News Americas, New York, NY, December 19, 2024: A Caribbean-born scientist has been honored among the Hemisphere’s brightest minds by the Organization of American States (OAS). Dr. Cardinal Warde of Barbados was the lone Caribbean scientist among seven distinguished individuals from the Americas, awarded the prestigious Science, Technology, and Innovation Award of the Americas during the VII Meeting of Ministers and High-Level Authorities of Science and Technology, (REMYCT).

Barbados-born US scientist and MIT Professor Cardinal Warde.

The ceremony celebrated trailblazers from Barbados, Canada, Chile, Honduras, Mexico, Uruguay, and the United States for their exceptional contributions to science and technology, as well as their commitment to fostering cooperation and development across OAS member states.

A Champion for Caribbean Science

Dr. Warde, 79, a Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), was recognized for his groundbreaking work in optoelectronics and his leadership in advancing science education in the Caribbean. As President of the Caribbean Diaspora for Science, Technology, and Innovation (CADSTI) and Interim Executive Director of the Caribbean Science Foundation, Dr. Warde has dedicated his career to equipping the next generation of scientists and engineers with tools for success.

Born in Christ Church, Barbados, Warde showed an early passion for science, converting his father’s carpentry shop into a makeshift chemistry lab. After excelling at Harrison College, he pursued higher education in the United States, earning his doctorate in physics from Yale University in 1974.

Pioneering Research and Innovations

At MIT, where he has served since 1974, Dr. Warde is a leading expert in materials and systems for optical information processing and displays. His research spans diverse fields, including optical computing, wireless communication, and holography. He has developed innovative optical neural network processors and light modulators that have advanced brain-like computing and high-resolution imaging technologies.

Beyond academia, Dr. Warde founded multiple successful technology ventures, including Optron Systems and Radiant Images, Inc., specializing in optoelectronic systems and displays. His inventions have earned him 12 patents, underscoring his impact on the tech industry.

Advocacy for Education and Development

Dr. Warde is equally celebrated for his contributions to education policy in the Caribbean. He has worked tirelessly as a scientific advisor to the Government of Barbados and other regional entities to enhance STEM opportunities for Caribbean youth.

Through the Caribbean Science Foundation, Dr. Warde oversees the Student Program for Innovation in Science and Engineering (SPISE), a rigorous summer initiative that prepares gifted students for careers in science and engineering. He also established the Rosetta Irene Ward Memorial Scholarship Fund, supporting higher education for students from English-speaking Caribbean countries.

Global Recognition

Dr. Warde’s accolades include the Barbados Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence and the Caribbean American Heritage Award. He is also a Fellow of The Optical Society and holds honorary doctorates from the University of the West Indies and Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.

As a scientist, educator, and advocate, Dr. Warde exemplifies the power of innovation and collaboration. His recognition by the OAS highlights the vital contributions of Caribbean professionals to global science and technology.

News Americas, New York, NY, December 19, 2024: A Caribbean-born man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in connection with the shocking case in France, where a woman was drugged and sexually assaulted by dozens of men over nearly a decade.

Gisele Pelicot leaves the courthouse next to her lawyer Stephane Babonneau (L) after a verdict in the Pelicot case on December 19, 2024 in Avignon, France. Gisele Pelicot’s ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, and 50 other men were convicted today on charges of raping her over a multiyear period, in encounters arranged by Mr. Pelicot while she was drugged and unconscious. (Photo by Julien Goldstein/Getty Images)

Joan Kwai, 26, originally from French Guiana, was among 51 men found guilty in the case involving the abuse of 71-year-old Gisele Pelicot. The assaults occurred after her now-convicted husband, Dominique Pelicot, drugged her and allowed others to attack her without her knowledge. Kwai was found guilty of aggravated rape during the trial in Avignon and sentenced to 10 years.

The case has drawn international attention due to its disturbing nature. According to prosecutors, Dominique Pelicot, a retired electrician, orchestrated the abuse from 2011 to 2020. Kwai, who had moved to France as a teenager, admitted to visiting the Pelicot home twice and acknowledged knowing Mrs. Pelicot was unconscious during the assaults. He was the youngest rapist and was 23 at the time of the assaults.

Mrs. Pelicot, who waived her anonymity, has become a symbol of resilience and courage for survivors of sexual violence. Throughout the proceedings, she has received applause and support from the public.

The trial, involved 51 defendants, and was divided into smaller groups for efficiency. Fourteen of the accused had confessed to their involvement, while others denied the charges, claiming they were misled by Dominique Pelicot. They were all found guilty today.

