Entertainment

Prince Harry and Meghan recruited by US ethical investment firm

Prince Harry and Meghan the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have added to their portfolio of jobs since stepping down as working members of the royal family last year, joining a US ethical money manager as “impact partners”.

Prince Harry and Meghan said they hoped their partnership with Ethic, which has $1.3bn of assets under management, would encourage more younger people to invest their money in sustainable companies.

“When we invest in each other we change the world,” the couple said in a statement. “Our choices – of how and where we put our energy – define us as a global community.

“We believe it’s time for more people to have a seat at the table when decisions are made that impact everyone. We want to rethink the nature of investing to help solve the global issues we all face. This is one of the ways we put our values in action.”

Ethic, which was founded in 2015, claims to only invest in “companies that treat people and the planet with respect”. The Sussexes have investments managed by Ethic and also invested directly in the fund manager earlier this year.

“Now they want to shine a light on how we can all impact the causes that affect our communities, bring transparency into how the corporate world sets the tone and shapes outcomes for everyday families, and believe that more people should have a seat at the table when it comes to making progress,” the company said in a press release. Ethic did not disclose how much the pair would be paid for their advice.

In an interview with the New York Times, which first reported the partnership on Tuesday, Meghan said: “My husband has been saying for years, ‘Gosh, don’t you wish there was a place where if your values were aligned like this, you could put your money to that same sort of thing?’”

Harry said he suspected young people in future would demand their money was invested in ethical companies. “You already have the younger generation voting with their dollars and their pounds, you know, all over the world when it comes to brands they select and choose from,” he said.

Ethic’s existing investors include Ashton Kutcher’s Sound Ventures and the investment fund Fidelity Investments.

The appointment is the latest in a long list of jobs the couple have taken on since stepping down as senior royals and moving to Los Angeles. In March, Harry was appointed “chief impact officer” at BetterUp, a Silicon Valley startup that provides professional coaching, mental health advice and “immersive learning”.

The company, which promises to deliver users of its mobile app “an all-round better life”, last week raised $300m in venture capital funding that valued the company at almost $5bn (£3.7bn), up from about $1bn when Harry joined in March.

The Sussexes have also signed multimillion-dollar deals to provide content for Netflix and Spotify. Their contract with Netflix, which is reportedly worth up to $122m, was to create “content that informs but also gives hope”.

Meghan is working with David Furnish on a Netflix animation series that “centres on the adventures of a 12-year-old girl who is inspired by a variety of influential women from history”. Harry is helping with the production of Heart of Invictus, a documentary that will follow competitors preparing to compete in the 2022 edition of his charity event for injured or sick armed service personnel.

For Spotify, the couple have produced a 30-minute podcast in which famous people talk about how they coped during lockdowns.

Entertainment

Nollywood actor, Seun Jimoh accuses EFCC of scapegoating celebrities over naira abuse

Nollywood actor, Seun Jimoh has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) of “scapegoating” celebrities in its ongoing clampdown on Naira abusers.

He stated this in an Instagram post while reacting to the news of EFCC charging popular socialite, Pascal Okechukwu, better known as Cubana Chief Priest, for Naira abuse.

Jimoh said it is unfair that certain people are being selected for a crime almost 70% of Nigerians or more are guilty of with overwhelming video evidence all over the internet.

He added: “Scapegoat approach to cultural reforms is quite sinister and lacks any concern for the mental health of the Nigerian citizens.

“It looks like scapegoats are being selected to send a message to the general populace. But then, is it not unfair that certain people are being selected for a crime almost 70% of Nigerians or more are guilty of with overwhelming video evidence all over the internet?!

“Why hasn’t anyone ever caught on video spraying money between the time the law has been in effect till now being arrested?

“Why celebrities? Celebrities are citizens too! This scapegoat approach to cultural reforms is quite sinister and lacks any concern for the mental health of the Nigerian citizens.”

Entertainment

Court grants Cubana Chief priest N10m bail

The Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos has granted N10 million bail to Cubana Chief Priest after he was arraigned on Wednesday over abuse of the naira.

The presiding Judge, Kehinde Ogundare granted him bail with three sureties in like sum.

One of the sureties must be a civil servant not below grade level 16 while the other two must be gainfully employed, either in the public or private sector with property within the jurisdiction of the court.

The title documents of the properties are to be verify by the deputy registrar of the court.

Justice Ogundare, while handing over the defendant to his lawyer Chikosolo Ojukwu SAN, ordered that the bail conditions must be fulfilled within seven days failure of which the bail would be revoked.

Justice Ogundare adjourned till 2nd of May for trial and for the hearing of pending applications.

Entertainment

EFCC to arraign Cubana Chief Priest for abuse of naira

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a three-count charge against popular Instagram celebrity Pascal Okechukwu also known as Cubana Chief Priest for allegedly spraying and tampering with the naira at a social event contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank Act of 2007.

Cubana Chief Priest will be arraigned on Wednesday, April 17th, 2024 before Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court, Lagos.

The charge was filed on April 4th by EFFC’s prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) alongside seven other lawyers representing the chairman of the Commission.

In Count 1, it was alleged, “that you, Okechukwu Pascal on 13th Feb. 2024, at Eko Hotel, within the jurisdiction of the court, while dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

In count 2, it was alleged, “that you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in 2020, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

In Count 3, it was alleged, “that you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in January 2024, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

This is coming days after the EFCC arraigned controversial cross-dresser Idris Okuneye better known as Bobrisky on similar charges for which he was sentenced to a six-month jail term.