A fiery multi-car crash left four dead, including a pregnant woman and an infant, in Los Angeles’ Windsor Hills neighborhood Thursday, according to authorities.
Law enforcement officials investigate a fiery crash in which multiple people were killed in Windsor Hills on Thursday afternoon.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
The crash at La Brea and Slauson avenues was a “multiple casualty incident,” with reports of numerous injuries, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said in a tweet. The department responded to the crash just after 1:40 pm
Officer Franco Pepi, a California Highway Patrol spokesperson, said four people were killed in the crash: three adults and one infant. One of the adults was a pregnant woman.
Authorities transported eight people to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center for treatment, Pepi said. Of those injured, six were teens and one suffered major injuries.
Footage of the crash shows fire trucks on scene and cars on fire.
Smoke could be seen billowing from miles away.
Police believe the driver of a Mercedes-Benz caused the crash, which killed at least four people.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
A woman who did not want to be named told The Times a Mercedes-Benz hit her car as she was leaving a United Oil gas station.
“I was getting out, had got gas,” she said. “All of a sudden that Mercedes is coming at me on… fire. I didn’t have any time to think about it. It hit my car. I veered, hit the bench on the side.”
The crash caused her to fear a gasoline-fueled explosion, she told The Times.
Nearby, the wrecked Mercedes-Benz with a smashed hood had crashed into a curb.
Investigators believe the driver of the Mercedes-Benz was responsible for the crash, Pepi said.
A pregnant woman was among those killed in Thursday afternoon’s crash in Windsor Hills.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
The cause of the crash was not immediately known.
Times staff writer Gregory Yee contributed to this report.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated as additional information becomes available.
I already had a sick and twisted love for Cult of the Lamb just from playing the preview, but now that love has grown thanks to my new little monstrosity.
I like to think we all remember the evil little beasts that were the Fuzzy sonic the hedgehog Xbox controllers, released in celebration of the very good sonic the hedgehog 2. They were gross, horrid creatures without even the intention to be so. And I absolutely loved them for it. Let’s look at them again, as a treat.
Yeaaah. There they are. (Image: Xbox)
They were cryptid-esque, and they probably had a weird smell. Isn’t that beautiful?
Now that’s all unwell and bad, but it had me wanting more. I think there should be more truly wretched and evil controllers, because why not? Luckily, thanks to the good folks over at Massive Monster, Devolver Digital, and the galaxy-brained folks over at Adelaide-based custom controller makers We Are Robots, I now get to have this wicked little gremlin in my sad, sweaty hands.
It keeps me warm. (Image: Kotaku Australia)
I love the Lamb. I even praise the Lamb. This controller is the perfect piece of equipment to feed my faithful followers slop and slay Eldritch creatures.
Unfortunately, this controller is not available for sale, but We Are Robots are a very cool and very talented bunch of folks that make awesome custom controllers, so I highly recommend checking out their work if you’re looking for a controller that fits you perfectly .
This controller fits me perfectly for a number of reasons. First of all, I love Cult of the Lamb. Second of all, I’m terrible. Third of all, I think the most beautiful things also happen to be the truly most yucky and icky things. The customizations are smooth, and my hands are warm thanks to the evil-infused wool of the controller.
It’s not long now, my friends, that you will experience the goodness of Massive Monster’s Cult of the Lamb. If you’re not already pumped for it like I am, here’s a little yarn on how much I like it. And if you’d like to know more about what went into its creation, you can check out my interview with Julian Wilton, the creative director of Massive Monster.
Cult of theLamb releases on PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on August 12th, 2022.
“Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for anybody better,” he said of the Beauty. “She was the best partner. I love her so much.
“I’m just very happy that we got spend time together because she really made me shine and I felt like I made her do the exact same thing. We just had so much fun together on the whole experience.”
Listen to The Spill, Mamamia’s daily entertainment podcast. Post continues after audio.
Emily says Beauty and the Geek helped her heal after being assaulted.
Emily had a tough experience before entering Beauty and the Geektelling 9Entertainment she was a victim of sexual assault just months before the show began filming.
