Latest news with #CPD
IOL News
8 hours ago
- Business
- IOL News
Financial institutions urged to vet CPD providers amid credential concerns
The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) has issued a nationwide warning to financial institutions Image: File The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) has issued a nationwide warning to financial institutions, urging them to carefully verify the credentials of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) providers before engaging their services. This warning comes after the financial sector watchdog "became aware that an entity known as LearnOn (Pty) Ltd (Learn On) has been offering continuous professional development (CPD) services to Financial Services Providers (FSP) without the necessary authorisation". "The services offered include the provision of assistance to FSPs in meeting their CPD competency requirements as set out in the Determination of Fit and Proper Requirements for Financial Services Providers, 2017 (Board Notice 194 of 2017) issued under the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act, No. 37 of 2002," FSCA said. CPD is a required rule for financial services providers (FSPs). It helps make sure that key staff and representatives keep their knowledge and skills up to date so they can do their jobs well. Meeting the minimum CPD requirements is essential to stay compliant with the law. "It appears that LearnOn has issued CPD certificates bearing the logo of the Financial Planning Institute of South Africa (FPI) without authorisation and has used FPI reference numbers that are either invalid or linked to other approved CPD providers. Attempts to reach out to Learn On regarding these concerns via email and telephone have been unsuccessful," the financial sector watchdog said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The financial watchdog added that it was not commenting on LearnOn's business practices or the quality of its training programmes. "However, the FSCA deemed it important to bring this matter to the attention of financial institutions and urge them to verify the accreditation of CPD providers purporting to assist with the fulfilment of competency requirements under the FAIS Act with the relevant professional bodies before entering into any agreements in this regard". Failure to verify CPD providers and programmes may result in financial institutions not meeting their CPD. IOL Business Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel
Chicago Tribune
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Paul Vallas: Chicago must reform how it handles expensive police misconduct lawsuits.
The city's finances and ability to fund essential public services are at a crisis point for many reasons. Dangerously overlooked is the bleeding of millions of taxpayer dollars every month on litigation, the continuation of which cannot be sustained. From 2008 to 2024, Chicago paid out over $1.11 billion in police-related legal settlements and verdicts. In 2025 alone, the city has already approved over $145 million in police settlements, exceeding its budget by a significant margin. It has gotten so bad that the most obvious way for the city to manage risk — the purchase of liability insurance — is rapidly becoming unavailable as the city's insurers, once willing to protect the city from catastrophic losses, have run for the hills. These hundreds of millions in payouts are emblematic of a system in which settlements for police-related incidents have become routine and increasingly expensive. During Kim Foxx's tenure as Cook County state's attorney, more law firms began to specialize in representing individuals accused of violent crimes and in suing the Chicago Police Department for alleged civil rights violations. These firms frequently win enormous, taxpayer-funded settlements. Consider the cases of Gabriel Solache and Arturo DeLeon-Reyes, who were wrongfully convicted of the brutal murder of a young couple and kidnapping of their child. Despite a third perpetrator's unwavering testimony against them, Foxx dropped the charges partially because their cases were handled by a former detective, Reynaldo Guevara, who faces allegations that he bullied and beat defendants. The third perpetrator is in prison serving a life sentence. Foxx's office later withdrew opposition to their certificates of innocence, enabling their lawyers to use these certificates as evidence in lawsuits against the police. This is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern in which convictions are vacated and substantial settlements follow — even when the facts strongly suggest guilt. The election of Judge Eileen O'Neill Burke as state's attorney marked a new era for criminal justice in Chicago. However, the city still faces a backlog of cases initiated during Foxx's tenure, with over 200 wrongful conviction lawsuits pending. The potential liability from these cases is estimated in the billions of dollars. Compounding the problem, the SAFE-T Act and the CPD consent decree have introduced new mandates and oversight requirements, which are likely to fuel even more litigation. In addition, police pursuits have now become the new gold vein for litigators to mine. These developments, combined with a plaintiff-friendly legal environment in Cook County, mean that the city's exposure to massive settlements is only increasing. Police pursuit lawsuits are now a significant financial threat after wrongful conviction cases. These lawsuits often arise when fleeing suspects crash, causing injuries or deaths, and the city is held liable for the actions of police officers making split-second decisions. Since 2019, Chicago taxpayers have paid more than $120 million to resolve just 31 civil claims arising from police pursuits. Here are five key reforms that can be implemented: Runaway settlements and verdicts for alleged police misconduct are not only undermining public safety and police morale — they also are threatening the city's financial stability and its ability to provide essential services. Chicago's leaders must act decisively to restore balance, protect taxpayer dollars and ensure that compensation for genuine victims does not come at the cost of the city's future. Paul Vallas is an adviser for the Illinois Policy Institute. He ran against Brandon Johnson for Chicago mayor in 2023 and was previously budget director for the city and CEO of Chicago Public Schools.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Girl who went missing aged one in 2021 during visit with mom is FOUND ALIVE three years on
