Sanctuary sheriff arrested in alleged cannabis licensing shakedown
Boston’s sanctuary sheriff was arrested Friday on federal charges after allegedly leveraging his elected position to extort $50,000 from a cannabis executive who was seeking state approval to open a dispensary—a scheme FBI Director Kash Patel called a betrayal of public trust.
Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins, 67, who oversees more than 1,000 employees in the Boston-area, was handcuffed Friday morning in the Southern District of Florida after a federal grand jury indicted him on two counts of extortion under color of official right, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
“When someone entrusted with enforcing the law is accused of breaking it for personal gain, it undermines the public’s trust in every honest officer who wears the badge,” Patel told Fox News Digital. “The FBI will pursue corruption at every level, because no one is above the law. The people of Suffolk County, and the country, deserve leaders who serve them, not themselves.”
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Tompkins was appointed sheriff of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department (SCSD) in 2013, elected in a 2014 special election, and later re-elected to serve successive six-year terms.
He made headlines in 2019 after booting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents out of the county jail, signing an eviction notice that required hundreds of illegal immigrant detainees to be moved out within 60 days, according to a report from the Boston Herald.
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According to court documents, a cannabis company applied in 2019 for a retail dispensary license in Boston through the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC). To meet the state’s Positive Impact Plan (PIP) requirement, the company partnered with the sheriff’s department, which agreed to screen and refer graduates from its re-entry program for work at the dispensary’s retail store.
The company’s partnership with SCSD was formalized in a letter signed by Tompkins in 2019 and submitted with its dispensary license application in 2020. The cannabis commission approved the license in 2021 and renewed it in 2022 and 2023, with the company citing the partnership to meet the PIP requirement in each application.
To raise capital for an initial public offering (IPO) and expand as a publicly traded company, executives sought multimillion-dollar investments from institutions and other high-net-worth investors—not the general public, according to court documents.
By mid-2020, the company was preparing for its IPO by producing audited financial statements, hiring attorneys and obtaining additional financing.
Prosecutors allege Tompkins pressured the cannabis executive for stock, reminding the executive he had helped the company in its licensing efforts. The executive feared Tompkins might exploit his position as sheriff to undermine the partnership with the department, putting both the license and the company’s planned IPO in jeopardy.
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In October 2020, the company asked Tompkins for an updated partnership letter to submit with its license renewal application, according to court documents. Within a month of signing the letter, and after alleged pressure on the executive, Tompkins obtained a pre-IPO stake in the company.
Prosecutors claim that in November 2020, Tompkins wired $50,000 from his retirement account to an account controlled by the executive, purchasing nearly 29,000 shares at $1.73 each. Following a reverse stock split, he held about 14,400 shares valued at $3.46 each.
Once the company launched its IPO in 2021, the stock value jumped to $9.60 per share, increasing the value of Tompkins’ $50,000 purchase of 14,417 shares to $138,403.
By May 2022, the value of Tompkins’ stock had dropped thousands of dollars below his $50,000 investment, but he allegedly demanded a full refund. The executive agreed, issuing five checks between May 2022 and July 2023.
Prosecutors claim some checks were marked as “loan repayment” and “[company] expense” at Tompkins’s direction to disguise the nature of some of the payments.
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U.S. Attorney Leah Foley wrote in a statement that elected officials, particularly those in law enforcement, are expected to be ethical, honest and law-abiding, “not self-serving.”
“His alleged actions are an affront to the voters and taxpayers who elected him to his position, and the many dedicated and honest public servants at the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. The people of Suffolk County deserve better,” Foley wrote. “Public corruption remains a top priority for my administration, and we will continue to investigate and prosecute anyone who uses their position of trust and power for their own gain.”
FBI Boston special agent in charge Ted Docks added the act was “clear-cut corruption.”
