdown on the eve of a deadline. This after President-elect Trump and Musk torpedoed the original bipartisan agreement, NBC's Ryan Noble's live tonight from Capitol Hill. Ryan, walk us through what just happened moments ago. Well, Tom, we are in a situation now where Republicans are in search of plan C. This after a second attempt to put a bill on the floor that would allow the government to stay open past the midnight deadline on Friday failed and failed dramatically without support of both Republicans and Democrats. And in many ways, Speaker Johnson and his team are back to square

one. Tonight, House Republicans back to square one. This is Washington. This is how the lawmaking is done. House Speaker Mike Johnson forced back to the drawing board after President-elect Trump said he opposed the original bipartisan legislation, which he said contained too much wasteful spending. Elon Musk, who will lead Trump's effort to cut government spending, has also slammed the original 1,500-page spending bill as a steal of your tax dollars. The new GOP bill is slimmed down, just 116 pages. It funds the government through March 14th, including providing funding for disaster relief and for farmers. And in a direct ask from Trump includes a provision to extend the debt limit, the ability of the federal government to pay off its debts through 2027. And the new Republican plan cuts many items in the bipartisan bill that had sparked conservative backlash, including a plan to raise the salaries of members of Congress and funding for a new Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. Trump was quick to back the deal, writing all Republicans and even Democrats should do what is best for our.

our country and vote yes for this bill tonight. House Democrats slamming the new bill, saying it doesn't fund important programs. Extreme mega Republicans are driving us to a government shutdown. While Senate Democrats blasting Musk's influence. He is unraveling what was a hard one and hard negotiated agreement that would keep the lights on for government. Okay, Ryan joins us again from Capitol Hill. Ryan, just remind our viewers here, this spending, bill failed. What does this mean? Is a government shutdown almost guaranteed? It does seem almost inevitable at this point, Tom. And simply because the two sides are running out of time to hatch a deal. It takes time for a piece of legislation to make its way through the House

and then make its way through the Senate. The deadline is midnight on Friday. So that means that they would have to get all of this moving. First of all, they'd have to come to an agreement that both Republicans and Democrats could settle on. And then just the simple process of moving through both legislative chambers is something that can't be done in a short period of time. So it does seem more and more likely that the government will shut down. I think the question now is not if, but for how long? You know, Ryan, this all really began, as you pointed out in your story there, when Elon Musk first tweeted that he was not in favor of the bill.

And we heard a little bit about sort of the impatience, if you will, and the frustration there at the end of your story. But, I mean, what are you hearing, and how do lawmakers feel that this new Congress that's coming in now, may be dictated through tweet instead of sort of the backroom deals and the working across party lines to get stuff done. Well, right now there's really a partisan split when it comes to that, Tom. Republicans across the border in both the House and Senate seem to be very much in favor of this insertion into the process by Elon Musk.

They support his ideology. They support the fact that he is holding what they believe is Congress accountable for their overspending over a long period of. time and they really support the idea that he shook this process up and prevented it from becoming a reality. On the other side, Democrats are frustrated because they felt like they were in a room and they negotiated a deal that provided wins for both Republicans and Democrats. That's the way that Congress is supposed to work. And after all of those agreements were made, that someone who is not an elected member of Congress just swept in at the last.

second and basically blew the deal up. Remember, it was Musk who first raised complaints about this bill. We heard nothing from Donald Trump until the momentum behind killing the bill became so apparent that it was unrealistic that it would pass, and Musk was really the driving force behind that, Tom. And again, to be clear, is there any way for Republicans, because they have the majority, to push this through without Democratic support? It is such an important point, Tom, and the answer is no. Yes, Republicans did just win the election. But, But they've yet to take office yet. They will not take control of the Senate until January 3rd.

And also, the margins are so tight in the House of Representatives, it requires at least a handful of Democrats to be involved in this process to get the bill out of the House. And then when it gets to the Senate, that is the control of Democrats. They decide whether or not something gets on the floor. And it is also a 60-seat majority that is required for any legislation to pass. This does not get done without bipartisan support. And if Republicans are unwilling to find a path towards bipartisan support, the government is going to shut down at midnight on Friday.

