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First Move with Julia Chatterley
Suspect Arrested in UnitedHealthcare CEO Murder; Luigi Mangione Suspect in CEO's Killing; Syrian PM Agrees to Hand Power to Rebels; Fears of Power Vacuum in Syria; Syrian Rebels Capture "Human Slaughterhouse"; Daniel Penny Acquitted of Criminally Negligent Homicide; Rupert Murdoch Loses Bid; Jay-Z Denies Allegations of Sexual Assault; NVIDIA Falls 2.5 Percent; Juan Soto's Biggest Sports Contract Ever. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired December 09, 2024 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[18:00:00]
JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: -- Lachlan. A Nevada commissioner, reportedly said they acted in, quote, "bad faith." Murdoch wanted to give Lachlan all
the power, even though his original family trust gave his four eldest children equal voting shares upon his death. Sources previously told CNN
this dispute has torn the family apart.
The news continues now on CNN with Wolf Blitzer in The Situation Room. I'll see you tomorrow.
RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: It is 2:00 a.m. in Damascus, 7:00 a.m. in Taipei, and 6:00 p.m. here in New York. I'm Rahel Solomon in tonight for
Julia Chatterley. And wherever you are in the world, this is your "First Move."
A warm welcome to "First Move." And here's today's need to know. Police have arrested a suspect in the killing of a healthcare CEO after he was
spotted at a Pennsylvania McDonald's. The fall of Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian regime's prime minister, agrees to hand power to rebels. A former
U.S. Marine charged over the chokehold death of a homeless man in New York is acquitted. And baseball boom. Superstar Juan Soto heads to the New York
Mets in a deal reportedly worth $765 million. That conversation and plenty more coming up.
But first, a court appearance is scheduled this hour for the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The suspect has been named
26-year-old Luigi Mangione, and we're told that this is a preliminary arraignment. It's going to happen near Altoona, Pennsylvania, and following
that, in about 30 minutes, we expect a press briefing outside the courthouse. Of course, if that happens over the next hour, we will bring
that to you.
But according to police, the suspect was recognized by a worker in a McDonald's restaurant in Pennsylvania. And details of the suspect's
background now emerging, as Brian Todd reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over) (voice-over): At this McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, authorities believe they captured the
suspect in last week's New York City sidewalk shooting.
JESSICA TISCH, COMMISSIONER, NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT: At this time, he is believed to be our person of interest in the brazen, targeted
murder of Brian Thompson, CEO of United Healthcare, last Wednesday in Midtown Manhattan.
TODD (voice-over): Authorities say a McDonald's employee called the police while the suspect was eating in their restaurant around 9:00 a.m. this
morning. Police say they found in his possession a gun and suppressor, consistent with the weapon used. A fake New Jersey ID, consistent with the
ID used by the suspect. Clothing, including a mask, consistent with those worn by the suspect. And --
TISCH: Officers recovered a handwritten document that speaks to both his motivation and mindset.
TODD (voice-over): Police identify the suspect as Luigi Nicholas Mangione, age 26, born and raised in Maryland. Graduated from the University of
Pennsylvania in 2020. Last known address in Honolulu, and no prior arrests in New York.
LUIGI NICHOLAS MANGIONE, SUSPECT: All these endeavors take a huge amount of courage.
TODD (voice-over): Graduation video suggests Mangione was valedictorian at his all-boys high school in 2016. Authorities say the note found in his
possession railed against the healthcare industry.
JOSEPH KENNY, CHIEF OF DETECTIVES, NYPD: We don't think that there's any specific threats to other people mentioned in that document, but it does
seem that he has some ill will toward corporate America.
TODD (voice-over): It said, quote, "These parasites had it coming, and I do apologize for any strife and trauma, but it had to be done," according
to a police official who has seen the document. The note says he acted alone, and that he was self-funded. And it asked why we have the most
expensive healthcare in the world, and yet are ranked 42nd in life expectancy. Authorities also investigating other writings of his online. As
to the gun --
KENNY: The gun, you know, appears to be a ghost gun, may have been made on a 3D printer, the capability of firing a nine-millimeter round.
TODD (voice-over): Police did not have the suspect's name until today, and say tips from the public were crucial to finding evidence and making this
arrest, along with old fashioned detective work.
KENNY: It really comes down to the video canvas that we did. We used every source of video that we could collect, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds
of hours from hundreds of sources.
TODD (voice-over): Also helping authorities --
MARY ELLEN O'TOOLE, FORMER SENIOR FBI PROFILER: There are a number of mistakes that the shooter made to include leaving forensic site evidence
behind, the DNA, all the videos, taking off his mask.
