Top Story with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Episode Date: May 8, 2025

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, history at the Vatican. The conclave to choose a new Pope has begun. What we know about what happened inside the Sistine Chapel. Black smoke from the Vatican rooftop signaling that no Pope was chosen on the first votes. The crowds that flocked to see it all play out and the dramatic images as the Cardinals filed in and took their oaths. So what happens before the next vote? Lester Holt is there. Not guilty verdict.

Three former police officers acquitted of the fatal beating of Tyree Nichols in Memphis, an incident that sparked nationwide protest. The raw reaction tonight and why the officers still face jail time. New chaos at Columbia. The anti-Israel demonstrators storming a campus library wearing masks, hanging Palestinian flags, how campus security reacted. Airplane overboard, the Navy losing a multi-million dollar fighter jet when it toppled off an aircraft carrier again.

Our new reporting on how it happened. The $750 million settlement in the case of a New York gynecologist convicted of abusing hundreds of women. Some of those survivors speaking out to Top Story, saying no amount of money will erase the trauma they're still living with. Dangerous TikTok trends. Kids jamming items into their laptops causing them to catch fire. Entire schools forced to evacuate.

The Bachelor's Star fights back. A woman charged with faking a pregnancy by the former contestant, complete with a forged sonogram, what he told us tonight about the ordeal. And the new twist in the Karen Reed murder trial. The testimony today about when the question, how long to die in cold, was actually Googled. Top story starts right now. Good evening. for Tom Yamis. Tonight, history unfolding inside one of the holiest buildings in the world as

Cardinals gather in secrecy to select a new Pope, the monumental vote coming just weeks after the death of Pope Francis. Cardinal electors entering the Sistine Chapel where they will be cut off from the rest of the world as they begin the papal conclave. Video showing the moment the doors are sealed off, you see the Swiss guards standing by as the centuries-old ritual unfolds. Right now, the vote is in the hands of 133 Cardinals, the largest conclave to ever assemble. Ballots will be cast until a two-thirds majority is reached, and it's this moment that everyone waits for when smoke billows over Vatican City signaling whether a decision has been made.

Today, black fumes pouring out of the chimney signaling that no decision has been made. White smoke will indicate when a new pope has been elected. A big question tonight, who are the top contenders to succeed Pope Francis? We'll get into some of the frontrunners and the changes they could bring if they're selected to lead the church. In the meantime, the world is left standing by, watching and waiting to see when this new era will begin. NBC's Lester Holt starts off our coverage tonight from the Vatican. It was 901 this evening at the Vatican when the first smoke billowed out of the Sistine Chapel, Black, no Pope. After three hours of craning their necks and aiming their phones towards the chimney, the crowds quickly poured out of St. Peter's Square.

The cardinal electors began the day with a special mass at St. Peter's Basilica, before walking in procession to the Sistine Chapel, a sea of red. With the Swiss Guard, protection. protecting the door one by one. Ed Ego, Timothy Cardinali stolen. Each of the 133 cardinal electors placed a hand on the book of the Gospels and swore an oath of secrecy in Latin.

Extra ominous. Then everyone else was ordered out, and the doors were sealed. Our only indication of what happened next, the black smoke that rose into the evening sky. Sean McKnight is the Archbishop designate of Kansas City, Kansas. What do you want to say to the new pope? Well, I'm looking forward to a pope that's going to lead the church effectively in this time that we are living and who has a history of being a good effective leader, but also one who understands the need for transparency and accountability in the church.

The electors will return to the Sistine Chapel tomorrow morning. They'll vote up to four times each day, burning. their ballots twice a day, as millions around the world watch for black or white smoke. Besides the white smoke and the ringing of the bells, my strongest memory of covering the last conclave was the site of the streets of Rome being quickly filled by people who had heard the word that a new pope had been elected. It was a river of people filling St. Peter's Square, people looking at the balcony waiting to see the appearance of the new pope. Laura Schuberg says she booked a flight from the U.S. as soon as the conclave was set.

My goal is to just plant myself in St. Peter's Square and stare at that chimney until we see white smoke. Are you prepared for this to go on for several days? Our flights on Monday, but I'm telling you, if for some reason it goes longer, we're canceling those flights. We are staying in there until we see white smoke. And Lester Holt joins us now from the Vatican. Lester, we know there's not a whole lot we can learn from just that black smoke, but is there any sense of how long this could go? Well, we're all trying to interpret this evening that first vote taken on the first day of the conclave in which we didn't hear for about three hours and 15 minutes, and we were wondering, do we extrapolate that every vote, remember they're going to take up to four votes a day, that every vote is going to be that long? If so, it would be longer than I think most people had anticipated. And we've looked at the history. going back to some of the conclaves of the last few.

And in each case, they lasted just a couple of days with a handful of votes. So we're wondering, will history repeat itself, or did something happen tonight that signifies this may take longer? I know that's not the answer you're looking for the idea of exactly when. But I think there are a couple of things in flux here. Maybe we'll get a clue tomorrow, depending how long between votes and the burning of ballot takes place. History is an excellent clue. NBC's Lesterholt, thank you. Of course.

