Plea entered: A Shreveport man has pleaded not guilty to charges he scammed investors and banks out of more than $96 million in a scheme that allegedly included his use of a disguise and a professional makeup artist. David deBerardinis remained free on bond following his arraignment in federal court on Monday. DeBerardinis is accused of using false identities and phony bank statements to perpetuate a fraud scheme that began in 2008 and lasted until at least July 2016. Read more.
Something in the water: Twenty-five years ago, the marbled crayfish didn’t exist. A drastic mutation in a single crayfish produced the species in an instant, The New York Times reports. Researchers have determined that the marbled crayfish—which measures about six inches long—is one of the most remarkable species known to science. The mutation made it possible for the creature to clone itself, and now the crayfish has spread across much of Europe and gained a toehold on other continents. Read more.
Positive outlook: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin acknowledges the stock market has been “quite volatile” in recent days, but that has not shaken his view that the underlying economy is strong. And while he kept an eye on the market’s performance during his congressional testimony this morning, Mnuchin says he is not “overly concerned about the market volatility. I think the fundamentals are quite strong.” Read more.
