#sector 8 resident fraud

[scamsupdateindia]

Chandigarh Resident Himansh Verma Accused of Passport Fraud and Immigration Scams

A Sector 8 resident, Himansh Verma, is under investigation for his involvement in a human trafficking and immigration fraud case. Currently on the run, Verma is wanted by the Jalandhar police and has a reward of ₹1 lakh announced for his capture.

Himansh Verma and the Navrattan Group: A Front for Illegal Activities

According to Jalandhar police, Himansh Verma, the managing director of Navrattan Group of Companies, allegedly used his firm as a front to carry out an illegal immigration racket. Verma and his accomplices reportedly deceived individuals by promising them passage to the USA through Mexico. The group also facilitated the travel of hundreds of individuals to Hungary under false pretenses, with many victims still missing and feared to be casualties of human trafficking.

Concealed Criminal Record in Passport Application

The Chandigarh police recently booked Himansh Verma for concealing his criminal record during his passport application process. The regional passport officer of Chandigarh filed a complaint, revealing that Verma failed to disclose his involvement in various criminal cases, including his alleged role in an immigration fraud racket in Jalandhar. A case has been registered against him at the Sector 3 police station under Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and the Passport Act.

Previous Allegations Against Himansh Verma

Verma’s legal troubles extend beyond the immigration racket. He is also an accused in a multi-crore bank scam, leading to the attachment of his Sector 8 residence by the Enforcement Directorate. Authorities are investigating additional allegations of fraud connected to him.

Escape from Custody and Widening Investigations

Himansh Verma’s criminal activities came to light when Jalandhar police brought him to his Sector 8 residence on October 15, 2021. During the operation, Verma reportedly escaped from custody by pushing a constable. Since then, he has evaded arrest, leaving authorities scrambling for leads.

The Jalandhar police’s investigation indicates that high-profile individuals, including singers and embassy officials, may have been involved in Verma’s illegal operations. The scope of his activities, including trafficking routes and connections, remains under scrutiny.

Public Appeal for Information

With a ₹1 lakh reward announced for his arrest, the Chandigarh police urge the public to come forward with any information regarding the whereabouts of Himansh Verma. His alleged crimes span multiple domains, including human trafficking, immigration fraud, and financial scams, making his capture a high priority for law enforcement agencies.

Authorities continue to investigate his connections, accomplices, and the full extent of his illegal enterprises, aiming to bring justice to the victims of his schemes.

[mooishbeam]

『♡』 Treasures of the Fraud

♡ featuring: pantalone x f!reader

♡ summary: it's been forever since you've seen your friend, and as the hero of liyue, a new interruption has arisen. you pursue it, only to find memories awaiting you. wc: 9.1k+ (D:)

♡ cw/tw: long lonnggg fic, obsession, mentions of murder, mention of suicide, mentions of blood, manipulation, toxic pantalone, mean pantalone, possessive, spanking, degradation, mild praise, fingering, thigh riding, missionary, overstim, begging, edging, comeshot, pet names (darling, slut)

notes: helloooo!! ive been slow to get stuff out college is kicking my ass rn so sorry. not proofread so i apologize for any mistakes. I can't wait to have more time :) art by yion_yi on ig! <3 comments and reblogs are appreciated!

12 years ago 

“Come get me!” 

The boy with inky curls spiraling down his back dips through trees, ducking under low hanging branches embellished with vibrant autumn foliage. Messy blends of pink and purple melt across the slowly bleeding sun carried into the night. His silhouette resembles that of a malevolent spirit peeking behind the boughs, leaping over tangled twigs and shallow ditches. His excited screeches signal you to chase after the leading direction. You’re both screaming and laughing down the undoubtedly dangerous shortcuts. If your mother knew about the adventurous risks you were taking at 13, you’d never leave the house again. Tag is a troubling game—despite the thousands of times you’ve played with him, you regularly end up being “it”. You don’t care about losing, though; having someone to call a friend is enough.  

You turn into a clearing with columns of trees overseeing your small presence, hundreds of them. The colder night is rising, not a celestial body to shield.  In this deep blue void, the leaves seem to be aggrieved at your interruption of some secret meeting, angry and smiling faces crumpling in the whispering wind. You spin around frantically, looking for signs or laughter, but neither reveal themself. It’s quiet besides the downy linger of grass. Your shoulders are snatched back and shaken to a rattling shock. You scream, and he laughs. 

“Rahhh! Did I get you?” he jests. Your eyebrows narrow, and you push him lightly to a stumble. 

“You scared me!” 

“Hah, that’s the point. C’mon, it’s late. Let’s go.” He's scared too, swiftly grabbing your hand as you both brave the darkness back to the village. 

“We should’ve been home a while ago” you say quietly. You feel the chill in your bones and press yourself closer to him. 

“Yea.” He holds your hand tighter at the sound of a small rock bouncing down a steep hill. 

“I had fun today. Let’s do this again tomorrow.” 

“I have something to tell you.” 

“Okay.” 

“I’m moving in the morning” he states. It was nonchalant, but your stomach turns a churning sickness. One you can’t understand yet, it makes you uneasy. 

“Oh. Okay, then.” It isn't okay, not in the slightest. But it had to be. Your best friend of 8 years looks at you, aiming to register the gravity of the situation. You both say nothing, but tears start to brim in your eyes in the silence. You wipe them with your arm. 

“Will you miss me?” he asks. 

“A lot.” 

“I’ll miss you too. Lots and lots.” He sways your interlocking hands. You pass by vacant homes tattered and aged by abandonment, overgrown with invading ivy. Homeless reside, caring each other to warmth from the freezing draft. You were lucky to have a home in this little forgotten sector of Liyue. It's a small, unfortunate room, with holes in the roof that drips when it rains and bags over the windows to keep the heat in. The stove never works, and you share a bed with your mother, but every birthday she makes sure to save just enough for a slice of cake with one candle. There isn’t more you could ask for. Everyone in the village suffered from poverty but they made it work, sharing crops and dairy to persevere until the next year. That’s how you met him, sitting on a rock as your mother collected rations. You perform two pebbles in your hands, mumbling sea shanties while imagining voyage on a grueling journey—he sat next to you. 

“Those aren’t dolls. They’re rocks.” 

“You’re a rock” you retorted.  

“No, I’m not.” 

“Do you want to be a rock?” 

“...That’d be kinda cool.” You gave him a pile of pebbles, and he joined the trip. 

You’re getting closer to the village, still processing who you’ll play with once he’s gone. You glance at him, he’s spaced out in a faraway stare. You crave the power to read minds. 

“Can we talk about something? I’m getting sad” you sniffle. 

“What should be talk about?” 

“What are you going to do after you move?” 

“I’m gonna be super rich” he assures, looking up at the starless sky as if a meteor would shoot across and grant his wish. “What about you?” 

“I’m going to save the world” you proclaim.  

“Cool. I hope you do.” 

“Me too.” 

You arrive at your makeshift door drawn together with scraps of wood and twisted rope for hinges. A dim candle glimmers inside, most likely your vexed mother waiting for your tardily return. He makes space for your entry, and you undo your hands for the last time. Before you go, he snatches your wrist. His eyes are foggy, cheeks an anxious tinge of pink. He isn’t sure what he’s feeling, but the strings in his heart are tense. His mouth shapes to say something, but nothing returns. 

“Yeah?” 

“...I... I’ll really miss you a lot” he whispers with a lump in his throat.  

“Then don’t forget me, okay?” 

“I won’t.” 

“You promise?” you say and raise your pinky towards him. He curls around it. “I promise.” 

“Good. By the way, you’re it now.” 

“I’ll get you back when I see you again!” he chuckles. You bid your goodbyes, unaware that it would mark the unforeseen conclusion. 

Leaves crunch under your feet as you make your leisurely traverse to Liyue Harbor. It’s just before sunrise and you finished helping the elderly in Qingce Village carry copious amounts of heavy produce to their homes. The thankful candies from seniors' jingle in your pocket as you stretch your weary arms. Your mom offered to cook, but you're determined to locate the best commissions Katheryne had before afternoon. “Maybe I’ll pick up some rice buns” you think out loud at the rumble of your growing appetite. You still had a long way to go before you got to the harbor. 

This was your new normal. After your thundering battle with Ningguang and Keqing against Osial, you became an example of Liyue’s triumph. You also became more aware of Fatui tactics, wiping out their swarms with the raging fury of your pneuma and swinging vision. Days of grueling bloodshed resulted in your victory, cementing you as the lionheart of Liyue. Beat up and bruised, the only request you made after your fight was a hot meal and a place for your mom to retire. They delivered both, and you used your recent hero status to provide help to the villagers where needed, be it casual favors or ruthless assault on Fatui agents. You were neither rich nor poor, and lived off the land and kindness of the Liyue Qixing. They often suggested you focus on less mundane tasks, but to you, the most vulnerable age groups warranted priority. There was something about the lighthearted innocent squeals of children and mellow grandparents rocking in their wooden chairs that made you protective to an almost volatile extent. 

Bustling interactions of trade and commerce carry through the wind as you enter the harbor—a sound that’s brought you peace for years. The smell of food vendors has you drooling instantly. As you devour the complimentary rice bun, you feel the yank of a little hand on your skirt. You look down and a boy with brown hair searches for familiarity in your face. You recognize him, babysitting him numerous times. You kneel and pat his head, but he doesn’t react or move.  

“Hey, what’s up? Where are your parents?” you question, briefly scanning your immediate area for his family. He’s hesitant to speak, as if he can’t find the panicked words, and rushes into your arms. You hug him instinctively and let him sniffle into your shoulder. You pick him up in your grasp and raise his head with your other hand so that he’ll hopefully be open to your compassion.  

“Can you tell me what’s wrong?” The boy wipes his chubby tomato-red face. “Grandma is on the floor, what do I do?” You quell your rising nerves to suppress his alarm and speak calmly.  

“Where is she?” 

Speed walking towards the destination, the commotion of a small crowd surrounds a kneeling woman in the distance. She’s on her sun-spotted hands and knees, wailing for some bygone Archon. “Grandma!” he yells and jumps out of your arms. You run after him, relieved that the worst case scenario hadn’t occurred. You push through the group and get eye level with her, forehead pressed to the ground spouting religious scripture. 

“Are you okay? Do you need medical assistance?” Wise sunken eyes wrinkled with age and torn by tragedy stick to your heart. Her feeble hands encapsulate yours, and tears stream down her cheeks. “They took my baby!” she rasps, rocking back and forth. “Who did?” you ask, and she weeps harder. “They took her memory...my baby, my daughter!” You support her weight and lift her hunched figure off the pavement. “What did they look like, ma’am?” 

“A black hood...red mask” she recalls shakily. Instantly miscellaneous chatter ensues. They whisper nervously in each other's ears, he who shall not be named steals their voices. “Fatui probably got ‘er” you hear the mumble of one. Fatui. Your blood boils at the word, and you direct your view to the shrinking man with hands in his pockets. “‘He’ got all of us” he scoffs. “Did they hurt you guys, too?” you ask, and they stare. They’re pained but accepting.  

“500,000 mora.”  

“194,000 for me.” 

They list off their debt one by one, and you’re horrified at the accumulating number. They seem to endure, however; no longer phased by the incurable tally haunting their lives. “H-how are you paying any of this?” 

“We can’t. It adds up. Interest, late payments, it always does. So, we give everything, and ‘he’ takes everything, until we have nothing left. We die poor without a possession to our name” a woman sighs. As a child, you heard of the loan sharks that purposely fed false promises to the poor, and once they were reeled in, charged insurmountable payments to blackmail—it was the origin story of most people in your birthplace. Your soul aches for them, but is there anything you can do? 

“...I’ll help you, all of you. I’m sure I can-” 

Ningguang arrives. She's a nurturing figure to you, the kind that asks if you’ve been eating well and politely scolds you.  “What happened?” You lead the tired elder to the Jade Chamber, and she tells her story through choked sobs. You didn’t expect Keqing to already be there, arms folded and turned away from the situation. Ningguang can barely glance at the woman. 

“They stormed my home and took my jewelry and belongings. They took the pendant my daughter gave me; it had her face in it. Archons give me strength, my baby! I can’t afford it; I have nothing!” she quakes. You rub her back and Ningguang nods, listening—you can’t help but notice the anxiety blooming on her abstracted face. They take her through the process and once she leaves, Ningguang and Keqing look at each other with a silent understanding. The room is eerily quiet, and Ningguang paces back and forth in front of the intel wall contemplating an uncertain danger. You fumble with your thumbs. 

