Instant Alert: Trump: I'm 'flabbergasted' by the meeting between Bill Clinton and Loretta Lynch

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   Trump: I'm 'flabbergasted' by the meeting between Bill Clinton and Loretta Lynch by Mark Abadi on Jun 30, 2016, 10:43 PM Advertisement Donald Trump slammed a recent meeting between former president Bill Clinton and US Attorney General Loretta Lynch, calling it "so terrible" and "one of the big stories" of the year. News emerged on Wednesday that Lynch and the former president had met on an airplane parked on the tarmac at an airport in Phoenix after the two had crossed paths. Lynch acknowledged the 30-minute encounter to reporters, but said the two mainly discussed his grandchildren and golf, not the Department of Justice's ongoing probe into Hillary Clinton's email usage. "It is an amazing thing," Trump said on the Mike Gallagher Show. "And it was really a sneak. It was really something they didn't want publicized as far as I understand." "I think it's so terrible. I think it's so horrible. I think it's the biggest story, one of the big stories of this week, of this month, of this year." "Even in terms of judgment, how bad a judgment is it for him or for her to do this? I mean, who would do this?" Trump said. The presumptive Republican nominee offered similar criticism of the meeting during an appearance on Fox News' "Hannity" Thursday evening. "When I first heard that yesterday afternoon, I actually thought they were joking," Trump said. "I'm flabbergasted by it." Members of the press peppered White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest with questions about the optics of the meeting on Thursday. Republican and Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn suggested on Twitter that the meeting constituted a conflict of interest for Lynch. Lynch & Clinton: Conflict of interest? An attorney,cannot represent two parties in a dispute and must avoid even the appearance of conflict. — JohnCornyn (@JohnCornyn) June 30, 2016 Meanwhile, Democrats are largely defending Lynch, although at least one offered criticism of the meeting. "It doesn't send the right signal," Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, a Democrat, said on CNN. "I think she should have steered clear, even of a brief, casual social meeting with the former president." Coons later walked back his remarks, however, saying in a statement that he "has worked with her and believes that she is honest and trustworthy." Listen to a clip from Trump's interview: SEE ALSO: Trump is doing something no candidate has done in almost 30 years, and it could pay off   Share the latest business news with your network: Email sent to:   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011

Instant Alert: The Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II is the finest car I've ever driven

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   The Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II is the finest car I've ever driven by Benjamin Zhang on Jun 30, 2016, 7:33 PM Advertisement When imperious Rolls-Royce introduced an "entry level" model over six years ago, the automotive aristocracy simply didn't know what to expect. Some feared that BMW, Rolls-Royce's parent company, had gone off its rocker. But fortunately for fans and customers of the brand, that car turned out to be the well-received Ghost, a car that became a sales leader for the company. In 2014, Rolls-Royce decided to make the Ghost even better by releasing an updated version, dubbed the Series II. Last year, I spent a weekend with a claret-red example. And it was every bit as good as it reputation suggested. So I thought a flashback was in order this summer, just as a reminder of how good a car can be. SEE ALSO: Audi figured out how to make this iconic supercar even better Even by Rolls-Royce standards, the Ghost has a lot to live up to. Its namesake is the most famous car in company history: the Silver Ghost. Here it's transporting Prince Charles and ... .... here with Col. T.E. Lawrence (aka Lawrence of Arabia) at the helm. Could the Ghost II deliver the experience its lineage promised? I settled into the soft-leather-lined cabin of the Ghost and immediately knew I was driving something special — even as a snowstorm took aim at the Northeast. See the rest of the story at Business Insider   Share the latest business news with your network: Email sent to:   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011

