powerful

As Gov. Gavin Newsom flew around the country last year campaigning for President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, his chief of staff Dana Williamson — known as one of California’s toughest political insiders — was not only helping to helm the ship in Sacramento, but under criminal investigation by federal law enforcement.

The resulting criminal case, which splashed into public view with Williamson’s arrest Wednesday, does not implicate Newsom in any wrongdoing. Williamson’s alleged misdeeds occurred in private work prior to her joining his staff, and his office said it placed her on leave in November 2024 after she informed him she was under investigation.

Nonetheless, the bombshell allegations struck at the center of the political power circle surrounding Newsom, rattling one of the nation’s most prominent and important hubs of Democratic state power at a time when President Trump and his Republican administration wield power in Washington.

Williamson was charged with bank and tax fraud for allegedly siphoning campaign and COVID-19 recovery funds into her and an associate’s pockets and claiming personal luxuries as business expenses on tax forms. According to the indictment, the campaign funds were drawn from a dormant state account of another top California Democrat: gubernatorial candidate and former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary Xavier Becerra.

Two other well-connected aides in state politics were also charged — and struck plea deals confirming the scheme — while a third, with deep ties to one of the most well-connected circles of political and business consultants in the country, appeared in charging documents as an uncharged co-conspirator.

Williamson’s attorney McGregor Scott, a former U.S. attorney in Sacramento, told The Times on Wednesday that federal authorities had approached Williamson more than a year ago, seeking help with some kind of probe of the governor himself.

“She told them she had no information to provide them, and then we wind up today with these charges,” Scott said. The nature of that alleged probe is unclear.

Newsom’s office on Thursday said it was “not aware of any federal investigation involving the governor.”

Lauren Horwood, a spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office in Sacramento, said she could not confirm or deny the existence of any investigation involving Newsom, in accordance with Justice Department policy. None of the charging documents released in the cases against the three aides mention Newsom.

A loquacious liberal foil to Trump and likely 2028 presidential contender, Newsom has been in Brazil since Sunday and on Wednesday left for a planned trip into the Amazon with a small delegation after attending the United Nations climate summit known as COP30. He left the conference before news of Williamson’s arrest, and could not be reached directly by The Times for comment.

In his absence, Newsom’s representatives have tried to draw a connection between the federal case and the contentious relationship between California and the Trump administration, though offered no evidence that the investigation was influenced by the White House.

“At a time when the president is openly calling for his attorney general to investigate his political enemies, it is especially important to honor the American principle of being innocent until proven guilty in a court of law by a jury of one’s peers,” a Newsom spokesperson said Wednesday.

“Under the Trump administration, the DOJ routinely targets the state, which has resulted in us suing the federal administration 46 times,” a Newsom spokesperson said Thursday.

Trump and his administration have been accused of using their power — and control over the Justice Department — to go after his political enemies. Charges reportedly deemed weak and unfounded by career prosecutors have been brought forward anyway against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Atty. Gen. Letitia James, while Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is being investigated for years-old occupancy claims in mortgage documents. All have denied wrongdoing.

The case against Williamson and the other California aides, however, is something different — originating years ago under the Biden administration.

“Today’s charges are the result of three years of relentless investigative work, in partnership with IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel said Wednesday.

Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson, rejected the notion that the case was in any way driven by the Trump administration or politically motivated.

“What an absurd claim to make when public reporting has already noted that this investigation began under the Biden DOJ,” Jackson said. “The Trump administration is restoring integrity and accountability to the Justice Department.”

Prosecutors also have plea deals with two of the primary suspects in the case, in which they corroborate some of the allegations.

According to the 23-count indictment, unsealed Wednesday morning, Williamson conspired with Sean McCluskie — a former top aid to Becerra — and lobbyist Greg Campbell to bill Becerra’s dormant state campaign account for bogus consulting services. The three allegedly used shell companies to funnel money out of the campaign fund starting in 2022.

Federal authorities alleged the bulk of the payments were made to McCluskie’s wife, who did not actually provide consulting services, and deposited into an account accessed by McCluskie. Becerra, who has not been accused of wrongdoing, said Wednesday’s charges alleging “impropriety by a long-serving trusted advisor are a gut punch,” and that he was cooperating with authorities.

In addition, Williamson was charged with falsifying documents for a COVID-era small business loan, and with claiming luxury goods and services — including a $15,353 Chanel purse, $21,000 in private jet travel and a $150,000 birthday trip to Mexico, complete with an $11,000 yacht trip — as business expenses on her tax returns, federal prosecutors said.

