Top Story with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Episode Date: September 25, 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.

Breaking tonight, the major hurricane on track to strike Florida's Gulf Coast. Evacuations underway and the urgent warning to prepare now as Helene is set to rapidly intensify. Coastal communities preparing for a life-threatening storm surge and destructive winds. The hospital taking action to protect the trauma center ahead of the storm. The widespread power outages and flooding rain set to slam the region. Meteorologist Bill Karens, you know, he's. standing by with the latest timing and the track. Also tonight, escaping the war zone, tens of thousands fleeing southern Lebanon as Israel

vows to ramp up its deadly assault on that region. Dash cam video showing the moment a Hezbollah rocket lands on Israeli highway, world leaders gathering at the U.N. as war rages overseas. Arir Simmons sits down exclusively with the president of Turkey, pressing him over his claims that Hamas is not a terrorist organization. Heading to prison, the ex-girlfriend of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried learns her fate for her role in the billion-dollar crypto fraud scheme the prison time she now faces after turning on her then-boyfriend

and becoming a star witness in his federal case. New York City's former COVID-Zar fired after admitting to parting when the pandemic was at its peak, the doctor who urged the city to social distance behind closed doors, doing the exact opposite, how he was caught. bragging about sex parties and an underground rave he attended while he told New Yorkers to quarantine. NFL legend Brett Farr revealing he's battling Parkinson's. The Hall of Fame are making that stunning announcement as he testified to Congress about his potential misuse of taxpayer money

with the former Packers quarterback revealed about his diagnosis and the lingering questions over his legal issues. Also tonight, a 10-year-old girl disappeared from her home after sleepwalking into the woods. A drone operator volunteering in the all-out search using his own thermal imaging technology to find her will show you the dramatic moment she was discovered. And meet the sky surfer catching waves from 12,000 feet above the ground. The Chilean athlete combining his love for skydiving and surfing, strapping on a board and making a daring jump out of a helicopter. Plus the breaking news this just in, the train leaking toxic chemicals again in Ohio. The evacuations just order, we'll have the latest details. Top Story starts right now.

All right, good evening. Welcome to Top Story. Right now, time is ticking for millions to prepare for what could be the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. this year. Tropical storm Helene is forecast to slam Florida's Gulf Coast as a major hurricane. The storm set to unleash life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds and torrential rains. The impacts expected to be far-reaching going well beyond the scope of the forecast cone, threatening the south with tornadoes and widespread power outages. At this hour, evacuation orders are underway, cars lining up as people grab supplies to protect their homes and businesses ahead of the storm.

Helene is expected to rapidly intensifying the warm Gulf waters reaching major hurricane strength. That means a Category 3 hurricane or higher, packing winds upwards of 111 miles per hour. Florida's governor Ron DeSantis issuing an urgent warning to residents bracing for this storm. This potentially could be even more powerful than Idalia. We'll see. But it's going to potentially impact areas that are in the process of rebuilding, not just in the Big Bend, but also Panama City still. You heard it there. Florida's Big Bend region is no stranger to her. hurricanes. Hurricane Ian made landfall two years ago this week. The deadly storm was the costliest hurricane to ever hit Florida. Last year, Hurricane Idalia brought devastating storm

surge. And just weeks ago, Hurricane Debbie inundated neighborhoods as it moved on shore. Right now, we are in peak hurricane season, and Helena is slated to become the fourth hurricane to make a U.S. landfall this year. We want to get right over to meteorologist Bill Kerrins, who joins us now with the very latest track and the timing. So, Bill, walk us through this. And as I look at you, I'm sort of amazed by the size of this storm. That's probably the number one point that people have to think about, not the cone. Think about how huge, you know, the envelope of this storm. You know, this is just showing you the clouds and how large it is.

But when we take this northwards, it's going to easily cover up the eastern half of the Gulf and all of Florida by the time it gets there. So the cone only focuses on where the eye is going to be and where the landfall is going to be. It has nothing to do with how wide the wind field is. So this is the possibility for the eye. And, of course, we track that because that's where the most destructive winds will be. and also that just to the right of that is where the worst storm surge would be.

So if we still get to the right of this up towards Cedar Key, that's a horrific storm surge from areas around Tampa and Tampa Bay. Further to the west is better for Tampa Bay, but that's much worse up here for Tallahassee and the Big Bend. So that's what we're going to fine-tune in the hours ahead. And we only have 48 hours until landfall. And once this makes landfall, this storm is flying. It's going to be moving at like 20, 25 miles per hour.

