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WASHINGTON D.C. (CCN) —  U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, together with major federal law enforcement and interagency partners, have announced the creation of the first Scam Center Strike Force to secure America against Southeast Asian cryptocurrency-related fraud and scams. 

Pirro was joined at a press conference to announce the strike force with Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Department of Justice, FBI Deputy Assistant Director Gregory A. Heeb and Assistant Director Kyo Dolan of the United States Secret Service's Office of Field Operations.

Pirro said  Chinese transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) are using cryptocurrency investment scams and a variety of confidence scams to steal the life savings of everyday Americans. Often using U.S. social media networks or text messages to U.S.-based cell phones, the scammers first gain the trust of their targeted victims. Over time, the scammers convince their victims to invest in real cryptocurrency, only to then trick their victims to transfer those funds into fake cryptocurrency investment websites and applications. Many of those websites are hosted by companies in the United States, but once funds are transferred, the cryptocurrency is quickly laundered into other accounts outside of U.S. jurisdiction.

These schemes, which fraudsters refer to as “pig butchering” because they are “fattening” up their victims, are often run out of scam compounds in Southeast Asia. Workers in the compounds often are victims of human trafficking, held against their will, abused, and guarded by armed groups as they are instructed to target Americans. 

In some of the Southeast Asian countries where these compounds operate, scam-generated revenue is so massive that it amounts to nearly half of the country’s GDP. Recent reporting estimates that this scam industry defrauds Americans of nearly $10 billion per year.

BY GARY ANDERSON

CCN Staff Writer

OREM, UTAH (CCN) — The FBI announced on Thursday (Sept 11, 2025) that agents are closing in on the shooter in the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.

The Utah Department of Safety said multiple leads are currently being investigated, but that no suspect is in custody.

Screenshots of the potential shooter have been released to the public by the FBI after they were pulled from campus security footage just prior to the shooting. 

Law enforcement officials recovered what is believed to be the rifle used in the shooting, according to a statement from the FBI which released photos and videos that show the shooter on a rooftop and later jumping off the back of the building, then running into the woods. 

A statement said the FBI has been able to recover DNA, finger prints,  a forearm imprint, a palm imprint and a shoe imprint left in the ground when he landed on the ground after leaping off the building.

One video shows the suspect running into a neighborhood behind the university. The rifle was found in a wooded area in the subdivision. The weapon was wrapped in a blanket with ammunition.

The FBI is also offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the individual(s) responsible for the murder. Tips can be called into 1-800-CALL-FBI and witnesses  at the Utah event are urged to submit photos and video on its web site.

(Related Stories, Photos & Videos Below)

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is a photo released by the FBI of the man suspected of shooting and killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk Wednesday at Utah Valley University. 

BY GARY ANDERSON

CCN Staff Writer

OREM, UTAH (CCN) — Conservative activist Charlie Kirk has died, according to an announcement on social media at 4:45 pm on Wednesday (Sept. 10, 2025) by President Donald Trump Truth Social. Kirk was the leader of Turning Point America and was on a tour, speaking on college campuses to promote  conservative values.

Metro Flint News/Talk Radio aired the report as a breaking news bulletin on Metro Flint News/Talk Radio within a few minutes after Trump's post.

Trump's post said: "The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie.

He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!"

 Law enforcement officials are still looking for the shooter, according to Utah Valley University spokeswoman Ellen Treanor.

She said, “There is no suspect in custody; it is an active investigation.” 

The campus was closed and classes were canceled for the rest of the day as well as at Brigham University located about 15 minutes away. 

BY ANA JONES

CCN Staff Writer

OREM, UTAH (CCN) — Comments from national political leaders are being posted on social media after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed Wednesday (Sept. 10, 2025) on the campus of Utah Valley University.

Kirk was considered a widely influential individual by political leaders on both sides of the aisle.

His organization known as Turning Point USA had a strong presence with young people through frequent internet posts by Kirk on social media platforms, including X, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

He was in the midst of a national tour of college campuses  to promote  conservative values.

Kirk, 31, is survived by his family that includes a wife and two young children.

A suspect was taken into custody by the FBI and local law enforcement agencies at about 6:30 pm. That was announced by FBI Director Kash Patel via  a social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Kirk was CEO, chief fundraiser and the public face of Turning Point USA from its founding as an  18-year-old in 2012.

Multiple major media outlets cited during the 2024 campaign by Donald Trump that Kirk was a key factor in turning out young Republican voters to help Trump return to the White House.

