A shop owner accused of being a key player in an illegal baby formula racket after falling on hard times has burst into tears as she is granted bail after spending a night in the police cells. 

Tram Huynh Bao Phan, 41, was arrested by police at her south-west Sydney shopfront on Tuesday morning after police were tipped off by suspicious local business people.

Phan is accused of on-selling tins of formula at her Bankstown shopfront that a drug addict had allegedly stolen from a Coles supermarket.

The alleged thief Curistos Filippopoulos, 45, took up to $965 a day in baby formula from the franchise’s Clemton Park store, court documents said.

At one point he allegedly stole tins from the shop five days in a row. 

The pair are accused of having an arrangement where the formula was delivered to Phan in shopping bags who then on-sold them to customers. 

Phan was visibly emotional as she was released on bail from the Sydney Police Centre on Wednesday evening and wept as she was reunited with her sister, who posted her $5,000 bail. 

When Daily Mail Australia approached her for a comment, the clearly distraught accused woman could only muster: ‘No, no, no, that’s all fine, thank you’.  

During her bail application, Magistrate George Breton was told Phan had previously run a Vietnamese cake store prior to starting up a shop based around baby formula.

Her business had apparently suffered ‘financial difficulties’ prior to the coronavirus crisis, the court was told.

Magistrate Breton said Phan had made ‘full admissions’ that she had ‘continued to participate in the syndicate’ because of it. 

Phan was charged with knowingly receiving stolen goods and six counts of recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime on Tuesday evening.

Phan’s solicitor, Mai Pham, told the court police had told her client had been ‘very compliant and cooperative’ in their investigations.

‘She is previously married and now separated, so a single mother, with three children, 12, nine and two,’ the solicitor said. 

‘She previously operated a business making cake and selling cake. She’s recently changed to this particular business.’ 

Filippopoulos was charged with 45 offences, including 35 counts of shoplifting, six counts of disposing of stolen property and driving while disqualified. 

When Filippopoulos’ lawyer, Veronica Love, applied for him to get bail, Magistrate George Breton marvelled at how the accused pair believed they could get away with the alleged scam. 

‘It’s a wonder they weren’t stopped in their tracks a long time before today or yesterday,’ Magistrate Breton said during his matter. 

‘They continued to act, naively, probably believing they were never going to be caught.’ 

He described the offence as ‘unsophisticated’ – involving Filippopoulos ‘loading up and walking out’ of Coles. 

He said based on the police facts ‘jail is an appropriate penalty’ for such serious offences.

‘She’s determined of her own volition to engage in the criminal syndicate,’ he said. 

Phan was granted $5,000 bail on conditions including she report to police weekly and surrender her passport.

The court heard Filippopoulos was a drug addict who was enrolled in a methadone program.

He sought bail but it was opposed by police prosecutor Jason Burt and he was remanded in custody.  

Both matters will return to court later this year. 

Police expect to make further arrests, with the court hearing two others were allegedly involved. 

In the bizarre world of QAnon conspiracy theorists, 29-year-old Austin Steinbart was a rising star. A segment of the pro-Trump conspiracy theory group believed he was the mysterious “Q,” the anonymous internet figure whose clues have convinced a portion of the president’s base that Donald Trump is engaged in a shadowy war against pedophile-cannibals in the Democratic Party.

Steinbart—dubbed “Baby Q” by his fans—claimed he could get away with anything because he was a super-spy for Trump. In online arguments, Steinbart insisted he should have been arrested “100 times over” for his actions. And the fact that he hadn’t been arrested for, say, threatening to kill the Queen of Denmark was proof that Trump had given him immunity from prosecution.

“Seems like I should have been ARRESTED by now, eh?” Steinbart tweeted to one of his foes in late March, adding a sarcastic thinking-face emoji. 

A few days later, FBI agents arrested him.

Steinbart now faces an extortion charge over his online antics, all apparently committed in an attempt to convince gullible online conspiracy theorists that he’s an all-powerful intelligence agent. As part of his attempts at self-promotion, Steinbart allegedly posted the confidential brain scans and medical files of former professional football players online—images he was able to obtain while allegedly getting a scan of his own.

Steinbart’s arrest marks just the latest time a QAnon believer has been charged with a crime. Two others have been charged with murder, including one accused of murdering the head of the Gambino crime family. The conspiracy theory has also surfaced in two child kidnapping plots, and a 2018 terrorist incident near the Hoover Dam. 