It's not going to have time to weaken enough not to do significant damage right through central Georgia. So you're going to be surprised how strong your winds are here all way through central Georgia and then a horrible rain event in the southern Appalachians as we go throughout the next three to four days. So hurricane warnings are up here from Cedar Key to Tallahassee. We're under tropical storm warnings in Tampa. But remember I said how huge the storm is? Even as far inland as Orlando, you're under a tropical storm warning,

even though the storm is like 100 miles off the west coast. And this shows you the windfield, about 400 miles from east to west and north to south. anywhere about 5 p.m. Thursday from the Georgia border to Florida all the way down to South Florida has a chance of losing power because of tropical storm wind gusts in this region. That just kind of gives you a scope of the size of this storm, not just the intensity. And we do think some of the higher winds in Cedar Keep. Now, we don't yet have the total wind predictions for Tallahassee, Perry, and Valdosta, because this only goes out 48 hours. Tomorrow, I'll update you those. But right now it's looking probably 80 to about 110 mile per hour wind gusts. That's where we could have

extreme tree damage and roof damage. And the storm surge, with the storm that's going to be this massive, it can push a ton of water. And where we get to the right of that landfall, you know, this is historic stuff, 10 to 15 feet. And even in Tampa Bay, with a landfall up here towards Tallahassee, we still think the storm's going to drag five to eight feet of water into the bay. That's a lot of water. This is going to be one of the highest storm surges that we've seen since 1986 going back to Tampa. So a lot of people, you know, over 40 years ago, A lot of people have moved to Tampa in the last 40 years. I've never seen water where you're going to see it in about two days from now.

And then, of course, horrific rainfall amounts as we go throughout Friday, the mountainous area's extreme flash flooding as possible, North Carolina, South Carolina, and upstate of Georgia. So we still have a lot to be determined. And I'll just give you, I'll just look at the latest updates. So there's little buoys out in the water that measure how strong the storm is. And the center of lean has been close to one. It is rapidly dropping. The pressure is falling quickly, and it looks like the storm is already quickly starting to rapid.

intensified. It's not what we wanted. We wanted that to happen tomorrow, not tonight. Bill, you know, you brought up so many interesting points there. As we look at the models, right, and we always talk about the European model and the U.S. model, are we seen variations there, right? And after you talk about that, walk us through the population centers there in Florida. We were talking about this before the show about there are certain areas where it hits. There's never a good scenario, but walk us through best case and worst case scenarios. All right, so these lines are what we call our spaghetti lines. Now, the black little center line here is the actual center forecast from the National Hurricane Center.

All these other colored lines here are showing you what our different computer models are telling us. And I know that there's a little purplish one here, pinkish one. This is the European model. And so now three of these lines are to the right of this, more towards Perry, Florida, where we got a couple others here, three or four, more towards Appalachia Cola. It's a big difference where that center makes landfall. As I mentioned, if we're to the right of this, all of a sudden, we're dragging more of that water closer to the population centers here on the west coast of Florida, south of Cedar Key.

This area here between Appalachicola and Cedar Key, I storm chased through this region for a hurricane. It is all swamps. There's not many houses. There's not a lot to destroy. So where it's going now is good for storm surge where that 10 to 15 feet is. There's not a lot to destroy. But it's horrible for Tallahassee as far as wind damage is going to go. So Tom, we can't win on this.

But as you talk about, you know, if this was to shift 100 miles up the west coast of Florida, you know, instead of like a couple billion dollar weather disaster, we're talking about like one of the worst ones in our country's history. So that's the difference a couple, you know, 50, 100 miles could make in the next 48 hours. All right, Bill Cairns, I know you're going to be standing by for us the next few days tracking this storm. Residents across the Panhandled in the west coast of Florida are bracing for Helene's impacts. Marissa Parra joins us now live from Tampa, which is under a hurricane watch and a storm surge watch. Marissa, Governor Ronda Sanchez declared a state of emergency for this area this morning, with several counties also under mandatory evacuation orders.

What's the latest you're seeing in Tampa? I already saw some traffic lines forming for people trying to get sandbags and some supplies. Yeah, so you've seen the lines outside of sandbag stations. You've seen the lines outside of gas stations, but I want to show you something that maybe you haven't seen before, Tom. So we're days ahead of landfall. We're just outside of Tampa General Hospital. To my right here, this is a roughly 10-foot barrier called an aqua fence, and this is expected to protect Tampa General Hospital on the other side of the fence from Tampa Bay just feet away. And as Bill mentioned, it is the storm surge, the flooding that is the biggest risk for the larger part of the state. We're talking about at least 61 counties

across the state under a state of emergency. And mind you, there's only 67 counties across the state. And so this is why we are seeing these preparations underway. We're seeing resources being deployed. We're seeing schools being closed in preparation already announcing that they're closed tomorrow as well as Thursday, and this is why we're seeing Texas Governor Abbott announcing he's deploying resources to help out with Florida, because as we know, Texas is another state all too familiar with the damage that hurricanes can do, Tom. Hey, Marissa, you know, I've covered a lot of hurricanes. I have never seen one of those aqua fences that you're mentioning there. Is there any way you could explain how this works

because the force of water is so powerful? Is it basically just a border, if you will? Yeah, so it depends on what side we're on. But it gets to almost 10 feet here. It's actually nine feet to be exact. And so the idea being if the water comes up against here, it sort of braces and protects the hospital from the water that would otherwise spill over. So it is kind of like sealing the water from getting inside is the idea. And it can actually protect.

