McDonald's - Monopoly - Mafia

The M&M's

HBO doc McMillion$ details bizarre case of Mafia's decade-long $24 million fraud scheme involving McDonald's Monopoly game

First episode of 6-part documentary series debuts tonight at 10:00 pm ET on HBO

Watch LP leader Rob Holm, Director, Global Safety & Security - Global Business Services, McDonalds, in the trailer at the 41-second mark

A six-part documentary series from Executive Producer Mark Wahlberg, McMillion$ chronicles the stranger-than-fiction true story of how $24 million-dollars was stolen from the McDonald's Monopoly game of the 1990s, the mystery mastermind behind the scam and the intrepid FBI agents on his trail.

For over a decade, McDonald's fast-food empire awarded prizes in its Monopoly promotional game tie-in, unaware that the biggest winning tickets were being stolen and sold to undeserving winners through a complex web of family and friends who became co-conspirators. An anonymous tip to the FBI in 2001 triggers a far-reaching chain of events that will come to include dogged and unorthodox investigative work, undercover sting operations and dirty dealings by shifty ex-cons with ties to the mafia.

The series unravels the twisted threads of the fast-food fraud through exclusive firsthand accounts and archival footage featuring the FBI agents who brought down the gaming scam, McDonald's corporate executives who were themselves defrauded, the lawyers who tried the case and the culprits and prizewinners who profited from the complicated scheme, as well as individuals who were often unwittingly duped into being a part of the ruse. hbo.com

How 2 filmmakers got FBI agents to reveal the details of a $24 million McDonald's Monopoly game fraud scheme run by the Mafia
 

The World's #1 Luxury Brand & The Counterfeit Fight

CEO Says: 'Funded by Organized Crime & Ends Up Financing Terrorism'

Retail CEO Taking a Hard Line On Counterfeits - You've Got To Respect
LVMH's CEO Arnault - 'We're Not Working With Amazon'

LVMH CEO: Amazon "Profits From Counterfeit Goods Financed By Organized Crime & Ends Up in the Pockets of Terrorism"

Right After Amazon announced it's rolling out a it's own luxury brand the world's largest luxury brand LVMH's CEO said Tuesday last week that he's not going to participate with Amazon. He was asked the questions after LVMH reported 15% increase in both sales and profit last year.
 
The Paris-based fashion brands conglomerate that just bought Tiffany & Co. and owns 70 luxury brands, including Christian Dior, Celine, Fendi, Loro Piana and Bulgari, says it won't be working with Amazon.

Arnault said he is stepping up his battle against sellers of counterfeit goods and believes much of that trafficking is happening online at places such as Amazon's Marketplace, the world's largest third-party platform.

While praising Amazon as "an outstanding company," Arnault, who surpassed Amazon founder Jeff Bezos as the world's wealthiest person last year, was critical of the marketplace business model, which he said profits from counterfeit goods financed by "organized crime or ends up in the pockets of terrorism."

The topic of counterfeit goods also came up after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a 54-page report last week about how it plans to prioritize combating counterfeit and pirated goods. dallasnews.com
 

Coronavirus Update

Coronavirus Prompts Fears of a Pandemic

U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Determination that a Public Health Emergency Exists
As a result of confirmed cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), on this date and after consultation with public health officials as necessary, I, Alex M. Azar II, Secretary of Health and Human Services, pursuant to the authority vested in me under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act, do hereby determine that a public health emergency exists and has existed since January 27, 2020, nationwide. Dated Jan. 31, 2020. phe.gov

Sec. Azar Declares Public Health Emergency for U.S. for 2019 Novel Coronavirus
"While this virus poses a serious public health threat, the risk to the American public remains low at this time, and we are working to keep this risk low," Secretary Azar said. hhs.gov

CDC: About 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
There is an ongoing investigation to determine more about this outbreak. This is a rapidly evolving situation and information will be updated as it becomes available. 2019-nCoV Situation Summary
cdc.gov

NY Times: Update on Cases & Deaths

361 Deaths - 17,205 Cases in 23 Countries

The details: In the past three weeks, the number of confirmed cases has soared from about 50 in China to more than 17,205 in at least 23 countries, including the U.S. and Canada.

The virus has killed more than 361 people in China, a toll that exceeds the one during an outbreak of SARS in the country in the early 2000s. SARS had a mortality rate of 9.6 percent, but only about 2 percent of those reported to have been infected with the new coronavirus have died. nytimes.com

Wuhan Coronavirus Looks Increasingly Like a Pandemic, Experts Say

The Wuhan coronavirus spreading from China is now likely to become a pandemic that circles the globe, according to many of the world's leading infectious disease experts.