The New York Times added that Kirk " turned the organization into a well-funded media operation, backed by conservative megadonors like Wyoming businessman Foster Friess."

Kirk was behind publishing the "Professor Watchlist" and the "School Board Watchlist" that identified hard core liberals he identified as bordering on being socialists.

A statement by President Trump on a social media post is in a story that appears above if you are reading from your phone or a mobile device, or at left if you are reading on a laptop or PC.

Kirk was a well-known supporter of President Trump and a close ally of many in his inner circle. He spoke at the 2024 presidential convention just days after an assassination attempt on Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania last summer.

 President Trump ordered all American flags throughout the country to be lowered to half-staff through Sunday night in honor of Kirk. 

 The US House of Representatives held a moment of silence for Kirk on Wednesday afternoon, moments after the 3 pm shooting. 

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson later tweeted: ""Utterly devastating. Charlie was a close friend and confidant. He will be sorely missed by so many. Every political leader must loudly and clearly decry this violence. Our prayers go out to his wife and young children. May he rest in peace."

 John Thune, a Republican congressman from South Dakota and the US Senate Majority leader stood on the Senate floor and said he was “horrified” to learn that Kirk had died. He also called for an end to political violence.

Former President Joe Biden tweeted how he and his wife Jill were “praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones." He added: "There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now.”

Biden's fellow Democrat, former Vice President Kamala Harris, tweeted: "I am deeply disturbed by the shooting in Utah. Doug and I send our prayers to Charlie Kirk and his family. Let me be clear: Political violence has no place in America. I condemn this act, and we all must work together to ensure this does not lead to more violence." 

Former Democrat President Barack Obama said in a tweet: "We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children."

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, also a Democrat, tweeted the following: "Thinking of Charlie Kirk, his family, and the community at UVU after the horrific shooting. We should all come together to stand up against any and all forms of political violence. It’s unacceptable."

Democrat Dana Nessel, Michigan's Democrat Attorney General, was on CNN Wednesday night with an interview taped a day earlier with Jake Tapper about a judge dismissing a case she brought against fake electors signing to falsely cast their votes for Biden in the 2020 election against Trump. CNN carried a comment she issued condemning the violence.

 Utah Senator Mike Lee, a close Republican friend of Kirk, mourned his "dear friend" by saying he "deeply admired and respected" Kirk.

I had been texting him in just the last 24 hours," Senator Lee. "He was excited to visit Utah. He told me about this trip many weeks ago -- invited me to come. I told him we would almost certainly be in session; I wouldn't be able to be there, but wished I could join him. I've known him for a long time. I've known him, I believe, since he was a teenager when he first started this effort. He's a dear friend. There's nobody else like him."

Lee went on to say: "Whether you agree with him or not, you have to respect his boundless energy, his commitment to making the world a better place. The genuine decency and respect that he showed to other people, even while disagreeing with them, even while they were yelling at him. I don't think I can ever remember ever seeing him respond back to hatred with hate, or with anything other than respect. And he had the ability to explain complex concepts to people in very simple, understandable terms, even people who hadn't historically been involved in politics or historically thought of themselves as conservatives or one way or another. And I think that's his legacy. And it's a legacy that's been cut far too short." 

BY GARY ANDERSON

CCN Staff Writer

OREM, UTAH (CCN) — Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot during an event at Utah Valley University. (Full Details in Metro Flint News/Talk Radio Breaking News Bulletin Podcast Below) 

Kirk is the leader of Turning Point USA and was on a speaking tour across America at college campuses to promote conservative values.

An official statement from Utah Valley University confirmed social media comments and videos circulating about the shooting on social media.

Witnesses said on social media posts that a large crowd began running after a gun sot rang out. Kirk was sitting inside a tent with his organization's logo on top of it, speaking to students.

He slumped in his chair and blood began gushing out of his neck where he was shot.

Security quickly whisked Kirk away.

Social media posts went up almost instantly from Vice President JD Vance and FBI Director Kash Patel. Both became friends with Kirk while all three toured around the USA during President Trump's campaign in 2024.

Both asked for prayers from Americans.

Patel pledged via a tweet on X, formerly known as Twitter:  "Our thoughts are with Charlie, his loved ones, and everyone affected. Agents will be on the scene quickly and the FBI stands in full support of the ongoing response and investigation."

Click Here to Listen to a Podcast of the Breaking News Bulletin on Metro Flint News/Talk Radio