“When everything had happened, I was broken,” she said. “Two of my friends had to pick me up off the floor.”
She says the show helped her to heal, adding that she made lifelong pals with her partner Jason and the rest of the Beauties from the show.
“I feel like coming on to the show, it was like God sending me something to pick me back up off the floor and help me heal, and it honestly did,” she explained. “It made me see my worth, it made me enjoy life again. It healed me more than anything else could.”
Emily revealed she told the other Beauties about her experience within the first week.
“Coming onto the show… the first week that I met the [Beauties] it was crazy how quickly I got along with them,” she said. “I told them about what happened maybe day two of meeting them, and it was really nice having that support throughout the entire show. Also, meeting the Geeks, I saw how boys should treat me rather than how I’ve been treated so terribly before.
“It’s honestly just put all those pieces back together, as I walked in broken from what happened.”
Emily also added that her fellow contestant, Jason, had been an “amazing” support.
“Jason was amazing. Off-screen, I did tell Jason the things that had happened to me and he was amazing. He was so supportive,” she said. “He knew I had a lot of insecurities, and every time I saw him he would give me some sort of compliment and make sure I was feeling okay.
“He was a massive turning point in everything.”
If this has raised any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counseling service.
“I know now I’m a role model and an inspiration to the Muslim females out there. I’m showing that you can do anything in the hijab, it’s important to get out and be active. They might feel like they don’t want to play sports because people might look at them funny,” Rahimi said.
“I want them to be comfortable going out there. Now they are seeing me on a public stage, doing what I love and showing that anything is possible and who cares what they think of you.”
Kaye Scott (left) is another of the five Australian boxers in the medal mix in Birmingham.Credit:Getty
Rahimi is one of five Australians in the Commonwealth semi-finals, joining Kaye Scott (middleweight), Callum Peters (middleweight), Edgardo Coumi (heavyweight) and Caitlin Parker (lightweight) in the next round.
The news wasn’t quite so good for Australian flyweight Alex Winwood, who won the first round against Zambia’s Patrick Chinyemba before being clipped with a left just 19 seconds into the second round. The fight was waved off and Winwood was reduced to tears as he left the ring.
“I feel like I’ve been robbed a little bit of an opportunity to provide myself. I felt like I was fine, the call was a bit quick. I went down and just felt like it was the chance to show them what I’m made of, that I can come back from adversity,” Winwood said.
“It’s a tough sport but she [the referee] made up her mind and the referees are there to protect us. It is what it is.”
Later, South Australian heavyweight Coumi was in another class from Anguilla’s Japheth Olton, winning via a second-round stoppage.
Coumi moved superbly as he ducked a flurry of big shots before taking complete control. But the bout nearly didn’t begin at all when Olton turned up wearing a red mouthguard, which is against regulations. Officials let it begin but Coumi was close to winning himself a bronze medal without even having a fight.
“I just wanted to use my boxing ability, use my jab, didn’t want to get into a rough fight. I saw his big shots coming, he was rolling under them, I felt good and fast. I’m just getting started,” Coumi said.
“I wouldn’t have taken a bronze without fighting. I’m here to fight. I have a medal now but I want gold. I came here for the big job.”
loading
Coumi next meets England’s Lewis Williams, who won a bronze medal at the European championships and is a technical, powerful fighter. But Coumi said he had met him in sparring before and was confident of advancing to the gold medal match.
Get all the latest news from the Birmingham Commonwealth Gameshere. We’ll be live blogging the action from 4pm-10am daily.
WASHINGTON, Aug 4 (Reuters) – US prosecutors on Thursday charged four current and former Louisville, Kentucky, police officers for their roles in the botched 2020 raid that killed Breonna Taylor, a Black woman who was in her home, in a case that sparked nationwide protests.
The charges represented the Justice Department’s latest effort to crack down on abuses and racial disparities in policing, following a wave of controversial police killings of Black Americans.
Former Louisville Metropolitan Police Department Detective Joshua Jaynes and current Sergeant Kyle Meany were charged with civil rights violations and obstruction of justice for using false information to obtain the search warrant that authorized the botched March 13, 2020, raid that killed Taylor in her home, the Justice Department said. Current Detective Kelly Goodlett was charged with conspiring with Jaynes to falsify the warrant and then cover up the falsification.