Williamson appeared in federal court in Sacramento on Wednesday afternoon, and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Williamson’s attorney said he has been in “regular communication” with federal prosecutors about the case for some time, and had asked to meet with prosecutors to “present our side” before any charges were brought, but that request “was not honored.”

Instead, officials “chose grandstanding instead of the normal process” and arrested Williamson at home Wednesday, despite her being seriously ill and in need of a liver transplant, Scott said. Williamson could not be reached for comment directly.

Williamson previously worked as a Cabinet secretary to former Gov. Jerry Brown, who also could not be reached for comment Thursday.

The case against Williamson is bolstered by acknowledgments of guilt from at least two others.

McCluskie — a former chief deputy attorney general of California when Becerra was attorney general — pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud and is cooperating with authorities, court filings show. He could not be reached for comment.

Campbell pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud and conspiracy to defraud and commit offenses against the U.S. government. Campbell’s attorney Todd Pickles said his client “takes full accountability for his actions and is cooperating fully with the legal process.”

The case also involves another longtime California political insider: Alexis Podesta, a former secretary of the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency who Newsom appointed to the State Compensation Insurance Fund board of directors in January 2020. A spokesperson for the board confirmed Podesta remained a member as of Thursday morning.

Bill Portanova, Podesta’s attorney, confirmed to The Times that Podesta is the person identified as “Co-Conspirator 2” in charging documents — including McCluskie’s plea agreement, which alleges she funneled the campaign funds to him.

Portanova said Podesta inherited responsibilities for handling the Becerra account from Williamson when Williamson left to become Newsom’s chief of staff. Podesta did not perceive anything “unusual about the accounts, how they were set up or who had set them up,” so continued making payments as previously arranged, Portanova said.

However, “when confronted with the information that it was improper payments,” Portanova said, she immediately stopped the payments, and “has been fully cooperative with the federal authorities at every stage of these proceedings.”

He said she is not charged, and “should not be charged” moving forward. He otherwise declined to comment, as “investigations are ongoing.”

Podesta had close ties to some of the most influential Democratic political consultants in California, adding to the intrigue surrounding the case.

In September 2020 — about eight months after Newsom had appointed Podesta to the insurance board for workers’ compensation — Politico reported on a new “influence superteam” of Democratic political consultants forming in California.

The project, it said, would be called the Collaborative. Among its “architects” were Williamson and Campbell, as well as Jim DeBoo, another former Newsom chief of staff. Its managing director, the outlet reported, would be Podesta.

Among its enlisted consultants, it said, would be Sean Clegg of Bearstar Strategies, another senior advisor to Newsom, and Shannon Murphy, of M Strategic Communications, who has ties to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

DeBoo, Clegg and Murphy have not been accused of any wrongdoing.

“Bearstar participated in a joint marketing press release with the Collaborative and worked on one campaign with the Collaborative’s members in 2022. Bearstar and its partners had no interest, stake or other involvement with this entity,” David Beltran, a representative of Bearstar, said in a statement Thursday.

Murphy also released a statement about the enterprise: “Five years ago, our firm participated in a joint-marketing effort. We had zero ownership or role in the business entity that was created and had no knowledge of its finances or operations until yesterday’s news stories.”

DeBoo did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.

Members of the Collaborative advise some of the largest companies in not just the country, but the world.

The Collaborative’s website was recently scaled down to a simple landing page, but it previously touted itself there as “the hub for the most talented public affairs, campaign, crisis management, communications and lobbying firms in California,” providing clients “the ability to choose one or several firms that work together — rather than compete — to provide their clients with the best possible outcomes.”

The website led with what it called a proverb: “If you call one wolf, you invite the pack.”

FORGET the Oscars, the Met Gala or a Royal wedding.

This weekend saw the VIP event to rule them all, in the form of Kris Jenner’s 70th star-studded black-tie birthday party.

Make no mistake, every celebrity worth their diamonds can gather a gaggle of A-listers, but this event was something different.

The 007-themed bash collected some of the world’s biggest names in business and tech, movies and music for a night of total luxury and couture-costumed backslapping.

Hosted by Amazon boss Jeff Bezos at his and new wife Lauren Sanchez’s Hollywood megamansion, it was proof to the guests — and millions of fans now lapping up every detail they can via Instagram — that Kris Jenner is the unrivalled queen bee.

