Podcast Summary
Minnesota disruptions: Despite two rounds of severe storms causing damage and delays at the Minnesota State Fair and the University of Minnesota's Board of Regents rejecting a student proposal for divestment from Israel, Minnesota communities demonstrated resilience and adaptability
The Minnesota State Fair faced disruptions due to two rounds of severe storms, causing damage and delays in opening. Fair officials and vendors worked to clean up and assess the damage, with some losses not covered by insurance. Elsewhere, the University of Minnesota's Board of Regents rejected a student proposal for divestment from Israel, maintaining a neutral stance on political and social issues when making investment decisions. Despite this, students and advocates expressed disappointment in the board's decision. Overall, both events showcased the resilience and adaptability of Minnesota communities in the face of unexpected challenges.
University protests, telemarketing fraud: Students protested university investments while two men were sentenced for a massive telemarketing fraud scheme, defrauding over $116 million from vulnerable victims
Last year, hundreds of students, including Hodges, protested against their university's investments, joining a nationwide student movement. Meanwhile, in a separate development, two men, Anthony Eugene Mulder and Abdul Rahmani Diallo, were sentenced to prison for their roles in a massive telemarketing fraud scheme. The scheme, which ran from 2008 to 2020, targeted retired and vulnerable victims, defrauding them of over $116 million collectively. Mulder's companies defrauded victims of over $86 million, while Diallo's scheme stole $30 million from over 20,000 victims. This is among the largest telemarketing scams the Justice Department has prosecuted, with over 60 defendants in the case. The weather in Minnesota is expected to be mostly sunny with highs in the low 70s to low 80s on Wednesday. Finally, don't forget to visit the NPR booth at the state fair for a live broadcast of the morning show from 7 to 10 a.m. Stay informed by subscribing to the Minnesota Today podcast and wherever you get your podcasts.