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com
Register
A fourth officer, former Detective Brett Hankison, was charged with civil rights violations for allegedly using excessive force, US Attorney Merrick Garland said.
“Breonna Taylor should be alive today,” Garland told a news conference. “The Justice Department is committed to defending and protecting the civil rights of every person in this country. That was this department’s founding purpose, and it remains our urgent mission.”
The death of Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician, was one in a trio of cases that fueled a summer of protests against racial injustice and police violence two years ago, in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Today was a huge step toward justice,” lawyers for the Taylor family said in a statement following the news.
Louisville police on Thursday began the process of firing Meany and Goodlett, the department said in a statement. Hankison and Jaynes were previously fired by the department.
The Justice Department is also conducting an investigation into whether the Louisville Metro Government and Louisville police engaged in a pattern or practice of abusing residents’ civil rights.
Protesters celebrate after the announcement that the FBI arrested and brought civil rights charges against four current and former Louisville police officers for their roles in the 2020 fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor, in Louisville, Kentucky, US, August 4, 2022. REUTERS/Amira Karaoud
Read More
NO KNOCK RAID
Louisville police were investigating alleged drug trafficking when they broke down the door of Taylor’s home in a “no-knock” raid, leading her boyfriend, who was carrying a legally owned firearm, to shoot at the officers, who then fired 22 shots into the apartment, killing Taylor, prosecutors said.
Hankison, prosecutors said, moved away from the door, firing 10 shots into Taylor’s apartment through a window and a glass door that were covered with blinds and curtains.
Hankison told a Kentucky grand jury that he opened fire once the shooting started. As he saw flashes light up the room, he said, he mistakenly believed one of the occupants was firing an assault-style rifle at his colleagues from him. Instead, mostly what he heard was other police firing their weapons. read more
Prosecutors said Jaynes and Goodlett met in a garage days after the shooting to agree on a false story to cover for the false evidence they had submitted to justify the botched raid.
Lawyer Stew Mathews, who represented Hankison at a trial in Jefferson County Circuit Court where he was acquitted in March of wanton endangerment, said he had spoken Thursday morning with the former detective as he was on his way to surrender to the FBI.
Mathews said the federal charges looked similar to the previous state charges Hankison had faced. Until Thursday, Hankison had been the only officer to face charges in connection with the raid.
“I’m sure Brett will be contesting this just like he did the other indication,” Mathews said.
Lawyer Thomas Clay, who represents Jaynes, could not be immediately reached for comment. It was not immediately clear if Meany and Goodlett had attorneys.
The killing of Taylor, along with other high-profile 2020 killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Georgia, sparked nationwide protests.
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com
Register
Reporting by Scott Malone in Washington and Colleen Jenkins in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Marla Dickerson
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
I’ll always remember when I first started writing at Traxion.GG, one of my first tasks included looking into a few different “simulators” that didn’t really revolve around racing.
Car Mechanic Simulator and Motorcycle Mechanic Simulator were both great learning pieces for me, and I really learned to appreciate the genre. It wasn’t racing games or esports, but like Rocket League, those titles did have cars and that was enough for us to consider covering them here on Traxion.GG.
Although Gas Station Simulator and PowerWash Simulator (man, was THAT a stretch) both weren’t made by the same devs or published by the same companies, just digging in to them all was such a change of pace from the fast and furious nature of the racing game genre.
The original start date of the playtest, 13th July, was pushed back two weeks. The playtest has been extended to Monday (8th August 2022) as a result, but I was able to find some time this week to sit down and take on the early stages of the developing simulation.
LOADING IN…
I don’t think I once hit the handbrake button. Maybe useful when the game is fully completed?
While it should be clearly stated that this is an early beta version of the gamethus not yet fully functional, I was extremely impressed with the amount of available things to do in this small slice of video game.
A new game file loads players into the Forest wilderness in the Jeep-esque Wrangler vehicle. While there isn’t a map just yet (hopefully there will be one), there is a compass-like bar at the top which gives direction plus where landmark-type areas are.