Ryan Noble's covering that breaking news at Capitol Hill. Ryan, we thank you for that. We're also following that major news out of Georgia tonight. Fulton County DA Fannie Willis disqualified from her own election interference case against President-elect Trump. An appeals court saying she can no longer prosecute the case because of the appearance of a conflict stemming from her relationship with the special prosecutor, Nathan Wade. whines. Tonight, the massive legal win for President-elect Trump in his Georgia election interference case, a Georgia appeals court kicking District Attorney Fannie Willis off the case over the appearance of a conflict of interest due to her relationship with the special prosecutor in the investigation.

I'm not on trial, no matter how hard you try to put me on trial. The ruling, the latest twists in a winding tale of money, romance, and allegations of election. interference. Willis forced to acknowledge a relationship she had with the special prosecutor she appointed to the case, Nathan Wade, and facing allegations she benefited from the relationship by accompanying him on lavish trips funded by payments from her office. Willis taking the stand herself in an explosive disqualification hearing. I don't need anything from a man. A man is not a plan. A man is a companion. And so there was tension all. always in our relationship.

Insisting the two split costs, and that she repaid him for many expenses, but always in cash. You never wrote him a check. Ma'am, I don't have checks. You don't have a single solitary deposit slip to corroborate or support any of your allegations that you were paid by Mrs. Willis and cash, do you? No, sir. Not a single solitary one. Not a one.

Willis's testimony about her relationship with Wade at times unusual. Mr. Wade is used to women that, as he told me one time, the only thing a woman can do for him is make him a sandwich. Willis's testimony about her relationship with Wade recalled birthday celebrations and trips they shared. I spent 800, I can't remember, 900 bucks on each of our tickets to go to Belize. They would pair champagne, chocolate, and champagne, chocolate, and caviar. I did 50 big, very big. But other combative moments earning her this rebuke from the judge. It's going to be my first time I'm out to caution.

We have to listen to the questions as asked. And if this happens again and again, I'm going to have no choice but to strike your testimony. Judge Scott McAfee ultimately decided to allow Willis to stay on the case, despite what he called a tremendous lapse in judgment, saying that although there was an appearance of a conflict, the defense did not fully prove there was one. But tonight, a Georgia court of appeals ruling Willis should be wholly disqualified from the case saying the appearance of a conflict is enough. The ruling throwing into turmoil what some experts once considered the most legally perilous of Trump's four criminal cases, a sprawling indictment on racketeering charges over Trump's alleged

attempts to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia. We look at the facts, we look at the law, and we bring charges. Willis's office accused Trump of pressuring officials to reverse President Biden's win in the peach state, pointing to this now infamous call with Georgia Secretary of State, Brad Raffinsberger. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more that we have, because we won the state. The indictment leading to a stunning moment in American history. the first mugshot of a former president. Trump joined by 18 co-defendants, a consolation of election attorneys, and former administration officials, who Willis said conspired to pull off the election heist.

She's been exposed. I can't imagine they can continue on with that case. Willis's office plans to appeal this new decision to the Georgia Supreme Court. But if Willis remains off the case, a prosecutor from a different county may pick up the prosecution. That process could be lengthy to revive a case now, unless. life support. Vaughan Hillier joins us once again from West Palm Beach, Florida. So Vaughn, as this case sort of winds through the legal system, as you alluded to there at the end of your

report. Have we heard from President-elect Trump and his team about this ruling from the appeals court? We have heard from a spokesman for the now president-elect who said that on November 5th, American voters made their decision and called for the end of, as this spokesman put it, the end of political prosecutions. Of course, we'll wait to see whether the Georgia court ultimately puts the district attorney, Fannie Willis, back on this case. But for now, this is another legal victory for Donald Trump, his team, and the setback for those who sought to hold Donald Trump accountable for what they said was election interference dating back to the 2020 campaign. Tom?

All right, Von Hillier, we thank you for that. For more on what this means for the election fraud case against President-elect Trump, NBC News legal analyst Danny Sabalos joins us now on set. Danny, we were just talking as we listened to sort of that greatest hits from that one day when she was questioned. You're not surprised by this. Will she appeal this? She will appeal it, and I'm not surprised,

and I wasn't surprised back when Judge McAfee gave his opinion, and here's why. Judge McAfee concluded on the one hand that Willis's and Wade's testimony was very problematic. He said it had the odor of mendacity, Tom. Now, Tom, I looked up the word mendacity, and it's bad.

