According to Investopedia, the average retirement age was 65, but a law passed in 1983 increased that number due to the rise in American life expectancy. The full retirement age continues to grow this year, but that figure is primarily […]
Simon Guobadia, the ex-husband of reality TV star Porsha Williams, is currently being held at a detention center as Donald Trump proceeds with his mass deportation plan. According to US Weekly, documents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirm that the Nigerian native has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Guobadia’s Immigration History and Legal Troubles
Guobadia first came to the United States in 1982 but allegedly overstayed his visa, leading to deportation proceedings in 1985, per WSB-TV. He returned to Nigeria at that time but later re-entered the U.S., where he allegedly overstayed his work visa again.
In 1987, Guobadia was arrested and pleaded guilty to bank and credit card fraud. He was arrested twice more in the following years before being deported again in 1992.
A month later, Guobadia returned to the U.S. and applied for naturalization in 2016, but his request was denied. In 2024, he was once again denied residency.
Porsha Williams Reacts to the News
Williams, one of the stars of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, was married to Guobadia for 15 months before the couple filed for divorce in 2024.
Following reports of his detention, Williams addressed the situation on her Instagram Story.
“It’s disheartening to see my estranged husband make choices that have led to this outcome. At this moment, my priority is moving forward with my family,” she wrote, per Page Six.
Guobadia’s legal team has not yet issued a statement regarding his detention.
Newly obtained search warrants have revealed additional details in the case of Asha Degree,the North Carolina girl who vanished 25 years ago at the age of 9. The latest documents, obtained by WBTV, suggest a possible connection between the disappearance Degree, who went missing from her home in Shelby, North Carolina, and Cleveland County, North Carolina family.
In September, the FBI executed multiple search warrants and identified Roy Dedmon and his family as individuals of interest. The warrant named Dedmon, his wife, Connie Dedmon, and their three daughters: AnnaLee Dedmon Ramirez, Lizzie Dedmon Foster, and Sarah Dedmon Caple. Authorities also stated at that time that they believe Degree was killed. The Dedmon family has denied any involvement in the case.
[embedded content]
New Testimony Suggests Possible Confession at a Party
On Tuesday, WBTV obtained additional search warrants that provided new details about the daughters’ possible involvement. Documents show that Foster, then known as Lizzie Dedmon, was 16 years old when Degree disappeared in 2000, while Dedmon Caple was 15.
A man who spoke to officers in September said he partied with the Dedmon daughters in the early 2000s. He recalled a specific party where Foster appeared intoxicated and distressed. According to the man, Foster allegedly said, “I killed Asha Degree.” He also claimed that Dedmon Caple immediately responded, telling Foster to “shut the f**k up.” The man stated he is confident in his recollection of the moment, and investigators later confirmed that he passed a polygraph test.
Text Messages Reveal Concerns Over Evidence
Investigators also reviewed Foster’s text messages, which revealed discussions about potential evidence. In one message, Foster allegedly told her sister, “The theory is I did it. Accident. Covered it up.”
Other messages show the sisters discussing a shirt that may be linked to the case.
“They think it’s our shirt. It’s not her shirt,” Dedmon Caple texted Foster, appearing to reassure her.
As Foster expressed increasing anxiety about being implicated, Dedmon Caple attempted to calm her, writing, “This is NOT YOUR FAULT.”
No Arrests Have Been Made
Despite these revelations, authorities have not made any arrests in connection with Degree’s disappearance.
According to WBTV, an attorney for Roy Dedmon dismissed any connection between his client and the case, calling it “tenuous, at best.”
No members of the Dedmon family have been arrested or charged with any crimes related to Degree’s disappearance. The case remains under investigation.
Shakira‘s concert in Medellín, Colombia, that was scheduled for Monday (Feb. 24) has been postponed. Event organizers said there were safety concerns for the show at Estadio Atanasio Girardot, after the roof of the stage installed by local production was damaged.
Shakira — who was forced to reschedule another Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran tour date in Lima, Peru, last weekend, when she was hospitalized with an “abdominal” condition — expressed regret regarding another unexpected concert postponement on Saturday. She shared the news with fans in a note on social media.
“My people from Medellín! It hurts me a lot not to be able to get on stage and sing for you as much as I wanted to,” she wrote in a post on X.
Trending on Billboard
“My children were excited to get to know Medellín, and I was excited to meet you again and share all the surprises I had prepared for them. I’m sorry for the inconvenience, especially for those who have traveled. It’s out of my hands and those of my production team, but I’m sure we’ll soon find a new date to celebrate together,” said Shakira.