TODD (voice-over): One hypothesis --
[18:05:00]
MICHAEL ALCARAZ, RETIRED NYPD DETECTIVE: With his manifesto and everything he's done so far, the letters on the -- words on the bullets, right? You
know, the monopoly money. This guy, I think, he wanted to be captured eventually.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOLOMON: And our thanks to Brian Todd reporting there. And now, I want to bring into the conversation criminal justice expert, Darrin Porcher, who's
also a former NYPD Lieutenant. And I'm just learning, from the control room, from a source that the suspect has left the police station,
presumably on his way to the courthouse. Of course, once we get visuals of that, we will bring it to you.
But, Darrin, good to have you. Let me just start with the importance of this preliminary arraignment. What happens there and how does this sort of
set the scene for the New York case?
DARRIN PORCHER, FORMER NYPD LIEUTENANT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE EXPERT: Well, thanks for having me. What's going to happen at the arraignment is they're
merely going to introduce the charges that are being levied against the defendant. And in this particular instance, that being in Pennsylvania, it
appears as if it's just the unlawful possession of a firearm.
Therefore, we're going to have an extradition to New York City, and when he's extradited to New York City, you're going to have another arraignment.
And that second arraignment in New York is going to be quite telling where it provides the comprehensive nature of the execution of the U.S.
Healthcare CEO.
SOLOMON: What do you make, Darrin, of the fact that this suspect allegedly still had this firearm on him, the fact that he had this handwritten
document on him? You know, we just heard one of the former NYPD officials also saying that he believes that maybe he wanted to be caught or thought
he would be caught. What do you think?
PORCHER: Well, I don't think that he wanted to be caught because if he wanted to be caught, he would have stayed in the City of New York. So, just
based on his flight interstate from New York to Pennsylvania, it's quite telling that he had all intentions of escaping. That being said, I think
that this was an amateur act because a lot of the video that was displayed, it made it appear as if he was a professional, but he was clearly an
amateur.
But I also see extreme parallels in the shooting that occurred in Idaho with Bryan Kohlberger as it relates to him being a person that did not have
a criminal background but believed in this sensationalism in committing to the act of homicide. And that's what I think that we have here.
SOLOMON: Yes, it's interesting. I mean, just based on what we know from sources about what this handwritten document may or may have said, you
know, as we've reported, he railed against the health insurance company. He apparently had very sort of anti-corporate America views. Does that give
you any sense of whether -- because of his motivations, alleged motivations, that he might be more willing to speak with investigators if
he felt like he had some cause?
PORCHER: Yes, it's highly unlikely that he's going to provide statements to investigators. I think at this point, he's probably exercises right to
counsel, and he has an attorney that's attached to him that's telling not to make any statements, which is the natural order in cases of this
magnitude.
And when we look to the defense that's going to be introduced, of course, he's -- and I don't believe he's going to say that he did it. And -- but I
just think there's an overwhelming treasure trove of evidence against him that supports him being the assailant in this particular case. So, now, the
transition is we first go with the standard of proof to make the arrest, which is probable cause, but the transition now is going to be to
establishing beyond a reasonable doubt in a criminal court case. And I think that there's just so much there, it's just a matter of time. I don't
think this has got to go long.
SOLOMON: Yes, it's interesting because I was speaking to former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey earlier and he said, at
this point, it seems like the police have a lot of evidence. This could be a pretty strong case. Do you share that view, that this early on to have so
much materials that it's -- I mean, it seems pretty airtight at least for the NYPD? What do you think?
PORCHER: Absolutely. When we look at the picture that's gone viral with him moving his mask down and displaying his face, he used an ID -- a fake
ID from New Jersey. That same fake -- that fake ID that was used to occupy space in a hostel is what he was captured to be in possession of. So, that
coupled with the firearm that he was in possession of is really going to -- I think this is going to be an opening shut case.
But what's interestingly enough is when I look at this firearm, it does look quite different than what I saw in the video of the shooting. In the
video of the shooting, it seemed as if it was a veterinary weapon or something that we refer to as a B&T 6 9-milimeter. This weapon seems a
little different. However, there was a suppression device that was attached to this ghost gun. And if I saw the two components attached, then it would
afford me to maybe look at this differently. But I think that we have more than enough.
[18:10:00]
And another thing, the ballistics check through the rifling of that particular weapon, when I say the rifling inside the barrel of a firearm,
every bullet that's fired has a signature and that's it. And those bullets that are going to be extracted from the deceased are going to be compared
to the rifling in the barrel of that firearm. And I think that's going to make this an open and shut case.
SOLOMON: Wow. Really interesting. Darrin Porcher, former NYPD Lieutenant, great to have you. Thank you.
PORCHER: Thanks for having me.
SOLOMON: OK. To Syria now, where it's an open question of who's in charge now that the Assad regime has fallen after more than five decades of brutal
dictatorship. But earlier today, the former Assad regime prime minister did agree to hand over power to HTS, the rebel group that ousted them.