We're going to stay at the Vatican because our Molly Hunter is also there for us. So Molly, day one of the conclave is over. You were there for the funeral and have been reporting on this for weeks now. Talk to us about the energy at the Vatican today. Yeah, Alison, we were just outside of St. Peter's Square, mostly for the entire day. So we watched on these huge screens in St. Peter's Basilica, the procession of, those 133 electors from the Pauline Chapel to the Sistine Chapel as crowds started pouring it in anticipation of this vote. And we've been trying to think about kind of what, how to describe

the mood, hopeful, because it's the first vote. Most people out there, Ellison knew that this was probably going to result in black smoke, and yet people stayed for more than three hours because even being there seeing the black smoke was witnessing history. And Allison, we spoke to so many people who are going to come back tomorrow morning, who are going to come back tomorrow evening who will stay out in that square watching that chimney until a new pope is chosen. And obviously we do not have a new pope just yet. But walk us through what we expect to happen tomorrow. How will this process play out? So the voting gets underway kind of in earnest, I would say. So the way it's been described to me by our brilliant Vatican analysts is that tonight was kind

of the opportunity, this first vote, to put the cards on the table. We've seen all these lists of contenders over the last 10 days. The 133 electors from all over the world have spent this time getting to know each other. We've seen leaks. We've seen kind of these top contender lists. But tonight, actually, some contenders may emerge. Now, we may not see or we may not ever know who those contenders were after the first vote. But tomorrow morning, we may see kind of breakaway groups and actually like those votes get more serious. So there will be two votes in the morning, two ballots in the morning, Ellison. And then smoke will burn if no two-thirds majority than tomorrow noon and additional two ballots and again smoke. So we're planning to be on smoke watch at least

twice tomorrow. That happens again Friday. Allison, the other day that we're looking ahead to is if there is still not a Pope by Sunday, that's when the Cardinals take a rest day. NBC's Molly Hunter. Thank you. We have a verdict tonight in one of the police beating cases that sparked outrage and protests nationwide. Three ex-police officers charged in the death of Tyree Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee were found not guilty. Those defendants celebrating in the courtroom today as we get new reaction tonight from the family of Nichols. NBC's Priscilla Thompson reports and a warning. Some of the images you're about to see are disturbing.

The council would like to stand with their clients. Tonight, three ex-Memphis police officers charged in the 2023 beating death of Tyree Nichols acquitted. We, the jury, find the defendant, Tadarius Bean, not guilty. Demetrius Haley, not guilty. Justice Smith, not guilty. The former officers seen here hugging their attorneys and sobbing after being cleared of seven state charges, including second-degree murder. Stimming from this traffic stop. Body cam footage appearing to show officers kicking, punching, and batoning Nichols, who died from his injuries three days later, sparking nationwide protest. Any fair-minded person who watches the video would come to the conclusion that,

Everybody there had some responsibility for Tyrone Nichols' death. But members of the jury who were not from Memphis, but brought in from the Chattanooga area, disagreed. Reaching that verdict after an eight-day trial that included testimony from fellow former officer Desmond Mills Jr., who testified for the prosecution in exchange for a plea deal, and Nichols' mother, who recalled seeing her son in the hospital. My son was beaten to a pope. His head was the size of a watermelon. His nose was broken. The Nichols family attorney Ben Crump calling the verdict a devastating miscarriage of justice, writing,

We are outraged and we know we are not alone. Another officer, Emmett Martin III, state murder case was severed and has not yet gone to trial. All five former officers either pleaded guilty or were convicted of lesser charges in their federal case. They're expected to be sentenced this summer. And Priscilla Thompson joins us now from Dallas. Priscilla, as you mentioned, those officers awaiting sentencing for their federal convictions. Do we know how much prison time they could face? Yeah, Ellison, so a bit of a mixed bag here.

You have Emmett Martin III and Desmond Mills, who both took plea deals. Mills pleading guilty to excessive force and obstruction of justice. He is facing a recommended 15 years in prison. And then you have Martin III who pled guilty to excessive force and witness tampering facing up to 40 years in prison. And then you have the other three officers who were found guilty. Two of them, Tadarius Bean and Justin Smith, found guilty of the lesser charge of witness tampering, facing up to 20 years in prison. And then Demetrius Haley being found guilty of excessive force resulting in bodily injury. He could face up to life in prison.

And because this is federal prison, those terms are going to be served in their entirety because there's no point. in the federal system. Ellison? Priscilla Thompson. Thank you. Pakistan vowing retaliation tonight after India launched air strikes into its territory. Today we're getting our first look at just how extensive those strikes were, as the U.S. and much of the world urges calm amid growing fears the conflict between the two nuclear powers could escalate. NBC's chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel has more. Tonight, India and Pakistan are trading blows in an 11th.

alarming clash between the nuclear-armed nations that could spiral into a new, open war. It escalated dramatically overnight, with India carrying out military strikes against at least nine targets. It described as terrorist infrastructure in Pakistani territory, and releasing these new images of the operation. India said it's a response to a terrorist attack last month that killed 26 tourists. In the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir, India quickly blamed Pakistan for the attack. It was deemed essential that the perpetrators and planners of the 22nd April attack be brought to justice.

