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Today — 7 February 2026Main stream

Iconic Skateboarder Shreds ‘Misinformation’ That He Married On Epstein’s Island

Famed skateboarder Tony Hawk is clearing the air after online rumors that he got married at convicted *** abuser Jeffrey Epstein’s island, a claim the Birdman called “misinformation.”

“Here are the facts and timelines of my nuptials, and I apologize if they don’t fit a narrative of nonsense,” Hawk, who married four times, began an Instagram story he posted on Thursday.

Skateboarder Tony Hawk is speaking out against rumors that he visited the private island of late *** trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Skateboarder Tony Hawk is speaking out against rumors that he visited the private island of late *** trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Rasid Necati Aslim /Anadolu via Getty Images
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The skateboarder clarified that his weddings took place at his home in Fallbrook, California, the Hilton Hotel in San Diego, Tavarua Surf Island in Fiji, and at Adare Manor in Ireland — none of which are Little Saint James, Epstein’s private estate in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Rumors about Hawk stemmed from an email dated Oct. 22, 2024, written by a special agent with the FBI investigating a case involving a minor allegedly being trafficked. The Department of Justice released the email as part of a batch of files made public under the Epstein Files Transparency Act in which multiple celebrities and high-profile people were named. 

News: DOJ Announces Arrest Of Suspect In 2012 Benghazi Attack

The email stated that the victim reported that “she was taken from Ireland and brought to Jeffrey Epstein Island when she was 13 years old,” and “she was there when Prince Edward was there and when Tony Hawk got married on the island.”

Coincidentally, one guest who attended Hawk’s 2006 wedding in Fiji is named Mark Epstein, who shares the same name as the convicted *** abuser’s younger brother. That guest also shot photos at Hawk’s wedding.

One of the photos of Tony Hawk and his then-bride Lhotse Merriam taken at their 2006 wedding by photographer Mark Epstein.
One of the photos of Tony Hawk and his then-bride Lhotse Merriam taken at their 2006 wedding by photographer Mark Epstein.  Mark Epstein via Getty Images

Hawk’s wedding guest has no relation to late *** trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, but is instead an “accomplished action sports photographer from Wyoming,” the skateboarder wrote. 

Hawk maintains that he never met Jeffrey Epstein, nor has he ever visited his island. 

“This is all easily verifiable information,” Hawk wrote. “Facts are not fungible.” 

Read the original on HuffPost

Suspect in 1994 murder of Colombian soccer star killed in Mexico

A drug trafficker linked to the 1994 murder of Colombian soccer star Andrés Escobar has been killed in Mexico, President Gustavo Petro said Friday.

Santiago Gallon Henao had been investigated in the death of Escobar, the Colombian national team's central defender, who was gunned down in Medellin days after scoring an own goal in a match against the United States at the 1994 World Cup.

The own goal contributed to Colombia's first-round elimination from the tournament.

Colombian defender Andres Escobar lies on the ground after scoring an own goal past goalkeeper Oscar Cordoba while trying to stop a shot from U.S. forward John Harkes during the World Cup first round soccer match on June 22, 1994 in Los Angeles.  / Credit: ROMEO GACAD/AFP via Getty Images

The 27-year-old's murder shocked the soccer world and Colombia, which at the time was plagued by violence. Medellin was controlled by drug traffickers, with a murder rate of 380 per 100,000 inhabitants.

Gallon and his brother allegedly confronted Escobar at a nightclub on July 2, 1994, just 10 days after the own goal.

The brothers' driver, Humberto Munoz Castro, admitted to shooting Escobar several times in the nightclub's parking lot. According to eyewitnesses, Munoz shouted "goal!" each time he fired. He later confessed to the killing and was sentenced to prison. He got a 43-year sentence and was released after 11 years, according to the Bogota Post.

The men were thought to have lost heavily after betting on Colombia's performance at the World Cup.

Petro said on X that Gallon was killed Thursday in Mexico, and that he was responsible for Escobar's killing.

The soccer star's murder "destroyed the country's international image," the leftist president said.

Gallon was shot dead in a restaurant in Huixquilucan, a municipality in the state of Mexico, a source from the Toluca prosecutor's office told AFP.

Gallon and his brother were investigated for obstruction of justice and spent 15 months in prison without being brought to trial.

They were included in a 2015 U.S. Treasury Department blacklist for drug trafficking, accused of being members of La Oficina de Envigado, a successor to drug kingpin Pablo Escobar's Medellin Cartel.

The 1991 murder of Escobar was chronicled in the ESPN documentary "The Two Escobars," which draws parallels between the soccer star and the international drug lord. 

Fans of Colombia display a banner from Andres Escobar, who was murdered after the World Cup 1994, during the FIFA World Cup group d match between Colombia and Tunesia on June 22, 1998 in Montpellier, France. / Credit: Alexander Hassenstein

FBI says deadline in Nancy Guthrie ransom note is set for 5 p.m.

Investigators return to Nancy Guthrie's home as search intensifies

Questions swirl as video logs show person may have entered Epstein jail tier the night he died

Yesterday — 6 February 2026Main stream
Before yesterdayMain stream

Hackers publish personal information stolen during Harvard, UPenn data breaches

4 February 2026 at 21:56
The prolific cybercrime group ShinyHunters took responsibility for hacking Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania, and published the stolen data on its extortion website.

Peoria High boys basketball coach arrested on child solicitation charges

Peoria High School boys basketball varsity head coach Daniel Ruffin was arrested Monday on child solicitation charges involving a 16-year-old female student.

Peoria police officers interviewed and subsequently arrested Ruffin, 41, on charges of indecent solicitation of a child and transported him to Peoria County Jail. During the investigation, officers viewed "text message communications on the teen’s phone that were determined to be inappropriate in nature," according to a news release from the Peoria Police Department.

Officers had been dispatched to Peoria High on Monday regarding the alleged solicitation of a minor by a school employee.

A phone call and voice message left for Ruffin were not immediately returned Monday night. Peoria High athletics director Ben Mahan declined comment Monday night.

Ruffin, who is in his sixth season with Central, has coached the Lions to a 17-6 record during the 2025-26 campaign. He won his 100th career game on Saturday against Moline.

Peoria High went 29-7 last season highlighted by a Class 3A Elite Eight appearance. The Lions are atop the Big 12 Conference standings at 7-0.

Central travels to Manual on Tuesday night for a league contest. It’s unclear if Ruffin will be on the sidelines for this rivalry game.

Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria High coach Daniel Ruffin arrested on child solicitation charges

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