“What are we going to do about this?” you wonder. Keqing clears her throat loudly, attracting the attention of Ningguang. She looks at you, and sighs deeply. “We already know about this issue.” 

Your ears perk up. “Great, so how can I help?” 

“By doing nothing, (Y/N)” Keqing says. 

“...What?” 

“I have eyes everywhere; I’ve known for a long time. The Fatui are not people to be taken lightly, especially the harbingers. A few of their skirmishers were caught trading exotic goods and taxing medicine at high prices, on top of extorting the impoverished regions.” Ningguang points to one of the many Fatui exclusive headquarters on the wall. “Pantalone is the richest man in Teyvat, he has more political influence than anyone can imagine, and they answer to him. We can’t risk getting involved with this. They’ve brought this upon themselves, and unfortunately, they must deal with the consequences.” 

You can’t accept this response. How can they just desert them? It doesn’t comprehend in your naïvity—you scold yourself for not spotting the signs sooner, furrowing your brows and looking at them with distaste. “I expected this. You shouldn’t have said anything” Keqing chides. “...Why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve helped before-” 

“You’re the last person I wanted to know about this” Ningguang interrupts. Your anger feels misplaced, and you bite your lip in restraint. She sits next to you and offers fleeting comfort with a graceful hand on yours. “You’re quite the reactionary type. In due time, this will be sorted. But right now, I need you to calm down, and trust me.” It sounds desperate, you know you shouldn’t go looking for answers, but a snagging thread pulls at the back of your consciousness, all too convincing. You bounce your leg. “You should want revenge just as much as me. Where we came from, where they end up, it isn’t fair.”  

“You know I do, more than anything. But we must handle this with care, before too many people get hurt. I’m doing this for the betterment of Liyue as a whole. It’s not easy to make these decisions.” 

“We can’t just go around serving justice, there’s laws we have to act with” Keqing adds. You don’t reply and stand up abruptly to leave. The worried Tianquan grabs your wrist one last time. “Promise me you won’t make a mistake, (Y/N). I’m trying to protect you” she pleads. 

“I promise. Thank you.” You flash a half genuine smile, already planning to rebel against her wishes. 

Who exactly is ‘he’—Pantalone. You don’t even know where to start looking. Too many headquarters, infinite possibilities. The best way you have to find him is through Fatui agents.  

You start taking up odd jobs late in the evening, scouring for the possibility that a fatui agent might fall into your hands. Though you considered playing the part of an impoverished villager taking out a loan at Northland Bank, it didn’t guarantee that you’d meet Pantalone in the flesh—it’s more likely that would raise unnecessary suspicion in the process. It’s awkward at first, seeing the hero of Liyue fish on the dock for petty change throughout the night. As you do, the malicious fire in your eyes burns bright at the occasional voice in chill silence. Your vision glows as you toss the hunting knife between your nimble digits. Listening closely to conversations, hoping that one might be unguarded enough to slip up, but nothing of the sort appears—not even the boldness of Fatui skirmishers enables them to divulge secrets under the baleful existence of Celestia.  

The moon illuminates sweetly on the tranquil waters lulling you to drowse. You hadn’t heard much since the start of your escapade. A fishing pole is weak in your resistless hold, and you’ve evidently given up on the idea of portraying the hardworking fisherman tonight. You vowed to help the people of Liyue, but justice was seemingly unfeasible. Maybe a direct approach? Should I ambush their headquarters? More so a suicide mission, you’d have no luck achieving that. Just as you’re about to leave, the crunch of withering grass straightens your posture. You make yourself hidden with a burst of energy and slouch behind the bushes as a Fatui pyro agent charges along the route. Through the glutted leaves obstructing your vision, you can just make out the heavy bag on his shoulder and jagged blade waiting restlessly on the other. His stride points towards Qingce Village. You hold your breath disguising yourself with the scenery and allow him to take a few feet between you before you begin following him. He’s rather shifty, those veiled eyes darting back and forth at the lightest noise. You’re careful to glide behind trees, moving with the heartbeat of the wind and taking advantage of the various melody's nature offers. You suck in a breath and duck behind a boulder a few inches too close, and his head snaps in your direction. The feeling of being watched besets him, but with no way to prove it and time running out, he secures his knife for the hypothetical ambush, and makes haste towards the target. Turning a tree, you watch as the pyro wielder knocks on the house of a small worn cottage. A short stocky man appears, shading half his body behind the door. 

“H-hello...” you hear faintly. The Fatui keeps his hand firm on the door, one boot propped under the hinge. He presents the flaming knife loosely as he towers over the man. “We’ve given you time.” You were sure now that he's working for Pantalone.  

“I don’t have it. P-please, if you could just give me some more-” He slams his fist against the wood, a resounding thump shakes the home. The man cowers. “Give me everything you have. The Regrator won’t wait any long-” 

A small rock flies past his mask, skidding on the ground until it comes to a stop. He glares in the direction of the tree you’re hiding behind. You have no plan, nothing but the distracting impulse to stop the assailant from attacking. “Stay here” he commands, and stalks towards you. His slow footsteps get increasingly louder, playful stomps toying with your obvious whereabouts. He twirls the razor-sharp knife, and as he sharply peeks around the corner, you’re nowhere to be found. “Here, kitty kitty” he taunts, spinning towards the lake, then the village grounds for footprints. He severs the air aimlessly in mirth, believing some amateur fighter came to challenge him. As he monitors the tracks under you, you drop down from the wiry branches. Legs wrap tight around his neck, and you catch hold of his hood trying to pull his mask off. He gags but he’s too quick, throwing off your steadiness as he slams your spine on the grass. He whips around to take a stab at your chest, but you roll away guarding the vital arteries. You kick him in the crotch, and he recoils giving you ample time to stand.  

You can’t feel the wet laceration dripping down your abdomen as you take a slash at his throat with your weapon, infused with elemental energy. He leans back and meets your strike. You trade blows, the strength of your smite bursting sparks of light above the scratches and bruises. Your wrist burns with the unmoving knives stumbling you. He begins to manifest blazing knives circling his figure, and you jump back from the singing cut melting the cloth. You wipe the dried blood from your mouth, and in the blink of an eye, he disappears. Suddenly, red auras similar to the pyro agent surround you. One by one, the clones charge at you, and you parry their overhead onslaught. Something is different about the last clone, your vision revealing a brighter outline than the others. When the next clone attacks, as you counter you pretend to fall for his trick. With your eyes on the other, he immediately passes through the black fog to deal the killing blow. You’re quicker this time and heave a heavy tear into his chest. Crimson splatters the grass, it shatters his element and rips open the robe. You tackle him on the dirt and wrestle until you kick his weapon away. Your knee digs into his back, and he can barely breathe with his arm locked behind him and knife rigid against his neck. He ttempts to swing at you, but you wrench his arm tighter and slice into his skin just enough to draw blood. 

“Fuck. Okay!” he wheezes. “Where is Pantalone?”  

“I don’t know what you’re- shit!” You’ve lost patience long ago and twist his arm to dislocate the shoulder. He lets out a blood curdling scream thrashing in pain—you tug hard and focus him. “Shut up and answer my question. Where is Pantalone?” you demand. He hisses in pain and coughs up phlegm mixing with reddening soil. “Kill me.” 

“Just tell me and I’ll let you go.” 

“I’m a dead man, either way.” he rasps and hangs his head waiting for the execution. You grit your teeth; a drop of guilt leaves a bad taste as you thwack the pressure point on his neck that forces him unconscious. You glance at the bag he left and limp over to rummage through the contents. Useless papers crumple under stolen items, but one note catches your eye. Presumably a to-do list, you read to the bottom. A list of homes, goods on standby exchanges—at the bottom of those, a rendezvous point: 

Report back- Yilong Bank, Liyue 

You rest in a plot of prickly bushes and leave in the morning after patching yourself up. You couldn’t stop now, not when you were this close to facing him. You soothe your body from the twigs prodding you all night, and check the wound suppressed by gauze. It’s a light scar now, apparent after bathing in the warm water on the outskirts of Qingce. You contemplated telling Ningguang about what occurred, but imagining the look on her face once she knew kept you moving. 

Tucking your vision where it can’t be viewed, you take a waverider to Yilong Port into the afternoon. You concoct a half-baked scheme, one that relies on every scenario being perfect to a tee. Unreliable, but probably your only chance. The plan amounts to scaling the building and breaking in through the office window, snatching everything owned by the villagers and breaking out before anyone notices. Easy in your capabilities, but you have no idea what the building looks like, nor do you know where the office is. The man driving wears all black, an outfit that stands out from the rest of the region. He stares at you blankly, and once you’re aware, you meet eyes. His smile is uncanny, stretching across his face with an abnormal friendliness. 

“Is this your first time at the port?” he asks, finger tapping the wheel. Be it sleep deprivation or ignorance; you don’t recognize red flags in his behavior.  You smile at the courteous face. “Yeah, the weather’s beautiful out here.” 

“Mhm, hot weather up here. On vacation?” 

“Nah, I have business here.” The minuscule edge of your vision catches in the light. He homes in on the passing twinkle. You wonder why his eyes widen momentarily, and his finger starts to tap methodically, as if memorizing a coded pattern. 

“Business...what kind?” 

“Oh...I have some items to trade.” You close off your answers feeling that you’ve said too much. He subsides with a stale expression. “If you’re looking to trade, you might find luck at Yilong Bank” he utters monotonously.  

“And where is that?” You feign disinterest, but victory is too loud on your tongue. 

“Up the mountain.” The waverider halts at the harbor, and he turns his head away from you unusually cold, akin to a mechanical bot shutting down. “Welcome to Yilong Port.” 

You make yourself invisible in the crowd and wait for nightfall. People still roam the port along with Fatui monitoring the front of the bank, which gives you leeway to blend in as you find passage around the back of the mountain. It’s a steep, dark incline jutted with irregular jagged stones. The imposing size of the climb tangles knots in your stomach, and you wipe the persistent sweat on your top. In one huge leap, you latch onto a craggy indent, and begin your ascension. 

Your legs feel like jelly with each contact of the unforgiving breeze. You sway alongside the spirit of anemo and swallow your anxiety before leaping to the next rock. Shoes plant into rock and nails excavate fresh cobble on the next jump. By the time you’ve realized, you’re already up most of the mountain. You tug yourself even with the land as a barreling gust of wind goads your glance to the ground, kilometers beneath you. Your breath stills, and for a second dizziness overtakes your nerves at the thought of slipping. I could die, one mistake and I’m dead. You focus, and spring to the next piece. Without warning, rock gives way into pebbles at the weight of your foot. You nearly plunge, but anchor onto the small bump out with one hand. You’re dangling off the edge, playing with death while you fortify your body. Hyperventilation makes your heartbeat thrum incessantly and stress palpitates tired muscles; If you didn't have your vision, you would’ve fainted to your demise. You bite the bullet, push your heels in and persevere through the hurdles. The next thing you clutch is malleable in your palm. You vault over the cliff, the smell of dew is overwhelming. The back of the bank—the end goal—is visible.  

One Fatui member remains in the front. You scale up the building effortlessly, nothing compared to the hell you just went through. Shifting window to window, your eyes land on the pitch-black darkness of the room at the top of the building. An ideal glow casts on the fraction of precious gold resting on a coffee table. This has to be it. You slink through the window soundlessly, and land on the balls of your feet. Analyzing the dish, you don’t discern the pendant. You can faintly identify some bookshelves near the dish, and tiptoe further inside. You creep around luxury sofas, and squint at the embellished glass case next to the door, containing all manner of jewelry and valuable possessions. You won; this was it. You scurry to it, moving with abrupt carelessness. One more step. 

Click 

The fireplace you didn’t heed is set aflame. It flickers sneering shadows on the opposite wall and brightens the case. You pause and hope. There’s a confining silence stirring in the room, like someone is with you. The case is visible now, and so is the key to opening it. 

You fell into a trap. 

“Looks like I have a little thief on my hands.”  