But the Pakistani government denies involvement and says its civilians were killed by an unprovoked act of war by India. Pakistan claims to have shot down five Indian fighter jets while they were attacking. The core of the issue is, and has long been, the region of Kashmir, which is partitioned. Each side claims all of the disputed region for itself. Tonight, President Trump is calling for de-escalation. I know both very well, and I want to see them work it out. I want to see them stop. And hopefully they can stop now.

They've gotten tit for tat, so hopefully they can stop now. Pakistan's prime minister tonight said that India must suffer consequences and promise that. that Pakistan would take, quote, corresponding action. Ellison? Richard Engel, thank you. And here in the U.S., the FAA is taking action tonight in an effort to ease the strain on Newark Airport. We have some new reporting tonight

on how those radar and radio blackouts impacted flights. We are also tracking the new real ID requirements implemented today at airports nationwide. NBC's Tom Costello has this report. At Newark Airport today, far from, fewer delays and cancellations as the FAA reduces traffic into and out of Newark Airspace. With its big hub at Newark, United Airlines says from Saturday, April 26th through yesterday, nearly 11,000 passengers suffered through 64,000 hours of delays due largely to air traffic

control staffing issues, runway construction, and equipment failures, including the simultaneous loss of radars and radios last week. Three and four radar screens left black. A current controller tells NBC news they've lost radars and radios multiple times since August. Last November, controllers say a FedEx plane drifted into LaGuardia airspace after newer controllers lost comms. Citing stress, several controllers have now taken medical leave. Today, the FAA announced it's taking action, deploying a temporary backup radar system at the Tracon in Philadelphia, Leaning heavily on controller trainees who are certified in certain positions and adding more telecom lines to improve unsteady transmission lines feeding radar data.

But the upgrades could take till the end of the year. That relay system through the New York TRACON is what is contributing to or causing the allergies. Have your passport, real ID, and your boarding pass. Meanwhile, minimal delays at TSA checkpoints nationwide as they began requiring reasons. ID's or passports to travel. Passengers who have neither may be sent for secondary screening. If I show up, I don't have a real ID, and oh, boy, I forgot my passport. Can I still get on my flight?

That is, you can. Absolutely. And we're going to work with you to make sure that we go through certain procedures. And Tom Costello joins us now from Newark. Tom, it's good to hear the delays at Newark are easing up. But I understand you also have new reporting that United Airlines is calling on the FAA. to do more to try and help ease these issues. Yeah, that's right.

So the CEO of United Airlines says, listen, this airport, Newark Airport, is the only airport in the New York City area that doesn't have regulated slots, take off and landing slots. In other words, the FAA is not regulating how many flights can come in and how many can go out. And as a result, according to United Airlines, this airport simply cannot handle the numbers of planes coming in. It can't handle the capacity. And so, United CEO is calling on the FAA to regulate the slots here, minimize how many flights can come in and out. Separately, the DOT Secretary announced he is going to hold an emergency meeting with airline CEOs to discuss how they can manage this airport better. The secretary, Sean Duffy, holding a news conference tomorrow with airline CEOs.

We see if they actually have an announcement on all this tomorrow. Tom Costello, with more extraordinary continued reporting on these issues. Thank you. We're going to head to Columbia University now, where a protest on campus, a major standoff now between pro-Palestinian protesters and school officials, is underway. Look at this video. There's video from inside Colombia's main library showing what appears to be students clashing with campus security, dozens of demonstrators occupying parts of the building in an apparent replay of those massive protests

that swept through campus. last spring. NBC's Emily Aketa is at Columbia's campus. Emily, talk to us about what you were seeing on the ground now. We see NYPD officers behind you. Is that a new development? Yeah, Alison, that's right. Things are happening moment by moment. A short time ago, we saw members of the strategic response team, a part of the NYPD, begin to enter the library. This is the main library on Columbia's campus, the backside of it. So we saw them enter here, and you can see the barricades have been placed, some police officers here. And then we also have started to see apparent protesters from inside the building.

They didn't say anything. They wore face coverings, and they walked out peacefully, not in handcuffs a short time ago, maybe about a dozen people or go. You might be able to hear some of the demonstrations ongoing outside of campus as well. We've seen tensions in those videos, but also outside of campus. Maybe about 50 yards from where I am, some clashes between demonstrators. Palestinian demonstrators and police using barricades like this, pushing back and forth with each other as people had called for divestment from rarely backed companies, also protection from ICE here at the school. Columbia University had released several updates throughout the day, saying that pro-Palestinian demonstrations occupied the reading room inside this library behind me.