Using the provided WASD keyboard control scheme, which was not changeable at this time during the playtest, you’ll drive through a puddle and try to get up a steep hill. You can change between RWD and 4WD, plus check the status of your Wrangler.
That’s a lotta damage
After attempting to go up the hill, the engine expires and you’ll be asked to go to the Garage. The Garage is where all the mechanic magic happens.
While in the Garage, players will get a glimpse into how to work on the car. For now, the amount that can be done is limited, but if you’ve played these mechanic-type simulators before, it’s nothing out of the ordinary.
Click to do things, like unscrew things, dismount and remount parts, check the status of parts, etc. Pretty normal stuff, even non-mechanically minded folks like me can get a handle on things.
The tutorial said I could move an engine crane. I looked for about 10 minutes for it and couldn’t find it. I have been lied to.
The Computer allows players to order parts – the tutorial period demands certain types of parts be ordered so that on the next part of the playthrough, they can be installed.
Money isn’t an issue for now, but it is finite. When the title releases fully, there will be a way to earn more through assignments / jobs.
There’s also a storage area. I assume you’ll be able to store things there. For now, I couldn’t do anything in there, unless I missed something.
Going on the computer on a computer. Computer perception.
Once you’ve clicked and replaced the parts, screwed on all the bolts, and added the necessary accessories, it’s back to the Forest level. You don’t do anything but magically have the engine replaced (or upgraded) for now, but do make sure you remember to do that.
You’ll take the same path as before, but the engine will not blow up this time. You can try to put the Wrangler in 4WD, but even then, you just can’t run up that hill.
A winch was one of the required installations, hook this up to a nearby tree and pull your Wrangler up the hill, and once you’ve done this, the tutorial is over. You can keep messing around in the area, but there’s not much else to do once hitting this point.
INITIAL THOUGHTS
You’re welcome.
Like I imagined when learning of the title, it felt very much like SnowRunner, in the way the Wrangle drove over different terrain and the necessary use of the winch to pull up over the hill. What I liked more was that this simulated the process even more.
While in SnowRunner, there’s never a point where the player gets out of the vehicle, Offroad Mechanic Simulator had a moveable character that can get in and out of the vehicle when driving. In effect, it adds a ton more immersion to the program.
The character will be able to walk up to a tree, set up a Tree Strap, walk back to the Wrangler, grab the hook end of the Winch and then walk back to the tree and make the connection. Then from there, the player would get back in the car and pull up the hill as you would.
Offroad and then some
This is not SnowRunner, however, this is a Mechanic Simulator. I wouldn’t expect to have tasks like delivering steel to one end of a map.
This will be more the driving aspect, where players will be trying different parts and pieces to accomplish driving tasks around the different maps.
The mechanic portion of the simulation isn’t my personal favorite thing to do – as it is with most of those types of games, it seems like a menial task to click and click and click to remove, replace, and install parts, but there’s really no other way to simulate that so I get it.
How to mechanic 101
At least in the VR titles you can “pick up” parts and move them into the place. That’s not the case here and I wouldn’t expect it to be without VR support.
I didn’t run into too many issues during my brief playthrough either, which is good. I did notice an issue where replacing coil springs, the top bolts on the right side of the Wrangler wouldn’t properly fasten to the shocks.
I’d notice on the mount process when I moved to the left that the top screws were showing unmounted, so I had to go back, take off the tire, take off the screw and re-mount it to fix the problem.
LOOKING FORWARD
Weeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
The playtest was just a first glimpse into the coming program, and from what I’ve seen, there is definitely potential. I would argue that with the tens of other mechanic simulator-style titles, that whatever the final product of Offroad Mechanic Simulator needs to stand out to be successful.
Whatever that may be, well that’s up to the developers to decide upon. There are some listed features expected in the final release, including more cars and environments to test in.
There should be a Career mode as well, which should help to bring purpose to the title instead of the mundane repetition that these titles have the tendency to fall into.
Wow OK.