A bittersweet voice in the sable, reminiscent of rich dark chocolate, rolls off the room. He steps out obscurity behind his desk and your eyes adjust, revealing the tight black turtleneck compressing his willowy torso and gloves adorned with silver rings. You can’t see the upper part of his face, but the chains of his glasses hang in front of that duping smile. You expected the Fatui harbinger to be on the stronger side, physically intimidating. It’s not physical, but you feel a certain fear boiling in your body. He’s not terrifying, but you tremble. His presence makes your hair stand and sends waves of goosebumps up your arms. You can’t find the will to move your wobbly legs. His charmed laugh rings in your ears and causes you to hold your breath. He has no vision; you shouldn’t be afraid. You could take him on easily, why can’t you fight? 

“Hello, honored hero of Liyue” the headless man taunts. It makes it worse that he knows who you are. How long had he known you were coming? Was your plan doomed from the beginning? Your feet are stuck in molasses as your fight or flight shuts down at the man before you.  

“Now, tell me. What is the little thief doing, barging into my office to take the possessions I worked so hard for? Not very heroic of you, If I may say.” There’s power in his stature—you forget how to speak. He holds his palm out to you. Tangled between his fingers, is the ornate golden pendant you’d been searching for, a woman’s face in the frame. Your eyes widen, and the sweet familiar curve of his lips stretches in amusement. 

“Is this what you’re looking for?” The plod of low-heeled boots accompanies unveiled darkness, and you can observe his entirety. Amethyst eyes drunk with an orchid hue pool into your being. Lazy curls brush against his glasses and kiss his porcelain skin. He’s beautiful, a calm enticing rip current that sweeps you with immeasurable pressure before you can pull yourself out. He leans on the desk, observing the chain halfheartedly. If you weren’t careful, you’d mistake the look on his face for genuine kindness; you’d drown, just like he craved. Nonetheless, you can’t shake the emotion his smile grants. 

“Yes. That’s all I need, and I won’t bother you again” you whisper meekly, hoping that he’d let you go with the pendant in a spur of forgiveness. The jest in his eyes says something different. 

“Come get it.”  

Come get it. Your mind begins to piece the man into a stage of your life you’d forgotten. It can’t be him. Memory tells intrusive truth in short flashes. Inky curls spiraling in front of you as you chase. He was consistently miles ahead of you. It was irrelevant how far apart you were; he’d always find you. That big, curving smile for every match he won. Purple eyes glancing back at yours; the same ones that withheld tears when you said goodbye. 

“Come get me!” 

Tears stream down your eyes for the friend you thought you’d never see again. Childhood laughter bleeds into his current cat-like conniving snicker, and you gaze at his face. 

“I... remember you” you choke. He looks up without a smile, perceiving an unexpected thought, and meets your eyes. There’s a hint of affection in the warm smile beaming on his face. “My my, (Y/N). You have quite the memory.” 

You’re motionless, full of something that catches in your lungs. This isn’t the triumph you wanted, and now that you’re face to face you feel powerless. He must’ve known the entire time. Watching you fight and work alone, sending Fatui to roam in Liyue, all done to toy with you. Your lip quivers, swelling in your already deafening heartbeat.  

“How long...” you utter. He inquires with the tilt of his head. 

“How long have you been messing with me?” Your eyes adhere to the floor, pride that won’t permit you to shed misery for Pantalone. He drinks in your resistant frame, the kind he desires to break; perhaps this game of cat and mouse isn’t done, after all. 

“This hurts me too, (Y/N). I wouldn’t be doing this if you weren’t so…persistent.” Your confusion spills over in shaky, weak huffs. You can’t maintain your composure, and make yourself first to oppose the authoritative man on his own territory. 

“How could you do this to anyone? We grew up poor!” You shout with balling fists. 

“It’s inefficient to dwell on the past” he replies with gentle cadence and languid grace unrepresentative of his cruel tactics. You nearly regret raising your voice. 

“These people are at their wits end and you’re taking advantage of them” you chide. He slowly paces towards you. Pantalone looks down on you from height disparity, but the royal glower pities you, judges worth you can’t see. 

“Driven by emotions, are you that simple? You presumed that if you stormed in here, and professed a touching story, that I would suddenly see the error in my methods?” You’re not sure what you’re here for anymore or why you haven’t left yet. Subconscious urges can't determine if they should slap or hug the man inching towards you. “I simply enforce contracts and exchanges. No one can be swindled by a debt accreted on their own.” 

“No one asks to be poor either” you interject. Pantalone’s a foot away from you now, analyzing your reactions to his personal entertainment. He recalls the blurry past—the pranks you pulled together that ultimately failed from your loud hurried sneakiness tripping to alert the farmers, helping out for loose change so that you’d split a snack between each other that wasn’t big enough to share, gazing at the twinkling night imagining a distant future—you changed and stayed the same, but he keeps wanting more.  

“Weigh the odds. They either die impoverished or live by passage of loans. I merely provide a service. Does that make me so cruel?” You can’t find an answer. 

“You’ll always be my friend, but I need it back. It can’t be much to forgive someone’s debt” you plead.  

“You still consider me a friend?” 

“I think…you’re hurt. And you’re trying to heal. We all are. I know I’ve dealt with a lot as I’ve gotten older and I think you have, too. Power corrupts even the best people in this world, so maybe you’re not a bad person. But you’re doing bad things, and this isn’t the right way to get better.” 

Pantalone is quiet for a few long moments. His hands web his face, but you can clearly see the pearly fangs in his open-mouthed smirk. Then he laughs—dulcet and mocking, it lingers for too long as he throws his head back and relishes the obtuse notion. He gazes with insulting compassion and stalks towards you. 

“Incredibly…. gullible. Mora is the pathway to all endeavors. Devoid of gnosis or divine knowledge, wealth has rendered me impervious to control. Suffering and destitution only manifest if I will it. I am the guise of a false god, an emblem of achievement.” It’s borderline delusional the way he regards himself, arms moving in theatric grandeur, the star of his own opera. 

“Does that make you feel good? Stepping on the backs of the community that raised you, and abandoning them because they chose not to be influenced by greed?” Pantalone towers over you. His fingers brush light against your sensitive ears, trail to your clenched jaw, and finally cup your frustrated cheeks with the cradle of a long-lost lover. 

“It does, in fact. I’m not easily swayed by ridiculous optimism, that’s why I’m at the top. You’ve devoted your blood and tears to a region that will succumb to adversity in your absence. Is that not a pointless feat?” 

“So what? That doesn’t mean we just don’t help people. You have nothing without the Fatui, you’re a pawn just like the others” you retort. He brings his lips close to the shell of your ear, and his breath hot on the untouched skin drags a tingle up your spine. 

“And what do you know about the Fatui?” he whispers. 

“I know enough. You’re all disgusting.” He huffs out his nose. 

“Disgusting isn’t the right word. I’d say...opportunists.” Pantalone backs up, sliding his hand up your chin and tilting your attention to the intense glint. “But you’re clever, I’ll give you that. If only you were clever enough to know your place.” You'd forgotten you were acting out of line. You refocus your mindset to negotiation. 

“I’ll do anything you ask for the debt. Please, just give it back.” The word “anything” evokes a malicious yearning—so forthcoming without understanding the implications of “anything”, of eternity. He caresses your cheek. 

“Anything, hm? Even if I said to give up being a hero for good? Would you still call yourself a heroic traveler if you weren’t allowed to travel or adventure as you please?” he teases. Your mouth opens to refute, but you bite your bottom lip instead. Pantalone walks back to his desk and leans while dangling the golden chain. Now that he’s far, the invading space between you two shows how insignificant you are in this luxury palace. 

“Your resolve moves me. Consider this; make an exchange with me, and I’ll guarantee not only her debt, but the debt of all residents in Liyue forgiven” Your face instantly lights up, ready to accept it without thinking. 

“What is it?” you ask. 

“In exchange for regional loan forgiveness, I want you.” 

“...What?” 

“I want everything you have. It’s the fairest exchange I can make. Your obedience, your loyalty, and your body.”  

The choice turns in your frontal lobe. You can’t fathom giving yourself to a man, let alone a Fatui harbinger. It’s unbecoming of a hero to lie with the enemy. 

“Absolutely not” you assure. 

“Alright. Then allow their village to be reduced to nothing.” No, wait. “You may leave. However, if you do, you’ll cause great misfortune to that woman and her struggling family” You play into his covet so smoothly as you stand in the center of the room, reluctant to leave.  

“I’m not a complete monster, so I’ll give you 5 seconds to make a choice.” He sways the pendant in his hand like the transient time of an hourglass. 5 seconds, all you have to sign your life away. 

“4.”  

What if no one ever sees you again? What’s the point of sacrificing your happiness and freedom, are the people of Liyue truly worth it? 

“3.” 

You could threaten him, take him hostage so that a harbinger might bow to your demands. That, or they kill you, and the village suffers anyway. 

“2.” 

You think of your graying mom, the sweet boy with his chubby red face who cries over the smallest things, the grateful elders that give you candy after every good deed, Ningguang and Keqing stressing over the next financial impact. 

“1.” 

“I’ll do it.”  

Pantalone swings the chain into his palm, an undefeated smug overbearing as he sets it on the desk. There was never a point in resisting; he always got what he wanted, no matter how long it took to achieve it. He waited months—no, years—to get you in this exact moment. There’s a daunting beguiling charm in the way he closes the gap between you two. You glare at him; a temper common people would dread shooting. He assesses the pending punishment and lowers himself eye-level. He grins, but the smile doesn’t reach his eyes. 

“I can see the defiance in your eyes. Do you want to talk back? Go ahead, challenge me.” You don’t test this scenario and turn your head. “Don’t patronize me. Get it over with, ‘Pantalone’.” 

He quirks an eyebrow, and pliable flesh strains your teeth as your face is gripped rough by satiny leather. You’re twisted sharply to the calm expression—it humbles you. 

“That’s not how you address your superior. What should you call me?” You don’t answer promptly to his liking, and he tightens his grip. “Answer me properly, darling.” 

“...Sir.” Pantalone plants a sickly sugary kiss on your forehead, the kind that makes you forget how petrifying he can be, and lets you go.  

“Good.” He walks back to the desk and sits in the onyx chair embellished with silver jewels fit for a king. His chin rests on bridging hands. “Strip.” 

You don’t move, your heart hammers in your chest at the request and you stir uncomfortably. You have no experience with sexual gratification, let alone exposing yourself to an old friend.  

“(Y/N). Don’t make me say it again.” Keen agitation in his voice serves as a final warning. He eats you with his eyes, homed in on your hands clumsily snaking the top over your head. A glimpse of the scar you received during your fight with the Fatui captures him. He takes a mental entry, for an explanation that might justify why the agent suddenly goes missing. You were generally too busy to look in the mirror or analyze your assets, and pleasure was a removed afterthought—so the hungry fervor warming your skin and permeating the room clamped your thighs shut. You’re visibly flustered and nervous fumbling with the clasps on your bra while stabilizing your anxiety, and he delights in every second of the accidental strip tease. It feels like fresh meat introduced to a savage animal, and the instant your bra omes off, a new vulnerability coils in your gut. You move to your bottoms; the sheen of sweat polishes your plush thighs to wiggle out of them. You’re left in nothing but tantalizing panties hugging you in the right places. His eyes undress and redress you, tracing up and down the perk of your nipples, tempting fullness of your thighs, each unseen curve and perfect imperfect mark on your glistening body. He lets out a deep breath to stop himself from jumping over the table and taking you right there. 

“The underwear. Take it off” he says, an undertone of lust. You shimmy the fabric off and fully expose yourself. You impulsively cover your intimate parts and avert your eyes, but you can still feel Pantalone on you, ravaging you. He doesn’t bother telling you to put your arms at your sides, your bashfulness combined with an attempt at stoicism is comical. 

“Ah, the little thief is trying to act tough. That's cute” Pantalone teases and leans back in the chair. Manspreading, he pats his thigh. “Crawl.”  

He’s hellbent on shaming the defiance out of you. It’s a vile command, but you begrudgingly drop to your hands and knees. You drag your chaffed knees on wood, balancing like a newborn fawn adjusting to its legs. It’s humiliating and downright degrading; the cold floor fails at cooling your burning fever. You’re on the verge of tears, but Pantalone can’t help but smile. You get around the desk and look up at him, waiting for the next horrible thing he’ll have you do. “Unfortunately, the stunt you pulled impeded my paperwork. Be a good thing and sit on my lap until I’m done.” A “thing”—that’s all you were now, a shiny trophy meant to be ogled at but never taken seriously, used and thrown away. You stand off your scraped raw knees and straddle his thigh, hands balancing the leg so you don’t fall. 