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“From his very first day as Suffolk County Sheriff, Steven Tompkins sought to portray himself as a man of the people–a principled public servant and reformer, devoted to the cause of justice. That’s why it’s beyond disappointing that he’s now accused of gaming a system instituted in the interests of public safety and fair play,” Docks wrote in a statement. “We believe what the Sheriff saw as an easy way to make a quick buck on the sly is clear-cut corruption under federal law. The citizens of Suffolk County deserve better, not a man who is accused of trading on his position to bankroll his own political and financial future. Public servants must be held to the highest of ethical standards, and those falling short will be rooted out.”
Tompkins, who faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison for each count, will appear in Boston federal court at a later date.
Trump removing IRS commissioner after serving just two months in role
President Trump has decided to remove Billy Long from his role as commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) only two months after he was confirmed, FOX Business has learned.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will step in as acting IRS commissioner until a replacement is found, an official source confirmed to FOX Business.
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Long, who previously served as a U.S. representative for Missouri’s 7th Congressional district, was sworn in as the 51st commissioner of the IRS on June 16.
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His term as commissioner was originally slated to run through Nov. 12, 2027, according to the IRS website.
Cincinnati viral beating bodycam released as suspects face new charges
CINCINNATI, OH: Police have released new body camera footage showing the moments officers responded to the viral downtown Cincinnati beating that left six people injured and led to six arrests.
Fox News Digital is reviewing the footage, which was released by authorities Friday.
The update comes the same day all six individuals arrested in connection with the viral beating in downtown Cincinnati have been indicted by a grand jury and are facing additional charges.
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Patrick Rosemond, 38, Jermaine Matthews, 39, Montianez Merriweather, 34, DeKyra Vernon, 24, Dominique Kittle, 37, and Aisha Devaughn, 25, are each charged with three counts of alleged felonious assault, three charges of assault and two charges of aggravated rioting, the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed to Fox News Digital.
“What I saw on video is not the Cincinnati I know and love,” Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich said. “These charges hold those involved in the attack accountable.”
The update comes nearly two weeks after a bystander video showing the brutal beatdown on the corner of Fourth and Elm streets went viral, sparking national outrage and forcing local leaders to answer for the beating that broke out around 3 a.m. on July 26.
Witness video obtained by Fox News Digital shows a man repeatedly yelling racial slurs at a group before being violently thrown to the ground and kicked repeatedly.
“I saw a little ruckus going on, saw people kind of scuffling, so kind of zoomed in, and once my phone kind of focused in, I saw the so-called victims being pretty aggressive toward the group of people that were already standing out there,” witness Jay Black told Fox News Digital.
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Black added that he watched the man get knocked to the ground, before getting up and start fighting again.
“Once he got up, you know people were kind of backing off of him, but he was kind of still going at people, you know, and using racial slurs,” Black said.
He told Fox News Digital that “contrary to what people think,” there were actually “a lot of people” trying to break up the fight.
The fight ignited a national firestorm as local leaders were left to answer for the apparent lack of police presence in the downtown area when the fight occurred after it was revealed that only 11 officers were stationed downtown the night of the brawl.
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In a press conference held last week, Cincinnati Police Chief Theresa Theetge revealed that, of the approximately 100 individuals present on the street corner at the time of the fight, only one person called 911.
“That is unacceptable to not call the police,” Theetge said. “Traffic was horrendous. People saw this. They were fighting in front of traffic. Why didn’t people call us?”
One of the victims in the attack, Holly, can be seen in additional footage being violently slammed to the ground and knocked unconscious as she tried to split up the fight.
“I remember being afraid, terrified,” Holly told Fox News Digital. “I just remember my life flashing before my eyes, and all I can think is, ‘Dear God, I hope my children know that I love them.’”
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Holly revealed the horrific fight left her with brain damage and life-altering injuries, including a severe concussion.
“I’m having someone help take care of me financially, mentally and physically,” Holly said. “It’s very humbling, it’s very embarrassing to not be able to just be able to hang out by myself. I think that’s the scary part, to not know just how deep the damage is going to be.”
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval also weighed in on the violence that lit up social media at a press conference last week.