This hospital is prepared for up to 15 feet of storm surge, which is important because if you look at the map of the hospital, Tom, this is on its own island. and this is an area that is very prone to flooding. I was here for Hurricane Adelia. And what was actually pretty impressive is we saw aqua fence. We saw it protect the hospital. There was some significant flooding,

but the hospital was still able to operate. And that's really important because this is the only level one trauma center in this entire region. So they were still able to do what they needed to do, Tom. All right, Marissa Parra there in Tampa, monitoring the storm. Marissa, we thank you for that. Just northwest of Tampa,

actually closer to Tallahassee is Panama, City, a coastal community in the threat zone, currently under a warning as the community prepares for the impacts of Helene. Joining us now live is Jonathan Hayes. He's Panama City's manager. Jonathan, thanks for joining Top Story tonight. First things first, how worried are you about this storm? Are the people of Panama City taking it seriously? Absolutely. We're taking it very seriously. Our staff, working with the county, we started preparing over the weekend, kind of pre-storm prep, taking this very seriously. As y'all just said, we don't really exactly know where it's going to go. Our staff, as you see there,

have already sent out over 2,000 sandbags for the community and the businesses here in Panama City. And additionally, citizens have picked up another 500 to fill themselves. And so, you know, the heavy rain and the potential flooding that could come with that is something that we're very concerned about. And again, any slightly more shift to the left, you know, it could have a more greater impact on us, even though we're on the west side of the storm. Category 3 storm, yep, as you mentioned, you are on the west side of the storm. storm, not the dirty side, if you will, which is the more dangerous side, but you've had some intense hurricanes over the past few years. Hurricane Ian as well. Is the rebuilding from that

still going on? Is that done? Is the infrastructure in place? Yeah, so, you know, Hurricane Ian was a hurricane that has impacted the state in the past, but also Hurricane Michael hit here in October of 2018. It was a Category 5 storm. And no, we're actually still in recovery mode from that storm, the decimation that we experienced almost six years ago. Yeah, I think I was thinking about Michael before, Ian, you're right. It was so intense. What is the thing that is troubling you the most? Is it going to be the storm surge or the winds from this category three,

as we explained, up to 111 miles per hour, if not stronger? Yeah. So I think some of the wind gusts, you know, both tropical storm wind gusts, but also just the heavy rain, you know, the size of the storm. 61 counties under the storm watch and the storm surge. and the heavy rains. That's what we're most concerned about right now. Our crews have been working over the last few days, lowering our storm ponds, cleaning out necessary and critical ditches, all the grates in order to absorb all that heavy rain as best as our system possibly

can. That's our greatest concern right now. All right, Jonathan Hayes, we appreciate your time. I hope you guys stay safe out there, and I hope people take the storm seriously if it approaches Panama City. Okay, we're also following some breaking news out of Ohio that we mentioned at the top of the broadcast, a dangerous chemical leak is prompting evacuations. Dron video shows fire officials attempting to cool a pressurized train car after an open valve began releasing highly flammable gas into the air. This is in Whitewater Township just outside of Cincinnati. Those within a half-mile radius have been ordered to evacuate.

Other residents in the area are being asked to shelter in place and seal all doors and windows. All school, stores, and surrounding roads have been shut down. The gas that has been released can cause headaches, nausea and respiratory issues. It comes less than two years, you may remember, after a train derailment caused dangerous chemicals to leak into the air in East Palestine, Ohio. Okay, we're going to turn now to what's happening in the Middle East. Israel unleashed more airstrikes across its northern border today. Again, targeting Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

NBC's Matt Bradley has that report tonight. Israel pummeling Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group for a second day. A day after inflicting the highest death toll on Lebanon. since the 2006 war. The two-day death toll more than 550 people, according to the Lebanese health ministry, and nearly 2,000 more injured. The enemy doesn't differentiate between civilians and militants, this man said, were all civilians.

The Israeli military releasing this video of a strike today in Beirut, it says, killed a top Hezbollah commander. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed today to keep it up, urging Lebanese civilians to rid themselves of Hezbollah. We'll continue to pound Hezbollah. He said, anyone who has a missile in their living room and a rocket in their garage will not have a home. Hezbollah has been firing back, launching projectiles over the border toward Israeli towns. The huge uptick in Israeli strikes sparking a panicked exodus in Lebanon South,

traffic backed up for hours for those fleeing, some with serious injuries. This hospital has already received dozens of injuries from the South. Some of them are being intubated in the ICU. but they're preparing to get even more. Doctors here say all of the injured they treated were civilians. We received usual war injuries, chest, broken legs, abdominal injuries. Many who escaped death and injury have found themselves homeless, seeking refuge and makeshift shelters. Ilham Abdullah fled southern Lebanon with their family and only the clothes on their backs.

She said that after they fled, half of her home was leveled by her family. by Israeli strikes. There's no house, she told me. And when I asked her if she was afraid for the future, she said, of course. Matt joins us tonight from Beirut. Matt, last night when we were talking, we spoke about this refugee crisis that is unfolding there in Lebanon. What are you hearing from the people there?