The game looks decent already for a beta, but I wouldn’t call the breathtaking scenery just yet. There’s still work to be done of course, but I was slightly disappointed that we didn’t get to try or see that canyon/mountain type of environment that was promoted in the promotional material.
I do hope there is some type of wheel support, or even controller support when it does launch. While it worked fine on the keyboard, and while this is primarily a mechanical simulation, I don’t like driving with my fingertips on a flat surface, sorry.
It seems as though this will eventually be customizable.
The team encourages you to join their Discord in the “extras” section of the menu. There’s a small discussion currently going on in there with some dev updates here and there.
Also, when you exit the game, it takes you to a Google Survey. Remember, this is a playtest, so if you are participating, leave some feedback.
We’ll be keeping our eyes on the title as the development continues. If everything goes to plan, expect it to launch early next year. There is no price listed just yet, but Steam users can wishlist it and still sign up for the playtest which runs through Monday 8th August.
Handbag no more! David Panton looks suave in a navy suit and crisp white shirt as he makes his first public appearance following his split from Julie Bishop
By Kinta Walsh-cotton For Daily Mail Australia
Published: | Updated:
David Panton was all smiles on Thursday night when he stepped out for his first public appearance following his shock split with former foreign minister, Julie Bishop.
Panton allegedly dumped Ms Bishop, 66, over dinner in Sydney just weeks ago after an eight-year relationship.
The co-founder of medical technology company Pantonic Health, 61, looked dashing in Sydney as he posed for photos at the launch of Mercedes-Benz’s newest electric vehicle.
David Panton was all smiles on Thursday night when he stepped out for his first public appearance following his shock split with former foreign minister, Julie Bishop
Panton ensured all eyes were on him – wearing an impeccably tailored navy suit with a pocket square.
He teamed the stylish ensemble with a crisp white shirt, designer tie, polished black shoes and a pricey watch.
Panton didn’t appear heartbroken after ending his romance with Ms Bishop last month.
During their partnership, Ms Bishop took Mr Panton to the United Nations to meet world leaders, Buckingham Palace to hobnob with British royalty and to the White House where he met Donald and Melania Trump.
The pair first stepped out publicly in 2014, and were pictured at countless celebrity events over the years including the 2018 wedding of Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough.
The co-founder of medical technology company Pantonic Health, 61, looked dashing in Sydney as he posed for photos at the launch of Mercedes-Benz’s newest electric vehicle
Panton ensured all eyes were on him – wearing an impeccably tailored navy suit with a pocket square
They had appeared to be going strong when they recently visited St James’ Palace in London for an event honoring Prince Charles’ charity.
Ms Bishop was understood to have been ‘blindsided’ by the sudden breakdown of her relationship, sources close to the former politician said.
Daily Mail Australia understands she had been finding more ways to be in Sydney with Mr Panton.
He teamed the stylish ensemble with a crisp white shirt, designer tie, polished black shoes and a pricey watch
Ms Bishop emerged for the first time since the split smiling happily for photos at a Perth mining conference on July 11, although insiders said she was hurting in the wake of the bust-up and was shocked at the way he’d pulled the pin so suddenly.
Another source close to Ms Bishop was slightly less diplomatic about the sudden end to the affair, hinting that Mr Panton’s presence in her inner circle ‘divided’ some of her friends and colleagues.
But ‘JBish’, as she was referred to in Canberra, remained smitten.
Panton allegedly dumped Ms Bishop, 66, over dinner in Sydney just weeks ago after an eight-year relationship
‘Let’s just say a there are a few who might be relieved that it’s over,’ said one, adding: ‘His personality didn’t always gel with everyone.’
Mr Panton met Ms Bishop while she was in the midst of her political career, serving as Australia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The pair maintained a long-distance relationship for years, with Ms Bishop based in Perth while he lived in Sydney.
Mr Panton met Ms Bishop while she was in the midst of her political career, serving as Australia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. (Pictured together last month at St James’s Palace in London, having dinner with Prince Charles for an event honoring his charity)
Novak Djokovic withdrew from the upcoming hard-court tournament in Montreal because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19 and is therefore not allowed to enter Canada.
For the same reason, as things stand now, he will also not be able to compete in the US Open later this month.