Online, Steinbart had amassed nearly 20,000 Twitter followers and 23,000 YouTube subscribers, even as he infuriated more established QAnon hucksters with his brash attitude. In rambling YouTube videos, Steinbart claimed that he was “Q,” was somehow in communication with a time-traveling version of himself, and would soon be appointed to run Trump’s Space Force — a nonsensical narrative that nevertheless won him the devotion of a number of QAnon believers. 

But prosecutors and the FBI paint another picture of Steinbart in court documents, describing a young man with “unaddressed behavior or mental health issues” willing to commit crimes to build up his profile in the online conspiracy theory world.

Steinbart first came to law enforcement attention in mid-March, when he posted footage he had shot at a Los Angeles mental health clinic on YouTube. While getting a brain scan at the clinic at his parents’ request, according to prosecutors, Steinbart gained access to a computer and started filming the screen as he went through other patients’ records.

“Steinbart gained unauthorized access to protected patient information on the clinic’s computer and recorded the patient information in a video,” prosecutors wrote in a court record.

Those files included a folder marked “NFL,” which contained entries about dozens of former professional football players. Steinbart filmed himself going through doctor’s notes and a brain scan for football commentator and former player Terry Bradshaw before posting the video on YouTube.

“You tell me whether or not I’d be in huge trouble for hacking these famous people’s medical records if I wasn’t Q,” Steinbart said in the video, before describing another player’s brain as a “little hole-y.” 

The clinic confirmed to the FBI that the patient records were genuine, according to an affidavit. Court documents don’t name the clinic, but Steinbart claims in his video that he was at a branch of Amen Clinics, a chain of medical offices that performs brain imaging. 

Amen Clinics founder Daniel Amen has commented frequently on brain injuries suffered by NFL players. The company didn’t respond to a request for comment. The video was removed from YouTube on Tuesday, replaced by a notice saying it was deleted because of a “privacy claim.”

After clinic staff asked Steinbart and his parents to take down the video, he allegedly threatened them with “NUCLEAR ARMAGEDDON” if they contacted his parents again. 

When FBI agents met him at his Chandler, Arizona house on March 19, according to the FBI, Steinbart allegedly answered the door carrying a Desert Eagle handgun and said he had to deal with a “lot of psychos.” 

Steinbart allegedly admitted to accessing the patient records, describing it as “not hard,” and claiming that he was doing “outrageous” things to prove to his online fans that he was a spy. Posting the private medical records, Steinbart allegedly claimed, was meant to “just show people that I won’t get in trouble.”

The would-be conspiracy theory star kept up his outlandish activity even after the visit from FBI agents. Two days later, on March 21, Steinbart posted a YouTube video urging his followers in the “Q-Army” to harass employees of Datto, a tech company that had taken down some of his files on copyright grounds. 

Datto was quickly deluged with bogus support requests on its customer service line from Steinbart’s fans, according to the FBI. In an effort to save its “overwhelmed” systems, Datto spent nearly $11,000 on new customer service lines. Some of Steinbart’s devotees would take up to ten minutes of a customer service’s reps time posing as a legitimate customer, before demanding the company restore Steinbart’s files.

Steinbart allegedly kept up the pressure himself, sending Datto’s CEO threatening messages on Twitter.

“I am running a military intelligence operation for the Defense Intelligence Agency called Operation QAnon,” Steinbart wrote in direct messages, according to the FBI. “There is a VERY good chance I will send some PSYCHOS to come see you in person!”

Around the same time, the FBI affidavit notes, Steinbart posted a video of himself waving around a gun and a container of Tannerite explosive material. Steinbart claimed he had rigged his home with traps filled with the explosive charges. 

Steinbart was arrested on March 31 on an extortion charge related to his video about the tech company, and released from jail on Friday pending further hearings. It’s not clear whether he’ll face future charges over posting the NFL players’ medical records.

For his rival QAnon promoters, Steinbart’s arrest was an occasion for celebration, as his central argument — that he could never be arrested — appeared to be conclusively proven false.

“Onto the next chapter,” tweeted rival figure Jordan Sather, who has urged his own followers to drink bleach to cure diseases.

Steinbart can continue to use the internet under the terms of his release — as long as he submits to court-ordered monitoring.

Glen “Big Baby” Davis — a key bench player in the Celtics 2008 title run, but who has been out of the NBA for a couple of years now — was arrested last month at a hotel in a suburb of Baltimore with 126 grams of marijuana and more than $96,000 in cash, according to a report.