What's the biggest concern besides just trying to survive? Well, the main concern that we've been hearing is that after this massive area, massive aerial bombardment that's been lasting for the last two days. And after those pager and walkie-talkie explosions last week, the big concern is that Israel might be preparing for a ground invasion of the kind we saw back in 2006 that laid waste to southern Lebanon. Tom? And before you go, since I have you here, man, I do want to ask you, has Israel shown their hand at all, at least spoken about what the strategy is when it comes to Lebanon? on? Well, their strategy, as stated, is that they want to be able to return all of those

tens of thousands of people who have been forced out of their homes by the Hezbollah bombardments in northern Israel and allow them to go back to their homes in northern Israel. Now, that's their stated intention. But it doesn't sound as though they're necessarily going to be willing to stop there. We've been hearing from Israeli officials and Israeli media and elsewhere saying that they kind of don't necessarily trust that they want to just leave Hezbollah allowing it to reconstitute itself, to rebuild its capacity. They want to kind of check it and make sure that this doesn't happen again. There's also very real concerns in Israel that Hezbollah could execute the same kind of October 7th-style attack that Hamas did last year.

Tom? Okay, Matt Bradley and his team in Lebanon tonight for us. Now to an NBC News exclusive and the NATO ally defending Hamas. Turkish President Erdogan addressing the UN earlier today, criticizing world leaders for not stopping the bloodshed in Gaza. After those remarks, Erdogan sat down for an exclusive interview with our chief international correspondent, Keir Simmons, who joins us now live in studio tonight here on Top Story. So Keir, talk to us about what he told you and what you learned, because you made a bit of news in this interview. That's right, Tom. You said it. Turkey is a

NATO ally. It's an American ally, and it has had differences with the U.S. in recent years. And now, since October 7th, another difference. Just listen to how the president of Turkey talks about the situation there. There are those who criticize you, Turkey, for providing a home for Hamas, who the U.S. say a terrorist, and you say that you are opposed to terrorism. We are, of course, against terrorism and terrorists. But I'm one of the leaders who is real familiar with Hamas, and I never called Hamas a terrorist organization. And I don't approach Hamas as a terrorist organization now, because Hamas is spending efforts in order

to protect their motherland, and they are actually a group of resistance. So, I can't call such a group of resistance a terrorist organization. Let's look back in time, all the way down to 1947. And up until now, Hamas or Palestine, let's say, have been losing a lot of territory, and this is where we stand today. There will be many watching in the U.S. who will be amazed, appalled that you could, as a NATO country, describe those responsible for October 7th as in those terms. If you look at the October 7th incidents and what happened there, we can see. the reasons that prepared the conditions for October the 7th to occur.

I would like to ask you how many Palestinians were killed. And let's look at the backdrop of all the incidents that have occurred, and then you will see a much different picture. Keir back with us now, Keir, I have to ask you, what does he say about Israel then? Yeah, he is very forthright about Israel. Israel. I mean, he describes a Prime Minister Netanyahu. He talks about him, he relates him to the Nazis. I mean, people are going to find that very, very offensive in Israel and around the world, obviously, and here in the U.S. And I say that to him. But that is the way he says that he

supports Israel, but he talks in those terms. And again, this is a country that is a NATO ally, a U.S. ally, and strategically very, very important to the U.S. You know, we keep talking about NATO here, and we have the big speech from Z. Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, tomorrow at the United Nations. And again, Turkey is a part of NATO. Here's what he said when you asked him about NATO and Ukraine. President Zelensky's administration has said that part of his peace plan would be Ukraine joining NATO. Would you welcome Ukraine as a member of NATO in principle?

The U.S., first and foremost, doesn't want to see Ukraine as a NATO member. And many NATO countries don't want Ukraine to be a member state. So we need to see these facts for what they are, and we need to make our minds accordingly. Looking at these facts for what they are, these are not questions to be rushed. And when making our minds, when we are taking our decisions, we always take into consideration the stance of other NATO member states. We discuss those possible questions around the table and make the final decision accordingly. But you have a veto, in principle, would Turkey accept Ukraine in NATO?

As of now, all the NATO member states, positions will be important for me and for all the other countries. We are going to follow the developments, the deliberations, and reach a final decision according to. These are not decisions to be rushed in an excited way. So you haven't decided? You haven't made your mind up? No, no. So, Kier, he said the quiet part out loud, right?

Other NATO nations feel the same way. They don't want Ukraine to be part of the alliance. just yet. But it sounded like there was no near future for Ukraine to be in the alliance either. Yeah, I mean, remember that Turkey slow walk to Finland and Sweden joining NATO. So he has a track record when it comes to this of being skeptical. He's right. There are big questions about Ukraine joining NATO because it's in a war right now with Russia and that being in NATO would compel other countries to join that war. So there are real issues. But it is fascinating to hear him talk like that when President Zelensky is about, as we understand it, to talk about joining

NATO as a crucial part of managing to achieve peace. We're about 40 days out of our election here in the U.S. Did you ask him about if there's a candidate that he favors? He's obviously been in power in Turkey for decades. Yeah, I mean, he's often not very diplomatic. He was diplomatic about that. I will tell you that he phoned President Trump after the first attempted assassination and gave him his best wish.