We could see videos of people carrying various flags. And then throughout the afternoon, we did notice a couple of people wheeled out on stretchers. We don't know the nature of those injuries. Columbia University also telling us that two of their campus police officers were injured during some of the clashes. There were protests, according to Columbia University, that were trying to get out and also get into the library behind me. Columbia University saying that they require people to provide identification and disperse or they can face possible arrest.

And now, what we are seeing play out behind me is NYPD is playing a role in this office. So, Emily, let me ask you those NYPD officers behind you from what you have been able to see on the ground. Are they preventing more students from going inside? Does it look like they are planning at all to go inside of that library and remove any students who still remain indoors? I'm going to take this mic now, Ellison S, because you can hear the demonstrations around me. So it seems like the efforts right now are actually on getting the protesters outside of the occupied building. As I mentioned before, Columbia University said that they were given the opportunity to leave, asking them to provide identification and then disperse.

But they said Columbia University that they did not follow that, and then they ultimately called in the NYPD. I haven't seen any signs of people still trying to get in the building. The signs of the demonstrations on the other side of the gate on the front side of the library seemed to have quieted down. But the demonstrations outside if you're continuing and what we could expect to be throughout the night, Ellison. NBC's Emily Aketa at Columbia University reporting on those developing and ongoing protests. Thank you. We appreciate it. We will be back in just a moment with the burning question in the Karen Reed retrial.

When exactly did her friend Google how long to die in the cold? Why that answer is so important. The deadly alligator attack in Florida, how a canoe trip turned fatal, and an investigation into the so-called bling ring robbing pro athletes. The moment police caught one of the thieves wearing the hat stolen from star quarterback Joe Burrough's home. We're back now in testimony continuing today in the retrial of Karen Reid, the woman accused of hitting her boyfriend, a Boston police officer with her car, and then leaving him to die alone in the snow outside of a Massachusetts house party. She has pleaded not guilty. Last year's proceedings ended in a mistrial when the jury could not reach a verdict.

Today, the focus of the proceedings is the timing of a Google search on the phone of Jennifer McCabe, a friend of Reeds. The prosecution arguing that search, how long to die in cold. happened at 6.24 a.m. But the defense saying it happened at 2.27 a.m. supporting their claim that Reed is the victim of a cover-up involving law enforcement. NBC News legal analyst Danny Savalos joins us now on set. Danny, the forensic expert who took the stand today saying the discrepancy between those times is actually because a tab was opened in the 2 a.m. hour.

That is kind of the timestamp, he says, that sticks around. But a search in that tab could occur later, and it, would still reflect that 2 a.m. time. Walk us through that discrepancy. First of all, did that forensic experts sufficiently prove his point? And also, does that matter significantly for the outcome of this trial? This issue matters so much that the Commonwealth has successfully called two experts to essentially testify to the exact same issue. And I'm a little surprised that the defense wasn't able to exclude this kind of testimony because it was duplicative. We've already had an expert essentially testify to the exact same thing, and it is this, that it explains

that when a search was conducted at 2 a.m. It shows 2 a.m., but that really wasn't the right time. It was actually conducted later at 6 a.m. And this is a common mistake, and it has to do with when you open the tab on your phone as opposed to when you actually conduct the search. So we've heard similar testimony already, but you know it's important because it defeats the defense's theory that McCabe was doing this search at that time at 2 a.m., and that would have been before anyone knew O'Keeffe was even missing. This is a huge piece of evidence, and it really goes a long way to dissolving the defense's theory

of this cover-up, the beating death, and the conspiracy. If the defense is able to create doubt, even just a tiny bit that maybe this search actually did happen at 6 a.m., or even if it was possible that this time, was opened at 2 a.m., you can't be for sure that that search occurred when that tab or at the time prosecution is saying that it did, right? If they can create just a little bit of doubt, do you think that would be enough to influence the jury when they had to deliberate? This kind of thing happens all the time. We call it Battle of the Experts, because the defense

is going to call someone to say something consistent with their theory, and at the end of the day, it comes down to which expert did the jury find more relatable, believable, credible, credible, what methodology did they think was more precise. And so often cases come down to two experts opposite opinions. And it goes to show that in this world, even with science that you think of as being this absolute, you can find two different experts to testify to the exact opposite things. And they're really, really important pieces for this case because it's a major point in the defense's theory of a cover-up. They still have other things, but this would be a big loss for them.

If you were a part of this defense team, how are you feeling at this point in the trial? Are you sweating or do you think, okay, I'm on solid footing, and maybe we can get a mistrial, a hung jury, or a not guilty verdict? Let me start with. There's a lot of folks come up and ask me about this case every day. And I have learned that I am in the minority because I believe that the prosecution is doing a better job this time around than they did the first time, which is understandable because they've had practice. They know where their weaknesses are, but we haven't heard from the defense yet. And the defense is putting on a case. That's a little unusual.