Dominique Pelicot was arrested in 2020 after being caught filming women without their consent in a supermarket. Authorities discovered thousands of incriminating photos and videos at his home, linking him to numerous crimes. He has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the drugging and abuse of his wife and for his role in other heinous acts, including the rape and murder of a woman in Paris in 1991.

Gisèle Pelicot spoke of her “very difficult ordeal” after the 51 men were all found guilty Thursday in the drugging-and-rape trial that turned her into a feminist hero, expressing support for other victims of sexual violence whose cases don’t get such attention and “whose stories remain untold.”

“I want you to know that we share the same fight,” she said in her first words after the court in the southern French city of Avignon handed down prison sentences ranging from three to 20 years in the shocking case that stunned France and spurred a national reckoning about the blight of rape culture.

“Your messages moved me deeply, and they gave me the strength to come back, every day, and survive through these long daily hearings,” she said. “This trial was a very difficult ordeal.”

“It’s also for them that I led this fight,” she said of her grandchildren. “I wanted all of society to be a witness to the debates that took place here. I never regretted making this decision. I have trust in our capacity to collectively project ourselves toward a future where all, women and men, can live in harmony, with respect and mutual understanding. Thank you.”

News Americas, New York, NY, December 17, 2024: Jamaican-American entrepreneur and co-founder of Ozy Media, Carlos Watson, has been sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison after being convicted of defrauding investors and lenders through falsified financial information. The sentencing marks a dramatic fall for Watson, who founded the digital media company in 2013, aiming to carve a space in the competitive media landscape.

Jamaican American Carlos Watson, co-founder of Ozy Media, speaks with press after his sentencing hearing at Brooklyn Federal Court on December 16, 2024 in New York City. Watson was sentenced to almost 10 years in prison for trying to defraud investors and lenders by lying about the company’s finances after being convicted in July. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

The sentence, handed down in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, follows a federal jury’s July conviction of Watson on charges of conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud, along with identity theft. Witnesses detailed how Watson orchestrated fraudulent activities between 2018 and 2021, including impersonating executives, falsifying contracts, and inflating Ozy Media’s revenue figures.

While prosecutors had sought a 17-year sentence and $65.6 million in forfeiture, the court sentenced Watson to 116 months, with the exact financial penalties yet to be determined. Judge Eric Komitee described the case as a tragedy “of Mr. Watson’s own making,” pointing to “exceptional dishonesty” in the schemes.

Watson denied the allegations throughout his trial, maintaining his innocence and attributing the fraud to other former employees of Ozy Media. His defense team argued that any misrepresentations to investors were based on good-faith assessments and reflective of a “scrappy start-up” mindset. Watson also claimed selective prosecution due to his race, a defense the judge rejected.

“I made mistakes,” Watson admitted during the hearing. “But I’m also saying I don’t feel good about what has happened here.”

Ozy Media, once seen as a rising star in digital media, folded under the weight of financial misrepresentation and mounting scrutiny. Watson’s former associates, including co-founder Samir Rao and ex-chief of staff Suzee Han, pleaded guilty to fraud charges and testified against him during the trial.

Watson’s lawyers attempted to overturn his conviction, alleging judicial bias and racial discrimination in prosecution, but their efforts were dismissed by Judge Komitee, who deemed the claims “frivolous.”

Prosecutors highlighted a 2021 fundraising call where Rao impersonated a YouTube executive to secure investment from Goldman Sachs, an incident they claimed Watson orchestrated. Watson denied involvement, but Judge Komitee cited his testimony as “egregious perjury.”

The case also revealed inflated claims of financial commitments from high-profile figures and companies, including Oprah Winfrey and Live Nation Entertainment, as part of Ozy Media’s bid to secure funding. Samir Rao, the other co-founder of Ozy, and Suzee Han, a former Ozy chief of staff, pleaded guilty last year to fraud charges and both cooperated in the case and testified against Watson.

“Carlos Watson’s schemes and dishonesty brought about Ozy Media’s collapse,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace, following the conviction. “Today’s sentence holds him accountable for his crimes.”

ABOUT WATSON

Watson, a Miami native born to Jamaican parents, rose to prominence through an impressive academic and professional journey. A Harvard graduate, Watson later earned a law degree from Stanford, where he served as an editor of the Stanford Law Review and president of the student government. His early career included roles at McKinsey & Company and Goldman Sachs, as well as founding and selling Achieva College Prep Service to Kaplan, Inc.

Watson co-founded Ozy Media in 2013, leading it to raise over $70 million and producing TV shows, podcasts, and events like Ozy Fest. However, allegations of fraudulent practices – including inflated metrics and misrepresentations to investors—led to Ozy’s collapse in 2021.

In 2023, Watson faced federal charges of fraud and was convicted in 2024, accused of deceiving investors and fabricating financial data.