Also happening today, the border crossing between Lebanon and Syria is busy. Some displaced Syrians are returning home for the first time since
civil war started in 2011. Turkey also says that it will open its gate with Syria to allow for a voluntary return of Syrian migrants.
But one urgent priority is the search for missing Syrians believed to be inside a notorious military prison. Clarissa Ward reports now on the
desperate search for those trapped inside.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The stream of families never stops. Climbing towards Syria's most notorious
Sednaya Prison, pushed on by reports that thousands of people imprisoned by the regime of Bashar al-Assad are still trapped alive in a section
underground.
The red section of the prison, they've been trying for days to reach it, Mesun Labud (ph) tells us. There's no oxygen because the ventilation went
out. And so, they all may die. For the sake of Allah help them.
WARD: Is someone from your family in the prison?
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): My three brothers and my son-in-law, she says.
The roads are choked with cars full of people looking for loved ones. As soon as they see our camera, they approach, holding lists of names of those
who vanished inside Assad's dungeons, never to be seen again.
We have to get them out before tomorrow, this man says. They don't have food. They don't have water.
WARD: Everybody's just started running. It's not clear if they have managed to get into this part of the prison.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): My God, my God, the woman prays. My God, as the crowd surges towards the prison.
WARD: So, it looks like they think that they have managed to get access. A lot of celebratory gunfire. People now just flooding in.
WARD (voice-over): After the initial jubilation, an agonizing wait for confirmation from the rescue workers. Many here have been waiting for
decades. Hope was something they didn't let themselves feel until now.
Rescue workers with Syria's white helmets break through the concrete looking for a way in. No one is certain where this red section is, or if it
even exists. Inside the prison, family members are searching too.
WARD: You could see people everywhere just combing through. All the papers and records they can find looking for names, seeing if maybe their loved
ones are there.
WARD (voice-over): Tens of thousands of Syrians were forcibly disappeared in Sednaya, lost in the abyss of a prison that was known as a
slaughterhouse. Industrial scale, arbitrary detention and torture, all to keep one man in power.
WARD: They call this the white area of the prison because they say the conditions here are much better than in other areas, but you can see it's
still miserable.
WARD (voice-over): In the center of the prison, another frantic rush. Someone thinks they have found a tunnel. They desperately try to get a look
inside. Others look on helpless, not knowing is agony. Assad may be gone, but the legacy of his cruelty remains.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOLOMON: And our thanks to Clarissa Ward there. I want to welcome to the conversation Aaron David Miller is a former State Department Middle East
negotiator and a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment. Aaron, always good to have you appreciate you being here.
You have said that rebelling is hard, but governing is even harder. Talk to me about your top line thoughts of what we've seen so far in Damascus from
HTS and Jolani.
AARON DAVID MILLER, FORMER STATE DEPARTMENT MIDDLE EAST NEOGIATOR AND SENIOR FELLOW, CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT: Yes. I mean, it reminds me of the joke,
not to trivialize about the guy who jumps off the 10-story building and as he's passing the fifth floor, someone yells out how you do? And he says, so
far, so good.
[18:15:00]
I think that early days suggest some pretty positive trends. A general amnesty for Syrian recruits and reservists, efforts to reach out to the
Alawite community in the Assad family homeland. You've got all kinds of declarations about protection of minorities, the importance of the
transition. All of that is fine, except the lift that faces Syria is a very heavy one.
And the track record for what happens to Arab autocrats when they're deposed is not an uplifting story. Mubarak was succeeded by an
authoritarian military regime. Tunisia, which showed signs of democratization, and now is headed by an autocratic president. Libya, after
Qaddafi, divisions, dysfunctions. And of course, Yemen, where the removal of Abdullah Saleh resulted in more dysfunction, and the Houthis controlling
large parts of the country.
I'm hoping, and it is just a hope, that Syria can be the exception. And could avoid that. But I think the lift here is really heavy. Kurds
operating with an antagonistic Turkey. You've got militias in the south, may or may not be under the control of HTS, and you have HTS itself. What
does it really want? It's clear. They're not trying to impose a strict Taliban like Islamic Sharia or law, but are they really committed to power
sharing?
And I think it's really going to be a test for the International Community to take their measure as time rolls on and as the test of this new and
emerging power structure evolves.
SOLOMON: Yes, it's an interesting point, Aaron. I mean, it's a heavy lift. Where does the U.S. and where does the west sort of factor into this? I
mean, can Jolani be trusted? I mean, maybe not initially, but what advantages or sort of how can the U.S. or the west perhaps seek an
opportunity here?