It means not truthful. It means dishonest, right? I'm sure you knew that. I didn't. But that, you can't make that conclusion and then conclude, well, my remedy is that either you're all disqualified or here's an alternative. That one prosecutor, Wade, as long as he goes, everything is fine. From the outset, that was a problematic resolution. It was saying two things at the same time, that the level of dishonesty was significant, but also the remedy doesn't even involve getting rid of the DA that you had trouble with.

testimony. So I am not surprised that the appellate court arrived at this conclusion because they took the original factual findings and said this is the proper outcome. Now, can reasonable minds disagree? Absolutely. That's why maybe they have a shot when they take it to the next and last stop, which is the Supreme Court, the Georgia. I want to put this up on the screen for our viewers so they can see this. This case obviously doesn't just involve Donald Trump, right? Fonnie Willis has been working years on this. It involves several defendants, okay? A total of 15, I think, who have pleaded not guilty along with four. defendants that agreed to plead guilty, here it is, to some charges and cooperate with the government. Would a new prosecutor be starting from scratch here? I mean, what happens? So now this case is essentially adrift with no one at the helm. You have to find a prosecutor's office because it wasn't just Willis that was disqualified. Her entire office was disqualified. So even though the indictment was not tossed, it's a case without a shepherd. There's nobody dragging this case through the process. It is truly adrift. So they need to find someone whether the attorney general or another prosecutor is willing to take the case. And if you're an elected official,

how interested are you in taking over this garbage fire that has become the case in Atlanta? Probably not. So the big question, Danny, we have a president-elect coming in. Okay, this has just happened. Is this case done? Is this over? In my opinion, this case was done the minute that hearing that we watched started. This case is in huge trouble. They have no prosecutor. And then even then they have challenges with the case anyway. This is a jurisdiction that took eight months to select a jury in a much less infamous trial. This is a place where I think Donald Trump, this case, I've been saying this for a while now. It goes away. I don't know how it's going to go away because there are so many off-ramps for Trump and the other defendants. But one way or another,

I think eventually this case goes by-bye. Danny Savalos, always great to have you on. We appreciate it. Still ahead tonight, the alarming twist in the investigation into a school shooting. The FBI saying they're arresting a California man who was in contact with the alleged student shooter. The startling messages between the two. Plus the chaos erupting at a Chicago O'Hare Airport. Look at this. Travelers hitting each other with wet floor signs as a brawl breaks out. This is inside the terminal.

And if you love Lays classic potato chips, we know Danny Savalas does. Listen up. The recall just announced over the risk of an allergic reaction. We'll explain. Okay, we're back now with that new development in the Wisconsin school shooting case. The FBI investigating communications between the alleged shooter and a man in California. A police document alleging that man might have a plan of his own to commit violence. NBC's Shaquille Brewster has the latest.

A new court document obtained by NBC News reveals the FBI stopped and detained a California man believed to be in contact with 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow before she opened fire Monday at abundant Life Christian School. Authorities say Rupnau shot and killed a teacher and fellow student in Madison, Wisconsin, then took her own life. A gun violence emergency protective order says federal agents saw messages from 20-year-old Alexander Pappendorf to the teenage shooter. Cops all up and down the street on this corner.

Neighbor Alex Gallegos says he saw law enforcement searching Papendorf's San Diego area home the day after the Wisconsin shooting. A couple hours into it towards the end they're carrying out a big black box. The court document restraining Paffendorf from having firearms says he admitted during an FBI interview that he told Robb now he would arm himself with explosives and a gun and that he would target a government building. It is not clear if Paffendorf hasn't charged with any crime. The FBI says it is not aware of any ongoing threats associated with this matter in Wisconsin or California. In Madison, authorities continuing to investigate the shooting itself. We found two weapons. Both were handguns. We believe one handgun was used.

to commit this horrific act. The other handgun was not used. The names of those killed now released, 42-year-old school staff member Aaron West and 14-year-old high school freshman Ruby Vigara. Barbara Weirs is a school official. We are all grieving and suffering with the West family and the Vergara family

because right now we're hurting because they're hurting and it's all from the same hurt. And while four people who were injured in Monday's shooting have now been released from the hospital. We're learning tonight, Tom, that two students remain in critical condition. Tom? Okay, Shaq, we thank you for that.

