Another Russian scare tactic?

Hackers Threaten to Release Trump Georgia Case Docs

https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/fulton-county-georgia-donald-trump/2024/02/29/id/1155390/

A group responsible for hacking Fulton County, Georgia's municipal websites is threatening to publish documents related to the criminal case against former President Donald Trump unless it gets paid a ransom.

LockBit's deadline for the ransom to be paid is 8:49 a.m. ET on Thursday, Business Insider reported.

The group initially set a Saturday deadline for the payment, according to the cybersecurity reporter Christopher Krebs.

CBS News reported Jan. 30 that Georgia officials said the court and other systems in the state's most populous county were hacked, interrupting routine operations.

In a message posted in both English and Russian on Saturday, LockBit said the stolen documents "contain a lot of interesting things and Donald Trump's court cases that could affect the upcoming US election."

Last week, the Department of Justice announced it had joined the United Kingdom and international law enforcement partners in the disruption of the LockBit ransomware group.

DOJ unsealed an indictment accusing two Russian nationals of being involved in the group's hacking operations.

"The FBI decided to hack now for one reason only," according to a message from LockbitSupp, Forbes reported, "because they didn't want to leak information from Fulton County."

The group, however, "is now regrouping," according to Krebs. Business Insider reported the group appeared to become operational again over the weekend.

On a new website, LockBit posted a message claiming it had backup copies of documents taken from the Fulton County government's website.

"Personally I will vote for Trump because the situation on the border with Mexico is some kind of nightmare, Biden should retire, he is a puppet," the message said, Business Insider reported.

It's not known how much money LockBit is demanding. Dan Schiappa, the chief product officer at the cybersecurity firm Arctic Wolf, told Business Insider that the hacking group's demands are often negotiated in private.

The Associated Press reported that LockBit is dominated by Russian speakers and does not attack former Soviet nations. The syndicate provides clients with the platform and the malware to conduct attacks and collect ransoms.

LockBit has targeted more than 2,000 victims, received more than $120 million in ransom payments, and made ransom demands totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the DOJ.

Fulton County's computer systems were hacked Jan. 27 and some of its services were down for weeks.

>>20494262

Well, the deadline has passed.

Guess we need to get on the ball and scoop it all up.

Nothing but criminals…every last one of them pols.

Panera Spared $20 Wage After Donation to Newsom

https://www.newsmax.com/finance/streettalk/panera-newsom-20-minimum-wage/2024/02/29/id/1155387/

Panera Bread was excluded from California’s new $20-an-hour fast food minimum wage after its billionaire owner donated to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s campaign, the New York Post reports.

After Greg Flynn, the billionaire CEO of Flynn Restaurant Group, publicly denounced the bill, lobbied the Democrat leader, and donated at least $164,800 to Newsom’s campaign, a bread exemption carve-out was added to the legislation.

Originally floated in 2022 and signed into law in September, the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Act (FAST Act) raised the minimum wage of fast-food workers in the state from $16 an hour to $20. It included an exemption for “chains that bake bread and sell it as a standalone item.”

Read Newsmax: Panera Spared $20 Wage After Donation to Newsom | Newsmax.com

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National Restaurant Association CEO Michelle Korsmo said “everyone’s scratching their head” over the bread exemption.

“You may be celebrating or you may be lamenting the bakery exemption,” Korsmo said at an industry conference last fall. “But remember, all of that comes through relationships.”

Newsom, discussing the bill with reporters last month, called the exemption “part of the sausage-making” in politics.

Flynn attended the same high school as Newsom and has been involved in some of Newsom’s business dealings.

With a net worth of $1.1 billion, Flynn is the largest restaurant franchisee in the United States, with thousands of brands in his portfolio, including Applebee’s, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Wendy’s. He bought a Napa Valley resort that Newsom’s hospitality firm managed, according to disclosures.

Business owners, including Flynn, have widely criticized the increase in the minimum wage, saying it will result in higher consumer prices and potential layoffs.

Chipotle Chief Financial Officer Jack Hartung told investors on an earnings call earlier this month the chain will have to significantly increase prices to cover higher labor costs.

Read Newsmax: Panera Spared $20 Wage After Donation to Newsom | Newsmax.com

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In October, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski warned it would be forced to increase its menu items at its California restaurants. In point of fact, McDonald’s is now charging $18 for a Big Mac meal.

Earlier on Wednesday, Panera agreed to pay $2 million to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing it of misleading customers about its menu prices and delivery fees.

The New York Post sought comment from Flynn, Newsom and Panera Bread.

Read Newsmax: Panera Spared $20 Wage After Donation to Newsom | Newsmax.com

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>>20494302

You didn't read the article, did you.