MILLER: Yes. I mean, I think that's critically. We have to look after our own interests first. And in some respects, they coincide with Syria. And in
some respects, they may not. ISIS is a serious problem. It's still spreading and resurging in the central deserts. And I think it's absolutely
critical that the United States maintain it's deployment, it's forced deployment in an effort to continue the counterterrorism campaign against
ISIS.
We've got to look to our friends, partners, and allies, the central government of Iraq, the Jordanians and the Israelis, and there's a certain
degree of nervousness in all of those quarters. And I think in the end we're not going to be the driving force to rebuild Syria. It will cost
billions. Clearly, the next administration and the president-elect has made his views clear in a couple of tweets, maybe that will change, maybe it
won't.
But I think Syria is going to have to rely on regional partners for funds. It's broke. It's indebted to the Iranians as a consequence of that
asymmetrical relationship. There is oil in Syria. And that's going to require security and stability in order to develop those resources for the
benefit of the Syrian people.
Again, it really comes down to leadership and whether or not those who now are in positions of influence in power, largely Sunni Islamists, have a
vision of Syria that's congruent with the wishes and aspirations of the majority of the Syrian people. And I don't think that's -- it's an
extraordinary moment. I do not want to trivialize it, and I don't want to prejudge it, but it's going to be of a huge challenge creating the kind of
political system, security, and ushering in prosperity that you know, 22, 23 million Syrians have long been denied.
SOLOMON: Yes. Only time will tell, certainly. Aaron David Miller in Washington, thank you.
MILLER: Thanks for having me.
SOLOMON: Right. And straight ahead, Daniel Penny learned his legal fate in a trial that gripped and divided New York City. The latest in the subway
chokehold case coming up next.
Plus, Fox family feud. Billionaire Rupert Murdoch has lost a real-life succession battle. One of his children will not be happy. We're going to
have the details after this short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:20:00]
SOLOMON: Welcome back. A big legal victory for Daniel Penny, the former U.S. Marine charged in the death of a homeless street artist on a New York
subway last year. A jury on Monday acquitted Penny of criminally negligent homicide after deadlocking on a more serious charge last week. Now, the
case really struck a nerve in New York City over the safety of mass transit, as well as broader questions of mental health and race relations.
The father of victim, Jordan Neely, had this to say about the verdict outside court.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDREW ZACHARY, FATHER OF JORDAN NEELY: It hurts. Really, really hurts. What are we going to do, people? What's going to happen to us now? I've had
enough of this. The system is rigged.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLOMON: All right. Let's get to Gloria Pazmino, who joins us. She's been covering this from the very beginning. Gloria lots of emotion inside the
courtroom, outside the courtroom in a case that really touched a nerve here in New York and I'd say even beyond. I mean, it made national news.
GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Rahel, you know, I think this jury really helped to encapsulate and draw a picture of how many New
Yorkers feel extremely different about these issues, whether it's homelessness, public safety, the mental health crisis here in New York City
and the public transit system and what to do about it.
I think the way this verdict played out shows us that New Yorkers are divided about how to deal with some of these issues. And the reason I say
that is because we know that this jury deadlocked on the top charge, the manslaughter in the second-degree charge. The jury told this judge that
they could not get to a unanimous verdict.
And then the D.A. moved to dismiss that charge, as you know, which is how we got to today, where the jury was left to deliberate on the lesser
charge, the criminally negligent homicide. So, somewhere, somehow, in that room, while they were deliberating, someone must have thought that maybe
Penny should have been convicted on the top charge, but they could not get to an agreement. So, it's just interesting to see how that played out.
Now, we don't know what happened in that room. We have not spoken to any of the jurors yet. But it is without question that this brought up issues that
a lot of New Yorkers have strong opinions about. In fact, that was part of the jury selection process in this case, people were asked how often they
ride the subway, how often have they witnessed an outburst and if they had ever felt threatened by that outburst.
[18:25:00]
This was also a case that made people talk about, people like Jordan Neely, who some believe was crying out for help, that he needed help. He was
screaming about being hungry and about being thirsty, and people took that to mean that this was a person who needed help and that the city abandoned.
So, it shows you just how strongly people felt on both sides of this argument.
We've gotten a lot of reaction around the city following this verdict tonight. But without a doubt, a big win for Daniel Penny and his defense
team who argued throughout this case that Daniel Penny was justified in using force because Jordan Neely posed a threat to people on that subway
car when he got on the train and started ranting and screaming about being hungry and thirsty and not being afraid if he would go to jail that night.
And also, that the chokehold that Daniel Penny placed him in ultimately did not cause his death, but rather a combination of everything else that was
happening in Jordan Neely's system, including his use of synthetic marijuana, as well as the mental illness that he was suffering from at the
time. Rahel.