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“This was an awful incident, and our law enforcement has been working quickly and effectively to bring all responsible to justice,” he said while standing alongside other city officials and leaders. “Let me be clear, there is no place for violent crime in Cincinnati, whether it’s a fight or gun violence. We will pursue those responsible and we will hold them accountable no matter who they are.”
However, Pureval has since come under fire for his handling of the city’s law enforcement, with mayoral challenger Cory Bowman, who is also Vice President JD Vance’s half-brother, slamming city leadership for what he believes is relaxed bail policies allowing violent offenders back on the streets.
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“There are things from City Hall that are showing that the police are not supported the way they need to,” Bowman told Fox News Digital. “They are unable to do their jobs because they’ve been told time and time again that they have to use restraint in certain things instead of enforcing the law. They’re told to dial back, and then what happens is that we have prosecutors and judges that have a catch-and-release system.”
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In a previous statement, Council Member Anna Albi also condemned the brutal beating, while vowing to support the community’s police force.
“Under no circumstances is it ever acceptable to condone such awful violence,” Albi said. “Our greatest responsibility as elected officials and city leaders is to ensure the safety of our community. That is why this City Council continues to invest in supporting and growing our police force while simultaneously investing in social services to foster safe and healthy communities.”
If convicted, the suspects face the possibility of 29.5 years in prison.
Judges side with Trump admin in battle over Venezuelan migrant deportations
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled 2-1 Friday that U.S. District Judge James Boasberg cannot move forward with possible contempt proceedings against the Trump administration.
The case involves the administration’s alleged violation of an emergency court order blocking the administration from using a 1798 law to summarily deport hundreds of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador — the latest in an evolving, high-stakes court clash that has played out for months in various courts.
Judges Gregory Katsas and Neomi Rao, two Trump appointees on the majority-Democrat bench, sided with the Trump administration Friday in blocking Boasberg’s contempt motion from moving forward.
Judge Nina Pillard, an Obama appointee, dissented.
The 2-1 ruling is all but certain to be appealed to the full court to be heard en banc, where the Democrat-majority bench is seen as more favorable to the plaintiffs, or directly to the Supreme Court for review.
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“The district court here was placed in an enormously difficult position,” Katsas said Friday, writing for the majority.
“Faced with an emergency situation, it had to digest and rule upon novel and complex issues within a matter of hours. In that context, the court quite understandably issued a written order that contained some ambiguity.”
Katsas noted that the appellate court ruling does not center on the lawfulness of Trump’s Alien Enemies Act removals in March, when administration officials invoked the 1798 immigration law to send more than 250 Venezuelan nationals to CECOT, the maximum-security prison in El Salvador.
“Nor may we decide whether the government’s aggressive implementation of the presidential proclamation warrants praise or criticism as a policy matter,” he added. “Perhaps it should warrant more careful judicial scrutiny in the future. Perhaps it already has.”
“Regardless, the government’s initial implementation of the proclamation clearly and indisputably was not criminal.”
The ruling comes months after Boasberg originally found grounds to move on potential contempt proceedings in the case.
It comes as Boasberg has also ordered ongoing status updates on the location and custodial status of the 252 CECOT class migrants, after they were deported last month from El Salvador to Venezuela as part of a prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Venezuela.
It is unclear how many of those migrants had pending asylum applications in the U.S. or had been granted a “withholding of removal” order blocking their return to their country of origin.
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The long-awaited ruling comes months after Boasberg ruled that the court had found probable cause to move on criminal contempt proceedings after he issued a late-night temporary restraining order on March 15 blocking the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to summarily deport certain migrants to El Salvador.
Boasberg had also ordered all migrants to be “immediately returned” to U.S. soil, which did not happen.
Despite the order, hundreds of migrants were deported to the Salvadorian prison, CECOT, in March, where they remained until late last month, when they were sent from the prison in El Salvador to Venezuela, as part of the prisoner exchange.
Boasbeg ruled in April that there was “probable cause” to move on criminal contempt proceedings against the Trump administration for failing to return the planes to U.S. soil and said the court had determined that the Trump administration demonstrated a “willful disregard” for his order.