They have a relationship. They do. They were both presidents at the same time. President Trump describes him as a friend. He says he doesn't know Kamala Harris so well, but is positive about the possibility of her becoming president. But look, here's the real point here. Whoever becomes president from next year

is going to have to deal with the world with countries like Turkey sitting on a fault line between Russia, China, the US and the West. He says next month to President Erdogan, He will go to Russia to the BRICS conference, and he talks very warmly about President Putin. Okay, wow, that's interesting as well. Okay, Keir Simmons, always bringing us incredible stuff. Great interview there, a lot of news.

We do want to talk more about the U.N., President Biden addressing the U.N. one last time. President Biden giving an impassioned speech waning on the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, we just talked about here with Kier, sending an urgent message of global unity. Our Peter Alexander has more. Tonight, President Biden's farewell to the U.N., his fourth and final address. The choices we make today will determine our future for decades to come. With fears the violence between Israel and Hezbollah could grow, the president again today calling for a negotiated end of the conflict in the Middle East.

Full-scale war is not in anyone's interest. Even if a situation has escalated, a diplomatic solution is still possible. But for months, a ceasefire and hostage deal have remained elusive. The president also bluntly insisting that Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion, of Ukraine has failed, touting the strength of alliances, he helped expand. We cannot grow weary. We cannot look away, and we will not let up on our support for Ukraine. Three years after declaring America is back following former President Trump's time in office. To deliver for our own people must also engage deeply with the rest of the world.

The question looming over this year's UN, whether Trump and his America first policies, are coming back. Our test is to make sure that the forces holding us together are stronger than those are pulling us apart. But tonight Republicans argue the world has grown more dangerous since President Biden took office. What we've seen is chaos throughout the world. Is America and our allies safer today than it was four years ago? The answer is absolutely not. Reflecting on his five decades in public life, including his abrupt decision to step aside under pressure from within his own party, this powerful message to Democratic leaders and dictators alike. Let us never forget, some things are more important than staying in power.

It's your people the matter the most. And we've learned that Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to speak to the UN this Friday. He is not expected to meet with President Biden while he's in town. Meanwhile, Biden and Vice President Harris are expected to meet with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky later this week. He'll meet with President Trump as well. Back to you, Tom. Okay, Peter Alexander, also in New York for us. Peter, we thank you.

Still ahead tonight, the woman tied to a multi-billion dollar crypto fraud scheme learns her fate. The jail time she now faces after turning on her ex-boyfriend and FTX founder, Sand Bankman-Fried. Plus, controversy surrounding a former official in charge of New York City's COVID response. The new details coming into light about the sex parties he attended during the height of the pandemic. And the new lawsuit just filed against Visa, the allegations the company abused its power over customers. We're going to explain. Okay, we're back now with Sentencing Day for one of the key players in a multi-billion dollar crypto fraud scheme. Late today, the executive who flipped on disgrace FTX founder Sam Bankman Fried, a man she used to date,

learned her fate in a New York City courtroom. NBC Sam Brock is here with the latest details. Tonight, former crypto executive Caroline Ellison sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to forfeit $11 billion for her role in stealing billions from FTX customers. Ellison, a star witness, helped put ex-boyfriend Sam Beckman-Fried behind bars,

showing little emotion as she left the New York City courtroom, but inside issuing a tearful apology, saying, I can't even imagine the pain I caused. The sentencing comes months after Ellison pleaded guilty to fraud and became the prosecution's linchpin testimony against Bankman Freed, the disgraced FTX founder for whom she ran Alameda Research, a crypto hedge fund connected to FTX. At its peak in 2022, FTX was valued at $32 billion. Its name emblazoned on the Miami Heat's basketball arena and huge stars appearing in its ads from Tom Brady. What's up guys? I'm here with my boy Sam from

FTX. To Larry David. It's a safe and easy way to get into crypto. Yeah, I don't think so. Ellison, Bankman Freed, and coworkers even living in a $35 million Bahamas penthouse. But then came the crash when crypto prices plummeted in 2022 and a leaked document spooked investors dragging FTX and Elameda into bankruptcy. It does appear that they are filing Chapter 11. Bankman Freed was later found guilty of siphoning $8 billion from FTX customers with Ellison. help and using it to plug holes in debt and bad investments at Alameda. I made a lot of mistakes are things I would give anything to be able to do over again. I didn't ever try to commit fraud on anyone.

After Bankman Freed was dramatically arrested and extradited from the Bahamas, Ellison flipped on her ex-boyfriend, cooperating with the investigation, according to prosecutors. The federal probation department recommended no jail time, but rather supervised release, though the judge said there would be no get-out-of-jail-free card. Do you think some prison time would have been appropriate regardless of her level of cooperation? Her role in the crime was so significant that she could have likely stopped it at any time. And also just the size of the fraud, the scale matters in a white-collar crime like this. And so because the scale was just off the charts, as a result, it appears the judge decided that some level of prison time was required.