A little girl who disappeared in 2021 at the age of one has been found alive more than three years later. Blessing Wasso, now four, vanished on November 5, 2021 along with her mother Erika Ephraim - also known as Ericka Wasso - during a supervised visit at a Brighton Park facility in Chicago, Illinois. At the time, the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS) had legal custody of the toddler and reported both Blessing and her mother missing. The case went cold until this spring when the Chicago Police Department issued a renewed missing person bulletin which suggested the pair may have fled to California or Texas. But this month, a major breakthrough in the case came when U.S. Marshals and Chicago Police Department (CPD) tracked down the pair to a home in Chicago. The U.S. Marshals Service issued a press release announcing that CPD had helped locate a missing infant on January 1, 2025. A source confirmed to CWB Chicago that the infant was Blessing. Chicago police confirmed that both mother and daughter were 'safely located' as of June 6. The breakthrough came after investigators spotted a young girl peering out of a second-floor window who looking strikingly alike to an age-progressed photo of Blessing. On June 3, officers launched a tactical operation at the home, forcing their way inside. Blessing was found inside and immediately placed back into protective custody, according to a U.S. Marshals press release. The little girl, who remains a ward of the state, was returned to DCFS after spending over three years in hiding. Officers arrested Ephraim as she tried to flee. She was arrested on various charges, including one for full extradition from the California Department of Corrections and others related to retail theft, stolen property, and robbery across Illinois and California.
CBS News
4 days ago
- CBS News
Chicago police warn of burglar who climbed through air duct of 2 East Garfield Park businesses
Chicago police warn businesses after two burglaries were reported in the East Garfield Park neighborhood. The burglaries happened on May 30 around midnight and again on June 8 around 1:30 a.m., both in the 2700 block of West Madison Avenue. Police said in each incident, a man entered the businesses by climbing onto the roof and entering through the air duct. They took tobacco products and cash that was left in the register. The suspect was described as 5-foot-8, between 35 and 45 years old, and wearing a blue, orange, and white Chicago Bears cap with a pom-pom on top, a black hooded sweatshirt, and pants. CPD is advising businesses to keep the perimeter of their property well lit, report suspicious activity immediately, and secure doors and windows. Anyone with information is asked to contact Area 3 detectives at 312-744-8263 or submit an anonymous tip at using Reference number P25-3-030.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
8-Year-Old Chicago Boy Missing for Over 10 Days After Allegedly Being Abducted by Father: Police
J'Adore Frazier, 8, was allegedly abducted from his grandparents' Chicago home by his father, Christopher Upshaw Frazier was last seen wearing a beige sweatsuit and black sneakers on Friday, June 6, according to Chicago police 'If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of these two individuals, please contact the Area Two detectives at 312-747-8274 or call 911,' Chicago Police said in a news releaseAn 8-year-old Chicago boy has been missing for over a week after allegedly being abducted from his legal guardian's home. At around 4 p.m. local time on Friday, June 6, J'Adore Frazier vanished from his grandparents' home in the 9000 block of South Aberdeen Street in the Brainerd neighborhood, according to a release from the Chicago Police Department (CPD). He was wearing a beige sweatsuit and black sneakers at the time and has been described by police as an African American boy with a medium brown complexion, who stands around 3 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 60 lbs. Police believe that Fraizer was abducted by his father, Christopher Upshaw, and have released a photograph of them both alongside their release. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Upshaw, 43, is described by police as an African American male with a medium brown complexion who stands at around 6 feet tall and weighs 175 lbs., per the police release. It is unknown what he was wearing at the time of the alleged abduction. The father drives a beige Cadillac sedan with dark tints and black rims, Fox 32 Chicago and CBS News reported, citing the police. The vehicles' license plate details have not been shared at this time. 'If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of these two individuals, please contact the Area Two detectives at 312-747-8274 or call 911,' Chicago Police said, per the news release. Chicago Police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on Monday, June 16. Read the original article on People