Instant Alert: Chipotle responds to cocaine charges for senior executive

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   Chipotle responds to cocaine charges for senior executive by Hayley Peterson on Jun 30, 2016, 7:30 PM Advertisement Chipotle has placed its chief marketing and development officer Mark Crumpacker on administrative leave after he was charged in relation to a drug trafficking ring in New York City, the company told Business Insider. Crumpacker was one of 18 "repeat buyers" charged on Thursday with buying cocaine from a drug-delivery service that operated out of Manhattan's Lower East Side. "At the moment, we know very little about these charges," Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold told Business Insider. "Due to the nature of the situation, Mark has been placed on administrative leave. We made this decision in order to remain focused on the operation of our business, and to allow Mark to focus on these personal matters. Mark’s responsibilities have been assigned to other senior managers in his absence." All of the alleged buyers were charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, according to indictment papers obtained by Business Insider. The Manhattan district attorney's office charged three people for allegedly operating the cocaine-trafficking ring: Kenny Hernandez, 35, Felix Nunez, 27, and Oscar Almonte, 29. They are accused of selling more than $75,000 worth of cocaine over the course of a year, according to the charging documents. Customers regularly paid between $200 and $300 for the delivery service, and bought the drugs in bodegas, hotels, and Duane Reade convenience stores, according to the indictment papers. According to the Manhattan district attorney's office: "Members of the ring allegedly used car services to deliver the drugs to buyers, including to delis, restaurants, bars, apartments, hotels, and the buyers' workplaces. The defendants delivered to locations across Manhattan, including the Lower East Side, the Upper East Side, Chelsea, the Financial District, and Midtown, as well as areas of Brooklyn and Queens. Many of the sales took place in delis or Duane Reade and CVS pharmacies. Customers generally paid between $200 and $300 per transaction." Crumpacker, 52, was named chief marketing officer of Chipotle in 2009. He made an estimated $4.3 million in 2015. In addition to his roles at Chipotle, Crumpacker serves as president of the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, a charitable foundation established by Chipotle in 2011. Crumpacker also serves on the board of directors of the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation. Before joining Chipotle, Crumpacker cofounded a San Francisco-based branding firm called Sequence. He worked there from 2002 to 2008. SEE ALSO: Chipotle is giving away more free burritos   Share the latest business news with your network: Email sent to:   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011

Instant Alert: Merrill Lynch associate and Fox Business producer among 21 indicted in massive NYC cocaine bust

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   Merrill Lynch associate and Fox Business producer among 21 indicted in massive NYC cocaine bust by Hayley Peterson on Jun 30, 2016, 7:19 PM Advertisement The Manhattan district attorney's office has charged more than a dozen people, including high-profile executives, bankers, and accountants, in a massive New York City cocaine sting.  Three people were charged for allegedly operating the cocaine-trafficking ring out of Manhattan's Lower East Side: Kenny Hernandez, 35, Felix Nunez, 27, and Oscar Almonte, 29. The operation is accused of selling at least $75,000 in cocaine in one year, according to indictment papers obtained by Business Insider. Eighteen "key repeat buyers" were also charged, including Christopher Dodson, a client associate at Merrill Lynch; Mark Crumpacker, chief marketing and development officer for Chipotle; Katie Welnhofer, a Fox Business producer who works on "Mornings with Maria;" and Austin Dodson, an associate at real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield. Merrill Lynch, Chipotle, Cushman and Wakefield, and Fox Business did not immediately respond to requests for comment. An 88-page charging document details hundreds of texts and calls between the buyers and sellers between June 2015 and June 2016. Fox Business Producer Katie Welnhofer Accused of Possessing Drugs https://t.co/8StSeNbNvs — Cheri Jacobus (@CheriJacobus) June 30, 2016 All of the alleged buyers were charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. Customers regularly paid between $200 and $300 for the delivery service, and bought the drugs in bodegas, hotels, and Duane Reade convenience stores across Manhattan, according to the indictment papers. According to the Manhattan district attorney's office: "Members of the ring allegedly used car services to deliver the drugs to buyers, including to delis, restaurants, bars, apartments, hotels, and the buyers' workplaces. The defendants delivered to locations across Manhattan, including the Lower East Side, the Upper East Side, Chelsea, the Financial District, and Midtown, as well as areas of Brooklyn and Queens. Many of the sales took place in delis or Duane Reade and CVS pharmacies. Customers generally paid between $200 and $300 per transaction." SEE ALSO: Chipotle executive making $4.3 million a year is indicted in huge NYC cocaine bust   Share the latest business news with your network: Email sent to:   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011