When we come back, questioning Putin, are Keir Simmons asking if the Kremlin is open to negotiations as the war in Ukraine presses on? And the new details about where former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad is staying inside of Russia as the country grants him asylum. Stay with us. Okay, we're back now with Top Stories News Feed, a W.W.E-style brawl breaking out at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. Take a look at this wild social media video, capturing three men, whacking each other with wet floor signs, throwing punches and pulling hair.

The scuffle happened at, in an American Airlines terminal, it's unclear what caused the fight. Chicago police responded to the incident. No one was arrested, apparently. Okay. An ICE report finding U.S. deportations are at the highest level. since 2014. The agency says more than 271,000 people were deported to nearly 200 countries from October 23 to September 24. The report found the highest number of migrants removed came from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, and that the majority had crossed the U.S. southern border illegally. ICE says the elevated numbers stemmed from more countries

accepting deportation flights. Concerning study coming out of Florida finding buildings sinking along the East Coast. The University of Miami study finding 35 buildings from Miami Beach to sunny aisles, experiencing a ground sinking process. Scientists discovering buildings sunk two to eight centimeters each from 2016 to 2023 using satellite radars, local leaders saying the sinking poses no immediate threat. And a consumer alert, Frito-Lay recalling popular potato chips due to a possible milk allergen. The recall includes 13-ounce bags of Lays classic chips sold in Washington in Oregon. The company warning the chips may contain undeclared milk. People with allergies are urged to throw away those chips. So far, no illnesses have been reported. Okay, we want to

move overseas now to Russia where earlier today President Vladimir Putin held his annual end of the year press conference. Putin grilled on a range of issues, including the whereabouts of American journalist Austin Tice. Arir Simmons asked him about Tice, now missing in Syria for more than 12 years. Tonight, Russian President Putin promising to ask Syria's Bashar al-Assad, who just fled to Russia, about missing American Austin Tice. I have a letter here sent to you this week by the mother of an American journalist who is missing in Syria. He's called Austin Tice. Will you ask President Assad for information?

I haven't met with Assad since his arrival. in Moscow, but I do plan on doing so. I promise I will ask him this question. We pressed President Putin with Russian troops still fighting in Ukraine. The assassination of a Russian general in Moscow and the fall of Russia's ally, Assad. What does that mean for his potential meeting with President-elect Trump? The first one is about President-elect Trump. Mr. President, you have failed to reach the objectives of your special military operation.

military operation. Large numbers of Russians have died, including a general assassinated here in Moscow this week. And the leader of Syria, who you supported, has been overthrown. Mr. President, when you face President-elect Trump, you will be the weaker leader. How do you propose to compromise? What are you going to offer? After speaking about another topic, he returned to our question. I have not spoken to him for more than four years now. I am prepared for that conversation at any time. Also saying, Russia has become significantly stronger over the last two to three years.

Why? Because we are becoming a truly sovereign country. We now depend on very few. And later, quoting Mark Twain. The rumors of my death are much exaggerated. The question is, are you prepared to compromise in the United States? any way compromise. But what are you prepared to offer potential negotiations, potentially led by...

Part of your question. The politics is the art of compromise, and we have always said that we're prepared for negotiations and... Kier Simmons joins us tonight from Moscow. So, Kier, Putin had some tough talk there, right? Talking about compromising and not compromising. Which version of the Russian leader do you think President-elect Trump will have to deal with? next year. Well, both, I think, Tom, and I think that just underscores how challenging negotiations, if

they happen, are going to be. President Putin said that Russia is making progress all along the Ukrainian front line. He threatened to fire intermediate ballistic missiles at Kiev, or possibly somewhere else, he said later in questions he was answered by, asked questions he was asked by a Russian reporter. So, I mean, absolutely uncompromising in one sense, while at the same time saying he's ready for talks. And that's really what you're getting from Russia, saying, yes, they want to talk,