Bankman Freed was found guilty of money laundering and fraud and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Time he's serving in Brooklyn's infamous Metropolitan Detention Center, where three sources tell NBC New York he's living in the same unit as Sean Diddy Combs. Bankman Freed, still denying virtually any criminal wrongdoing and trying to get his case retried. All right, with that, Sam, Brock joins us now in studio. Sam, it is good to see you. You mentioned that $11 billion settlement with Caroline Ellison. Where did that come from?

That appears to be the $11 billion punishment. They're a reflection of the depth of the defrauding, Tom. Here's what's really interesting. You can't just declare bankruptcy and have that get erased. So basically, for the rest of her life and the same thing for Sam Bankman Freed as well, they are financially incapacitated, basically, by this judgment, which is to say that they can't accumulate their own wealth or really court investment without having to pay back the government and pay back victims.

That's going to be hanging over their heads for the rest of their lives. All right, Sam Brock, for us tonight here in Top Story. Sam, we thank you for that. stunning confessions caught on hidden camera from the man who once ran New York City's COVID pandemic response. Dr. J. Varma appearing to admit to privately attending sex parties during lockdown while in public he urged New Yorkers to stay home and avoided crowded spaces. NBC's Valerie Castro reports. Tonight, New York City's former COVID czar fired from his private sector job after he was caught on hidden camera, admitting he attended multiple sex parties during the pandemic in defiance of his

own public safety protocols. Do you think you'd have gotten like a hard time if like the popular like New York City found out that you're having sex partings during COVID? Yeah. Dr. J. Varma appears to have been secretly recorded in this heavily edited undercover video released by conservative podcaster Stephen Crowder. In this clip discussing taking MDMA and aware that his actions if made public would be deemed hypocritical. We were all rolling. We're all taking Molly and everyone was high. And it was so because it hadn't done that in like a year and a half, like a year or whatever. But I was looking around being like, I wonder if you see what he sees you know because this was not

COVID-Varma was a high-profile senior public health advisor during then Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration making daily appearances. I was on TV for a year and a half. I said I was on the press conference every day for a year and a half every morning at 10-day. Instructing the public to stay home and practice social distancing. We need to be cautious about introducing a high-risk. activity into a place that we know is vulnerable. Varma was also instrumental in helping the mayor craft the city's vaccine policy.

But if you're unvaccinated, unfortunately, you will not be able to participate many things. That's the point we're trying to get across. Which even kept Brooklyn Netstar Kyrie Irving off the court after he refused to get the shot. I just think he's ass because he's like trying to like, I'm not in a position to tell him how to dribble better or how to shoot better. Don't tell me like how to sign. VARMA issuing a statement Friday in light of the video's release, saying in part, unfortunately, I was targeted by an operative for an extremist right-wing organization,

determined to malign public health officials, and take down the public health system in America. Varma also admitting he took part in two public gatherings, saying, I take responsibility for not using the best judgment at the time. The fallout leading to termination from his job at SIGA Technologies, a pharmaceutical company where he served as executive vice president, and chief medical officer. The company did not respond to multiple requests for comment. A spokesperson for Varma would not comment on the firing. My God, what a hypocrite he is.

One Democratic City Council member, not holding back, slamming Varma. When he's caught, he's blaming the right-wing media. I mean, this guy is, what a dirtbag. A city spokesperson confirming in a statement, Varma is not and has never been a member of the current administration, while some are calling on Mayor Eric Adams to retroactively compensate city workers who were fired for violating COVID mandates, Varma helped put in place. People chose not to follow those rules, and his behavior doesn't change the fact that we save lives because of the rules that were put in place. All right, Valerie Castro joins us.

Now, Valerie, just to clear these things up here. So he's fired from his job, whatever he was working at recently. He worked in the de Blasio administration, not the Adams administration. But you were pointing out, like in your piece, some people had to resign or were fired because of their behavior during COVID. while this guy's out there, I think, as he said, taking Molly and going to these parties. And that city council member that spoke out, he also said that people lost their businesses when they refused to follow some of these COVID protocols that were put in place by Dr.

Varma. Some city council members are calling for there to be an investigation into all of that what happened. But again, Mayor Adams kind of shying away from willing to compensate anyone who may have lost their jobs during that time. Okay, Valde Castro, a wild story. We thank you for that one. Okay, when we come back, the shocking announcement from an NFL legend, and we're also going to have much more on Hall of Favor, Brett Fav, revealing he has Parkinson's. What he said about that diagnosis during a congressional hearing on Capitol Hill. Stay with us. Okay, we are back down with Top Stories News Feed.