SOLOMON: OK. Gloria Pazmino live for us there. Gloria, thank you. Media mogul Rupert Murdoch has lost his bid to change his family trust. Murdoch
had been trying to give complete control of his media empire to his eldest son. At stake, a number of news outlets, including Fox News and the Wall
Street Journal.
For more on this, let's bring in Brian Stelter. Brian, great to have you. So, what's next for Murdoch? Is this the type of thing that he can appeal,
or what happens now?
BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST AND AUTHOR, "NETWORK OF LIES": Yes, he can appeal this, and his lawyer told the New York Times that he does
intend to appeal. But this is a huge setback for the family patriarch, the head of Fox News and Wall Street Journal, the guy who runs all of it, who
really controls all of it, the 93-year-old Rupert Murdoch.
The Times was the first to report on this sealed court ruling. I've confirmed that, yes, he did lose. That means that his children won. His
children Prudence, Elizabeth, and James Murdoch were battling their father in court, trying to stop their dad from giving complete control of the
companies to their brother, Lachlan.
Lachlan is the more conservative son. He's currently in charge of these companies. He will remain in charge for the foreseeable future. But in the
event of Rupert Murdoch's death, anything can happen. And what this commissioner in Nevada essentially said is, daddy doesn't necessarily know
best. He doesn't get to blow up the trust that he wrote 25 years ago. It will come down to all four adult children in the event of Rupert's death to
decide what to do about these assets.
SOLOMON: It's really fascinating. For those of us who watch "Succession," you might feel like you're watching an episode of the show sort of play out
in real-life. I mean, what about the real-world impacts, Brian? I mean, what does this mean for the Murdoch News Empire? As you said, Lachlan still
retains control, still running them. But what does this mean sort of day- to-day?
STELTER: In the short-term, it means nothing in the long-term it could mean everything. Because in the long-term, in the event of Rupert's death,
those three other adult children could gang up, could kind of team up against Lachlan Murdoch and the three against one vote, they would have
control. They could decide what to do.
Now, people close to James Murdoch say he is not scheming to take over Fox News. He doesn't have a plan to moderate or liberalize Fox News, but we do
know James Murdoch has donated to Biden and other Democrats. He's given to progressive causes, and I know from my reporting over the past five years,
he is disturbed and disgusted by what airs on Fox News. He thinks the right-wing programming is hurting America.
So, long-term, maybe James Murdoch will try to effect regime change. This Nevada ruling will help him do so because it stops his dad from changing
the terms of the deal. As the source said to me this afternoon, this ruling eviscerated Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch. It said they were acting in bad
faith by trying to blow up the terms of the family trust. I guess it's irrevocable for a reason. It cannot be revoked.
Again, we'll see if the Murdochs try to appeal this. But for now, it's a big win for the siblings in the long-term if they want to change the
company.
SOLOMON: Yes, it certainly was a scathing report from the commissioner there.
STELTER: Yes.
SOLOMON: Brian Stelter. Thank you
STELTER: Thanks.
SOLOMON: We're going to take a quick break and we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:30:00]
SOLOMON: Welcome back. And returning to our breaking news, an initial court appearance scheduled this hour. Really any moment now, for a suspect
in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. He's been named by police as 26-year-old Luigi Mangione. Let's bring in Mark Morales who joins
us now. Mark, it's been an eventful 24 hours in terms of this suspect and what happens now. Bring us up to speed. What's the latest here?
MARK MORALES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTER: Well, as you say, the suspect is in custody and he will be going before a judge for a preliminary
hearing. This is connected to the gun charge. And let's unpack this a little bit. The suspect was seen at a McDonald's by a worker there. And
that worker who recognized his face from the images that have been released by police called local authorities and those local authorities came by and
interviewed him.
And once they did that and they searched him, that's when they found a number of key pieces of evidence. From the presumed weapon that he used,
which is a ghost gun, which is the term that they use for somebody who pretty much 3D prints a weapon and manufactured and puts together himself
that has no serial number, in addition to a bunch of fake IDs, which he used to get around the city. And most notably, was this document, this
multi-page document, which really sort of is the strongest indication of motive here.
Now, he was saying in this document things to the nature of these parasites had it coming. I do apologize for any strife and trauma, but it had to be
done. And this was against the healthcare industry. When I asked local law enforcement here in New York City about this, they said that he had ill
will towards corporate America. That's what -- that's as far as they would go.
But this is really the beginning of the road to justice for this suspect. It starts here, with this preliminary hearing on this gun charge. And at
some point, he will make his way to New York to face charges connected to the shooting of that CEO. Rahel.
SOLOMON: Well, we should say for our audience, we do also expect a press conference from authorities there in Altoona. We understand that the
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro will also be speaking. If that happens, we will of course bring it to you. But in the meantime, Mark Morales, thank
you.
