Happy Wednesday Everyone! Today’s newsletter: 1,084 words…4 mins
🗞 Today’s Edition: Ukraine’s $100 Million Energy Scandal, Trump Sprays Perfume On Ex-Terrorist, "Sniper Tourists" And Their Chilling "Human Safari", Britain's CryptoQueen Busted, Jack Schlossberg and Christine Pelosi Eye Capitol Hill… & much more!
📜THE HIGHLIGHT
One killer insight to stash in your back pocket
🕵Ukraine’s $100 Million Energy Scandal
Ukraine’s war-time corruption drama just went nuclear. A 15-month probe by anti-corruption agencies - NABU and SAPO has exposed a $100M graft network inside Energoatom, the state-run nuclear power giant.
Investigators say officials and business elites — including Zelensky’s former partner Tymur Mindich — skimmed 10–15% kickbacks off energy contracts meant to shield the grid from Russian strikes.
💣 The fallout:
Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk and the Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko, resigned as tapes surfaced of threats, rigged bids, and “ghost” contracts for protective infrastructure that never materialized.
Five suspects are now behind bars, seven more — including high-level insiders — are under investigation.
…In the energy sector, every industry and everyone who has been involved in corruption schemes must face clear legal consequences and convictions must be handed down.
💡Why it matters: Ukraine’s already fragile power grid keeps getting bombed while insiders lined their pockets. The scandal’s timing — during blackouts and brutal winter prep — is gasoline on public outrage that’s been brewing the past few months.
It hasn’t escaped the public’s notice that back in July (which we now know is during this 15 month investigation); Zelensky moved to put NABU and SAPO under Presidential control - a move that led to nationwide protests and pressure from Western allies. Zelensky withdrew the bill within 72 hrs.
♟️THE CHESSBOARD
Geopolitics Decoded In 3 Moves
Left: President Trump with Syria’s Al-Sharaa at the Oval Office; Right: Trump spraying his “Victory 45-47” cologne on Al-Sharaa
👀 The “Sniper Tourists” of Sarajevo
Italy’s prosecutors are digging into one of the Bosnian War’s darkest rumors — a “human safari” where wealthy Italians allegedly paid €80K–€100K to shoot civilians during the 1992–96 siege of Sarajevo.
Witnesses claim Bosnian Serb soldiers arranged “sniper weekends” for foreigners, with higher prices for killing children.
Flights reportedly went from Trieste to Belgrade before “hunts” near Sarajevo’s hills.
Evidence suggests Italian intelligence may have looked the other way. Serbia denies it all.
💡Bottom line: Prosecutors in Milan have opened an investigation into these claims, supported by detailed witness accounts and documentation. If this disturbing story ends up being true, it would mean Justice - decades late, but chillingly overdue.
🤭Trump Sprays Perfume On Ex-Terrorist
President Trump’s meeting yesterday with Syria’s interim President Al-Sharaa involved a humorous exchange that went viral.
Trump gifted the former Al Qaeda affiliate - a $250 bottle of the “Trump Victory 45–47” cologne and a second one for his wife.
Then in peak Trump fashion he sprayed it on Al-Sharaa before asking him how many wives he had…presumably to make sure he gifted the right number of bottles.
When Al Sharaa said “One”, Trump responds with, “You never know!”, drawing huge laughs across the room.
⚡Needless to say, this playful interaction captured significant media attention and went viral online. The only interaction that comes close, is one where Trump called Kim Jong Un “fat” during a visit to North Korea in his first term.
🪙 Britain’s “Cryptoqueen” Falls from Her Throne
Move over, OneCoin — there’s a new crypto queen in disgrace.
Zhimin Qian, the Chinese mogul behind a £5B Bitcoin Ponzi empire, just got 11+ years in a UK prison for defrauding 128,000 investors.
Her company, Lantian Gerui, sold fake dreams of Bitcoin mining and “health products” — a pyramid wrapped in crypto hype.
Qian fled China in 2017, living large in London — £17K/month mansion, designer jewels, and all — before her arrest last year.
Police seized 61,000 Bitcoin, the largest crypto confiscation ever.
⚡From Cryptoqueen to cell block chic — that’s one brutal market correction. Cue, the next Netflix hit.
🗽THE EMPIRE FILES
Political Drama From DC To NYC
Left: Jack Schlossberg; Right: Christine Pelosi
🇺🇸 The Last Kennedy Steps Into the Ring
Jack Schlossberg, grandson of JFK and son of Caroline Kennedy, officially launched his campaign for New York’s 12th Congressional District — the seat soon to be vacated by Rep. Jerry Nadler.
A Harvard Law grad and political commentator, Schlossberg’s campaign video leans hard into Camelot nostalgia — echoes of JFK Jr.’s glossy aesthetic, identical fonts, even near-replica photoshoots.
But critics say it’s more JFK Jr. cosplay than political originality, accusing him of “ripping off” his uncle’s brand.
Schlossberg’s defenders say he’s injecting youth and charisma into a stale Democratic bench.
💬 Still, the name “Kennedy” alone is moving donors — and headlines, proving that Legacy sells, even in high-def.
🇺🇸 Christine Pelosi Charts Her Own Power Path
Christine Pelosi, daughter of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has officially entered the political arena — but not for her mother’s old seat.
Instead, she’s running for California’s State Senate, targeting the seat of Sen. Scott Wiener, who’s pursuing a U.S. House bid.
A DNC veteran and progressive policy wonk, Christine’s platform hits women’s rights and campaign finance reform.
Her campaign pitch: state-level impact over D.C. theatrics.
Meanwhile, sister Alexandra Pelosi stays behind the camera, chronicling politics, not joining it.
💬 The Pelosi brand isn’t fading — it’s just getting a California reboot.
🤖 CODES & POWER
Tech Wars, Crypto Chaos, and AI’s Black Mirror Moments
👛 Coinbase Bets on Texas
Coinbase, the U.S.’s largest crypto exchange, is packing up from Delaware and reincorporating in Texas by late 2025.
Reason: Lower costs, lighter regulations, and business-friendly courts — a safer bet for volatile crypto operations.
Part of the wider “Dexit” trend (Tesla, others) fleeing Delaware’s activist-heavy legal landscape, Coinbase says Texas offers a clearer runway for growth and innovation.
💡Crypto meets cowboy capitalism: predictable courts > corporate drama.
🥗 Airbnb + Instacart = Kitchen Goals
Airbnb is piloting a “kitchen stocking” service letting guests order groceries via Instacart before arrival.
Hosts in Phoenix, Orlando, and LA can prep orders for $25 per stay, plus a $100 first-order bonus.
The move expands Airbnb Services, competing with Tripadvisor and Booking.com, while CEO Brian Chesky eyes $1B+ annual revenue from these add-ons.
📺 FUN FACTS & TRIVIA
Fear of Long Words
Ironically, the fear of long words is called Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia—a deliberately absurd 36-letter neologism.
It playfully builds on an ancient Latin phrase from the Roman poet Horace (c. 19 BCE), who coined sesquipedalia verba ("words a foot and a half long") to mock writers overly fond of verbose excess.