but they don't want to give very much up. By the way, Tom, that's what you're hearing very often on the Ukrainian side too. And again, that's why I say that if there are talks, if President-elect Trump pushes the two sons, decides to talks. Well, then the question is, what will they talk about and what will they agree? And Keir, you know, something that might be interesting to our viewers here at home. This press conference went on for more than four hours. What else came out of it? Yeah. Yeah, he talks for a

long time, meandering at times, pontificating sometimes on things like the kinds of world leaders that he has liked and disliked and what he thought about them and what he learned from them. Back to the question of uncompromising President Putin, he was asked whether he would have done anything differently in 2022 when he launched that invasion of Ukraine. You know what he said, Tom? He said, I think I should have done it earlier, Tom. Keir Simmons once again reporting for us out of Russia. I want to stay overseas where in France today dozens of men were convicted and sentenced in a rape trial that stunned that nation.

Now the victim in the case, a woman who came forward and went public with the accusations, is being hailed as a hero and a symbol of courage for women around the world. Hala Gharani has that story. Tonight, the mass rape trial that shocked the world. Cheers in southeast France, a 72-year-old Dominique Pellico was sentenced to 20 years in prison. The crimes drugging his wife, Giselle, over the course of a decade, and inviting dozens of men to sexually assault her while she was unconscious. In the courtroom, 50 other men, also sentenced for their roles in the assaults.

Waving her right to anonymity, Giselle Pellico became a symbol of courage and an icon for women's rights groups around the world. Outside the Avignon Courthouse today, Giselle Pellico spoke out, saying she never regretted her decision, also adding that she shares the same fight with other victims. She chose to show her face while the accused hid theirs, so that the shame, she said in court, swapped sides, lying with the men who abused her and not their victim. Men from all walks of life, aged 26 to 74, one was her neighbor. Women's rights activists say Giselle Pelico will be remembered for refusing to stay silent.

How do you think she will be remembered? I think she will be remembered as a woman who refused. to be silenced and to be ashamed, and who made the other women a huge gift the right to speak and to be heard. A woman who walked into the trial an ordinary grandmother, and despite her pain and trauma, walked out a feminist icon. Hala Gharani, NBC News. Hala Gharani tonight for us.

Coming up, a new report alleging major celebrities like Lil Wayne and Chris Brown, misuse pandemic relief funds and instead use the money to fund their lavish lifestyles, including booking private jets. The details next. Welcome back. Remember those COVID relief programs, the loans and grants to keep the economy running when the country faced so much uncertainty throughout the pandemic. Well, tonight there's new reporting from Business Insider alleging huge celebrities, including Lil Wayne and others, used money from those programs for upscale hotels, shopping sprees, even private jets. NBC's Valerie Castro has more.

Tonight, big names in entertainment like Little Wayne, DJ Marshmallow, and Chris Brown facing scrutiny for spending millions in COVID relief money on themselves, according to an in-depth report by Business Insider, which reviewed accounting documents and filings with the small business administration, which administered the loans. NBC News has not seen the documents, but the The reporting says the celebs were awarded money from the shuttered venue operators grant. It was, you know, talked to that as something that would help, you know, the local institution concert venue, you know, the middle class stage hand, the small time performing artists who's, you know, just getting their start.

But in the case of A-list star Little Wayne, business insider reviewed documents showing the rapper received $8.9 million in relief funds, spending $1.3 million on private jets, another $460,000 going to clothes, including Balenciaga and Gucci. After canceling a New Year's Eve show in 2021 due to weather conditions, business insider says the rapper apparently partied at a nightclub, but still billed taxpayers nearly $88,000 for the concert that never happened. Chris Brown and his companies receiving $10 million, according to the article, including thousands for his birthday parties' LED dance floor,

hookah and bottle service, nitrogen ice cream, and... even some burn holes in the rental couches. Certainly not what I think the members of Congress had in mind when they approved this money. The Business Insider reporting going on to say that an almost $10 million grant to superstar DJ Marshmallows company went straight into his pocket. The musicians whose tour revenues declined steeply during the pandemic were likely eligible for the grants, which were awarded based solely on revenue, according to the SBA. It would not be surprising if this was entirely legal. and it still seems to violate the spirit of what these programs were really targeted on. DJ Marshmallow, Little Wayne, and Chris Brown did not immediately respond to NBC News request for comment

