Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A Knoxville husband and wife have been arrested on charges of wire fraud, money laundering and tax offenses.
The United States Department of Justice said a federal grand jury returned a 14-count indictment last week on 53-year-old Kenneth Francis Lee and 54-year-old Susan Amie Lee, both of Knoxville.
The Lees are accused of concocting a scheme to defraud investors and obtain money by falsely claiming that Kenneth was in litigation to sell a company to a large U.S. based investment firm and that, in exchange for help with “legal fees” for the transaction, victims would receive a percentage of the sale.
According to the DOJ, the victims never saw any money as there was no settlement, and the Lees allegedly spent it on personal expenses, including funding Kenneth Lee’s gambling habit.
Additionally, the DOJ says Kenneth did not report any of his income to the IRS despite being required to do so.
Susan is alleged in the indictment to have helped in collecting the fraud proceeds into accounts in her name and spending those funds.
Kenneth was indicted on seven counts of wire fraud, one count of money laundering and three counts of tax offenses, and Susan was indicted on three counts of money laundering offenses. The DOJ said they appeared in court on Wednesday and entered not guilty pleas.
If convicted, the DOJ said Kenneth and Susan both face up to 20 years in prison.
Their trial is scheduled for October 22.
They allegedly executed a scheme to defraud investors and obtain money by falsely claiming to be in litigation to sell a company to a large U.S. based investment firm.(Credit: Frankly Media)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The body of the victim is recovered and an investigation is underway in Grainger County following a drowning Tuesday evening.
Officials with the Grainger County Sheriff’s Office say over half a dozen agencies responded to the drowning including: the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Bean Station Police Department, Morristown Rescue Squad, Bean Station Volunteer Fire Department and Bean Station Rescue Squad.
GCSO says the victim, 25-year-old Bryson Harrell, was recovered from the Olen Marshal Bridge lake access area around 8:50 p.m.
GCSO is investigating the drowning.
The victim, 25-year-old Bryson Harrell, was recovered from the Olen Marshal Bridge lake access area around 8:50 p.m., according to GCSO officials. (Courtesy: Grainger Co. Sheriff’s Department)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) UPDATE: Knoxville city officials continue to need your help in finding a missing park statue.
It’s a bronze statue of two children sitting on a bench reading.
Officials in Knox County say the statue was stolen from Strickland Park just a few weeks ago and has still not been found.
If you have any information, please contact the Knox County Parks and Recreation Department via email at [email protected] or phone at 865-215-6600.
ORIGINAL STORY: Officials with the Knox County Parks and Recreation Department are asking for help after a bronze monument went missing.
According to officials, the monument depicting children reading that used to live at Thomas “Tank” Strickland Park was stolen.
The department took to social media Monday with the announcement adding “it appears someone loved this reading children statue so much that they took it for their own, leaving the kids who visit this park to be confused about where their friends went.”
Those with information are being asked to email [email protected] or call 865-215-6600.
Knox County officials say a monument was stolen from a Knoxville park (Courtesy: Knox County)
Morristown, TN (WOKI) A homeowner survives but four pets perish following a house fire Tuesday morning in Morristown.
City officials say the Morristown Fire Department responded to the call of a structure fire on Dedra Drive, arriving within three minutes of the initial call. They say crews were able to contain the fire to the bedroom of the home, but the house suffered heavy smoke and water damage.
Officials say the homeowner made it out and is recovering from smoke inhalation but that four pets died despite fire personnel administering life-saving measures.
“We thank the Morristown-Hamblen EMS, the MPD, MUS and Animal Control for their assistance,” the city said.
Emergency crews responded to the fire Tuesday morning, city officials said. (Courtesy: City of Morristown)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A grand jury will now hear the case against Steven Davis, one of the two suspects connected to a deadly shooting at a Knoxville bar last month.
Davis was in court Monday; he has been charged with aggravated assault and violation of parole.
The shooting happened on July 2 at the Pint House on Merchant Drive in Knoxville. Security guard Zachery Herrera and a Pint House customer John Goosie were shot and killed.