But various epidemiological models estimate that the real number of cases is 100,000 or even more. While that expansion is not as rapid as that of flu or measles, it is an enormous leap beyond what virologists saw when SARS and MERS emerged.

When SARS was vanquished in July 2003 after spreading for nine months, only 8,098 cases had been confirmed. MERS has been circulating since 2012, but there have been only about 2,500 known cases.

The biggest uncertainty now, experts said, is how many people around the world will die. SARS killed about 10 percent of those who got it, and MERS now kills about one of three.

By contrast, the highly transmissible H1N1 "swine flu" pandemic of 2009 killed about 285,000, fewer than seasonal flu normally does, and had a relatively low fatality rate, estimated at .02 percent.

The mortality rate for known cases of the Wuhan coronavirus has been running about 2 percent, although that is likely to drop as more tests are done and more mild cases are found.

It is "increasingly unlikely that the virus can be contained," said Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who now runs Resolve to Save Lives, a nonprofit devoted to fighting epidemics.

"It's very, very transmissible, and it almost certainly is going to be a pandemic," said Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.

At the moment, it seems unlikely that the virus will spread widely in countries with vigorous, alert public health systems, said Dr. William Schaffner, a preventive medicine specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

"Every doctor in the U.S. has this top of mind," he said. "Any patient with fever or respiratory problems will get two questions. 'Have you been to China? Have you had contact with anyone who has?' If the answer is yes, they'll be put in isolation right away."

Several American companies are working on a vaccine, using various combinations of their own funds, taxpayer money and foundation grants. nytimes.com

'Scared and Panicked': Travelers Rush to Avoid Virus Quarantine
American officials issued a cutoff of 5 p.m. on Sunday for airline passengers to leave China before being denied entry to the United States or subject to two-week quarantine.

About 200 Americans are currently quarantined at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, Calif., after arriving Wednesday on a State Department-chartered flight from Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province. nytimes.com

SARS Stung the Global Economy. The Coronavirus Is a Greater Menace.
International companies that rely on Chinese factories to make their products and depend on Chinese consumers for sales are already warning of costly problems.

"This could potentially disrupt global supply chains," said Rohini Malkani, an economist at DBRS Morningstar, a global credit rating business. "It's too early to say how long it is going to last." But the effects of the virus on supply chains, which have grown notoriously complex, are difficult to anticipate.

China's formidable stature in the world economy means that the impact of the current outbreak is likely to substantially exceed that of SARS.

Walmart buys vast volumes of its products from Chinese factories while operating 430 stores in the country, including in areas shut down by quarantine. The company has reduced hours at some stores, a Walmart spokeswoman said.

"We may still be in the early stages," of the coronavirus crisis, Judith McKenna, who runs Walmart's International business, wrote in an internal memo on Friday.

China is the world's largest manufacturer of toys.

Apple assembles most of its products in China. The company has severely restricted travel in China for its employees. Apple, which derives about one-sixth of its sales from China, announced that it would close its 42 stores in the country.

"If this goes on for four more months, we are talking about a big problem," said Jim Silver, chief executive of TTPM.com, a consumer research site. nytimes.com

Supply chains plan for coronavirus disruption

U.S. Airlines Halt China Service, Widening Flight Disruption

New York City Investigating Three Possible Cases of Coronavirus

3 New Cases of Coronavirus Confirmed in California - Now 11 in U.S.

Toronto businesses report loss in sales due to coronavirus scare
 

The L Brands Empire - A By-Gone Era

The Death of the American Malls

#MeToo & The Fashion Show Culture

Vic'ies Up for Sale, Wexner Stepping Down & Bath & Body Possibly Splitting?

All over the news this past week, not that many Millennials would truly appreciate, the Leslie Wexner Empire appears to be falling apart. While its taken some time to get to this point, the demise is almost happening rapid fire relative to his Empire's long term dominance.

At one time considered the king of specialty retailing where anything he touches turns to sales Gold, his time appears to be at its end. Like so many other brands of the eighties and nineties.

The Mall demise, online start ups, #MeToo, sexual harassment & retaliation claims, Jeffrey Epstein's involvement, the hits just keep coming right at the brand, who defined the Malls of yesteryear. Story continued on Page 2...


Read these articles and more on today's 2nd page here.