and did not provide comments to Business Insider. This wasn't the only pandemic era relief program facing scrutiny, as many became a target for fraud. Experts estimating the Paycheck Protection Program meant to help small businesses keep up with payroll was robbed of at least $80 billion. I think there's plenty of blame. to go around. Certainly the program design left itself susceptible to this poor targeting and also to the fraud. Some experts say celebrity spending like this, even if it didn't violate any laws, could encourage others to take advantage of these programs. And when you see people getting

this money who didn't really need it, you could see where people kind of use that to internalize and to justify maybe kind of pushing the bounds of applying for these things themselves. So I think there's real costs to high-profile people abusing these programs. Okay, with that Valerie Castro joins us now. So Valerie, the expert in your piece kind of points out, nothing illegal was apparently done here. But will those artists have to pay that money back? And why, if you could walk our viewers through, are we finding this out right now?

So keep in mind, these programs were rushed out at a time when people were in desperate need of help. It was the pandemic. Things were changing day by day. Unfortunately, it seems as though some people found those loopholes. It doesn't mean that they did anything illegal, but it may not have been in the spirit of what those programs were designed for. So they probably won't have to pay any of that money back. We're still hearing about it because the government is still getting tips about cases where fraudulent activity was suspected.

All right. Valerie Castro for us, Valerie, we thank you for that one. And when we come back, a special edition of Is This Real, a holiday edition. You've seen some of these products go viral this season. We'll show you the ones that caught our eye, including an indoor smores maker, a way to do. make wrapping easier and a snow machine, but do they actually work? Our Ellison Barber tries him out. That's next. Welcome back. Remember those COVID relief programs, the loans and grants to keep the economy running when the country faced so much uncertainty throughout the pandemic. Well, tonight there's new reporting from Business Insider alleging huge celebrities, including

Lil Wayne and others, used money from those programs for upscale hotels, shopping sprees, even private jets. NBC's Valerie Castro has more. Tonight, big names in entertainment like Little Wayne, DJ Marshmallow, and Chris Brown, facing scrutiny for spending millions in COVID relief money on themselves, according to an in-depth report by Business Insider, which reviewed accounting documents and filings with the small business administration, which administered the loans. NBC News has not seen the documents, but the reporting says the celebs were awarded money from the shuttered venue operators grant.

It was, you know, talked to that as something that would help, you know, the local institution concert venue, you know, the middle class stage hand, the small time performing artists who's, you know, just getting their star. But in the case of A-list star Little Wayne, business insider reviewed documents showing the rapper received $8.9 million in relief funds, spending $1.3 million on private jets, another $460,000 going to clothes, including Balenciaga and Gucci. After canceling a New Year's Eve show in 2021 due to weather conditions, Business Insider says the rapper apparently partied at a nightclub, but still billed taxpayers nearly $88,000 for the concert that never happened. Chris Brown and his companies receiving $10 million, according to the article, including thousands for his birthday parties' LED dance floor, hookah and bottle service, nitrogen ice cream, and...

Even some burn holes in the rental couches. certainly not what I think the members of Congress had in mind when they approved this money. The Business Insider reporting going on to say that an almost $10 million grant to Superstar DJ Marshmallows Company went straight into his pocket. The musicians whose tour revenues declined steeply during the pandemic were likely eligible for the grants, which were awarded based solely on revenue, according to the SBA. It would not be surprising if this was entirely legal, and it still seems to violate the spirit of what the these programs were really targeted out. DJ Marshmallow, Little Wayne, and Chris Brown did not immediately respond to NBC News request for comment and did not provide comments to Business Insider.