The Judge ruled Monday there was enough evidence to bound the case over to the grand jury.
The second suspect in the case, Kevin Matthews, was found a little over a week after the shooting in a Jacksonville, Florida hotel room. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Authorities in Loudon County arrested and charged two people in connection to a five year old murder case. The Loudon County Sheriffs Department arrested 39 year old Eric Austin Byrd, of Lenoir City, and 39 year old Amanda Bishop, of Kingston, Tuesday.
The two are charged with first degree murder in connection to the 2019 death of Jacob Bishop, who was found in his Lenoir City home, bound by zip ties and suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Byrd and Bishop are being held at the Loudon County Detention Center on $1 million bonds.
An Athens father is facing multiple charges including reckless homicide after his young daughter was left in a hot car in Hamilton County for hours Monday and died.
Authorities say the father, Timothy Blackdeer, said he had taken his other children to their babysitter that morning and didn’t realize the baby had been left in the car until his wife called that afternoon asking where the daughter was.
The baby was pronounced dead a the hospital and had a body temperature of 105 degrees at the time
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The University of Tennessee is “preserving” Neyland Stadium’s name through a partnership with Pilot Flying J.
University of Tennessee Athletics making the announcement Tuesday morning, billing the change as a “preservation partnership.”
“This will always be Neyland Stadium. Is now, always has been, always will be,” said UT Athletics Director Danny White in a video posted Tuesday on “X,” formerly Twitter. “Pilot can be a huge part of preserving that and then help us reinvest in our fan experience to make sure that it stays Neyland Stadium for decades to come.”
White added that the extra funding from the partnership will be going right back into the stadium, promising changes centered on improving the fan experience.
“Through this partnership, we will preserve the legacy of Neyland while also investing in its future to create exceptional experiences for generations to come,” Pilot CEO Adam Wright said. “We look forward to seeing you out here as we cheer on the Vols in Neyland.”
The sponsorship deal inked between Pilot and University of Tennessee Athletics is slated to be in force for at least the next 20 years.
While the deal will not change the names of Neyland Stadium and Shields-Watkins Field, the stadium as a whole will be known as Neyland Stadium. Home of the Vols. Proudly preserved by Pilot.
The historic home of the Vols is now Neyland Stadium Preserved by Pilot. (Courtesy: WVLT)
Neyland Stadium has been home of the Vols for more than 100 years and that legacy will live on thanks to a transformative partnership with Tennessee Athletics and Knoxville-based Pilot, the largest network of travel centers in North America.
Football August 13, 2024
Neyland Stadium has been home of the Vols for more than 100 years and that legacy will live on thanks to a transformative partnership with Tennessee Athletics and Knoxville-based Pilot, the largest network of travel centers in North America.
Tennessee Athletics and Pilot are breaking new ground in college sports by entering a multi-year partnership that preserves the iconic venue’s name and enhances the stadium experience for future generations. Under the terms of the agreement, which is slated for up to 20 years and could extend further, the names of Neyland Stadium and Shields-Watkins Field will remain unchanged. Pilot is designated as the presenting partner of the Neyland Stadium renovation project and the official travel stop of Tennessee Athletics.
“As we navigate the changing landscape of college athletics, we are dedicated to building the best athletics department in the country,” said Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Danny White. “Because we were committed to preserving the name of Neyland Stadium, finding a partner who shared this vision was essential. With deep roots here in Knoxville, Pilot recognizes the significance of Neyland and the importance of tradition to our fans and the university. Our focus continues to preserve and honor our storied past while modernizing to ensure we lead the way in college sports.”
Neyland Stadium. Home of the Vols. Proudly preserved by Pilot.
“Neyland Stadium is one of the most iconic sporting venues in the world and UT is a significant part of making Knoxville a special place that Pilot is proud to call home,” said Pilot CEO Adam Wright. “Through this partnership, we will preserve the legacy of Neyland while also investing in its future to create exceptional experiences for generations to come. We look forward to seeing you out here as we cheer on the Vols in Neyland.”