● 'Angels' in Hell: The Culture of Misogyny Inside Victoria's Secret
● A Top L Brands Executive - EVP of Public Relations - Complained of Harassment - Then She Was Locked Out
● Victoria's Secret Executive Made Lewd Comment About Bella Hadid's Breasts During Fitting: Report
● The 2019 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Is Canceled: 'We're Figuring Out How to Advance the Brand'
● L Brands chief reportedly exploring sale of Victoria's Secret
● Is a Bath & Body Works split from L Brands imminent?
● Billionaire Behind Victoria's Secret in Talks to Step Down, Sell Stake
 

Wisconsin: Are 'Tougher on Crime' bills too tough?

A package of criminal justice bills proposed by a group of Wisconsin Republicans is already facing strong resistance from community members and state leaders

Advocates say that elements of the "Tougher on Crime" package go too far in seeking to punish lawbreakers and may even infringe on civil rights guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution. And although he noted he doesn't support "Tougher on Crime" in its entirety, Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, said he wants to address "the revolving door" of lawbreakers getting released from jail or prison, then going right back in with new crimes, through the use of stiffer sentences and stricter rules governing people out on parole or probation.

Corey Prince, a Racine activist and chairman of the Wisconsin NAACP Criminal Justice Committee, described the entirety of the package as "absolutely horrible." The package has also drawn criticism from the American Civil Liberties Union and End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin, among other grassroots groups. Another component of the package would institute a mandatory minimum sentence of six months for someone convicted of retail theft three times "no matter how minor the offense and no matter how far apart the offenses were," Prince explained. "That is outrageous."

"Tougher on Crime" received a hearing at the state Assembly last week and is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate this week. Even if some of the bills were passed before the end of the current legislative session in February, there's a good chance they would be vetoed by Gov. Tony Evers. journaltimes.com

Authorities Seize Record-Breaking $134M Worth of Counterfeit Super Bowl Merchandise
A record-breaking $134 million worth of counterfeit Super Bowl merchandise was seized in Miami ahead of the big game Sunday. Authorities from CBP, ICE and Homeland Security Investigations targeted international shipments of the counterfeit merchandise, as well as flea markets, retail outlets and street vendors, as part of the ongoing sting Operation Team Player, which focuses on counterfeit sports merchandise. They seized fake jerseys, jewelry, hats, cell-phone accessories and thousands of other bogus items that were to be sold to unsuspecting consumers. Last year, Operation Team Player seized $24.2 million worth of counterfeit sports merchandise. ticklethewire.com

State of the Market: Video Surveillance
The video surveillance market is ripe with opportunity, according to sources. Many security integrators and manufacturers realized strong revenues for 2019 and are even more optimistic for 2020. A number of factors, including easier deployment, maturing technology and open, customized systems are making it easier for integrators to meet demand from technically savvy end users wanting to upgrade legacy systems or use surveillance to meet their security and operational needs. sdmmag.com

E-Verify
New Form I-9 Released
On Jan. 31, 2020, USCIS published the Form I-9 Federal Register notice announcing a new version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, that the Office of Management and Budget approved on Oct. 21, 2019. This new version contains minor changes to the form and its instructions. Employers should begin using this updated form as of Jan. 31, 2020.

The notice provides employers additional time to make necessary updates and adjust their business processes. Employers may continue using the prior version of the form (Rev. 07/17/2017 N) until April 30, 2020. After that date, they can only use the new form with the 10/21/2019 version date. The version date is located in the lower left corner of the form.

For more information, visit I-9 Central or join a free Form I-9 webinar. govdelivery.com

Possible No Cash Bail Trend Starting?
ILL. Gov Asks Legislators to Eliminate Cash Bail
Governor's bipartisan commission also recommended reductions in sentence classifications and other measures to reduce prison populations. law360.com


Ascena Retail Group Puts HQ Up for Sale in Mahwah, NJ

Macy's to Announce More Store Closings in Feb. 5th Investors Call
& Announce a New Freestanding Store Format

Forever 21 Unveils Deal to Sell to Mall Owners
- Simon Property, Brookfield Property & Authentic Brands

Earth Fare Begins Closing Their 40 Grocery Stores


Quarterly Results
Canada's Metro Q1 food comp's up 1.4%, pharmacy comp's up 3.6%, sales up 1.3%
 

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Manager, Physical Security Programs & Technology posted for Grainger
in Lake Forest, IL
The Manager, Physical Security Programs & Technology is responsible for all enterprise security systems at critical infrastructure and company facilities. This role leads the physical security program and is primarily responsible for designing and establishing facility security systems that are meeting the defined security standards. This position is responsible for designing building security systems (access control, intrusion alarm and CCTV Camera systems). A secondary responsibility entails managing the Security related functions at company headquarter locations to include overseeing the 24/7 Security Operations Center, emergency response protocol for the Lake Forest campus and Chicago offices. jobs.grainger.com
 

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