We start with the controversial execution of Missouri inmate, Marcellus Williams. Williams set to die by lethal injection after the state's governor and Supreme Court denied clemency. He was convicted in the 1998 stabbing death of reporter Felicia Gale, for which he has maintained his innocence. Attorneys for Williams had filed an appeal with the Supreme Court, citing newly discovered evidence of racial bias and evidence contamination by trial prosecutors. Those motions were denied. An update tonight, Ryan Ruth has been officially charged with the attempted assassination of former President Trump at his Florida golf course. The federal indictment also includes charges of assaulting a federal officer. Authorities say Ruth pointed a rifle through a fence at the golf club in West Palm Beach on September 15th as Trump was golfing there.

He had previously been charged with firearms violations. Late today, the Senate unanimously passed legislation to boost secret service protection for presidential candidates. The Department of Justice is suing Visa, accusing the company of illegally monopolizing debit card markets. The DOJ says Visa imposed exclusionary. agreements that penalized merchants who used other payment processors. Visa then earned a fee from every transaction on its network costing American consumers billions of dollars. According to the DOJ, 60% of debit transactions in the U.S. run on Visa's debit network. And another major lawsuit to tell you about football grade, Reggie Bush is suing USC, the Pact 12, and the NCAA. The 2005 Heisman

winner is looking to recoup money made on his name, image and likeness during his time. with the Trojans 20 years ago. His lawyer saying the defendants earned significant compensation off Bush through merchandise and media contracts. Bush recently won his Heisman Trophy back after losing it in 2010 for accepting cash and gifts from scouts.

Okay, and we have a stunning revelation tonight by football legend Brett Farr for the former quarterback for the Green Bay Packers announcing a recent diagnosis with Parkinson's disease. Farr of making the announcement earlier today during a congressional hearing on Capitol Hill. Let's take a listen.

And I'm sure you'll understand why it's too late for me because I've recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's. This is also a cause dear to my heart. The 54-year-old was testifying as part of an investigation into a $77 million welfare scheme that Ken Delaney has been covering for a long time for us. Ken, bring us up to speed about what we know. Well, Tom, you know, he was there to testify in a hearing about how states are misspending welfare money. But this was a real bombshell that he kind of dropped matter. in the beginning of his testimony. And it's its own story, really.

I mean, Brett Farv is a legend in the football world. He played in the NFL for 20 years. He took a lot of really big hits. He had several notable concussions, but he said that he believes he actually had thousands of concussions undiagnosed. It was known that he had memory problems, but the fact that he's now saying he's been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease will put a renewed spotlight on the dangers of pro football.

I mean, this is an incurable brain disorder. live with it for even decades, but it's a big deal. But in terms of the welfare scandal, he was there to be questioned about his role in $70 million of misspending in Mississippi. He personally was involved in millions of dollars that the state auditor says was questionable. He was paid $1.1 million to give speeches that he never gave. He paid that money back, but the state still says he owes interest. The state is suing Brett Farf. But Brett Farv's posture today, Tom, was he came to say that he was a victim, that he was wrongly accused, that he never knew this was welfare money, that this has besmirched his good name. And he even said at one point that

he didn't recall whether he knew that this was public money at all. But of course, there's a long paper trail. There are text messages that have become public record in these lawsuits where Brett Favre is lobbying the governor, is texting with various state officials. At one point, he even asked whether his receipt of this state money would become public, would be discovered by the media. So it really does appear that he knew what he was doing, even if he's saying he didn't now. And remember that he steered millions of dollars to a volleyball facility at a college that was his alma mater where his daughter was playing. And this was money, Tom, that was intended for the poorest women and children in the poorest state in America.

Ken Delanyan, a lot of new reporting there. And again, that chalking announcement from Brett Farve on Capitol Hill. Ken, we appreciate your reporting. Coming up, the daring jump landing one man in the record books, the Chilean athlete becoming the world. first to combine skydiving with surfing. We'll show you the moment he leaves from a helicopter with a surfboard strapped to his feet. We are back tonight with the growing questions over the high prices of diabetes and weight loss drugs

like Ozempic and Wagovi. The CEO of the company that makes them face tough questions from lawmakers on Capitol Hill demanding to know why Americans pay so much more for them compared to other countries around the world. NBC Stephanie Goss takes a close. Look. The drugs Ozempic for diabetes and Wagovi for weight loss have created a revolution

in health care. At a Senate hearing today, Lars Jorgensen, the CEO of Novo Nordis, the Danish company that makes the drugs, was grilled. Stop ripping us off. Senator Bernie Sanders pointing out that the list price for these drugs is much higher in the U.S. than in other countries. Look at the difference in Ozempic in Germany, or Wagovi in Denmark. The outrageously high prices of these drugs could bankrupt Medicare and radically increase

premiums to absolutely unaffordable rates. And that could mean people who need what may be life-saving drugs may not get them. Is this acceptable to you? Senator, any prospects of patients not getting access to the minister that need, I think, is terrifying. We don't decide the price for patients. and that's set by the insurance companies. Jorgensen argues the pricing system in the U.S. is mostly to blame,

specifically pharmacy benefit managers or PBMs that wield enormous power over access to drugs and the prices patients pay, according to a recent study by the FTC, which says these powerful middlemen may be profiting by inflating drug costs and squeezing Main Street pharmacies. We shouldn't let up on having Mr. Jorgensen, and other CEOs here impressing them. But we've got to get serious about the PBM reform.