The appeals court granted the Trump administration’s request for an emergency stay of the ruling months earlier, prompting questions as to why they did not move more quickly on the motion.
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Still, the decision is almost certain to be appealed either to the full circuit court to be heard en banc, or directly to the Supreme Court for review.
The Trump administration for months has sparred with judges who have blocked the president’s executive orders from taking force.
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Boasberg, in particular, has emerged as one of Trump’s biggest public foes. Last month, the court attempted to have him removed from overseeing the case and have it reassigned to another case — a long-shot effort that legal experts and former judges suggested is unlikely to go far.
Famed Apollo 13 moon mission commander Jim Lovell dead at 97
Apollo 13 mission commander, astronaut Jim Lovell, has died. He was 97 years old.
“We are saddened to announce the passing of our beloved father, USN Captain James A. ‘Jim’ Lovell, a Navy pilot and officer, astronaut, leader, and space explorer,” his family said in a statement on Friday.
“We are enormously proud of his amazing life and career accomplishments, highlighted by his legendary leadership in pioneering human space flight,” the family statement continued. “But, to all of us, he was Dad, Granddad, and the Leader of our family. Most importantly, he was our Hero. We will miss his unshakeable optimism, his sense of humor, and the way he made each of us feel we could do the impossible. He was truly one of a kind.”
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Lovell was part of a three-man crew in 1970 who safely returned to Earth following an in-space emergency when there was a critical oxygen tank explosion. It was intended to be the third mission to the moon.
He was played by Tom Hanks in the 1995 movie “Apollo 13,” directed by Ron Howard.
Trump secretly authorizes military force to ‘completely destroy’ foreign drug cartels
President Donald Trump has secretly authorized military force against Latin American drug cartels designated by the United States as foreign terrorist organizations, according to reports.
The move, reported by the New York Times, would give U.S. forces permission to engage the cartels, which traffic drugs like fentanyl across the US-Mexico border,
“The president is determined to not just dismantle – but completely destroy – [Venezuelan dictator Nicolas] Maduro’s Cartel de Los Soles and obliterate their operations in the Western Hemisphere,” a source close to the White House said, the New York Post reported.
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The anti-cartel effort is being coordinated among several departments, including the Department of Defense, Justice Department, Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Treasury, the source added.
“President Trump’s top priority is protecting the homeland, which is why he took the bold step to designate several cartels and gangs as foreign terrorist organizations,” deputy White House press secretary Anna Kelly said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday said the U.S. military would not be entering Mexican territory following reports that Washington could take action to combat the cartels.
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“It has nothing to do with Mexican territory,” she said. “It has to do with their country. It does not involve our territory.”
Trump has previously discussed using military force against drug cartels in an effort to stop the flow of drugs and illegal immigrants across the southern border. He has also sanctioned high-ranking members of Cartel del Noreste, one of the most violent drug-trafficking organizations in Mexico and a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization.
Most recently, he has used the threat of tariffs to force Mexico and Canada to actively participate in anti-smuggling efforts.
In relation to Latin American cartels, the administration has also singled out Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who is wanted by the U.S. On Thursday, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a $50 million reward for information leading to his arrest.
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“Maduro uses foreign terrorist organizations like TdA (Tren de Aragua), Sinaloa and Cartel of the Suns (Cartel de Soles) to bring deadly violence to our country,” Bondi said in a video message. “He is one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world and a threat to our national security.”
Weeks after taking office, the White House announced the extradition of 29 members of various Mexican drug cartels.
“The previous Administration allowed these criminals to run free and commit crimes all over the world. The Trump Administration is declaring these thugs as terrorists, because that is what they are, and demanding justice for the American people,” the White House said at the time.
‘Flesh-eating’ bacteria claims 8 lives in coastal state as warm waters fuel infection
Eight deaths have been reported in Florida due to a “flesh-eating” bacterial infection, according to state health officials.