Djokovic, a 35-year-old from Serbia, has said he won’t get the shots, even if that means he can’t go to certain tournaments. He missed the Australian Open in January after being deported from that country and needed to sit out two events in the United States earlier this year.
READMORE:Games ‘catastrophe’ leads to fan’s ‘machete injury’
READMORE:Diamonds rocked by historic loss to Jamaica
READMORE:Bloodied star argues with ref after head clash
He did play in the French Open, where he lost in the quarterfinals to Rafael Nadal, and at Wimbledon, which Djokovic won last month for his 21st Grand Slam title — one behind the men’s record held by Nadal.
Unvaccinated foreign citizens can’t go to Canada or the USA, so Djokovic pulled out of Montreal a day before the draw is scheduled to take place for the tournament and is expected to have to sit out the US Open, which starts in New York on August 29.
Last weekend, Djokovic posted on social media that he was holding out hope of getting the chance to play in the US Open, writing: “I am preparing as if I will be allowed to compete, while I await to hear if there is any room for me to travel to US. Fingers crossed!”
Novak Djokovic. (Getty)
After beating Nick Kyrgios in the Wimbledon final on July 10, Djokovic said he “would love” to participate in the last grand slam tournament of the year at Flushing Meadows, but also acknowledged, “I’m not planning to get vaccinated.”
Djokovic is a three-time champion at the US Open. His loss from him to Daniil Medvedev in last year’s final there prevented Djokovic from becoming the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win a calendar-year grand slam.
Oscar Otte also with drawn from Montreal on Thursday; Kyrgios and Benjamin Bonzi moved into the bracket.
Four wild-card berths went to three-time major champion Andy Murray, David Goffin, Vasek Pospisil and Alexis Galarneau.
Nadal, who pulled out of Wimbledon before the semi finals because of a torn abdominal muscle, is still scheduled to play in Montreal.
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter byclicking here!
Commonwealth Games in pictures: Traumatized family reveals horrifying impact of games velodrome crash
A former governor of Puerto Rico, Wanda Vázquez, was arrested by the FBI on Thursday and accused of accepting bribes from a campaign donor while in office and naming a regulatory official of his choosing in exchange for financing her campaign.
Ms. Vázquez, 62, was arrested at her home after a grand jury indicted her.
The donor, Julio M. Herrera Velutini — a Venezuelan banker who has been mired in regulatory problems in Puerto Rico — was also charged. Mr. Herrera, 50, owns Bancrédito, an international bank that faced scrutiny from Puerto Rico regulators over suspicious banking transactions.
According to the Department of Justice, Mr. Herrera wanted the island’s top banking regulator to be replaced, and in return offered to pay $300,000 to political consultants working on the governor’s campaign. Ms. Vázquez, who was facing re-election at the time, agreed to the plan, W. Stephen Muldrow, the United States Attorney for Puerto Rico, said, adding that Mr. Herrera then formed a political action committee for Ms. Vázquez.
The grand jury’s 42-page indictment details meetings and text messages purported to show the quid-pro-quo nature of the arrangement. The governor went through with her end of the bargain, forcing the incumbent banking commissioner to step down and installing Mr. Herrera’s choice as the new commissioner, according to the indictment.
To disguise the “illegal and corrupt purpose of the bribes,” Mr. Herrera’s payments were funneled through Mark T. Rossini, who served as a consultant to Mr. Herrera and is accused of facilitating the arrangement, the Justice Department said.
Mr. Rossini, 60, is a former FBI supervisory agent who, before the Sept. 11 attacks, was assigned to a CIA task force investigating Al Qaeda, but was criminally charged for illegally running unauthorized searches on a government computer. After pleading guilty to those charges, he paid a fine and served community service and a year of probation.
The former governor, the banker and the former federal agent were each charged with conspiracy, federal programs bribery, and honest services wire fraud, and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted, Mr. Muldrow said.
Two more people involved in the bribery scheme — the president of the bank and one of Ms. Vázquez’s campaign consultants — pleaded guilty to conspiracy and will each face up to five years in prison.