And Pantalone starts to work. Working as if you’re not there, filling in the spaces on his documents. For some reason, it’s more demeaning this way, you truly are just a prize. One hand dances beautiful penmanship in masterful motions on embossed paper, the other fondles and explores your being. The gloves brush down your delicate spine, nonsensical shapes drawn on your lower back that make you shiver and pool heat in places you’ve never thought of. You’ve never been touched like this, it’s needles light on your skin. They move to your stomach, pleasant circles above the pelvis that threaten to go lower. He’s careful to trail his hand up your cleavage and behind your neck, neglect your hardening nipples and repeat the process over and over. He’s painstakingly slow, savoring the dazed arch of your back, massaging your inner thighs and dragging the sleek material over your rear.

Middle and index sweep across your lips, pulling your bottom lip to reveal teeth, and prods your mouth. Pantalone’s fingers are invasive, they exploit your gums and twirl around the squishy tongue molding to his appetite. He plays with the pink mass, and it fills you like a kiss. He’s everywhere and he hasn’t looked at you once. You hate it, the kind elegance and refinement of his technique that makes every calculated word and action reek of opulence. Yet, arousal pools on the surface, sticking to your labia and clouding your drowsy mind. It’s an extreme ache that doesn’t go away from cold showers or shrugging off like you usually would. You can’t remember what you did today, yesterday, or the day before that. The sensation of him consumes you and persists in spots he left. He smells of expensive cologne, hints of heady wood and sage. You’re lucky his fingers are in your mouth, or piteous moans would spill out of you. Flat on his thigh, the subtle jolts of his leg rub against your hypersensitive clit and set your nerves on fire. Throbbing swells in your core, and you struggle to stay stiff as your hips stutter.  

Pantalone knows exactly what he’s doing. Your labored pants sound like saintly melody while you writhe on his lap. The fabric goads your pulsing pussy, and you hang your head in embarrassment of the juices soaking your thighs and his. He’s surprised you have strength left to withstand the itch. You do your best to hover above it, trailing thick strings of slick. “There’s no need to pretend you don’t like this. Just give yourself to me” he whispers. And it’s so enticing, an invitation that might let you come if you ask. However, remnants of pride cling to your melting resolve, you can’t give in yet. He takes the fingers out and presses on your nipple, flicking the bud. You can’t hold the mewl, and he snickers.  

“So indignant for the hero of Liyue, to be on a harbingers lap, reduced to a pretty pet.” Your ears tune out the insults. The damp gloves pull and pinch your puffy nipples, then knead to soothe the pain. He does the same to the other, switching between both as he feels you squirm.  

He works on the last few pages. Piles upon piles of reports and records—they detail the deaths, or “suicides”, of clients who’d disappeared mysteriously after extended absence of payments for millions of mora, people who dared go against the Regrator. Unruly, uncooperative clients that take advantage of fair exchange, and pay the price for it. 

Your arms get tired, and you settle on him again. Pantalone starts to softly bounce his leg, enough for you to notice the friction on your clit. It’s too much, you can’t take it anymore, and start to rut your hips on his thigh. You look messy, smearing your essence on those overpriced slacks and biting back your moans. Pleasure flows in your veins, and you give up. His cock throbs nonstop, print stealing space in his pants. “Did you believe I wouldn’t catch you? You’re not sneaky enough. You’re not good enough," he taunts from the corner of his eye. You hump his leg like a desperate bunny, chasing the addictive high.  

“Nasty slut, fucking your hips on a man you barely remember.” He moves his hands to your clit and replaces the slacks with slippery leather. You grind on it harder and hold your moans. More, more, more. He coats it in the mess and finally diverts his attention to you. He teases your entrance gliding vertically on your vulva before pushing one finger in. It hurts at first, but your walls hug him eagerly, pulling it deeper. He coaxes it to take another and starts scissoring your gushy walls.  

“I’ll devour you. I’ll inscribe my name upon every surface of your physique until it adorns your lips, and I’m the only thing that remains.” Pantalone starts pumping rhythmically, tormenting, poking everywhere but your g-spot. Gloss drips down his knuckles and glazes his rings. 

“S-sir please, s’too much” you whimper, mustering up an ineffective stable voice. “Hmm? Can you hear the lewd sounds you’re making?” Loud squelches sing from him fucking your insides. Each time you try to speak, he elicits another moan. 

“M-my sto-mach hurtss” you whine. He holds your waist in place with the other hand and continues the assault. “I know, it hurts? Would you like me to alleviate the pain?” he coos. You nod fast. 

“Hold it in. You ask for permission every time you’re close, do you understand?” You don’t reply and try to angle your body to get more contact. You make the mistake of guiding yourself to your clit and earn a harsh stinging slap on your hand. “Don’t touch what’s mine” he orders. You’re frustrated and he’s doing it on purpose, it’s entirely too hot where pleasure and pain blur. “N-not yours” you stammer, and he stops. He pulls out your warmth and you whine from loss of pressure. Looking at him, there's no smile, and the irritation on his face makes your heart drop. You're really in for it. 

Without delay, your stomach flies over one of the chair arms, and you hold onto it for dear life. It presses firm on your ribs, and he slants your ass to the air. “You have courage, speaking back to me” he says. He pulls his gloves off and hurls them. They’re lovely, the silken soft hands of a man who hadn't lifted a finger through combat a day in his life. They sink into your sex, and you moan out for him. The other winds back, and you feel the palm hit brutally on your unsuspecting backside. Crack. It echoes in the room, and you almost fly forward. 

“Disrespectful.” Crack. He keeps pumping through it, and tears collect in your lashes. 

“Disobedient.” Crack. There’s blood rushing to your head, and violent smacks make your pussy flutter and ass ripple; his control won’t give you adequate touch.  

“Little.” Crack. Every time he feels you getting there, he pauses. A masochistic pleasure whirls innermost. 

“Brat.” Crack. Both cheeks are a sore fiery color and beginning to welt, but he resumes. You’re drenching his palm, sobbing from prolonged edging and Pantalone laughs. “Pfft, you’re crying? Too embarrassed to beg? Perhaps I’ll give you what you want, if you grovel hard enough, darling.” An incoherent orchestra of please’s mesh with broken moans. “Sir m’sorry. Wan’ it so bad, p-please!” you mumble. There’s no dignity on your lips, no residue of the hero you once were. Drunken ardor floods your short-circuiting brain. 

“Oh, what do you say? You want it? Is that it? I'll let you have it... but only if you say it loud and clear for me” he croons. He winds his fingers in a come-hither gesture that licks your core. 

“Please...I won’t misbehave again!” He spreads your ass apart and watches your hole pucker from lining the brink. 

“I’m not sure I want to give it to you now. It's a lot more enjoyable watching you squirm and beg.” 

“’M yours, sir. Please give it to me. I’ll be s’good, promise!” you mewl. You’re so pathetic, it’s endearing. He simpers and maneuvers impossibly fast while gyrating your clit. “How humiliating. You’ve satisfied me.” Your eyes roll back, and you dissolve in pure euphoria. There’s black dots in your vision, and it doesn’t stop as he starts torturing your overstimulated clit with the pad of his thumb. Your tears only encourage him. You jerk and spasm, but he moves where you move with insistent skill. “T-too m-” 

“Aww, what’s wrong? Isn’t this what you wanted, where are your manners?” Pantalone pulls out and delivers staggering mean swats to your pussy, and you recoil. “Say thank you” he demands. 

“Thank you, sir.” He hums and picks you up in his arms. Before color can return to your numb cells, he lays you on the desk. You watch him pull his shirt up to his pecs with haste and uncover the lean skinny midsection. Unzipping his pants, he unsheathes his leaking thumping erection. Even his dick is pretty, it curves upwards and shades a starving dusty pink past the thin strip of tissue on the underside of his bulbous tip. Composure thinning, a bead of pre come runs down his tip at the sight of provocation sluicing your ass and thighs. His glasses plunge down his neck, body blushed wildly, but he doesn’t care. Pantalone slides between your labia and groans at the sound. Engulfing the tip in awaiting velvet warmth, “You’re so good for me, hm?” he sighs. You embrace him, delicious searing stretch of your walls forming to his cock. Your orgasm builds just from your body accommodating the size. He places your hands on your calves and holds them at your sides. He slips out, and in one swoop, drives into you. His heavy balls smack against your ass as he thrusts frenetically in the gooey grip he’d been waiting for, stalking and spying for. He digs crescent shapes in your waist and uses you to his abundance. The desk base creaks and grinds on abrading wood and obituaries float to the floor with overturned calligraphy ink from the unrelenting momentum. You throw your head back and indulge the carnal lust washing over you both. 

“You’ll never see anyone ever again. Fuck- you’re mine, and mine alone. You’re nothing but a come dump, your purpose is to please me, hah, until I say it’s over” his voice is unexpectedly deprived and weighty with vulgar whimpers. Pantalone eyes your neck and encapsulates it in his slender hand. He clenches tight and releases in sporadic bursts that have you seizing around him. For a split second there’s the image of you—exorbitant pearled collar wrapped around your throat, with “Pantalone” inscribed in bedazzled letters—and he loses it. He swipes your clit rapidly and feeds you deep strokes; you’ll definitely die. You speak, but it’s unintelligible rambling. 

“Use your words” he lilts, squeezing your airflow taut. “C-can I, sir, please?” 

“You’ll do it on my command.” Pantalone thrusts frenetically, you can feel him bucking, twitching and quickly approaching his climax. His hips sputter, chanting some mixture of your name and curses under his breath. “You’re so obedient for me, aren’t you? F-fuck, darling, go ahead. Come on my cock.” You permit yourself to surrender, white noise streams in and time slows as you come down his shaft. A creamy ring forms at the hilt of his slaps. You recite “thank you” through wails with the semblance of a follower at the altar of their savior. Then he grabs your face and goes in for a kiss.  

It’s sloppy and misses half your lip, but its doughy attachment mellows your blissed out head. His lips taste like the bitter excess of green tea, and you crane for a better sample. His tongue does things his fingers couldn’t, and swirls around yours in a passionate bruising waltz. Pantalone breaks away, a string of saliva when he frees himself. “Mm, coming. Gonna claim you everywhere” he whimpers. Sweat on his lustered abdomen, he pumps his tender cock before spurting thick hot ropes across your tits and stomach. He paints your vulva with the rest and plunges the tip in your entry so as to not waste the endless globs of white. He tremors inside you until soft, and when some dribbles out he fingers it back inside.  

Afterwards, Pantalone opens one of the drawers on the desk and takes out an embossed loan dismissal form. You can’t read the finer details through hazy eyesight. “It’s already signed, so don’t worry. I won’t deceive you.” He caresses your face in his normal sing-song attitude. “We depart in the morning.” You don’t have a clue where you’re going or how you’ll get there as you drift unconscious. Once you’re asleep, Pantalone shuffles in a different locked drawer. He twiddles the stunning purple geode in his hand, a crystal lined mineral you gave to him years prior. He looks at you, then the druse, and cackles. 

“Mine. Always.” 

[ovpwebnetwork]

Press Release

DIFS Reminds Consumers to Watch Out for Financial Services, Insurance Fraud Schemes During International Fraud Awareness Week

Media Contact: Laura Hall, 517-290-3779, DIFS-press@michigan.gov

Consumer Hotline: 877-999-6442, Michigan.gov/DIFScomplaints

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 13, 2023

(LANSING, MICH) This week is International Fraud Awareness Week, and the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) is reminding consumers to be on the lookout for fraudsters impersonating bank or credit union employees on the phone to steal personal information. Consumers who suspect they fell victim to fraud should report it to the DIFS Fraud Investigation Unit (FIU).

“DIFS has received reports of fraud cases involving consumers giving their online account login information to callers pretending to be bank and credit union employees. It is important to remember to never give out personal information to unsolicited callers, even if the caller ID makes it appear that the call is from your bank or credit union,” said DIFS Director Anita Fox. “At DIFS, we promote fraud awareness and work to protect Michiganders from fraud and bad actors in the insurance and financial services industries. Michiganders who suspect fraud can report it online or by calling DIFS at 877-999-6442 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.”