Well, the scandal surrounding Sean Diddy Combs is growing. One of his alleged victims is now accusing Jay-Z of sexual assault. A woman is
accusing the two musicians of raping her at a party when she was just 13 years old. Shawn Carter, better known as Jay-Z, denies the allegations,
filing a motion to reveal his accuser's identity or have the lawsuit against him dismissed. Kara Scannell reports.
[18:35:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TONY BUZBEE, ATTORNEY FOR JANE DOE: The day will come when we will name names other than Sean Combs, and there's a lot of names. It's a long list
already.
KARA SCANNELL, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): Jay-Z is the first celebrity to be accused alongside Sean Diddy Combs of sexual assault, according to a
civil lawsuit brought by a Jane Doe.
BUZBEE: The names that we're going to name, assuming that our investigators confirm and corroborate what we've been told, are names that
will shock you.
SCANNELL (voice-over): The lawsuit was first filed against Combs in October, including allegations that Celebrity A also assaulted a minor. On
Sunday night, it was amended to identify Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, as that celebrity.
JAY-Z, RAPPER: You know what I'm saying --
SCANNELL (voice-over): The rapper is accused of raping a 13-year-old girl at an after party following the MTV Video Music Awards in 2000. The woman
alleges she was drugged and, according to the lawsuit, at that point Carter began removing plaintiff's clothes as she grew more and more disoriented.
Then, the lawsuit alleges Jay-Z raped her while a female, identified as Celebrity B, watched.
The lawsuit was brought by plaintiff's lawyer, Tony Buzbee, who has filed 20 lawsuits against Combs. Combs has vigorously denied any wrongdoing. The
Texas lawyer said they contacted Jay-Z to try to resolve the matter through mediation before filing the lawsuit. Jay-Z denied the rape allegations,
calling them heinous. He said the lawsuit followed an attempt at blackmail and said Buzbee is a deplorable human being. My heart and support goes out
to true victims in the world who have to watch how their life story is dressed in costume for profitability by this ambulance chaser in a cheap
suit. The musician, who is married to Beyonce, said his heartbreak is having to explain to his children the cruelty and greed of people.
Buzbee responded on X saying, the alleged victim never demanded a penny from Jay-Z and accused the rapper of trying to bully them into silence. We
will let the filing speak for itself and will litigate the facts in court, not in the media, he said.
Kara Scannell, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOLOMON: And still ahead, chip slip. NVIDIA shares stumble as the U.S. China tech rivalry escalates. Beijing's latest chip salvo coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:40:00]
SOLOMON: Welcome back. A less than sweet session on Wall Street topping today's Money Move. U.S. stocks falling across the board with the S&P 500
easing from Friday's record close. S&P closing off six cents of a percent, the NASDAQ just about the same, and the Dow off half a percent. All of this
as investors gear up for another big U.S. inflation report on Wednesday.
A sugar rush, though, for Hershey investors. The candy giant up nearly 11 percent on a Bloomberg News report that Mondelez is considering a takeover
after a failed bid eight years ago. Shares of Interpublic grew higher after agreeing to be bought out by rival Omnicom, a $13 billion deal that would
create the world's largest ad agency. Omnicom shares falling 10 percent on that news.
And taking a look at the broader markets in Asia, the Hang Seng rallied in late day trading after China promised bolder stimulus measures next year.
The South Korean KOSPI fell more than 2.5 percent after its embattled president survived an impeachment vote.
And in other business news, shares of A.I. chip giant NVIDIA fell two and a half percent in Monday's session. This is on word of a new shot fired in
the U.S.-China tech wars. China opening an antitrust investigation into NVIDIA's purchase of an Israeli firm called Mellanox. All of this after the
U.S. announced new tech restrictions against China last week. Clare Duffy has more.
CLARE DUFFY, CNN BUSINESS WRITER: Yes, Rahel, this is an interesting case because the Chinese government actually approved this acquisition of
Mellanox back in 2020, and they haven't said what they think this merger may have done to potentially break the law.
So, I don't know that this is going to have a significant long-term impact for NVIDIA. And look, China is a big and important market for the company.
But NVIDIA has already been restricted in terms of the advanced A.I. technology that it can sell to China. And as NVIDIA has grown, we've seen
that the total share of sales that China contributes to the company has been shrinking.
I think the way to view this as part of this larger U.S.-China tech trade war that we've seen escalating in the past few years, we've seen the Biden
administration and the Chinese government sort of trading these jabs. Just last week, the Biden administration implemented its third round of tech
chip sales restrictions on China, this time on high-tech memory chips. China retaliated by restricting the sales of some manufacturing materials
that are needed to make chips at this time, when we know the U.S. government is trying to boost domestic chip manufacturing.