Ms. Vázquez spoke to reporters on Thursday outside the federal courthouse in San Juan, where she was released on a $50,000 bond. Usually stylishly put together when in public, Ms. Vázquez looked like someone who had been rousted out of bed.
“I reiterate to the people and to all of you: I am innocent,” Ms. Vázquez said. “I have not committed any crime or any irregularity. Now it’s up to me to defend myself. I assure you they have committed a great injustice against me.”
Her lawyer, Luis Plaza, noted that she was not accused of personally receiving any bribe money.
“Not even the indictment alleges that she was enriched one cent,” Mr. Plaza said.
The arrest of the former governor coincides with a wave of unrelated public corruption cases on the island, including the arrests of nine mayors so far this year.
Ms. Vázquez was the commonwealth’s top prosecutor in 2019 when mass protests swept Gov. Ricardo A. Rosselló out of office. The island has no lieutenant governor, and the first office in the line of succession, secretary of state, was vacant at the time, so Mr. Rosselló’s resignation unexpectedly catapulted Ms. Vázquez into the governorship. A Republican and member of the island’s pro-statehood party, she served for less than two years, completing Mr. Rosselló’s term but losing her bid for re-election when she was defeated in a primary in 2020.
Federal prosecutors said that when Ms. Vázquez lost the primary, Mr. Herrera tried offering a bribe to the winner — the current governor, Pedro R. Pierluisi. But the person representing Mr. Pierluisi in the scheme was actually working undercover for the FBI
In May, Ms. Vázquez assembled reporters at the office of her lawyer, Mr. Plaza, to announce that she was under investigation. He described the investigation then as a “technical” issue that they would fight in court.
“We are going to litigate it, and we are going to win,” Mr. Plaza, a former prosecutor, said in May.
In November 2018, when she was the island’s secretary of justice, Ms. Vázquez faced allegations that she had improperly intervened on behalf of her daughter and son-in-law in a case involving a theft from their residence. Ms. Vázquez was briefly suspended from her post as the investigation developed. But she was later cleared of any ethical violations in the case by a judge who said there was insufficient evidence against her.
Before she was the top prosecutor, Ms. Vázquez led Puerto Rico’s office of women’s affairs, where she often clashed with women’s advocacy groups who said she was not doing enough to combat domestic violence.
On Thursday, federal prosecutors said that Mr. Herrera was in London and Mr. Rossini was in Spain, and that efforts would be made to extradite them.
Attempts to reach Mr. Rossini for comment were unsuccessful.
Luis Delgado, a lawyer for Mr. Herrera, said his client denied the allegations detailed in the indictment.
“They were false. There were no campaign contributions as they allege,” Mr. Delgado said. “We look forward to addressing them in a court of law.”
The bank that Mr. Herrera owns released a statement saying that he had resigned as chairman and a member of the board of directors.
“The bank continues to operate normally and to work closely and collaboratively with the Puerto Rico and federal banking authorities,” Gregorio D’Andrea, the chief operating officer, said in a statement.
Corey R. Amundson, chief of the Department of Justice’s Public Integrity Section, said the case was one of a string of recent corruption cases around the country, including in Ohio, Illinois and North Carolina, that involved businesspeople.
“We cannot and we will not turn a blind eye to a critical role played by corrupt members of the business world who make this corruption possible and provide the opportunities,” he said at a news conference in San Juan on Thursday. “They must be held accountable and will be held accountable.”
Governor Pierluisi said on Thursday that the arrest of his predecessor showed that “nobody is above the law in Puerto Rico.”
Although Mr. Muldrow repeatedly stressed that the current governor is not accused of any crimes, Mr. Pierluisi’s campaign has faced its own legal troubles.
The president and treasurer of a political action committee that raised money for Mr. Pierluisi’s campaign pleaded guilty in May in a scheme to hide the origins of “dark money,” the US attorney’s office said. The governor has denied any links to the PAC.
Another former governor of Puerto Rico, Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, was acquitted of federal corruption charges in 2009.
“Corruption is not a victimless crime,” said Joseph González, the special agent in charge of the FBI in Puerto Rico. “The victim is the people of Puerto Rico.”