Oftentimes, and this happens a lot with me, I'll rest without calling a single witness and say, they have the burden. That's not what the defense is undertaken here. They've undertaken their own burden, so to speak, to come up with this alternate theory. And we haven't heard from them yet. So it remains to be seen. All right. NBC's Danny Savalos. Thank you.

when top story returns the women who bravely spoke out against a new york doctor convicted of sexual abuse now winning a massive settlement against the hospitals he worked for what they now say about this vindication plus look at this the laptops on fire deliberately why a ticot trend is getting young kids to do it and how it's even forcing schools to evacuate We are back now with Top Story's news feed. Charges just filed against the man accused of driving his car into Jennifer Aniston's front gate. The 48-year-old suspect charged with two felony counts, including stalking and vandalism. Police say he drove his Chrysler P.T. cruiser into barriers outside of Aniston's Bel Air home on Monday.

It appears he has repeatedly posted about her own social media, declaring his love for the actor and complaining that unnamed forces were keeping them apart. He is expected to appear in court tomorrow and faces a maximum of three years behind bars. The White House withdrawing the pick for Surgeon General days after right-wing activist Laura Lumer expressed dissatisfaction with the choice. Former Fox News medical contributor Dr. Jeanette Neshwatt was set to begin confirmation hearings tomorrow. Lumer had criticized her for advocating for DEI initiatives and the COVID vaccine. Trump confirming the news on Truth Social saying his new pick is Dr. Kee. And new details tonight in a deadly alligator attack in central Florida Lake. A 61-year-old woman was canoeing with her husband in about two feet of water when their

boat drifted over a large alligator, according to state wildlife officials. That gator then thrashed and overturned the canoe, throwing the couple into the water. The woman landed on top of the alligator and was bitten, her husband trying unsuccessfully to fight it off. Florida's Wildlife Commission says they are now investigating. And for the second time in eight days, a fighter jet went overboard from the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier and is now at the bottom of the Red Sea. The two aviators aboard the jet ejected after a failed landing. Officials telling NBC News the tail hook failed to hook the wire that slows down the plane.

It then continued to accelerate toward the bow and went into the water. An investigation is underway. Now to a major update in the story we've covered here before. Hundreds of survivors of sexual abuse by an esteemed OBGYN reaching a $750 million settlement with his former employers. That agreement between the plaintiffs, Columbia University, and New York Presbyterian Hospital marked the end of a 13-year legal battle and brings the total paid for the abuse of former Dr. Robert Haddon to a whopping $1 billion. Tonight, Columbia University and New York Presbyterian Hospital reaching a 750 million. million-dollar settlement with hundreds of patients who were sexually abused by disgraced former

gynecologist Robert Haddon. What does this day, this moment, feel like for each of you? It feels historic. This settlement is a big victory for us, for all survivors who fought so hard to get us here and to this day. This is a really big win for all the survivors and all of those that didn't come forward. The plaintiff's lawyer saying, average payout from the new settlement will be about $1.3 million per person. That brings the total legal payout in civil cases involving Haddon to more than $1 billion. It's kind of bittersweet because we know it is a great win, but we also know there's a great fight that's coming because the settlement is just, it just doesn't end here. Hadden was convicted of molesting patients during a

decade's long career at prestigious New York City hospitals, including Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York Presbyterian. In 2023, Haddon was sentenced to 20 years in prison after federal prosecutors proved he had sexually abused patients between 1987 and 2012. More than 700 women came forward to say they were assaulted by the OBGYN over the course of his 25-year career. I was powerless. And last year, five of them, including Eva Santos and Laurie Maldonado, shared their stories

with us. He didn't care of your spouse was there, your mom was there, the chaperin was there. He had the ways to do it for no one to notice. I think at that moment I was frozen and I couldn't do anything or say anything. The way I want to be remembered is that I did say something. Another woman, Lari Kinyak, also accusing then-Columbia University doctor Robert Haddon of sexually assaulting her at a postpartum checkup. There was no one else in the room.

I was naked in a paper gown. and here's a man that had the guts to orally assault me. All these things go through your mind. Who do I speak to? How do I get out of here? Who's going to believe me? It's my word against his. She called police, and soon after, Haddon called her.

Yeah, hi, Lori. It's Dr. Haddon calling. You know, I just got word that you called the office, and you're upset, and they were calling the police. What the heck happened? What's going on? Kenyak received the settlement of her own in 2018, and Columbia University agreed to $277 million worth of settlements with 227 women abused by Haddon, according to the university and the plaintiff's attorney. But survivors we've spoken to say their fight was never about the money.