Davis was arrested in Aberdeen, Maryland, with the signs what he had on him was for sale, not just personal use, reports ABC 2 WMAR in Baltimore.

According to court records, the hotel owner smelled marijuana coming from Davis’ room on February 7^th. When the owner knocked on room 208, someone inside the room told him to “F*** off!”

Aberdeen police then responded to the hotel and Davis gave signed consent to search his room

“They recovered 126 grams of marijuana,” said Aberdeen Police Lieutenant William Reiber, “In addition to that there was a briefcase that contained 92,164 dollars of U.S. currency along with a ledger that contained language which is consistent with someone involved in the sale and distribution of narcotics.”

Davis has since been indicted on seven counts of drug possession and intended distribution. Davis’ attorney has said his client is not guilty of the charged crimes.

Davis has been out of the NBA since 2015 when as a free agent he needed ankle surgery that sidelined him.

Davis played eight NBA seasons between the Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, and Los Angeles Clippers. In his second season out of LSU, he played a role off the bench for the Celtics during their run to the title, then his bench role expanded the next couple of seasons when Boston made runs (remember Nate Robinson referred to Davis and himself as “Donkey and Shrek” during the 2010 NBA Finals).  Davis earned $36.4 million in salary during his NBA career.

WEST HAM are investigating allegations that Jake Livermore was abused over the death of his child.

The West Brom midfielder, 28, shoved a fan and a steward in ugly scenes at the London Stadium last night.

Sky Sports

West Ham have identified the fan involved and have called them to the club for a meeting today.

Video footage has emerged which shows the West Brom midfielder involved in a confrontation as he was being substituted in the 64th minute.

Both clubs plan a full investigation.

Livermore’s son died in 2013 when his partner went into labour, sending the former Hull midfielder into a downward spiral that led to him facing a two-year ban after testing positive for cocaine.

Ross Parry – SWNS

The seven-cap England midfielder has previously spoken about agony he suffered over Jake Junior’s death.

In 2016, he told the Mail: “The way in which (his death) happened made it difficult to fight my own demons.

“If you lose a child in God’s hands it is completely different. To find out why he had died, that was too much for my head and my heart to take.

“That pain and hurt, it makes you do desperate things. I wasn’t thinking of the consequences.

“I was broken. Most people out there will have a son, a nephew, a little brother.

“So for me, it was a relief. The drugs were irrelevant. It could have been drugs, a gun, a car crash or whatever, the self-destruct button was the problem.”

Sky Sports

Sky Sports

Baggies boss Alan Pardew said: “The only thing I know is I see Jake in the crowd, which disturbed me. Obviously you don’t want to see a player in the crowd.

“There’s no way he’s going in the crowd — because I know him, he’s a great lad — unless he was provoked severely.”

Sky Sports

Pardew admitted he did not hear whether or not his player was abused.

He added: “I’m afraid I haven’t had a chance to talk to Jake.”

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HE’S A BIT ANDY West Ham 2 West Brom 1: Andy Carroll bags 94th-minute winner to seal dramatic three points for Hammers

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In separate footage, Albion No2 John Carver can be seen pointing and remonstrating with stewards after the altercation.

Livermore was eventually led away down the tunnel and both clubs will investigate today.

Sky Sports

The row overshadowed a dramatic match in which West Ham came from a goal down to beat their relegation rivals with an injury-time winner.

Two goals from Andy Carroll lifted the Hammers out of the bottom three.

Home boss David Moyes said: “Two great goals, a great centre-forward’s header, as good as it gets.

“I don’t think any defender could stop his leap and jump. The other shows great quality, tight angle, to complete the finish.”

Carroll, who had not scored since April 1, said: “It has been a while, I am obviously relieved.

Reuters

“It was a tough game. We are disappointed with the goal we gave away, but we had to keep pushing them and we did that and got the goals.

“It was tough, I was tired at the end, but if I didn’t get into the box at the end I would have been given some stick by the staff.”

Moyes added: “I’ve got to say, for long periods it didn’t look likely we’d win.

AP:Associated Press

“We lost a goal in the last minute at Bournemouth which should have counted. Newcastle scored an offside goal here. Tonight, things went for us.”

Pardew said: “It’s heart-breaking for the players. We were hanging on physically and mentally.

“It’s very evident on the pitch because we lose Matt Phillips in the warm-up, my most influential player offensively.

“But still we put in a great first half. It’s very difficult to criticise my team.”