Senator Sanders announcing three of the largest PBMs say they are willing to expand access to the drugs if the company lowered its prices. You sit in a room with us and work on an agreement? I'll be happy to, as I said, do anything that helps patients. While some on the panel took note of the company's achievement. Novo Nordisk is not the villain in this story. They're a hero.

We should be here celebrating. this miracle innovation. The hearing ended without a commitment from Novo Nordisk to lower prices. The largest PBM in the country's CVS CAREmark shared with NBC the letter it sent to Senator Sanders assuring that a price drop would lead to expanded insurance coverage and expanded access, which now puts pressure on Novo Nordisk to make that price cut. Tom? Okay, we thank Stephanie Gosk for that.

We want to turn out of Top Stories Global. watch. We start with an American hiker who has been found dead after she went missing in South Africa. The 20-year-old student from North Carolina was reported missing on Saturday when she was hiking on Table Mountain. Search teams found her body on the mountain slopes the following day. Her cause of death is still being investigated. Scientists in New Zealand discovering a new species of ghost shark. The Australian narrow-nosed spookfish has a long snout, scale-free skin, and beak-like teeth. Look at that thing. Researchers say it's found exclusively in the waters off Australia and New Zealand, and lives more than 8,500 feet deep on the ocean floor.

Experts say ghost sharks are often hard to spot and study because of their remote living environment. Okay, and a Chilean skydiver taking his extreme sport to new heights, skydiving straight onto a wave. Watch this, the newly released video showing Sebastian Alvarez jumping out of a helicopter above Abu Dhabi with a surfboard attached to his feet. He releases his parachute while plummeting 12,000 feet towards the water. Then in the world's first skydive to surf jump, he cruises towards a wave. Look at that and rides it to the shore. Pretty cool. Okay, when we come back, the drone rescue, a thermal imaging camera locating a 10-year-old

girl who went missing for hours after sleepwalking away from her home. We speak to the Good Samaritan who helped law enforcement find her deep in the woods using his own gear. It's an incredible story, and it's up right after this break. Welcome back. We end tonight with two close calls. First, the surfer in Florida and his shark scare. 62-year-old Charlie, known locally as gnarly Charlie, was outcatching waves near Daytona when, believe it or not, he accidentally stepped on a bull shark.

The pro-surfer of more than 50 years described the shocking moment. By the time, I even thought twice about it. It just, bam, it lit me up, man. It felt like I stuck my foot in a light socket. And all those little teeth, you couldn't see them. There were perfect little slices in my leg. Every one of them just opened up like a flower and blew blood out, man. It was so gnarly.

Ajick says to stop the bleeding. He wrapped his leg using the leash of his surfboard before he actually drove himself to the hospital. Doctors then gave him a few stitches before he got to head home. But the worst part, he says, breaking his 148-day surfing streak. A.J.K. is recovering nicely and is eager to start his new streak very soon. Okay, now to an incredible ending to a harrowing search in Louisiana. Hundreds of volunteers trying to find a missing 10-year-old girl who disappeared after sleepwalking from her home. NBC's Kathy Park spoke to the drone operator who officials say

was the key in finding her. Here's why. It's the heart-stopping moment rescue workers found a missing 10-year-old girl safe after a day-long search. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Louisiana officials say the young girl, Peyton, vanish after sleepwalking into the woods. At that time, we didn't know what had happened. We, you know, had to think the worst. Maybe we didn't know if she had been abducted. Nearly a dozen law enforcement agencies and hundreds of volunteers were searching for the child when Arkansas-based drone operator, Josh Clover, decided to drive up 40 miles to help. I get calls all the time and this one, you know, the lost girl in the woods. We were just trying to do the right thing. says officials helped him set up his gear, including a generator and a large flat screen TV before launching his drone above the thick woods. That thermal drone can scan about 160 acres an hour. Walking around the woods, just volunteers, there's no telling how long it would have taken.

After about 20 minutes of searching, officials say they found the girl asleep and curled up in the fetal position on the ground. It's just amazing that other than some mosquito bites that she was unharmed, I mean, just in perfect condition. Peyton was 300 yards from where a trail camera had seen her that morning. Sheriff Jason Parker says Josh and his team made all the difference in the search for Peyton. If Josh and his team was not been able to locate her with that drone, our next step was to line up shoulder to shoulder with flashlights with two to 300 volunteers and we were going to walk the woods. There's a lot of messages coming in online and I tried to reply to a lot of them. I'm sure I've missed some folks, but yeah, we appreciate all the words. Peyton's family telling authorities she does have a history of sleepwalking but has never left the house.

But thanks in part to a good Samaritan and a drone, she's back safe and sound. We couldn't be more blessed on how this thing ended. Kathy Park, NBC News. That drone operator deserves all the credit. Okay, we thank Kathy Park for that. And we thank you for watching Top Story tonight. I'm Tom Yamous in New York. Stay right there.

More news on the way.