I'm still super afraid to visit a doctor. No amount of money can change this last 17 years of trauma that I have to carry. When asked New York Presbyterian Hospital referred messages seeking comment on the latest settlement to Colombia in a statement provided to NBC News, a spokesperson for Columbia University saying in part, quote, we deeply regret the pain that his patients suffered. And this settlement is another step forward in our ongoing work and commitment to repair harm and support survivors. Do you feel like you ever got systemic change and or a direct apology? Not at all. And I feel Colombia hasn't done any time. because this settlement, it was in Colombia that did it. It was the survivors. The settlement is big. It basically is a message that, you know, we're going to hold institutions accountable. But so far, the answer is not yet, and we have lots of work to do. And November 23, Colombia announced it would be notifying more than 6,000 of Hatton's former patients of his federal sex crime convictions and giving victims the opportunity to apply for compensation from a $100 million settlement fund. The deadline to,

to apply has been extended to May 15th. The women we spoke to today say they are now advocating for the U.S. Attorney General to investigate Columbia University's role in Haddon's abuse. We have an in-depth investigation tonight into what's being called the new bling ring. That's a group of South American criminals charged with breaking into the homes of professional athletes like Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes, but some victims, they're just regular people. Lou Ragu's from our Minneapolis affiliate CARE 11 takes us inside the crime ring. Sarah Schezer is not a celebrity or a professional athlete.

No, absolutely not. But she shares some well-known company as a victim of an organized and sophisticated international crime ring targeting high-end homes across the country, a Chilean bling ring. Within a couple of weeks, the detective in Eden Prairie was really great and called with this theory, which I thought was no way. It just sounded too big. So, but it turns out he was right. The crime ring made national news last fall

when millions of dollars of jewelry was stolen from the homes of NFL stars, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelsey, and Joe Burrow. This window was... At Sarah's home. Cut out like in a shape. The burglars cut open a window to get in and went straight to the bedroom.

They were after the jewelry. They were after gold. And they got a lot of Sarah. Senator's sentimental jewelry. My wedding ring was off my hand because it needed a diamond replaced, and they took that. Ten days later, the burglars, Chilean nationals using fake Argentina IDs, were arrested in suburban Philadelphia after breaking into homes there. Location data from the rental car linked the suspects to burglars all across the country over two and a half weeks.

The animals are all the same, and it's the same that we've seen across the metropolitan area across the country. West St. Paul Police Chief Brian Sturgeon is deep into the investigation of the Chilean bling ring after four high-end homes in Sunfish Lake were hit, including former Minnesota Viking Linball Joseph's house. Other pro athletes affected in Minnesota are Carl Anthony Towns and Mike Conley. Twins owner Joe Polad's house was burglarized too. So this is a little more sophistication than your run-of-the-mill burglars in the Twin Cities? It is, it is. From drone surveillance to this, a Wi-Fi jammer found in the car when the group in Philly was.

was arrested. A lot of alarm systems and video camera systems utilize Wi-Fi to operate. So these Wi-Fi jammers are able to then make those cameras or those security systems offline, put them offline, make them useless. A federal investigation became public in Ohio when another group was arrested, one of them wearing Joe Burroughs' bengal's hat with his LSU t-shirt in the trunk. Court papers say these suspect's cell phones were filled with photos of them posing with Burroughs jewelry and location data linking them to yet another group in Florida also posing with jewelry allegedly stolen from pro athletes.

They are all now charged together in cases involving at least six professional stars. Two people from a New York City pawn shop rated by the feds are also charged. The FBI saying they found up to $5 million in stolen property that the pawn shop bought from South America. THAN American theft groups, including the borough burglars. Some of that property I know stays in the country, but I know a lot of it leaves the country as well. When the Chilean suspects leave the country, Chief Sturgeon says they are replaced by others using tourism visas for their crime sprees. Most of them ultimately connected. Are they all working for the same boss?

It seems like it's a same organized group. We don't have the things of value that these sports people have. but it means a lot to us, and we worked hard for it, and then for people to just come in and think they can just take it. It's so aggravating. When Sarah's burglars were arrested in Philadelphia, one of them had her wedding ring in their pocket. Police recently returned it.

It was a small consolation. It was great to get it back, though. I felt really good, and the detective said he's never seen it happen before, that somebody got something back. While the federal investigations are as high-tech as the burglary ring they're trying to bring down, Sarah's case was solved with old-school detective work. Eden Prairie Police matched a footprint in the fresh snow outside Sarah's window to the shoe worn by one of the Philadelphia suspects.

Miguel Guzman Pardo pleaded guilty, making him the only thief in the more than 60 burglaries in Minnesota linked to the Chilean bling ring to be held accountable so far. It's such a violation, and you want people to, I hate you. to say pay for what they did, but that there are consequences. What makes you think you can do that? Our thanks to Kara Levin's Lou Regoose for that report. In tonight's top story, Global Watch, an investigation is underway after a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter pilot was found dead in Honduras.