“Always grateful for the unconditional support you give me,” she added. “I love you very much and I hope to see you very soon.”
Concert promoter Páramo Presenta said Shakira’s performance would be rescheduled.
“Together with Shakira’s team, we are working on new concerts for Colombia in the second half of this year, news that will be celebrated by more than one city in the country,” read a statement on X.
Páramo Presenta explained why the decision to cancel Monday’s concert had been made, noting there was a risk to the safety of the performers, the crew and the crowd.
The update on Saturday said, “During the assembly process of the show scheduled for February 24, the roof of the stage installed by the local production suffered damage that puts at risk the safety of the artist, her staff and, most importantly, that of the audience. The promoter and the artist’s team are working together and hope to reschedule the date in the future. We understand that this decision may be annoying for the public who were anxiously awaiting the show, but the most important thing is everyone’s safety.”
Ticketholders can find information about refunds at www.eticket.co.
Atención: La fecha programada de LMYNLL World Tour no podrá realizarse este 24 de febrero. Junto con el equipo de Shakira, estamos trabajando en nuevos conciertos para Colombia en el segundo semestre de este año, una noticia que será celebrada por más de una ciudad en el país. pic.twitter.com/8q52PNVGsv— Páramo Presenta (@paramo_presenta) February 21, 2025
Luigi Mangione appeared in a New York City court on Friday as he faces charges in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. While Mangione attended his hearing, dozens of his supporters gathered outside the courthouse, wearing “Free Luigi” apparel and holding signs demanding justice.
Karen Friedman Agnifilo, one of Mangione’s attorneys, received loud cheers from the crowd as she entered the courtroom. Public support for Mangione has also extended beyond the courthouse—an anonymous group recently projected the phrase “Free Luigi” onto a New York City building. Speaking to CNN, the group stated that their goal is to ensure Mangione receives a fair trial.
Frustration With UnitedHealthcare Fuels Public Backlash
Mangione’s case has sparked larger conversations about UnitedHealthcare, as some of his supporters claim they have struggled with denied insurance claims. As frustration with the company has grown, its CEO, Thompson, was fatally shot on Dec. 4 while walking to an annual investor conference at a Manhattan hotel.
After authorities identified Mangione as a suspect in the shooting, his supporters launched efforts to fund his legal defense.
Mangione Indicted on 11 Counts, Pleads Not Guilty
A Manhattan grand jury has indicted Mangione on 11 counts, and he has pleaded not guilty to state charges. However, he has not yet entered a plea on federal murder charges. His charges include one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, and multiple charges related to weapons and forgery.
Defense Challenges Evidence as Prosecution Lays Out Case
During Friday’s hearing, prosecutors presented a range of evidence, including body camera footage, surveillance videos, police reports, cellphone data, autopsy reports, and forensic files.
Agnifilo, however, argued that officers violated Mangione’s constitutional rights by seizing his belongings during his arrest in Pennsylvania.
“I think there is a very, very serious search issue in this material,” Agnifilo told CNN. “There might be evidence that might be suppressed in this case.”
Mangione’s legal team is expected to file motions challenging aspects of the prosecution’s case in the coming weeks. His next hearing is scheduled for June 26, where the court may consider potential evidentiary disputes and pretrial motions.
Trump highlights his Black celebrity friends Several of the president’s most notable Black supporters were invited to the event, continuing their controversial backing of Trump. The official White House page on X, formerly Twitter, featured photos of rapper Kodak Black […]
Anthony Rico, one of Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ attorneys, has decided to part ways with the disgraced hip-hop mogul. Rico shared his decision in a motion filed in a New York Federal Court on Friday, USA Today reported.
“Although I have provided Sean Combs with the high level of legal representation expected by the court, under no circumstances can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs,” Ricco wrote, per USA Today.
Voletta Wallace, the mother of the iconic rapper Notorious B.I.G., has died at age 72 due to natural causes. According to People, the Monroe County Coroner confirmed that Wallace died at her home on Friday as she was under hospice care.
Tyga‘s mother Pasionaye Nguyen recently died, according to the 35-year-old rapper’s emotional Instagram post.
“I been trying to understand and process why God takes the most meaningful and most beautifulest people away from us,” he wrote. “But I know I’ll never get an answer that will fill the emptiness in my heart.”
Ten former New York corrections officers have been indicted in the death of Robert Brooks, a state inmate who was handcuffed and brutally beaten in an attack recorded on multiple officers’ body cameras last year, according to unsealed indictments released Thursday afternoon.
Stay up to date on exciting projects and upcoming events from the Black Promoters Collective.
©2024 Black Promoters Collective (BPC) All Rights Reserved.