She is bigger in power and influence than any other fellow guest in attendance, including talk show legend Oprah Winfrey, tech pioneer Bill Gates, multi-platinum singer Mariah Carey, Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg and Kris’s own daughter, Kim Kardashian.

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And getting on her guestlist is the equivalent of getting a glowing write-up in the Who’s Who of modern-day heavyweights.

Essentially, Kris can make or break you — but if she likes you, you’re really winning.

It’s a truth that was etched proudly across Meghan Markle’s face as she smiled her way into Kris’s exclusive birthday bash.

Flanked by her less enthusiastic husband Prince Harry, Meghan looked like the cat who had got the cream — which, for her, has been a long time coming.

Meghan may have rejected royal life before hightailing it to the US in 2020, but Buckingham Palace is a long way from Beverly Hills — and across the pond, Kris has more influence, cachet and showbiz know-how than any British monarch.

Since stepping down as senior royals, Meghan and Harry have done their best to ingratiate themselves in the up­per echelons of LA, mingling with the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Cameron Diaz, Beyonce and actress Kerry Washington.

But they have fallen out with the likes of power couples Victoria and David Beckham and George and Amal Clooney — both of whom have cut them from A-list social functions.

Grandiose pitches

Meanhwile, Meghan apparently pursued her own goal: An actual friendship with Kris, who, as well as holding influence, knows better than most about the art of rebranding.

Let’s remember, her family were once jokingly labelled “the Kartrashians”, known for flogging slimming teas on Instagram and attending the opening of an envelope.

But the joke’s now firmly on all their critics, since they turned themselves into the one of the most lucrative family brands the world has ever seen — one to rival a royal fold.

And it’s Kris who has masterminded the whole thing — a fact immortalised the day she was filmed cooing at Kim, “You’re doing amazing, sweetie!” while her daughter posed nude for a Playboy magazine shoot in 2007.

Back then, she had already launched the entire family on network TV with their own reality series, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, building on the infamy of Kim’s sex tape.

And though the family’s fame in the early days was easily mocked, they’ve since each cemented themselves as aspirational power players in their own right.

Kim and her sister Kylie Jenner are billionaire business moguls with their respective fashion and beauty lines SKIMS and Kylie Cosmetics, while Kendall Jenner is one of the biggest fashion models in the world.

As for Kourtney and Khloe, everything they touch also turns to gold.

Momager Kris still takes ten per cent of her family’s earnings and is well worth the levy, because having a steer and a nod from her is worth its weight in Hollywood opportunities.

Meghan’s long known this, but her efforts so far have mostly been met with muted interest.

Last year, she sent a batch of her home-made jam to Kris, and before that she and her own mum Doria Ragland previously rubbed shoulders with Kris and Kim at various charity dos.

But getting an invite to THE party of the year is the ultimate seal of approval for Meghan, and a sign that her and Harry’s luck might now be changing after all.

So far, they have been slammed by insiders for not following through on lucrative brand deals and mocked for constantly going back on grandiose pitches and promises.

In 2023, Spotify pulled the plug on their $20million audio deal after Meghan produced just 12 episodes of content for her podcast Archetypes, with one exec at the audio streamer labelling them “f***ing grifters”.

And even though Netflix has now produced two series of the universally mocked cookery and lifestyle series With Love, Meghan, it’s been reported that she and Harry are no longer the streaming giant’s golden couple.

Their $100million deal with the streamer has now been downgraded to a “first-look deal” with a reportedly massive pay cut.

In the past week, we revealed how Meghan is returning to acting with a role in the upcoming movie comedy Close Personal Friends.

Having shunned the showier side of showbiz post-royal life, it’s clear she now needs Hollywood’s endorsement more than ever — so getting through the door of Kris’s VIP-packed party is a pretty momentous achievement.

Devotedly loyal

Jeff Bezos’s role as host attests to Kris’ social standing. Not content with putting on their lavish three-day wedding in Venice which was attended by the Kardashian clan, the Amazon boss and his wife Lauren proved there’s nothing they wouldn’t do for their dear friend Kris.

So it only stands to reason that Jeff would be all-ears to any film or TV ideas Meghan might have for his Prime streaming service — provided she has Kris’s seal of approval.

Other heavyweights who donned their gladrags for Kris included Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who arrived carrying a perfectly wrapped, rectangular gift (prompting the internet to wonder just what a billionaire brings as a birthday present).