Here are important steps that consumers can take to avoid falling prey to fraud:

NEVER give personal or account information to anyone calling YOU, even if the caller says that it is for "verification purposes." Personal information or identity verifying information should be provided only to organizations or companies that you have called or initiated contact with.

If the person contacting you says that there is a problem that must be resolved immediately, hang up and call the phone number that you know will get you to someone who can be trusted with personal or account information. This could be the phone number on your debit or credit card, account statement, or on mailed correspondence from the company. Do NOT call phone numbers provided in text messages or voicemails by the person contacting you, and never reply to an unsolicited text message.

Use multifactor authentication in addition to a password to log into accounts, such as a security code sent via text message or email. Do NOT provide this security code to anyone under any circumstances. Other multifactor authentication measures can include a scan of your fingerprint, retina, or face on a mobile device, or a passcode via an authentication app.

The DIFS FIU investigates criminal and fraudulent activity related to the insurance and financial markets and DIFS works with the Attorney General and other state, county, and local law enforcement to investigate these cases and refer them for prosecution. In addition to the work done by the FIU, DIFS also offers a variety of resources to help fight fraud, including the DIFS website, publications, videos, and the DIFS Locator, which enables consumers to verify that they are working with properly licensed individuals and businesses in the insurance and financial services industries.

Suspected fraud in the insurance and financial sectors can be reported to the FIU safely, easily, and, in most cases, anonymously by calling 877-999-6442 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by visiting Michigan.gov/ReportFraud2DIFS.

The mission of the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services is to ensure access to safe and secure insurance and financial services fundamental for the opportunity, security, and success of Michigan residents, while fostering economic growth and sustainability in both industries. In addition, the Department provides consumer protection, outreach, and financial literacy and education services to Michigan residents. For more information, visit Michigan.gov/DIFS or follow the Department on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

####

[detectiveagency1]

The Role of Private Detectives in Amritsar

Amritsar, a city steeped in history and tradition, is a bustling hub of activity in Punjab, India. Amidst the vibrant culture and rich heritage, a silent, diligent group of professionals plays a crucial role in the lives of its residents — private detectives. In this blog post, we will explore the multifaceted role of private Detectives in Amritsar, uncovering the mysteries they solve and the valuable services they provide.

Understanding Private Detectives

Private detectives, also known as private investigators, are skilled professionals trained to gather information, uncover facts, and solve a wide array of cases. In Amritsar, a city that balances its ancient roots with modern challenges, private detectives adapt their expertise to address the unique needs of the community.

Personal Investigations

1. Infidelity Cases

In a city where traditional values hold significant importance, suspicions of infidelity can create turmoil in relationships. Private detectives discreetly investigate these cases, offering clarity and closure to clients. Their ability to gather evidence plays a pivotal role in resolving these emotionally charged situations.

2. Missing Persons Cases

Amritsar’s bustling streets can sometimes lead to unexpected separations. Private detectives, familiar with the local terrain and communities, excel in locating missing persons. Their expertise proves invaluable in reuniting families and ensuring the safety of individuals.

Corporate Investigations

3. Background Checks

As Amritsar’s business sector continues to grow, companies seek trustworthy employees. Private detectives assist by conducting comprehensive background checks on potential hires, ensuring that organizations make informed decisions when bringing individuals on board.

4. Fraud Prevention

In a city with a thriving commercial landscape, the risk of financial fraud is ever-present. Detective agency in Amritsar collaborate with businesses to identify and prevent fraudulent activities, safeguarding their financial interests.

5. Corporate Espionage

The competitive nature of Amritsar’s business environment has led to an increase in corporate espionage. Private detectives employ surveillance, information gathering, and security measures to protect companies from intellectual property theft and data breaches.

Legal Support

6. Evidence Collection

Private detectives often work closely with law firms and legal professionals to collect evidence for civil and criminal cases. Their ability to discreetly gather crucial information can significantly impact the outcome of legal proceedings.

7. Witness Statements

Witness statements are pivotal in legal proceedings. Detectives are skilled at interviewing witnesses and obtaining detailed statements that can be used effectively in court.

Digital Investigations

8. Cybersecurity

As Amritsar embraces the digital age, the need for cybersecurity has never been greater. Private detectives in the city are well-versed in cyber investigations, aiding individuals and businesses in protecting their digital assets and sensitive information.

Conclusion

The role of private Detectives in Amritsar is diverse and ever-evolving. These professionals are not just problem solvers but also champions of truth and justice in a city that holds its values dear. As Amritsar continues to grow and confront new challenges, private detectives remain a vital resource for individuals, businesses, and the legal system. They ensure that the heart of this vibrant city remains secure and its secrets protected, allowing its residents to carry on with their lives with peace of mind.

[things-to--san-diego-ca]

A Dynamic Neighborhood

Broadstone features a range of luxury apartments Little Italy is proud to offer. These include studio, 1, 2, and 3-bedroom apartments. As part of its commitment to modern living, the apartment complex provides residents with a seamless blend of convenience and connectivity. Complimentary Wi-Fi ensures high-speed internet access in communal areas. At the same time, MP3 docking stations and strategically placed USB electrical outlets offer tech-savvy solutions for entertainment and productivity.

Beyond the apartments, the vibrant neighborhood of Little Italy beckons with its eclectic dining scene, cultural attractions, and waterfront charm. Broadstone Little Italy provides the perfect backdrop for a sophisticated urban lifestyle, where residents can enjoy this dynamic neighborhood's luxury and energy.

The Livability of San Diego, California

San Diego offers exceptional livability with its Mediterranean climate, beautiful beaches, and various recreational activities. The city's diverse neighborhoods cater to various preferences, from bustling urban areas to tranquil coastal communities. Boasting a strong job market, particularly in the technology and biotech sectors, the region provides ample career opportunities. San Diego's renowned cultural scene includes museums, theaters, and year-round festivals. The city prioritizes education, with renowned universities and excellent schools. While the cost of living can be high, the overall quality of life, access to healthcare, and abundant outdoor and cultural amenities make San Diego a desirable place to live.

San Diego Zoo

The San Diego Zoo is among the world's most renowned and expansive zoological parks. Established in 1916, it spans 100 acres and is home to over 12,000 animals, representing more than 650 species and subspecies. The zoo is celebrated for its dedication to conservation, education, and research. It actively participates in numerous breeding and conservation programs for endangered species.

Visitors can explore the zoo's diverse habitats, including the African Plains, Panda Canyon, and Elephant Odyssey, offering up-close encounters with creatures from around the globe. The zoo's commitment to providing naturalistic enclosures and immersive experiences makes it a leader in animal welfare and education.

San Diego Planning Stricter Street-vendor Law

Regulating street vending is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it ensures public safety by enforcing health and hygiene standards, preventing foodborne illnesses, and reducing fire hazards. Regulations also help manage congestion in public spaces, ensuring that sidewalks and streets remain accessible to pedestrians and emergency services.

Additionally, regulations protect consumers from fraud and unscrupulous vendors by setting pricing and quality standards. They promote fair competition among vendors and local businesses, contributing to a thriving economy. By regulating street vending, cities can also maintain the aesthetic appeal of their neighborhoods, enhancing the overall urban experience. It balances entrepreneurship and public interest, fostering safer, more vibrant, and economically stable communities.

Link to maps

San Diego Zoo 2920 Zoo Dr, San Diego, CA 92101, United States Head south on Zoo Dr 2 sec (20 ft) Continue on Zoo Pl. Take Florida Dr and I-5 N to Kettner Blvd 8 min (3.1 mi) Broadstone Little Italy 1980 Kettner Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101, United States

[ailtrahq]

According to a local media outlet of Turkey, Faruk Fatih Ozer, the founder of the Thodex Cryptocurrency exchange, his sister Serap Ozer and his brother Guven Ozer, have been sentenced to 11,196 years, 10 months, and 15 days in prison.  Thodex was one of Turkey’s leading crypto exchanges, but in April 2021, it went off the internet, and the exchange’s founder went missing. According to some media reports, over 400,000 users were affected by the theft and could not process their transactions.  Ozer left his residence and fled to Albania, but later, in August 2022, he was arrested after Interpol issued a red notice against him. A Turkish media outlet highlights that the honorable court has imposed a fine of 135 Million liras on all three suspects. After 8 months of legal procedures, Ozer was extradited to Turkey and detained by police upon his arrival. The police officials charged him with seven charges, including the management and establishment of institutions with the motive to commit fraud, among other charges. When this mass issue went viral, the brother, sister of Ozer, and four other senior executives of the company were sent behind bars. More than 83 others were detained in the entire investigation process. On September 7, 2023, the Anatolian 9th Heavy Penal Court announced the verdict, acquitting 16 of the 21 defendants and releasing 4 of them due to lack of evidence. Other defendants were given varying degrees of imprisonment based on the nature of their crime. Did Thodex and Coinzo Follow a Similar Pattern to Exit the Market?  It is believed that Thodex, Coinzo, and a few other crypto exchanges in Turkey halted their services following the Turkish central bank’s decision to ban Cryptocurrency usage. The central bank banned the usage of crypto and Digital Assets in April 2021.  Numerous Market analysts believe the decision to ban crypto in Turkey adversely affected the entire Cryptocurrency sector. In a statement of 2021, Chainalysis, a blockchain forensic firm, stated- “We should note that roughly 90% of the total value lost to rug pulls in 2021 can be attributed to one fraudulent centralized exchange, whose CEO disappeared soon after the exchange halted users’ ability to withdraw funds.” They also noted that the loss is estimated at over $2.6 Billion. 

[cryptofuturetimes]

ConsenSys Researchers Say 9 Out of 10 People Are Aware of Cryptocurrencies

Despite the fact that the popularity of the cryptocurrency sector is high, not all inhabitants of the planet Earth know about Web3 technology. This statement was made by ConsenSys analysts in their global industry report. According to the data, 9 out of 10 people around the world said they had heard of digital currencies and bitcoin (BTC). Among the countries in terms of awareness about cryptocurrencies, Nigeria, South Africa and Brazil are leading. However, only 8% of respondents assured that they are familiar with the concept of Web3. According to the researchers, this highlights the gap between the public perception of the technology sector and its potential to address issues related to privacy, identity and digital rights ownership. By the way, it turned out that citizens of European countries are more skeptical about cryptocurrencies. In addition, residents of Japan and South Korea are similarly configured. In these countries, digital currencies are associated with negative concepts such as fraud, money laundering and speculation. At the same time, in most countries of Southeast Asia, South America and Africa, they have a positive attitude towards this asset class and the Web3 industry. In Argentina and Nigeria, the local currency is highly volatile and cryptocurrencies are seen as a key way to access global capital and hedge against inflation. While many respondents are unaware of Web3, the majority support the concepts behind the technology. About 50% believe that this will increase the value of the Internet, and 67% argue that a person should be the owner of the content created on the network. Only 38% of those surveyed stated that they receive a fair reward for their contribution. Concern about data privacy is the most important issue, with 83% of respondents saying so. About 70% of those surveyed believe that they should receive a large share of the profits from companies using their data. Approximately 79% of people desire complete control over their digital identity. Read the full article

[avinashprabhu040]

Hospitality company booked for duping couple on pretext of providing 5-year membership

The complainants in their FIR have stated that Jukaso Hospitality Group has engaged a number of people/representatives for the promotion of business of their company and deputed them at petrol pumps all over India. The complainants too had given their number and address to one such representative

The Panchkula police have registered a complaint of fraud against a hospitality company that allegedly duped a city-based couple after taking money from them in lieu of giving them a free trip as well as a five-year membership in their company.

The complainants in the case — who have been identified as Nilay Saini and his wife, Meenu Saini, both residents of Sector-10, Panchkula — have alleged that Jukaso Hospitality Group, which has resorts, as well as hotels at various locations in India and abroad, is involved in wilful misappropriation of funds for their own unlawful gains/benefits.

The directors of the company — who have been identified as Neelu Anand, Rajiv Khanna, and others — have been booked by the Panchkula police under sections 406 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The complainants in their First Information Report (FIR) have stated to the police that Jukaso Hospitality Group has engaged a number of people/representatives for the promotion of business of their company and deputed these representatives at petrol pumps all over India.