Now, it makes sense to me that the Chinese government would go after NVIDIA. This is sort of the golden child of the U.S. tech industry at this
point, and we'll see how this develops if it escalates. But China still needs NVIDIA. This is a company that, you know, continues to outstrip
rivals in terms of its ability to build A.I. technology. And even though it can't sell its most advanced A.I. chips to China, it sells them an approved
version that gets around those export restrictions. You have to imagine that China isn't going to want to lose the opportunity to buy that
technology. Rahel.
SOLOMON: All right. Thanks, Clare. And from the U.S.-China tech war to a timepiece that many adore. One of the largest luxury watch firms, Audemars
Piguet, is setting its sights on China for future growth. Will Ripley took one of their spectacular timepieces out for a spin and spoke to the firm's
CEO.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's like a car on my wrist.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Honestly, I'm a little nervous trying on a watch more expensive than many universities annual tuition.
ILARIA RESTA, CEO, AUDEMARS PIGUET: When you buy a watch, we don't sell a watch. They're buying into an industry with a huge history and mechanical
genius.
RIPLEY (voice-over): This is Ilaria Resta, CEO of iconic Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet. Prices range from $25,000 to well over $100,000.
RIPLEY: I have to admit, I'm a little self-conscious. The whole time we're talking, I'm trying to hide my smartwatch.
RESTA: I already looked at it. Don't worry.
RIPLEY: Are you judging me?
RESTA: I never judge. Actually, I'm always fascinated. I always ask questions, why do you wear what you wear?
RIPLEY (voice-over): Resta took the helm of AP in January.
RIPLEY: For somebody like me who's never owned a watch like that, can you explain to me? Why should somebody invest?
RESTA: It's a matter of emotional connection with the timepiece. Normally, people don't buy because they need a watch, but when you enter into the
mechanical watchmaking interest, it becomes addictive and it's something just mesmerizing to look at.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Resta is the first woman to lead AP, a company founded in 1875, an industry long dominated by men.
RIPLEY: So, what is it like to walk in a company that's been in business almost 150 years, where most people around the office are speaking French,
which is not your native language?
RESTA: Well, first of all, the biggest barrier has been learning French, which is the language spoken in the industry and in the company. And that
was a great challenge for me.
[18:45:00]
RIPLEY: What is the biggest challenge or difficulty of being a woman in this what has traditionally been a male dominated industry?
RESTA: The bias that they cannot be here.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Resta got here after 23 years in fragrance and beauty, including at Procter and Gamble in the U.S. She was born and raised
in Naples, Italy.
RIPLEY: Which is a region not necessarily known for punctuality.
RESTA: Not really.
RIPLEY: But you said you've always been punctual.
RESTA: Well, I break that paradigm actually. I've always been punctual. I've always been obsessed about time. So, maybe I was destined to work in
this type of industry.
RIPLEY (voice-over): An industry facing a luxury sales slump, a trend Resta says is not impacting AP. The company is in the midst of a major
expansion in greater China. We caught up at the grand opening of AP's latest flagship store in Macau, their 23rd worldwide.
RESTA: From the latest studies, we know that by 2030, between 45 to maybe 50 percent of the purchases will be women.
RIPLEY (voice-over): A woman at the helm may be exactly what AP needs as it looks to the next 150 years.
Will Ripley, CNN, Macau.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOLOMON: All right. Coming up, a baseball megastar gets a contract to match, will break down the deal, and why Juan Soto will be staying in New
York. All that and more after this short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOLOMON: Welcome back. We want to get to some breaking news. A criminal complaint just released against Luigi Mangione. He is the suspect in the
killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mark Morales, give us a sense of what it says.
MORALES: Well, Rahel, this is, as you would imagine, a treasure trove of details. We're really getting the first glimpse of what that initial
interaction was when police confronted the suspect. As we've said, he was sitting at a McDonald's, he was eating. That's when a worker called and
informed local PD. When they arrived, they saw him sitting in the back, wearing a blue surgical mask, looking at some sort of a device. When they
approached him and they started speaking with him, they noticed that he became quiet and started to shake. That's when they asked him to pull down
his mask.
They initially asked him for his identification, because he resembled the image of the suspect that had been out, and he handed them a fake ID. And
they ran the ID and then they went back to him and they said, just paraphrasing here, if you lie to us, you'll be arrested. And he responded,
I clearly shouldn't have. And then, when he responded with his actual name.
He was taken into custody. He was arrested. He's facing five different charges, which include having a firearm without a license, possessing an
instrument of a crime, and false -- maintaining false ID.