Bill has a lot to thank Kris for, as she recently invested in Phia, an AI shopping start-up co-launched by his daughter Phoebe.

Kris knows what The Godfather taught us long ago: Make sure people owe you enough to remain committed and devotedly loyal.

But the night wasn’t all about business deals, and it’s safe to say that every star who attended the function — many of them dressed in red — had a night to remember.

Maintaining the party’s James Bond theme, Kris brandished a tiny pistol — stressing the point that she’s the one who wields the power.

Dressed in a frilled, hot-red ballgown and dramatic black gloves, the mum-of-six proudly displayed her most expensive purchase — a new facelift, which reportedly cost between $150,000 and $230,000.

She unveiled the results earlier this year, saying, “This is ageing gracefully, my version.”

And she certainly looked delighted with herself on the night, as did her younger actor boyfriend, Corey Gamble, 45, who lovingly followed 70-year-old Kris around all night.

Among the other VIPs attending were Motown legend Stevie Wonder, Oscar nominee Naomi Watts, socialite Paris Hilton, rapper Snoop Dogg, singer Adele and fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger — while hitmaker Bruno Mars performed live.

The night was so eventful that police were called to the premises several times after neighbours complained about loud music.

Cameras were strictly forbidden, but the birthday girl did later post a carousel of photos on Instagram which showed red roses, sweeping scarlet drapery, flowing champagne, 007-themed lighters and poker chips.

It was all accounted for, and Kris was royally venerated like the modern-day monarch she has risen to be.

The rise itself is pretty spectacular, considering her modest beginnings.

Born in San Diego in 1955 to an aircraft manager dad and children’s clothing store owner mum, Kris briefly worked as an air hostess for American Airlines.

Her only “proper” job, she said it made her “see what hard work and great service looked like”.

While married to Hollywood lawyer Robert Kardashian, who represented OJ Simpson during his 1995 murder trial, she became the standard LA wife who knows all the right people and places, but still stands behind her more successful husband.

But after she divorced Robert and married Bruce Jenner, now Caitlyn, she became the former athlete’s manager and turned his faded Olympic career into lucrative brand deals.

Yet it wasn’t until she pitched her family to E! for reality TV glory that she really proved her mettle.

Coining the term momager, she has now leveraged a C-list family to Hollywood royalty.

The Kardashians now run some of the most exclusive rooms in the world — and for Meghan Markle, getting access to them is crucial.

Attending Kris’s party might just be the start of a beautiful friendship.

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And if Meghan really plays her cards right, she’ll finally hear those four words that mean so much: “You’re doing amazing, sweetie.”

In the meantime, Meghan — and the rest of Hollywood — know the drill: Curtsey, kiss the ring, and never say no to a Kris Jenner invitation.

The earthquake comes two months after the deadliest quake in recent Afghan history, which killed thousands of people.

A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake has struck northern Afghanistan, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS), two months after a quake killed thousands of people in the impoverished nation’s east.

The USGS said overnight Sunday into Monday that the quake hit at a revised depth of 28km (17 miles) in Kholm, near the city of Mazar-i-Sharif in the Hindu Kush region, at 12:59 am local time (20:29 GMT). It was felt by correspondents with the AFP news agency based in the capital Kabul.

The agency had initially given the depth as 10km (6 miles).

Local authorities broadcast emergency telephone numbers for people to call, but did not immediately report any deaths or injuries.

In Mazar-i-Sharif, many people ran into the street in the middle of the night, fearing their homes might collapse, an AFP correspondent observed.

The Taliban authorities have had to deal with several major quakes since returning to power in 2021, including one in 2023 in the western Herat region on the border with Iran that killed more than 1,500 people and destroyed more than 63,000 homes.

A shallow 6.0-magnitude quake struck this year on August 31 in the country’s east, killing more than 2,200 people – the deadliest tremor in recent Afghan history.

Earthquakes are common in the country, particularly along the Hindu Kush mountain range, near where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates meet.

Afghanistan is contending with multiple crises after decades of war: endemic poverty, severe drought and the influx of millions of Afghans forced back home by neighbouring Pakistan and Iran.

Many modest Afghan homes are shoddily built and poor infrastructure hampers rescue efforts after natural disasters like quakes.

Since 1900, northeastern Afghanistan has been hit by 12 earthquakes with a magnitude above 7.0, according to Brian Baptie, a seismologist with the British Geological Survey.