The 25-year-old's body was discovered off base. According to his unit, he was on an authorized absence from duty. He was originally from Texas and graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 2023. A Soviet-era spacecraft is expected to plunge uncontrolled back to Earth in the next few days. Similar to the one scene here, the spacecraft was launched in 1972 on a mission to Venus. It never made it out of Earth's orbit because of a rocket malfunction. Most of it came tumbling down, but this last piece has been circling the world for the past 53 years. Scientists say it should reenter around May 10th,

but that people should not be worried about any sort of large impact. And Disney's seventh theme park resort is coming to Abu Dhabi. In an interview with CNBC, Disney CEO Bob Iger, saying design work on the park has already started. It's described as a blend of fashion, architecture, and cutting-edge technology. No word yet on when Disney expects the new park to open. And we're back in just a moment with the star of The Bachelor

speaking out to Top Story, after a woman is charged with falsely saying he got her pregnant, even showing a fake ultrasound. And is this the future of identity checks? The new orb technology from the man behind chat GPT, why it's already causing controversy. We're back with a new TikTok trend that's literally catching fire in schools across this country. Students intentionally trying to set their Chromebooks on fire by sticking school supplies in the ports. at multiple schools forcing students to evacuate. NBC's Rahima Ellis has this look at how the trend is spreading and the dangers it presents.

It's the disturbing TikTok trend, putting kids in danger in classrooms across multiple states. A growing number of videos posted to TikTok and other platforms in recent days, appearing to show kids sticking school supplies like pencils and paper clips in their Chromebooks, sparking electrical fires and releasing toxic smoke. One incident at Connecticut's Newington High School, forcing an evacuation. It became clear that the damage was done intentionally, that it wasn't a malfunctioning Chromebook, but rather a student had intentionally done things to it that caused it to smoke and eventually melt.

Thankfully, no one at the school was injured, but the town's fire marshal, DJ Zordon, telling us it's not just the fire that poses a threat. What is the potential danger these students might be putting themselves and others in? There is a risk of electrocution, depending on what you're inserting into these laptops. If there's a fire, it's producing toxic smoke. We don't want people breathing that stuff. The lithium batteries are volatile. So if it does explode, there's a potential that you're going to injure people around you.

At least two other schools in the state also reporting Chromebook fires. The hallways filling with smoke. We went in and ended up finding a laptop in a classroom that was pretty much out but on fire at one point. Ready? Yeah. The trend popping up in classrooms from coast to coast. Last October, a school district in Washington posting online saying a student started a Chromebook fire with a pen. There's no one clear reason why students are doing this.

One of the videos simply reading, quote, anything but we're. work. Zordon says parents have to educate their children on the dangers involved. Talk about this. Explain the hazards so that way we can try to prevent this from happening. Tonight, a spokesperson for TikTok telling NBC News, these videos are not exclusive to their platform and saying search terms like Chromebook challenge have been blocked. Google, which makes the operating systems for Chromebooks, did not respond to our request for comment. As school administrators now promise to crack down on the students responsible for a student who would do that deliberate destruction of school property they will have a very serious consequence

and Rahima Ellis joins us now on set so Rahima let's pick up where your piece left off and investigation is ongoing ultimately what sort of consequences could these students be facing interesting you asked that question because the Newington public schools sent out this message to students and parents all across their district letting them know this is extremely serious and that that there could be very dire consequences for these kids who are engaged in this, but not just the students, but their parents. These Chromebooks cost about $400, and they're saying that the students and families would be held responsible if they can see that the particular student was connected with this.

In addition, the fire marshal who you saw in our piece has determined that this was intentional. As a consequence, they have a responsibility to report it to the police. They are investigating and say, if needed, there will be criminal charges filed. NBC's Rahima Ellis. Thank you. Tonight, a former star on The Bachelor speaking out against a woman that he says made up a pregnancy, claiming that he was the father, even faking in ultrasound. She has now been indicted for forgery and fraud. NBC, Steve Patterson, spoke to the man at the center of it all.

Tonight, former Bachelor star Clayton Eckerd, speaking out. Her whole goal was to overwhelm victims into not being able to function. Arizona prosecutors say a woman falsely accused him of getting her pregnant and then filed a bogus paternity claim. Laura Michelle Owens indicted on seven felony counts including forgery, evidence tampering, and perjury. Investigators say she used a fake ultrasound image, fabricated a pregnancy video, and lied multiple times under oath before dropping her child support claim, alleging she had a miscarriage. You're seeing an ultrasound that you know is not truthful. What was that like? I had this thought at one point that I was either dealing with the craziest person I'd ever met or I was dealing with someone that was telling the truth in a very unlikely scenario because we never had sexual intercourse. Owen's attorney has not responded to an NBC news request for comment.

A Midwest boy from Missouri that just wants to find love. Eckerd, stealing hearts on season 26 of The Bachelor, but also catching flag for leaving the two finalists behind for another contestant who had already departed. I was in love with her. And I was in love with each of you, too. I am in love with both of you. There are a lot of people that wanted to see me fail and wanted me to pay for what I had done. And I think that I put a target on my back. Eckert says Owens watched the show.