This wasn't the only pandemic era relief program facing scrutiny, as many became a target for fraud. Experts estimating the Paycheck Protection Program meant to help small businesses keep up with payroll was robbed of at least $80 billion. I think there's plenty of blame to go around. Certainly the program design left itself susceptible. to this poor targeting and also to the fraud. Some experts say celebrity spending like this, even if it didn't violate any laws,

could encourage others to take advantage of these programs. And when you see people getting this money who didn't really need it, you could see where people kind of use that to internalize and to justify maybe pushing the bounds of applying for these things themselves. So I think there's real costs to high profile people abusing these programs.

Okay, with that Valerie Castro joins us. now. So Valerie, the expert in your piece kind of points out nothing illegal was apparently done here, but will those artists have to pay that money back? And why, if you could walk our viewers through, are we finding this out right now? So keep in mind, these programs were rushed out at a time when people were in desperate need of help. It was the pandemic. Things were changing day by day. Unfortunately, it seems as though some people found those loopholes. It doesn't mean that they did anything illegal, but it may not have been in the spirit of what those programs were designed for. so they probably won't have to pay any of that money back.

We're still hearing about it because the government is still getting tips about cases where fraudulent activity was suspected. All right, Valerie Castro for us, Valerie, we thank you for that one. And when we come back, a special edition of Is This Real, a holiday edition? You've seen some of these products go viral this season. We'll show you the ones that caught our eye, including an indoor smores maker, a way to make wrapping easier and a snow machine. But do they actually work?

Our Ellison Barber tries them out. That's next. Finally tonight, we're back with a holiday edition of our series, Is This Real? When scrolling online looking for the perfect holiday gift, have you ever seen a product on social media and wondered, does this actually work? Well, we send our Ellison Barber out to find some of the best holiday products that are out there on social media and see if they really do work. Hey, Tom, there's a lot going on this holiday season, from life-size candy canes to viral gifts on social media. We wanted to see what's actually real and what's not. We kept seeing stuff like this on our social media, and these three seems like they might make wintertime activities easier and more fun.

straight as an arrow and easy, peasy, love and squeezy. But do they really work? Holiday revelers in New York City had some thoughts. I have one of those. Real or not real? It's real. That's real? That's real.

I wouldn't trust it inside. No way. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. Yeah. Coal cow cow cow cow. No, just what even is that? Cute, but no.

And why would anyone want to do that? I did. Because when it comes to Fest. viral products I had to know. Is this real? The first one we're going to check out is this electric smores maker. This indoor solution to the popular outdoor activity promises easy assembly and campfire quality smores. The Kucini smore maker comes with a flameless heater, four detachable compartments, four roasting forks, and a foldable base. Okay, assembly, you put together the two trays, clicking the two sides together. About three minutes, two minutes. Two minutes. Two

minutes 58 seconds now it's red enough the coil is red which seems to mean based on the directions that it's ready to go see if we can get this one better now that it's really warmed up two minutes and we have a pretty solid looking toasted marshmallow let's put the real test as doesn't melt the chocolate quickly enough it's real but it does lack the smoke the chocolate It's real, but it does lack the smokiness from a fire. Workable. Another product we've been seeing all over the internet, the Little Elf gift wrap cutter.

It says it's the most efficient, safe, and easy tool for cutting wrapping wrapping paper. The creators were even offered a deal on CNBC Shark Tech. I can sell hundreds of thousands of these in minutes in my show. So let's try. Lightning fast in a perfect straight line. But let's see what's faster, scissors or this. There's like 20 snips, so I'll assume it was about 20 seconds with scissors. Versus.

Versus, it's like three seconds. much straighter and it's faster. This is real. And for a lot of us, it doesn't feel like the holiday season without a little snow. It might not be a winter wonderland in some parts of the country, but we're going to see if we can create one regardless of where you live. For less than $100, this product promises to help you create your own winter wonderland. The one-by-one snow machine says it's easy to use and safe, creating a magical snow-like scene. But is it too good to be true. It kind of just looks like a fog machine, I think.

The Halloween machines, hopefully it works. Here it goes. Snow fluid. Ready? We're making snow. We're making snow. Oh, my God. It's real.

It's like bubbles. It's real. It's so real. I literally just bought that gift-wrapping paper cutter. That's pretty amazing. We thank Ellison Barber for that great look at Is This Real? We thank you for watching Top Story tonight. I'm Tom Yomis in New York.

Stay right there. More news on the way.