Instant Alert: This bra trend is killing Victoria's Secret

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   This bra trend is killing Victoria's Secret by Mallory Schlossberg on Jun 30, 2016, 6:45 PM Advertisement Victoria's Secret has long been known for its heavily padded bras. But this spring, it took a turn and started selling bralettes: the latest trend in the bra industry. This — coupled with the rise of athleisure and sports bras —  could spell trouble for the brand, The Wall Street Journal reports. It's two fold: one, The Wall Street Journal points out that bralettes are cheaper than their padded counterparts, hovering around $20, versus a more expensive regular bra. Sports are slightly more expensive than that, and the Wall Street Journal points out that if people are buying more less expensive apparel, that will damage the company's overall sales. In its most recent fiscal year, it amassed nearly $7.7 billion in total sales. So many bralettes, all the possibilities. #AllMe ➡️ our profile page to see them all. A photo posted by Victoria's Secret (@victoriassecret) on Apr 14, 2016 at 10:16am PDT on Apr 14, 2016 at 10:16am PDT On top of that, it's particularly easy to make a bralette; almost any brand could do it. "There are no barriers to entering in the bralette game," Gabriella Santaniello, analyst and founder of consulting firm A-Line Partners, said to Business Insider in April. She cited multiple companies selling bralettes, from Aerie to Urban Outfitters. These other companies also have an au natural look more innately built into their brand DNAs. "You have these other brands that are less so overtly sexy and much more focused on being natural," said Nomura analyst Simeon Siegel said to The Wall Street Journal. "It's too early to say it will steal a dramatic share from Victoria's Secret but it's not too early to say that there's a real consumer preference for it." Victoria's Secret has been trying to appeal to that preference with a marketing campaign that declares that "no padding is sexy." However, consumers are used to the company hawking heavily padded bras and curvaceous bodies; it sends a mixed message. No padding is sexy now! Discover the new bralettes collection. #AllMe https://t.co/pImvArk6lN pic.twitter.com/SP5sAnDiKt — Victoria's Secret (@VictoriasSecret) April 12, 2016 Some consumers were irritated at the brand's sudden drastic change. Some weren't happy that the company was inherently suggesting that only people that could wear un-padded bras could be a part of this new "sexy" trend. LOL okay Victoria's Secret "No padding is sexy now!" Like... Now? Been sexy to me since I left middle school ✌🏻️ pic.twitter.com/RnbwIOhlKT — Santina Murin (@Sanductive) April 15, 2016 Victoria's Secret saying that no padding is sexy..after years of sewing 4 inches of foam into every bra made. lol bye — Josie Hogan (@josie_hogan) May 5, 2016 I love seeing the Victoria's Secret ad about their bralette where it says 'no padding needed' like lmao tell that to the DD's on my chest — BBK (@ktexasangel) May 5, 2016   Victoria's Secret "No Padding is Sexy NOW" bralettes are ridiculous. LOL literally no women over a B cup could wear those 🙂 — Becky Hartzler (@BeckyHartzler) May 5, 2016 In the meantime, the company is in the middle of lots of changes. It nixed its swimwear sector to zero in on athleisure, as BuzzFeed reported earlier this year. While the payoff is supposed to big down the line, right now, the company is balking to retail's most dangerous trend — lots of promotions and mark downs — while it clears out inventory from the categories it's killing off. For the full Wall Street Journal Story, click here. SEE ALSO: These unretouched photos show why a teen retailer is giving Victoria's Secret a run for its money   Share the latest business news with your network: Email sent to:   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011

Instant Alert: Adnan Syed from the podcast 'Serial' has been granted a new trial

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   Adnan Syed from the podcast 'Serial' has been granted a new trial by Arielle Berger on Jun 30, 2016, 6:39 PM A Maryland judge has granted Adnan Syed a retrial. Syed was the subject of the hit podcast "Serial". Syed was convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999. Produced by Arielle Berger Follow BI Video: On Twitter   Share the latest business news with your network: Email sent to:   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011

Instant Alert: New Jersey man sentenced to 6 years in prison for smuggling sensitive electronics to Russia

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   New Jersey man sentenced to 6 years in prison for smuggling sensitive electronics to Russia by Nate Raymond on Jun 30, 2016, 5:30 PM Advertisement A New Jersey man was sentenced to nearly six years in prison on Thursday after admitting that he smuggled $65 million worth of sensitive electronics components to Russia as part of an illegal international procurement network. Alexander Brazhnikov, 37, was sentenced to the 70-month prison term by US District Judge William Martini in Newark, New Jersey, after pleading guilty in June 2015 to charges stemming from his role in the procurement network. He was also fined $75,000 and ordered to forfeit $65 million in light of his plea to charges that he conspired to commit money laundering, smuggle electronics from the United States and violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The sentence was announced by US Attorney Paul Fishman in New Jersey. Jack Arseneault, Brazhnikov's lawyer, called the sentence "very fair under the circumstances," saying it was toward the bottom of what his client faced under federal sentencing guidelines. Prosecutors said Brazhnikov, a US citizen who was born in Moscow, was part of a sophisticated network that acquired large amounts of regulated electronic components from the United States and shipped them to Russia on behalf of companies there. The companies, in turn, were authorized to supply the electronics components to Russian military and security forces as well as entities involved in designing nuclear warheads and weapons, prosecutors said. Brazhnikov, who ran four New Jersey microelectronics export companies, at the time of his plea admitted to being responsible for nearly 2,000 illegal shipments from 2008 to 2014, prosecutors have said. Prosecutors said Brazhnikov had conspired with his father, who owned a Moscow-based procurement firm that helped initiate the electronic component purchases. SEE ALSO: US Air Force to spend $118 million on decoy planes to confuse enemy defenses   Share the latest business news with your network: Email sent to:   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011