These men note down the mobile number and addresses of people who come to get fuel for their vehicles. The complainants too had given their number and address to one such representative, a few days after which they were invited for a lunch/dinner meeting at Sagar Ratna, Sector-9, Panchkula, on February 2, 2018.

There the complainants met with Simran Preet Sandhu, who introduced himself as a “journey executive”, as well as Ankit Kumar Singh, who was the supposed venue/branch manager of the company. “The duo during the meeting convinced us to buy a five years journey package from them for a total sum of Rs 96,000,” the FIR states.

The sum was deposited on the same day by the complainants.

The FIR further reads that the suspects then handed over a gift certificate to the complainants for two nights/three days stay at any one of their hotels, which are located in Dharamshala, Udaipur, Manali, Bhimtal, Switzerland, or New Delhi. However, as the complainants were preoccupied with business engagements and their children had exams, they couldn’t use the gift certificate.

In February, 2021 the complainants planned to use their membership and take a holiday from February 6 to February 8 on the occasion of their 25th marriage anniversary and tried contacting the company for the same. However, after several attempts and correspondences, Jukaso told the complainant couple that their holiday could not be booked due. They stated the unavailability of hotel rooms at said locations, among other reasons.

“We then came to know that the company has been using a similar modus operandi for a long time and had collected huge amounts of money from the public, on the pretext of providing them with tour package facilities. It was then that we decided to approach the police,” the FIR read.

[newstfionline]

Saturday, January 16, 2021

Hot again: 2020 sets yet another global temperature record (AP) Earth’s rising fever hit or neared record hot temperature levels in 2020, global weather groups reported Thursday. While NASA and a couple of other measurement groups said 2020 passed or essentially tied 2016 as the hottest year on record, more agencies, including the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, said last year came in a close second or third. The differences in rankings mostly turned on how scientists accounted for data gaps in the Arctic, which is warming faster than the rest of the globe. All the monitoring agencies agree the six warmest years on record have been the six years since 2015. The 10 warmest have all occurred since 2005. Temperatures the last six or seven years “really hint at an acceleration in the rise of global temperatures,” said Russ Vose, analysis branch chief at NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information.

A siege on the U.S. Capitol, a strike against democracy worldwide (Washington Post) As the Trump administration sought to drive Venezuelan autocrat Nicolás Maduro from power, activist Jorge Barragán embraced the effort as the good and moral crusade of the world’s greatest democracy. Then came the siege on the U.S. Capitol. The 22-year-old student activist watched “in shock” from his hometown in western Venezuela last week as a mob inspired by President Trump invaded Congress to attempt to overturn an election loss. Barragán could not pull away from the YouTube images showing the pro-Trump marauders acting very much like Maduro’s colectivos—the extraofficial thugs that keep opponents in check and a dictator in charge. “Our main ally in the fight for democracy has tumbled,” Barragán said. “What does that mean for us?” Four years of Trump had already dimmed the United States’ democratic bona fides. From Egypt to Honduras to Saudi Arabia to North Korea, Trump signaled tolerance for human rights abuses. Analysts now warn of a herculean task ahead for Biden. Global inequality, historic migration and deep polarization have driven satisfaction with democracy to disturbing lows. Biden could be weakened by the millions of Trump voters who still say his victory was illegitimate. Meanwhile, any attempt to preach the rule of law to [other nations] could draw calls to get his own house in order first.

Biden Outlines $1.9 Trillion Spending Package to Combat Virus and Downturn (NYT) President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Thursday proposed a $1.9 trillion rescue package to combat the economic downturn and the Covid-19 crisis, outlining the type of sweeping aid that Democrats have demanded for months and signaling the shift in the federal government’s pandemic response as Mr. Biden prepares to take office. The package includes more than $400 billion to combat the pandemic directly, including money to accelerate vaccine deployment and to safely reopen most schools within 100 days. Another $350 billion would help state and local governments bridge budget shortfalls, while the plan would also include $1,400 direct payments to individuals, more generous unemployment benefits, federally mandated paid leave for workers and large subsidies for child care costs. It is unclear how easily Mr. Biden can secure enough votes for a plan of such ambition and expense, especially in the Senate.

Mexico declines to prosecute ex-Defense Minister Cienfuegos on drug charges (Washington Post) Three months after Mexico’s former defense minister was arrested in Los Angeles on drug-trafficking charges—a shocking move that would strain U.S.-Mexican relations—the case came to a close on Thursday night, after Mexican authorities decided not to pursue charges against Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos. The U.S. Justice Department had initially billed the case against Cienfuegos as a blockbuster. The retired military leader was arrested on Oct. 15 on arrival at the Los Angeles airport on charges he had helped the H-2 cartel send thousands of kilos of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines to the United States. But weeks later, after intense pressure from the Mexican government, the Justice Department made the highly unusual decision to drop the charges and send him home for investigation. The case illustrated the power of Mexico’s military, which has become the main force fighting the country’s criminal cartels. Under President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the armed forces have also assumed a variety of other roles—running ports, delivering vaccines during the coronavirus pandemic, and building airports and other infrastructure projects. Many senior military officials were outraged at the detention of Cienfuegos, whom they viewed as an honest leader. They feared the U.S. arrest might lead to future investigations against other members of the armed forces, according to analysts and officials. Stung by the anger among the military and Mexican politicians, López Obrador threatened to limit anti-drug cooperation with Washington.

UK has ‘largest population fall since the Second World War’ (The Independent) Up to 1.3 million immigrants have left the UK—the largest population fall since the Second World War—with coronavirus the likely cause, a study says. In London alone, almost 700,000 foreign-born residents are believed to have moved out, leading to a potential 8 per cent shrinking of the size of the capital, it argues. The study, by the government-funded Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE), draws a clear link with the devastation inflicted by the pandemic on sectors such as hospitality. “It seems that much of the burden of job losses during the pandemic has fallen on non-UK workers and that has manifested itself in return migration, rather than unemployment,” the authors concluded. “It seems that much of the burden of job losses during the pandemic has fallen on non-UK workers and that has manifested itself in return migration, rather than unemployment,” the authors concluded. Brexit is not being pinpointed as a cause of the sharp decline, but could yet have implications for filling jobs when the economic recovery comes.

Dutch government resigns over childcare subsidies scandal (Reuters) Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced the resignation of his government on Friday, accepting responsibility for years of mismanagement of childcare subsidies, which wrongfully drove thousands of families to financial ruin. The resignation follows a parliamentary inquiry last month that found bureaucrats at the tax service had wrongly accused families of fraud. The inquiry report said around 10,000 families had been forced to repay tens of thousands of euros of subsidies, in some cases leading to unemployment, bankruptcies and divorces, in what it called an “unprecedented injustice”. Many of the families were targeted based on their ethnic origin or dual nationalities, the tax office said last year.

Spain rejects virus confinement as most of Europe stays home (AP) While most of Europe kicked off 2021 with earlier curfews or stay-at-home orders, authorities in Spain insist the new coronavirus variant causing havoc elsewhere is not to blame for a sharp resurgence of cases and that the country can avoid a full lockdown even as its hospitals fill up. The government has been fending off drastic home confinement like the one that paralyzed the economy for nearly three months in the spring of 2020, the last time Spain could claim victory over the stubborn rising curve of cases. Unlike Portugal, which is going on a month-long lockdown Friday and doubling fines for those who don’t wear masks, officials in Spain insist it will be enough to take short, highly localized measures that restrict social gatherings without affecting the whole economy.

Merkel’s CDU Gathers to Choose New Leader (Foreign Policy) The next chair of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and possibly the next leader of the country, will be decided over the next two days, as 1,001 party delegates meet virtually to select a successor to Chancellor Angela Merkel as party leader. No matter who wins, they will not only have to live up to German expectations, but the world’s too. For the third year running, Germany topped a Gallup poll where respondents were asked to rate their approval of a country’s leadership. A Pew poll of 14 countries, taken in the summer, showed confidence in Angela Merkel was at all time highs.

U.S. forces in Afghanistan cut to 2,500, lowest level since 2001 (Washington Post) The Pentagon has reduced the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan to 2,500, according to a statement Friday, completing a previously announced rapid drawdown despite a Congressional prohibition of the move and rising levels of violence in the country. “This drawdown brings U.S. forces in the country to their lowest levels since 2001,” said Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller in the statement. Miller also said “the United States is closer than ever to ending nearly two decades of war and welcoming in an Afghan-owned, Afghan-led peace process to achieve a political settlement and a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire.” But violence is increasing in many parts of Afghanistan, and peace talks in Qatar have made little progress since they were launched in September.

N.Korea holds huge military parade as Kim vows nuclear might (AP) North Korea displayed new submarine-launched ballistic missiles under development and other military hardware in a parade that underlined leader Kim Jong Un’s defiant calls to expand the country’s nuclear weapons program. State media said Kim took center stage in Thursday night’s parade celebrating a major ruling party meeting in which he vowed maximum efforts to bolster the nuclear and missile program that threatens Asian rivals and the American homeland to counter what he described as U.S. hostility. During an eight-day Workers’ Party congress that ended Tuesday, Kim also revealed plans to salvage the nation’s economy, hit by U.S.-led sanctions over his nuclear ambitions, pandemic-related border closures and natural disasters that wiped out crops. Kim’s comments are likely intended to pressure the incoming U.S. government of Joe Biden, who has previously called the North Korean leader a “thug” and accused Trump of chasing spectacle rather than meaningful curbs on the North’s nuclear capabilities. Kim has not ruled out talks, but said the fate of bilateral relations depends on whether Washington abandons its hostile policy toward North Korea.

Indonesia quake kills at least 42, injures hundreds (Reuters) A powerful earthquake killed at least 42 people and injured hundreds on Indonesia’s island of Sulawesi on Friday, trapping several under rubble and unleashing dozens of aftershocks as authorities warned of more quakes that could trigger a tsunami. Thousands of frightened residents fled their homes for higher ground when the magnitude 6.2-quake struck 6 km (4 miles) northeast of the town of Majene, at a depth of just 10 km, shortly before 1.30 a.m. The quake and aftershocks damaged more than 300 homes and two hotels, as well as flattening a hospital and the office of a regional governor. The heightened seismic activity set off three landslides, severed electricity supplies, and damaged bridges linking to regional hubs, such as the city of Makassar. Heavy rain was also worsening conditions for those seeking shelter.

Palestinians announce first elections in 15 years, on eve of Biden era (Reuters) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced parliamentary and presidential elections on Friday, the first in 15 years, in an effort to heal long-standing internal divisions. The move is widely seen as a response to criticism of the democratic legitimacy of Palestinian political institutions, including Abbas’s presidency. It also comes days before the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden, with whom the Palestinians want to reset relations after they reached a low under President Donald Trump. According to a decree issued by Abbas’s office, the Palestinian Authority (PA), which has limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, will hold legislative elections on May 22 and a presidential vote on July 31. Hamas, the Islamist militant group which is Abbas’s main domestic rival, welcomed the announcement. But veteran West Bank analyst Hani al-Masri was sceptical that the elections would happen. He cited internal disagreements within Abbas’s Fatah and Hamas, and likely U.S., Israeli and European Union opposition to any Palestinian government including Hamas, which they regard as a terrorist group.

CNN’s correction of the week (Business Insider) After a tumultuous week in the US, most Americans could likely use a little humor. And they got it in the form of an amusing correction from CNN regarding what Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu of California grabbed during the Capitol siege. “CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated that Rep. Ted Lieu grabbed a crowbar before leaving his office. He grabbed a ProBar energy bar,” a correction for a CNN story states.

[georgiaprelawland]

The United States And The Law Of Digital Currency

By Chris Louis-Jacques, Kennesaw State University Class of 2021

October 6, 2020

The demise of physical currency is among us. The United States is gaining interest in a national digital currency; positive outcomes from such a monetary altercation are apparent through the successes of China with their own application of a digital currency - the DCEP, which will be included in popular applications like WeChat and AliPay[3]. On June 30th, 2020, the United States’ Senate Banking committee held a hearing to delve into the logistical implications that such a prodigious rendition would yield[3].