New signage on the east side of Neyland Stadium will feature a return of the iconic “Home of the Vols” along with Pilot’s logo. Pilot’s branding will also be on each side of Shields-Watkins field and in sponsored content with Tennessee Athletics and the Vol Network.
“Vol fans know better than anyone the magic of Neyland on game day and the feeling of singing Rocky Top in the same stadium where the greatest Vol legends made their name,” said UT Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman. “Our partnership with Pilot is all about preserving and enriching that experience to make sure fans and their families will continue to make these same kinds of memories for decades to come.”
Pilot’s transformative sponsorship underscores its dedication to the Knoxville community by ensuring Neyland Stadium remains a flagship destination for future generations. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, Pilot is committed to showing people they matter at every turn and building strong relationships within the communities it operates. Pilot employs over 2,500 team members in the greater Knoxville area and has a long-standing relationship with the University of Tennessee.
“For more than 65 years, we have fueled fans across North America as they hit the open road for big games,” said Pilot’s chief marketing officer Adrienne Ingoldt. “There’s nothing like Neyland Stadium packed with passionate fans who’ve traveled from near and far to root for the beloved Vols. Pilot is out here to fuel them up, fill them up and lift them up on the way to victory.”
Neyland Stadium Renovation Project
One of the many unique aspects of this partnership is the investment in the Neyland Stadium renovation project, which will continue to modernize and enhance the fan experience. Future updates will include necessary upgrades to the south side and perimeter of the stadium, such as widening concourses, constructing expanded gates and entryways, and adding additional restrooms and concessions areas.
This element of the partnership will dramatically improve fan comfort and safety, reduce wait times, and allow for more food and beverage offerings. There will also be a Pilot-sponsored Fast Favorites refreshment and snack stand located inside the main stadium entrance at Gate 21.
Fans can expect to see the new “Home of the Vols” signage with Pilot branding and many of the completed renovations in Neyland Stadium with the start of the football season, which kicks off on August 31.
Historic Neyland Stadium
In 1962, the UT Board of Trustees voted to have the stadium bear the name of its most famous and winningest coach, General Robert R. Neyland, whose combined win total was an astounding 173-31-12. Neyland was informed of the board’s decision only weeks before his death and was appreciative.
Neyland, a US Army Brigadier General, served notable stints in both World Wars and is regarded for his military and coaching careers.
The magnificent venue with Neyland’s name has undergone multiple expansions since its opening in 1921. Neyland’s engineering background has had a lasting impact – the master design plans were all orchestrated by Neyland himself, with his vision that the mighty cathedral would one day be fully enclosed, feature double decks on all sides and seat over 100,000 fans.
Six Tennessee teams that captured national championships have called Neyland Stadium home, while 22 players and four head coaches authored careers worthy of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame on Neyland’s hallowed ground. The 2024 season will be the 103rd in the venue that has seen historic upgrades.
In the fall of 2021, Tennessee Athletics celebrated 100 years of Volunteers football at historic Neyland Stadium. During its first century of service to the Big Orange faithful, the venue grew in both capacity and reverence while evolving into one of the most iconic sporting venues in the world.
Recent decades have brought significant investments in expansion, the development of innovative premium-seating sections and stadium-wide amenity enhancements, including Wi-Fi.
Introducing the new lower-west club and upper-north social deck spaces in 2022 brought Neyland Stadium’s seating capacity to 101,915—the sixth largest among college football venues.
Other recent stadium enhancements include the restoration of the historic V-O-L-S letters along the top of the facility’s south end (2022), a second video board on the upper-north deck (2022) and bronze statues honoring four of Tennessee’s football trailblazers (2021).
For more information about Tennessee Athletics, visit UTSports.com, and to learn more about Pilot, visit pilotflyingj.com. The agreement was negotiated by Tennessee Athletics’ multimedia rights partner, The Vol Network, and Intersport. Financial details of the sponsorship will not be made public