The Florida Department of Health has confirmed 13 total cases of Vibrio vulnificus across 11 counties, as reported by local outlets.
Last year, the state reported even higher numbers: 82 cases and 19 deaths.
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Louisiana is also seeing a higher-than-average case count, with the health department reporting 17 infections and four deaths so far in 2025.
The U.S. sees an average of 150 to 200 infections per year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most cases of the infection occur in the Gulf Coast states (Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas).
What is Vibrio vulnificus?
Vibrio vulnificus is part of a wider group of Vibrio bacteria, which are found in coastal waters, the CDC states.
This specific bacterium, Vibrio vulnificus, can enter open wounds when people are swimming.
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“Warmer waters provide a ready incubator for Vibrio growth,” Dr. Nathan Goodyear, an integrative medicine physician at the Williams Cancer Institute in California, told Fox News Digital. “Flesh-eating bacteria are thermophilic halophiles, readily populating in warm, salty, brackish water.”
Additionally, an increase in plankton blooms, which harbor Vibrio bacteria, is associated with increased cases. Increased flooding and hurricanes, as well as other natural disasters, can also spread the medium in which the flesh-eating bacteria exist, Goodyear noted.
Vibrio has the potential to cause severe infections, according to Dr. Andrew Handel, pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital in New York.
Those include invasive soft tissue infections (sometimes called “necrotizing fasciitis” or “flesh-eating bacteria”) and bloodstream infections.
“People who have skin infections often have high fevers and intense pain, swelling and redness at the site of infection.”
Groups at highest risk include older adults and people who are immunocompromised or have chronic liver disease, Handel cautioned.
“Raw oysters and other shellfish can also be infected with Vibrio, leading to severe gastroenteritis or food poisoning,” he told Fox News Digital.
Symptoms to watch for
Vibrio symptoms depend on the type of infection, according to Handel.
“People who have skin infections often have high fevers and intense pain, swelling and redness at the site of infection, which usually occurs after an open wound is exposed to infected water,” he told Fox News Digital.
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“The symptoms from skin infections can progress very quickly and quickly become life-threatening in a short time. Thankfully, those infections are rare.”
People who have eaten contaminated shellfish will have severe vomiting and diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration, the doctor warned.
While healthy people generally experience only mild symptoms, those who are immunocompromised or have chronic liver disease can face serious health risks.
If Vibrio vulnificus enters the bloodstream, it can cause severe illness marked by fever, chills, septic shock and blistering skin lesions, according to Florida Health.
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About half of these bloodstream infections are fatal.
Some severe cases can cause an infection called necrotizing fasciitis, which is when the flesh around an open wound dies, the CDC cautions. This rare side effect has led to Vibrio vulnificus being described as a “flesh-eating bacteria.”
Diagnosis and treatment
The bacterial infection is diagnosed by testing cultures obtained from stool, wounds or blood, according to health officials.
For mild infections, the CDC recommends increasing fluid intake to prevent dehydration.
Those with severe or prolonged infections should receive antibiotics to improve survival rates. For people with infected wounds, surgery may be necessary to remove dead tissue.
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“Antibiotics alone are not enough to calm the flesh-eating storm, Goodyear told Fox News Digital. “Early surgical debridement to remove infection sources is readily required.”
About one in five people will die from the infection, sometimes within a day or two of illness, the CDC states.
Preventing infection
To prevent Vibrio infections, experts recommend against swimming in open bodies of water like the ocean, rivers and estuaries if you have any open wounds.
“To prevent Vibrio food poisoning, avoid eating raw shellfish, especially if you are immunocompromised or have chronic liver disease,” Handel advised.
“If you do eat shellfish, make sure it has not been sitting out for a long time and comes from a hygienic source.”
“Antibiotics alone are not enough to calm the flesh-eating storm.”
The doctor noted that Vibrio infections are rare and “should not be a major cause of alarm.”
“For up-to-date information in your state and location, always check with your state and regional health departments for updates,” Goodyear advised.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Florida Department of Public Health for comment.
