DeProgram with Ted Rall and John Kiriakou: “The Lightning Shared Scooter Scam”

On today’s “DeProgram show” with political cartoonist Ted Rall and CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou, we guide you through a barrage of developments, from yet another mass school shooting to political maneuvers and corporate deception. Joining us is Yale Privacy Lab's Sean O’Brien, exposing the hidden dangers in a collapsed scam.

• Minnesota Shooting: A gunman unleashes horror at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, firing a rifle, shotgun, and pistol through church windows during an all-school Mass marking the first week of classes. Two children, aged eight and ten, die in the pews, while 17 others—including 14 children—suffer injuries, with two in critical condition. The suspect, 23-year-old Robin Westman, who legally changed their name from Robert in 2020 indicating transgender identity, dies from suicide; authorities investigating motives amid reports of racist, antisemitic writings on weapons and a possible hate crime targeting Catholics, fueling debates on access to assault weapons and gun control.

• DNC Calendar: The Democratic National Committee sits down to decide its 2028 presidential nominating calendar. Emphasizing diversity, regional balance, and battleground status, DNC Chair Ken Martin says he wants a rigorous, fair process extending through spring, potentially restoring Iowa's caucuses or elevating states like New Hampshire. Is the party moving past Joe Biden? States lobby aggressively at the Minneapolis meeting, aiming to shape a lineup that battle-tests candidates while avoiding the 2024 chaos of unsanctioned primaries.

• Border Patrol Arrests: U.S. Border Patrol agents conduct targeted enforcement at a Playa Vista Home Depot, detaining two individuals amid bystander outrage and leading to the arrest of a 27-year-old U.S. citizen for assaulting officers. Operations highlight collaboration with local law enforcement, focusing on smuggling networks while navigating a court injunction against warrantless stops in southern California. Arrests surge in interior zones, with ICE reporting over 1.6 million removals this year.

• Lightning Shared Scooter Company Scam: For over a year, Lightning Shared Scooter Company lured thousands of Americans via storefronts, apps, and endorsements from mayors, police, and ex-White House press secretary Sean Spicer, masquerading as a legitimate scooter-sharing startup. Unmasking as a vast multi-level marketing scheme, it recruited communities with crypto payments, apps harboring privacy breaches, and overseas ties—spanning eight U.S. cities and amassing millions before crumbling this summer, stranding families in recovery battles. Sean O’Brien of Yale Privacy Lab joins as a guest, detailing app examinations uncovering severe security flaws and data streams to Chinese servers, urging scrutiny of deceptive tech ventures.