Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Foreign.
[00:00:16] I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Wednesday, February 4th. Multiple manhole fires in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood caused street closures and evacuations last night. Dispatchers received a radio call at 5:21pm for a report of a manhole fire at the intersection of Dartmouth and Newbury streets. Officials determined there were six manhole fires in the area. There were no reports of any injuries. Four buildings were evacuated as a precaution. A fire official said. The issue appears to be electrical and the manholes are equipped with explosion safe covers that protect them from becoming projectiles. Witnesses reported hearing loud bangs followed by smoke. The incident remains under investigation and Eversource spokesperson said a limited number of customers were without power as of this morning.
[00:01:12] Two people accused in a deadly September shooting in Brackton have been arrested in Maine. 35 year old Michael Thompson and 25 year old Diana Slade were arrested in Lewiston on Monday as fugitives from justice. Thompson is accused of the murder of 40 year old Mike Jonas in Brockton on September 23rd. Slade faces a charge of accessory after the fact. Jonas and a second victim were shot at Finnegan park on the afternoon of September 23rd. Jonas was pronounced dead at Bracton Hospital. Investigators believe the situation started with a fight at the park. The shooter, who prosecutors identified as Thompson was, was seen on surveillance video leaving the area in a black Nissan Rogue after the violence. Slade and a second woman were with him. Thompson and Slade were captured with help from the United States Marshals Service, Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Plymouth County DA's office along with local law enforcement, Massachusetts residents lost at least $77 million in Bitcoin ATM scams last year. And while the state Legislature has yet to ban cryptocurrency kiosks or impose new statewide restrictions like mame, the state's attorney general is taking legal action against one major bitcoin ATM operator. Attorney General Andrea Campbell has filed a lawsuit against Bitcoin Depot Inc. And Bitcoin Depot Operating LLC alleging that the company knowingly facilitated cryptocurrency scams, overcharged customers and failed to protect Massachusetts consumers. The lawsuit claims Bitcoin Depot's kiosks played a significant role in scams that cost Massachusetts residents more than $10 million. The suit comes after several reports on the bitcoin ATM scams and the lack of action from Bay State lawmakers. The attorney general alleges that Bitcoin Depot often refuses refunds even though it collects fees of up to 30% per transaction. In some cases, only partial refunds are offered.
[00:03:42] Campbell is seeking a court order that would restrict Bitcoin Depot from accepting large transactions unless additional anti fraud protections are put in place and require refunds for consumers harmed by scams. A bill that would implement daily transaction limits, refunds for fraud victims and fee caps from all crypto kiosk operators has been lingering in the legislature for nearly a year.
[00:04:09] It most recently passed the Legislature's Finance committee. Bitcoin Depot said in a statement the company strongly disagrees with the characterization that Bitcoin Depot facilitates scams or misleads users using safeguards to protect consumers.
[00:04:27] The U.S. attorney's Office for Massachusetts announcing charges yesterday in connection with an alleged fraud scheme with victims across the country, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida and Kentucky. Investigators allege the accused used tens of thousands of taxpayer funded benefits to buy inventory for a restaurant owned by one of the defendants, including using EBT cards to make bulk purchases of chicken, beef and pork to stock the restaurant in Leminster. The restaurant's owner is a naturalized U.S. citizen from the Dominican Republic. Another defendant is a green card holder. Two others do not have legal status. According to the U.S. attorney's office. None of them were eligible for benefits they received.
[00:05:17] Profits were then wired to Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, among other places. Officials in Rhode island first began investigating the alleged fraud in June of 2024 when they discovered SNAP applications for 117 people, all tied back to two apartments in Providence. Those cases were traced back found that some of the identities were also receiving benefits from Massachusetts. All in the defendants are accused of stealing more than $400,000. The defendants are also accused of stealing over $700,000 in pandemic unemployment assistance from multiple states.
[00:05:56] Officials from the FBI, the Department of labor and the IRS joined the U.S. attorney's office in making the announcement yesterday. Attorneys say their office is investigating many other fraud cases and will be naming a fraud coordinator to streamline the process.
[00:06:14] An upscale grocery store chain has been approved for its first New England location at a former Honda dealership in Weymouth. The first Area Sprouts Farmers Market will be joined by only the second Massachusetts location for the Drive thru chain 7 Brew Coffee, joining another that opened in West Springfield in November.
[00:06:43] When you see the Navy fighter squadron flying over the super bowl during the National Anthem performance this Sunday, think of U.S. navy Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Bradley. The Plymouth native who served as an aviation structural mechanic will be supporting the flyover above Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. According to the US Navy. Members of four US Navy tactical squadrons will conduct a unified flyover with members of the air force. The eight aircraft flyover formation will include FA18 Super Hornets and F35 Lightning twos from Naval Air Station Lemoore in California, F15 Eagles from Fresno Air National Guard Base in California and B1B Lancers from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. Bradley is one of the sailors tasked with maintaining the aircraft. Bradley attended Plymouth North High School and graduated in 2006. Bradley joined the Navy 17 years ago.
[00:07:52] A Massachusetts brewery is re releasing a football themed beer that it first brewed back in 2019 ahead of the Patriots matchup with the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60. This Sunday, Widowmaker Brewing, with locations in Braintree and Brighton is selling four packs of its I See Ghosts beer at both locations. The beer is named for the infamous comments made by then New York jets quarterback Sam Darnold after a particularly poor performance against the Patriots. Darnold was caught on camera on Monday Night football during a 33 nothing loss to the Pats in 2019, saying New England's defense had him seeing ghosts. The 2018 third overall pick is now the starting quarterback for the Seahawks is the third team in the past three years. The Braintree Taproom is open from noon to 10pm in the Brighton location from 4 to 10.
[00:08:50] Check of business News this morning. Stocks are down. The Dow dropped 166 points. The Nasdaq lost 336. The S&P fell 58. European shares were mixed. Asian stocks were higher. The dollar rose. The Euro was flat oil at $63 a barrel.
[00:09:09] Sports Celtics beat Dallas 110 to 100. They'll be in Houston tonight at 8 o'. Clock. The Bruins are in Florida against the Panthers at 7. Forecast from the National Weather Service Today partly cloudy with A high of 31 degrees tonight, clear and frigid. A low of 5 tomorrow. Sunny high 29. Clouds on Friday, the high 27 and snow showers Saturday with a high of 2024 for the boater. Waves 2ft. West winds 10 to 15 gusting to 20 at a high tide. 12:59pm Sunrise 6:53 sets at 5:02.
[00:09:48] Traffic Note 4 River Bridge scheduled to open at 9am I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Wednesday, February 4th.