After initially meeting online, the two met up in person. Owens has a high-profile background herself. Her father, Ron Owens, is a radio hall of famer from San Francisco. But things started to get strange. Jackard says as soon as Owens told him she was pregnant. She actually even created a dating contract that she sent to me. I think it was via docusign and said that if you date me, I will have the abortion, but if you don't date me, I'm having the kids. Clayton says he eventually got hundreds of messages from her rotating numbers. I blocked her on 12 numbers. The 13th number was at that point

I had finally gotten a injunction against harassment to stop her. Victims are victims. no matter what their sex, gender, race is. I just think that if you're a perpetrator, you should be held accountable. And Steve Patterson joins us now from Los Angeles. I mean, Steve, just, wow, what a horrific story and experience for Clayton. What is next for him? Do we expect him to testify in a criminal trial? You know, it's one of the last things I asked, Eckerd.

If he were to be asked to testify, would he? He said, absolutely yes. I also asked, what's in the future after all of this? He said reality television is still likely in his future, and he hinted at a possible documentary about the ordeal that he just went through. Alison. Steve Patterson, thank you. When Top Story returns, controversial new tech rolling out in the U.S.

from OpenAI's Sam Altman, how it's being used in the battle against the bots. Finally, tonight, the new tech claiming it could help people distinguish. themselves from bots. We've covered OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's iris scanning ID company before when regulators across the world first raised privacy concerns. Now the device is rolling out for the first time in the US. NBC's Camila Bernal tried it out. So this is our beautiful new flagship in West Hollywood. It's stepping into the future. This is the orb. It looks very cool, but it's basically just a fancy camera that's able to look at you and tell whether you're a real human or not. You heard that right.

In a world of deep fakes and online bots snagging the best deals, this shiny chrome white ball or camera could help prove that you're a human. That's the concept behind world, an open infrastructure co-founded by Sam Altman, of Open AI and architect of ChatGPT. We wanted a way to make sure that humans stayed special and central in a world where the internet was going to have lots of AI-driven content. Tiago Sada is the chief product officer at Tools for Humanity. It's called World App, the primary contributor to World.

You can simply say here, you want to verify your world idea. So tap on that. It looks like something out of an episode of Netflix's Black Mirror. And I had my doubts, but I tried it. You first have to download an app. It'll take a picture of your face and your eyes. Show the QR code. So you just look at the golden dot.

Then the photo and I scan. All right, so it's all set. And so now here on your phone, on your phone, it's telling you the orb is right now, verifying your humanity. The data is then sent to your phone. The idea is that it can be used on dating apps, video games, or when buying concert tickets, proving that it is in fact a person, not a machine. AI is amazing, right?

We now get to do many things that we couldn't do before, but one of the problems is that when everything can be faked, we don't know who and what to trust. More than 12 million people have already done this. And I'm one of these people that I just get so frustrated with passwords all the time. I've all like a zillion passwords. If I could do it just once, my face, I'm done. And in exchange, you could claim my money. Those of us who do it get paid in a cryptocurrency called World Coin.

So it's worth $35.17. And it goes up and down depending on how people do it. In the future, Tools for Humanity hopes to charge a small fee to the website or companies that use it. to verify their customers but right now it's not making any money another possible roadblock privacy concerns and so what's really going to be key is how is that data held how is it stored how is it transferred is it deleted immediately world says that anyone who does this including me can delete the information at any point okay what is the the privacy aspect of it I know

they mentioned that they deleted off their platform but it's always going to be like something to wonder about. And governments in some countries where it's rolled out have already banned or imposed fines on the tech, saying it runs afoul of local data privacy and currency regulations. On Monday, a court in Kenya giving world seven days to delete the biometric data gathered from its citizens. Tools for Humanity says it's engaging with regulators worldwide and is working through the challenges and will keep building. Adding pioneering technology, always face regulatory scrutiny. It's part of meaningful innovation. At the end of the day, you only have two eyes in one face, so we have to make sure we protect that. But the startup

claims we might just need it because the future isn't just knocking. It's staring us down. And Camila Bernal joins us now from Los Angeles. Camila, I saw the different countries in your piece where this has been rolled out other than L.A. where you tried it out, where else in the United States can people try this? Yeah, so SF opened last week. You saw LA and then Miami opens up actually tomorrow. Then they're going to have stores in Atlanta and Nashville and Austin. But the idea is to have these cameras, we sort of ATM machines. You can go up to them in stores or anywhere where they are and just show up and identify yourself as a human, Allison. So once people have scanned and given this new form of ID, what can they do with it on World's app? Yeah, so if you want to play a video game and you

want to know that you're playing against a human, you can verify yourself through the app. If, for example, at some point Taylor Swift wants to make sure that it's all her fans and not bots that are trying to buy her concert tickets, then they could use the technology or say you're flirting with someone on a dating app. Well, you want to make sure you're actually flirting with a human and not a robot. So all of these will be used in the future. At least, that's what this company hopes to do so that you can really distinguish yourself from the very intelligent internet. A fascinating look into the not so distant future. Camila Bernal in Los Angeles. Thank you. And thank you at home for watching Top Story. I'm Ellison Barber in New York

for Tom Yamis. Stay right there. More news is on the way.