Olympian’s confrontation with boyfriend caught on airport surveillance
Surveillance video of what led to Sha’Carri Richardson’s arrest has been released.
In the video from the Seattle-Tacoma Airport on July 27, originally obtained by TMZ Sports, Richardson is seen approaching her boyfriend, Christian Coleman, from out of the frame and appears to grab his backpack from behind. Richardson appeared to grill Coleman and nudged him before shoving him into a wall, nudging him more later on.
The two appeared to exchange words while walking toward security, with Richardson still nudging him and appearing to reach for his face.
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An officer at the airport was notified by a Transportation Security Administration supervisor of a disturbance between Richardson and Coleman, according to the police report, via The Associated Press.
Coleman declined to be a victim in the case, a police report said, and he made it very clear that he wants to move on from the “sucky situation.”
In fact, Coleman believed the arrest was too far.
“I don’t feel like she should have been arrested. I mean people have discussions and emotions and stuff like that. She has things that she needs to work on for herself, of course. So do I, so do you, so does everybody. But I’m the type of guy who’s in the business of extending grace, and mercy and love,” Coleman told reporters this weekend.
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“I look at situations like this, take a step back, analyze it self-mentally, and then just try to see what you can do to be your best self… She’s a human being, and a great person. We’ve been good teammates all year… She has a lot of things going on, a lot of emotions and forces going on inside of her that not only I can’t understand, but nobody can. She’s one of one. And I’m one of one too.”
The incident occurred just days before the United States Track and Field Championships. Richardson missed qualifying for the 200-meter final by one-hundredth of a second. She has a bye in the 100-meter after winning the world title in that event two years ago.
Both Coleman and Richardson won gold at the world championships in 2023 for the 4×100 meter. Coleman also won the event in 2019 as well as the 100-meter. Richardson also won the 100 at the 2023 world championships in Budapest, Hungary, and finished with the silver medal in the event at the Paris Games last summer. She also helped take the 4×100 relay to an Olympic gold.
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This wasn’t Richardson’s first controversy at an airport. The track star was booted off a plane in January 2023 after a dispute with a flight attendant who she said spoke to her in a disrespectful manner.
CBS TV honcho breaks silence on Stephen Colbert’s ‘Late Show’ cancellation
The CBS television chief broke his public silence about the decision to cancel “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” echoing company talking points Thursday that the program will be shuttered for purely economic reasons.
Paramount Chair of TV Media George Cheeks spoke about canceling Colbert’s show during a press conference following the close of a long-planned merger that put CBS’ parent company under new ownership. Cheeks, one of the few executives from the previous regime to stick around after the Skydance Media merger, oversaw all of CBS when the decision was made to cancel the program.
“We are huge fans of Colbert, we love the show. Unfortunately, the economics made it a challenge for us to keep going,” Cheeks told reporters in his first public remarks about Colbert since it was revealed the program would end in May 2026 and the “Late Night” brand would be retired.
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“The challenge in late night is that the advertising marketplace is in significant secular decline,” Cheeks continued.
CBS said it was “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night” when announcing the surprising plans last month.
“The Late Show,” which Colbert took over from David Letterman in 2015, famously leaned into liberal politics in the Trump era and became a major platform for Democratic politicians.
Colbert had been outspoken with his criticism of Paramount settling President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the company over CBS’ handling of the “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the run-up to the election. Paramount settled the lawsuit last month, and the FCC approved the long-planned, $8 billion merger with Skydance shortly after.
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Many have questioned the decision, suggesting that it was done to appease Trump and the FCC, but everyone involved has pointed directly to the show’s bottom line from the start.
“It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount,” the network said when first announcing the “Late Show” would be canceled.
Puck News’ Matt Belloni reported that the late-night show “has been losing more than $40 million a year” for CBS and that it had a budget of “more than $100 million per season.”
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When breaking his public silence, Cheeks did not confirm the exact amount but acknowledged the “Late Show” was losing significant cash.
“At the end of the day, it just wasn’t sustainable to continue,” he said.
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