The idea of a national digital currency spawns from disputes pertaining to CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg’s introduction of a new potentiality: the Libra congress hearings, where Facebook introduced a new form of digital units backed by a basket of currencies and commodities[3]. Zuckerberg implored his Congressional audience to understand that Libra was a decentralized currency. Nonetheless, regulators were not persuaded and rebuked the long-term threat to the traditional financial system. On July 9, 2019, regulators requested a moratorium on the project[3]. Despite the ambitious efforts of Zuckerberg, the event introduced a logical possibility that would mitigate monetary distributions during this unprecedented period of a global pandemic.

In regard to the distribution of the $1200 COVID stimulus checks, the effectiveness of a digital dollar would yield a more efficient core of distribution amongst American citizens. A vast number of citizens have yet to acquire their pandemic relief funds while over $1.4 billion has been distributed to dead people [3]. Thus, a national digital currency would alleviate all of these futile errors and invite a properly structured system of distribution with universal systemic functions.

Politicians have scrutinized the aptitude of such monetary revisions and Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)deemed the following at the Senate Banking Committee, “The U.S. needs a digital dollar...The U.S. dollar has to keep earning that place in the global payments system. It has to be better than bitcoin … it has to be better than a digital yuan”[3]. Moreover, Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) proposed a new stimulus proposal of $2,000 per month to residents through the Automatic BOOST to Communities Act (ABC Act). Under the ABC Act, Congress would permit the Federal Reserve to create “FedAccounts,” or “Digital Dollar Account Wallets,” which authorizes U.S. residents and business to access financial services through an app on their phone [3]. Therefore, by bringing our monetary platform to phones and applications, economic relief would follow in suit by eradicating the colossal bewilderment that torments contemporary society in the closing and re-opening of many prominent banking systems. A plethora of U.S. citizens have also yet to receive their unemployment benefits and thus their monetary plights merely amplify.

Furthermore, in order to eliminate physical currency, one must examine how much still lingers within the society at hand.  As of the 12th of February2020, over $1.75 trillion worth of paper cash circulates through the United States [1]. This quantitative inference does seem quite large, although, in comparison to the digital existence of the latter amount, it is evidently inferior. Interesting enough, nearly 90% of US dollars have no physical existence – they are purely digital. But this is not just for the USA; world-wide, only 8% of currency exists as physical cash[1]. Thus, the bulk of the world’s monetary vault exist within checking and savings bank deposits, money market funds, and similar cash-equivalents [1].

In light of the logical potentiality intertwined with a digital currency, the Federal Reserve gained interest into a possible legitimacy of the concept. Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard presented a vague description of the Fed’s ongoing research and plans in the potential development of a U.S. central bank digital currency (CBDC), also described in the U.S. as a Digital Dollar [2].Brainard, in her speech to during Federal Reserve ‘Innovation Office Hours’ at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, declared, “Given the dollar's important role, it is essential that the Federal Reserve remain on the frontier of research and policy development regarding CBDCs. As part of this research, central banks are exploring the potential of innovative technologies to offer a digital equivalent of cash...We are continuing to assess the opportunities and challenges of, as well as the use cases for, a CBDC, as a complement to cash and other payments options”[2].Thus, even the Federal Reserve heeds the ingenious efforts of a central bank digital currency.

Brainard elaborates by deeming ‘in-house experiments’ at the ‘Board Technology Lab’ occurred, where a multidisciplinary team of application developers from the Federal Reserve Banks of Cleveland, Dallas, and New York helps support a policy team at the Board studying the “implications of digital currencies on the payments ecosystem, monetary policy, financial stability, banking and finance, and consumer protection” [2]. Moreover, Brainard contends that the bulk of current research is to understand safety and efficiency of digital currency systems, including ‘private-sector arrangements’, and provide hands-on experience to understand the technologies available for central bank money [2].Brainard further clarifies that the U.S. is participating in the CBDC coalition of central banks on lessons learned, jointly conducting experiments, to understand the threats to cybersecurity, counterfeiting and fraud, and anti-money laundering [2].Brainard sheds the most paramount concern by announcing the foremost goal of “increasing the ease and efficiency of cross-border transactions,” Brainard also forewarns on avoiding a ‘poorly designed CBDC’ that could create financial stability issues elsewhere [2].

Ultimately, the likelihood of a CBDC is plausible considering the logical implications such an action would yield. In a period where unemployment distributions are at unprecedented time of disarray, digital currency invites anamiable alternative. Whether alleviating monetary plights during our pandemic, introducing a user-friendly cellular application to comprise all monetary savings, or a technological platform with heightened security protocols, a central bank digital currency affords immeasurable monetary stability for the bulk of American citizens.

________________________________________________________________

[1] Black, David B. “Who Needs Cryptocurrency FedCoin When We Already Have A National Digital Currency?” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 1 Mar. 2020, www.forbes.com/sites/davidblack/2020/03/01/who-needs-cryptocurrency-fedcoin-when-we-already-have-a-national-digital-currency/.

[2] Brett, Jason. “Federal Reserve Reveals Research Plans For Digital Dollar.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 13 Aug. 2020, www.forbes.com/sites/jasonbrett/2020/08/13/federal-reserve-reveals-research-plans-for-digital-dollar/.

[3] Koffman, Tatiana. “U.S. Moves Closer To Digital Dollar.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 4 July 2020, www.forbes.com/sites/tatianakoffman/2020/07/01/senate-moves-closer-to-digital-dollar/.

[ovpwebnetwork]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

November 8, 2023

Media Contact:

Danny Wimmer

Uniform Power of Attorney Bills Signed into Law

Amending the Uniform Power of Attorney Act is a legislative priority for the Department of Attorney General’s Elder Abuse Task Force

LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel applauds Governor Gretchen Whitmer for signing HB 4644 into law yesterday, which amends the Uniform Power of Attorney (POA) Act. This legislation, sponsored by Representative Kara Hope, helps ensure:

that a POA is accessible to more residents, which will decrease the number of guardianships and conservatorships appointed statewide;

increased acceptance of POA’s from financial institutions and healthcare providers; and

that agents fulfil their fiduciary duties by mandating that they maintain detailed records and receipts, and reiterates the right to recover damages from exploiting agents.

“This bill, and our continued work in this area, is fundamental to restoring basic dignity to some of the most vulnerable adults in our state,” said Nessel. “The passage of the Uniform Power of Attorney Act into law is yet another accomplishment from the Department’s Elder Abuse Task Force and I applaud Governor Whitmer for signing this important legislation into law.”

Michigan's Elder Abuse Task Force (EATF) launched in 2019 and consists of more than 55 different organizations and more than 100 individuals in the public, private and nonprofit sectors - all working together to combat elder abuse.

Earlier achievements include the adoption of a Vulnerable Adult Incident Report form for investigation by law enforcement across the state, including the implementation of related trainings and the Financial Exploitation Prevention Act (FEPA). FEPA was signed into law in 2021 to ensure mandated reporting for financial institutions on suspected fraud or exploitation. Both were part of the Task Force’s first set of initiatives.

The Department and EATF is also working with legislators on HB 4909, 4910, 4911, 4912, and 5047 which passed the Michigan House in October and are pending before the Senate.

It is estimated that more than 100,000 older adults in Michigan are victims of elder abuse, and that fewer than half of all instances are reported to authorities. Michigan residents seeking elder abuse resources are encouraged to call 800-24-ABUSE (22873), or 855-444-3911 to report suspected elder abuse

[keene74tran-blog]

GPB Capital Suit Investor Notice

Investors that invested in with GPB Funds Holdings LLC (“GPB”) or perhaps many of the particular independent broker-dealers that will sold GPB private positionings will be more than likely licking their wounds incurred inside 2018. According to the internet site, GPB is some sort of Fresh York-based alternative property administration firm focusing with acquiring income-producing private companies in various companies, notably the “automotive retail” sector. Since 2013, GPB, having the help of some, 000 store investors, elevated ~$1. a few billion by way of its GPB Automotive Collection and GPB Holdings II funds (“GPB Funds”), acquired automotive dealers in Brand new England, Pa, New You are able to and The state of texas. Investors had been lured by attractive expense returns supplied GPB together with the many other specialist dealers who sold the GPB Funds. Brokers ended up motivated to sell this GPB Funds because they will earned the 8% payment. In click here , agents received more than $465.21 million in commissions. Purchase Loss Recovery Group is now investigating claims against GPB and other firms that distributed GPB Funds. Buyers are encourage to call (888) 628-5590 as well as take a look at their website. In July 2017, GPB sued its former enterprise partner who presumably reneged on a great deals of multiple health care dealerships in the New York metropolitan place, where between various other claims, GPB sought this return of $42 million that had compensated to the former business spouse. Although litigation continues, different troubles for GPB came up in 2018: • Apr 2018: GPB failed to produce audited financial statements; • July 2018: GPB announced simply no new entrepreneur capital would be accepted; • September 2018: Massachusetts Split of Stock options launches research, including product sales practices associated with over 58 independent broker-dealers; • December 2018: GPB’s auditor, citing perceived risks, resigned; plus • 12 2018: FINRA and SEC has also presented impartial investigations into GPB in addition to those broker-dealers that possess purchased the GPB Resources. Based on WealthManagement. com, the particular State of Massachusetts’ investigation was prompted by means of an anonymous tip from your indie firm that GPB missed important SEC record deadlines, which were recommended due to size of the particular GPB Funds. According to be able to InvestmentNews, among the list of 63 impartial broker-dealers cited in the Massachusetts’ investigation ended up Royal Bijou Associates Incorporation., Sagepoint Financial Inc., FSC Securities Corp. and Woodbury Monetary Services Inc. In gpb automotive , it has the believed that Newbridge Securities, Ladenburg Thalmann in addition to Hightower Securities also distributed GPB Funds. The GPB Cash are private positioning opportunities, which can always be very complex, dangerous, and even improper for some retail industry option traders. Private placements are merely available for accredited investors, which can be an entrepreneur using over the $1 million web worth (individually or mutually, excluding residence), or salary greater than $200, 000 (or $300, 000 to get joint income) for the particular previous two years together with earning the equivalent in the particular current year. Individual agents licensed with the Monetary Market Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) have to adhere to various rules, laws and regulations when suggesting the buy, sale as well as hold of a security. Furthermore, the brokers’ employing companies are required by law to supervise the brokers’ activities. Unfortunately, some brokerages, possibly motivated by high-commissions private placements like often the GPB Funds, may possess run afoul of market rules, regulations in a good myriad of ways. These people, along with their taking the help of firms, might be responsible to you for the expense cutbacks in GPB Cash. If you are the investor who have any issues related to this dealing with of your investments found in this GPD Funds or even every other private position, make sure you visit Investment decision Damage Restoration Group or call at 1 (888) 628-5590 to get a no-cost consultation in addition to portfolio review...... Not any Healing period, no Fee. Visit our website at https://moneyfiles.org/gpb-capital-holdings-fraud-lawsuits/

[r0hitdhiman]

Hong Kong Travel Guide Blog For 2023

 You could be excused for thinking Hong Kong was just a metropolis considering its more than 1,200 buildings. You're mistaken about this because the region's more than 230 islands also have beaches, national parks, marine parks, and waterfalls.

Planning a trip to Hong Kong is exciting, especially after you realise everything the city offers. One of the most challenging aspects of arranging a vacation is figuring out your budget, whether you are trying to squeeze everything into a short stopover or have a long agenda to deal with.

What goes into a budget for Hong Kong?

Accommodation

Most tourists will ask the same questions while deciding where to stay in Hong Kong: Kowloon or Hong Kong Island. We advise Kowloon for first-time visitors because there are more affordable dining and entertainment options. Here is a simple guide if you are still undecided between the two:

Hong Kong Island: Is home to numerous skyscrapers and opulent residences. This website might be your best bet if you're travelling for work. Additionally, the island has top-notch eateries, pubs, galleries, and stores.

Kowloon: This area offers the most incredible views of the nightly Symphony of Lights Show and a stunning shoreline. Kowloon is regarded as Hong Kong's centre for entertainment and retail, offering a wide variety of malls, parks, museums, and shops to keep you occupied. Kowloon is home to numerous marketplaces and provides a broader range of lodging alternatives (and costs).

Food

How do we even begin? In Hong Kong, there are many excellent cuisine options. Because of its location, the food combines both Asian and European influences so that you may satisfy any craving.