[18:50:00]
So, this is all, like -- as we've said before, this is the very beginning of the justice process for him. And local authorities, as well as the
governor, as you mentioned, are going to be holding a press conference pretty soon. But for right now, this is what he's facing right now. And
we're getting our most clear image of somebody who gave the impression that he was very calm and cool and collected when he did the shooting. But this
complaint paints a different picture, being approached by police and showing the emotion that we're not used to seeing from these images. Rahel.
SOLOMON: Yes, I'm apparently shaking, which says a lot. Mark Morales, appreciate you breaking that down for us. Thank you.
And before we go, a baseball superstar has just received the biggest payout in sports history. Juan Soto is moving from the New York Yankees to the New
York Mets, signing a 15-year contract worth more than $765 million. All that just to move less than 10 miles, Soto beats the previous record for
the biggest contract that was set by the L.A. Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani, just last year.
Let's bring in Don Riddell, who joins me now. So, Don, how are Mets fans reacting to this?
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORTS: Well, obviously, they're jubilant. I mean, they've been watching what he's been doing for the Mets all season, which
was one of the best seasons he's ever had. And he was brilliant, and he took the Yankees to the World Series for the first time in 15 years. And
now, the Mets get to call him their own.
Yes, I mean, they're very, very excited to have him. Of course, the number on the contract is quite eye watering. As you say, $765 million over a 15-
year period. You know, what I guess is really interesting is that in the World Series, that we've just watched, which the Dodgers won, Soto and the
Yankees went up against Shohei Ohtani. Just last year, Ohtani made the move from the Angels to the Dodgers. He probably didn't even have to sell his
house because he was staying in L.A. and he got that massive bump to the $700 million contract. And now, a very similar thing happening just 12
months later with Soto moving, as you say, just a matter of miles across New York for this huge, huge payday.
So, a lot of excitement in New York, a lot of excitement in baseball. He has already won the World Series before with the Nationals a few years ago,
so he's a very, very established player. But he is about to now embark on a whole new sort of level of sports fame and fortune.
SOLOMON: Yes, new stratosphere for sure. One that many will never be able to see. Don, what about the Yankees? I mean, did they put up a fight to
keep him? I mean, how did this all go down?
RIDDELL: Well, I think he's made it pretty clear throughout the season that he probably was going to be leaving. And I think you could get a sense
from that. And no, I'm not entirely sure there was very much they could do about it. So, yes, Soto now playing for the New York Mets.
SOLOMON: Don Riddell. Great to have you. Thank you. All right. An era is drawing to a close for Taylor Swift, the pop superstar hanging up her
guitar and taking a well-earned rest after nearly two years and 149 shows. Her record-breaking Eras Tour concluded this weekend. It's made more than
$2 billion, which is a record, and also impacted the U.S. and global economies, as Elizabeth Wagmeister explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Taylor Swift takes her final bow of the Eras Tour in Vancouver, wrapping up 152
sold out shows.
TAYLOR SWIFT, SINGER: My name is Taylor.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): In 21 countries on five continents, over a span of almost two years, in front of 10 million screaming fans, singing along
to every lyric while taking in the epic productions, shows lasting more than three hours. The pop superstar performed an impressive set list up to
44 songs each night.
The Eras Tour launched in March, 2023, as the world was emerging from the COVID pandemic.
SWIFT: Welcome to the Eras Tour.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): When tickets first went on sale, Ticketmaster site crashed. Taylor's estimated take in the ballpark of $2 billion, easily
the highest grossing tour in music history. In fact, Swift already made history before the tour was even halfway over, when Eras became the first
tour to ever cross the $1 billion mark.
The tour covering her entire 18-year career, the setlist representing the many hits from each era of her music repertoire. Swift's star power now
right up there with Elvis Presley and the Beatles, and her personal connection to her fans, the Swifties, is unrivaled.
[18:55:00]
SWIFT: These are songs that I have written about my life, the things I felt at one point in time.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): They've made her Spotify's most streamed artists for two years running. They even made the Earth shake, Swifties dancing to
the beat of Swift's performance of "Shake It Off" during her tour stops in Seattle caused seismic activity, equivalent to a 2.3 magnitude earthquake.
Swift's influence setting off shockwaves in politics too.
SWIFT: Please register to vote for something else. It's very important --
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Fans rushed to theaters for her Eras blockbuster movie in 2023 into by the Eras Tour book when it was released last week,
becoming the fastest selling new book released of the past four years. A phenomenon coined the Taylor Swift effect boosted hundreds of industries,
venues, and even local economies where her concerts were held. But Swift's Eras Tour isn't just about the music, it's also about the unforgettable
memories.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Then we pinky promise to be best friends for life.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): As Swift ends one era to enter another, she now gets to focus on her family and friends.
SWIFT: My boyfriend, Travis.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOLOMON: And that just about wraps it up for the show. I'm Rahel Solomon. Julia will be back tomorrow. Thanks for joining us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:00:00]
END