You will undoubtedly find something that fits your budget, even though food isn't as inexpensive as in other Asian nations like Vietnam, China, or Cambodia. If you're looking for simple, low-cost meals to fill you up, street markets are a terrific choice. There are also many upscale eateries where chefs display their artistic talent and serve the newest and best cuisines (with a price tag to match, of course).

Last-minute tips

You avoid fraud and always use official, marked, metered taxis.

The wandering monks who offer blessings and souvenirs are also con artists.

Most restaurants will charge you a 10% service fee if you eat in a restaurant.

Most stores, malls, and restaurants don't open until after 10:00 p.m.

There are ATMs all over, so there's no need to worry about running out of money.

It pays to always have small bills on hand for street vendors and the cost of public transportation.

When using your Currency Pass, make your payment in HKD rather than AUD. You won't have to pay any more costs.

Although it is not customary to tip, it is appreciated in more upscale or well-known establishments.

Study your daily budget and factor in the things you want to undertake. Once you know the costs, you can set a savings target.

Hong Kong Packages

If you are looking for  Hongkong packages. Tralover offers numerous cheap Hongkong packages such as

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Despite being a young company, Tralover's personnel is entirely qualified, polite, and has more than 15 years of industry expertise. Their employees are prepared to manage new business opportunities, assess them, and reach new heights, given the sector's situation. They entered the market to offer services to highlight their quick and specialised services.

[jon-purizhansky]

Founder and CEO of Joblio.co

Founder and CEO of Joblio.co Jon Purizhansky points out that according to Human Rights Watch, An Italian program to provide undocumented migrants with a pathway to residency adopted amid the Covid-19 pandemic did not live up to its promise.

The Italian government struggled for years with the problem of undocumented migrants. At the same time, there is dire need for staff within the industries of agriculture and healthcare in Italy. Jon Purizhansky accents that the program created two pathways for undocumented migrants to acquire a temporary residency permit.

An employer sponsorship option limited to the agricultural sector, including livestock and fisheries, and the home care sectors, including care for people in their home and domestic work. It was available to people already employed irregularly – or with someone willing to hire them in these sectors – and who could prove they were in Italy before March 8. The other was a jobseeker permit available to people who became undocumented on or after October 31, 2019 and could prove that they were previously employed in agriculture or home care.

However, Italian employers are experiencing shortages of staff all across all the industries and not just the agriculture and the healthcare sectors. Despite the severity of the labor shortages, undocumented workers in construction, hospitality, and logistics, for example, were unable to apply for the program. The program also created an opportunity for fraud and further exploitation of vulnerable migrants, with reports of fictitious labor contracts being sold for up to €7,000.

Clearly, Italy requires an innovative approach that will bring transparency, compliance and efficiency into the industry of labor migration.

A global technology powered social impact project, Joblio directly connects employers who need staff with workers globally. Jon Purizhansky says that employers are able to post job opportunities that become visible to job applicants via join.joblio.co or a native Joblio app available on all Apple and Android devices. Most importantly, Joblio removes all middlemen who exist in the chain between employers and employees and, therefore, catalyzes the process of hiring and optimizes efficiency for both, the employers and the employees. Jon Purizhansky points out that transparency created by Joblio not only creates economic efficiencies, but also protects human rights.

It is for this reason that Joblio could become a real de-facto solution for the undocumented migrant crises in Italy. Jon Purizhansky says that Joblio invites everyone to join its global fight against the inequities and the unfairness that currently exist within the space of global labor migration.

Originally Posted: https://jonpurizhanskybuffalo.com/founder-and-ceo-of-joblio-co/

[coinprojects]

New Post has been published on https://coinprojects.net/blockchain-is-being-used-in-various-sectors-of-our-life/

Blockchain is Being Used in Various Sectors of Our Life

by Sumana Bhattacharya August 15, 2021

In keeping with its potential, blockchain is being utilized in varied sectors of our life

A blockchain is a digital database, typically often called a ledger, that’s used to collaboratively document info and transactions. Blockchain is at the moment extensively mentioned within the media all through the world. They’ve already been utilized in a wide range of purposes as decentralized methods to fraud-resistant computing that don’t depend on a trusted authority. A distributed, append-only log of time-stamped entries that’s secured by cryptography from manipulation and alteration is called a blockchain. Due to its distinctive traits, blockchain has been proposed for utilization in a wide range of purposes following its profitable implementation in Bitcoin.

1. Finance: By establishing a distributed public ledger, the blockchain reduces the complexities concerned with monetary companies by permitting miners to confirm transactions utilizing proof-of-work.

2. Cryptocurrency: Blockchain has enabled the creation of cryptocurrency, which now has a market capitalization within the billions of dollars. A brand new block is created by working a consensus methodology comparable to proof-of-work on the Bitcoin community, which is predicated on a blockchain – a distributed transaction public ledger.

3. International Funds: By providing a decentralized public ledger and a powerful verification software to validate transactions, blockchain expertise minimizes these issues. International funds are quicker, extra verifiable, immutable, and safer on this peer-to-peer community.

4. Insurance coverage Claims and Processing: The process could also be carried out successfully and securely utilizing blockchain (distributed ledger expertise).

5. Blockchain Authorities: Completely different authorities organizations and models could use blockchain expertise to determine reliable and profitable authorities operations by means of collaborative and clear networks. Knowledge is disseminated on the general public ledger underneath the blockchain authorities and it’s all the time out there to the general public.

6. Web of Issues (IoT): The Web-of-Issues (IoT) is created when a lot of units are linked (IoT). The Internet of Things (IoT) is anticipated to alter folks’s lives, making notions like good homes a actuality. Blockchain has the potential to be a necessary expertise for securing the Web of issues (IoT).

7. Sensible Properties: Within the context of good properties with the Web of Issues (IoT) units, blockchain can help in making certain secure and reliable operations. Nonetheless, owing to the excessive useful resource demand crucial for proof-of-work, restricted storage capability, low latency, and low scalability, implementing blockchain in such resource-restricted Web of Issues (IoT) units isn’t simple.

8. Cybersecurity: One other use of blockchain is in cybersecurity to stop future assaults, the place harmful info could also be exchanged throughout contributors or organizations through blockchain to stop future cyber-attacks.

9. Public Worth and Sensible Property: All entities or property, like a house, land, autos, shares, and so forth, perhaps represented in ledger expertise, and blockchain can be utilized to trace all operations and property information. As soon as the information are saved on the blockchain, they’re shared with any or taking part events, making it easy to create and confirm contracts.

10. Telephones and automobiles: Authentication keys are used to safe private units comparable to telephones and cars. Though cryptography permits for this sort of expertise, such approaches can fail if the authentication key’s stolen, duplicated, or transferred. Customers/miners can change and reproduce misplaced credentials on the blockchain ledger, which can be utilized to resolve such difficulties.

11. Meals security: Meals counterfeiting could also be prevented through blockchain technology, which permits for visibility throughout the meals provide chain and on the spot entry to any info comparable to meals content material, sources, expiry, and so forth.

12. Blockchain in well being care: Private well being information might be encoded and stored on the blockchain, with a non-public key that enables solely specified individuals to entry the knowledge. Sufferers’ information on the blockchain might be transferred to insurance coverage suppliers robotically, or the physician can securely talk well being information to the events involved.

13. Blockchain in maintaining tutorial information: In a decentralized ledger, blockchain could also be utilized to keep up tutorial information for college kids and universities. This method for sustaining tutorial information might be tamper-proof, verifiable, unchangeable, and safe.

14. Blockchain in music: The blockchain and good contracts applied sciences might be utilized to determine a decentralized database of music rights that’s full and correct.

15. Beginning, Marriage, and Dying Certificates: Residents’ delivery, marriage, and loss of life information are important as a result of they’re used to authenticate citizenship and provides privileges primarily based on citizenship statuses, comparable to voting rights and work permits. By encrypting such paperwork, the blockchain could make them extra reliable.

16. Passports: Passports are stored on a distributed ledger within the blockchain-based passport system, which is confirmed or verified by each customers and the federal government.

17. Voting: Within the subsequent years, blockchain may present quite a few sensible advantages for a verified and safe voting system. The present voting methodology has issues, making votes and votes troublesome to confirm. Consequently, blockchain’s traits might be able to create an immutable, verifiable, and safe voting system, permitting voters to solid their ballots with confidence from wherever within the globe.

Source link By admin

#Altcoin #Bitcoin #BlockChain #BlockchainNews #Crypto

[successhistory]

How To Find Virtual Assisting Jobs

I always inform possible VA's that it is necessary to invest as much time looking for VA jobs or WAH tasks as you would be taking into your organization. That means, if you want to work 20 hours a week, after that you should be spending 20 hours a week searching for customers, gigs, and also promoting and marketing yourself.

It's that basic. Trust me I know just how hard it can be to stay inspired when you aren't getting any kind of bites or provides (I have actually been there lot of times). I have likewise discovered myself in undesirable predicaments where I have had a customer flake on settlements, etc. I have been able to replace them promptly and easily by implementing my own marketing techniques outlined below. If you place in the effort you will obtain a substantial return. Also read some articles about  virtual assistant services to get some ideas.

Where do you get your customers?

This is without a doubt the inquiry I get asked one of the most by email and also phone. It's really very easy to discover customers if you know the best places to look and exactly how to promote on your own. Right here are a couple of pointers and also techniques you should always adhere to:

1. Have a Site

If you do not have internet site then you are way behind everybody else in the game. This is without a doubt one of the most important point to take into consideration when opening your VA practice.

A web site reveals that you are an expert, you mean business, as well as you have actually developed yourself in the market. It likewise gives prospective clients a beginning place to check out your rates, capacities, and total ability.

A website doesn't have to be expensive. I began with an easy one page website held FREE by my ISP. If you do not have the funds to obtain an organized website, take a look at your ISP they generally have totally free pages you can utilize.

2. Check Out the Online Bidding Process Sites

I know there are a great deal of well established VA's available that suggest you steer clear of elance and also guru.com. However let me inform you something ... Guru.com is one of my friends. Without the customers that I have actually received from there, I would not have such a flourishing organization.

It's a terrific means to obtain established in the sector and also get some terrific paying clients. And the fees aren't over the top. I personally have actually never ever utilized elance, yet I have known a few VA's who have gotten work from the website.

You aren't going to get any type of clients if you do not have any type of experience. As well as you aren't mosting likely to have an experience if you can not land a client. You recognize what I am saying?

A suggestion: These are bidding sites, so take care with the rates that you bill. That's not stating that you can not make $20 or even $30 + a hr with clients from these websites (because I have and do). However recognize that there is greater competitors around and the majority of people that publish projects on here are mosting likely to intend to pay between $8-$ 15 dollars an hour.

I have been on both sides of the picture publishing jobs and also bidding process on jobs, so I have a pretty good understanding of going rates and also just how the process functions.

3. Craigslist

I definitely love Craigslist. If I could kiss Craig, I would, LOL. Not only can you locate clients, yet you can advertise your services too. So you are most likely asking, just how do I do that?

Basic, you publish advertisements under the "solutions" as well as "local business ads" section speaking about that you are, the services you supply, as well as your call information.

Note: Make on your own attract attention. You require to look and imitate a specialist in all times. What typically works for me is something similar to a cover letter stating who I am, why I remain in the sector, my capability, and my call details.

Do not upload only 1 to 2 sentences claiming something like "I am a stay at residence mother that desires VA customers, please call me blah blah. Customers and also organization will not employ you or acquire your solutions. They want to know you are a professional, you recognize what you are doing, which you mean business.

I will certainly offer you a couple of secrets that I utilize when searching for clients, search in gigs, ecetera, computer system work, admin jobs, and so on. Usage terms like operate at house, digital assisting, contract job, and so on. You will certainly get truly proficient at developing search terms and also spotting frauds.

4. CrazedList.org

Crazedlist.org is a remarkable resource when browsing Craigslist. You can search all the cities in the United States on the same terms. Like I stated above, be imaginative when making use of search terms and discover exactly how to spot a fraud. If there is extremely little detail given up the advertisement, it's probably a fraud. If it appears too great to be true, it probably is.

Remember, nothing ever before comes simple. Sometimes it takes a lot of effort to obtain where you want to be which consists of splits, irritation, as well as occasionally the need to quit. Yet if you advance your course, and also maintain your eye on the reward, you will at some point get to where you wish to be. Even if you need to obtain scratched as well as wounded along the road.