Social media influencer nearly gets away with Target thefts, but cops notice her flaunting shoplifted goods on TikTok: Police



A Florida mom allegedly stole several items from Target by using a barcode trick — but police said she posted incriminating evidence on her popular TikTok account that alerted authorities to her purported crimes.

Marlena Velez, 22, hosts a TikTok page that boasts more than 356,000 followers and receives millions of views. Her "marlenavelezz" account features mom content with her two small children and also highlights products.

'She essentially incriminated herself.'

But the Cape Coral Police Department accused her of stealing hundreds of dollars in merchandise from a Target store.

The alleged caper commenced Oct. 30 when the loss prevention team at a Target in Cape Coral caught a woman using the self-checkout register without scanning the products' actual barcodes. Instead, the woman allegedly scanned a fake barcode with cheaper prices.

Police in a press release: "Sixteen items of miscellaneous household goods and clothing were stolen. The total loss of the stolen items was valued at $500.32. Officers verified this with Target’s security cameras."

Police shared a video screenshot of the suspect on its social media pages and asked the public to help identify the unknown woman.

An anonymous tipster saw the social media post and identified the suspect as Velez. The tipster also provided police with her social media accounts.

"Officers then found Marlena’s TikTok account, which documents her getting ready on October 30, 2024, in the same outfit and glasses and going to Target," the police said in a statement. "Marlena documents herself picking out items inside the store and placing them in her car after exiting the store."

The Oct. 30 TikTok post appears to have been deleted from her social media account, but police downloaded the incriminating video before it was scrubbed from her page.

Police on Nov. 21 arrested Velez, and she was booked into the Lee County Jail.

She was charged with one count of petit theft of more than $100, less than $750.

“She essentially incriminated herself,” Officer Riley Carter, the police department's spokesperson, told the Express Tribune. “Social media gave us an unexpected lead, which expedited her identification and subsequent arrest.”

Velez reportedly has a history of theft.

WBBH-TV reported that she was arrested in 2019 for allegedly stealing her friend's car and crashing it.

Amanda Santana — Velez's former high school friend — told the news outlet, “I went to the parking lot, and I’m looking around for my car, and I can’t find it, so I actually, like double-checked, looked on every side, and I was like, 'Where is my car?'”

Santana continued, "We figured out that she went and crashed my car and totaled it into a ditch at a Dunkin' on Cape Coral Parkway."

Police confirmed that the then-17-year-old Velez was arrested in October 2019 and charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle.

Santana claimed, “There's a restitution that she has not paid for. And actually, not even a dime that she has paid for."

In July 2023, police records show Velez was arrested for shoplifting kitchen items worth $63 from a Walmart in Cape Coral.

The police report noted that security camera footage captured "a female, later identified as Marlena Velez, in the self-checkout under ringing items by scanning one item, then placing another item underneath the scanned item ..."

Velez pleaded no contest to the charges and completed an anti-theft course. She was on probation for six months until last month.

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Don Lemon dramatically quits X; gets owned on abortion by a random man in the park



There’s nothing Democrats love more than making a scene, and Don Lemon is no exception.

In a recent video post and hand-typed letter, Lemon announced to the world that he would sadly be leaving the social media platform X.

“I’ve loved connecting with all of you on X, but it’s time for me to leave the platform,” he began in his letter. “I once believed it was a place for honest debate and discussion, transparency, and free speech, but I now feel it does not serve that purpose.”

Lemon also quoted a Washington Post article explaining that X’s recent decision to change the terms has turned it into a “hub for conservatives, which experts say could make it easier for X to shield itself from litigation and punish critics.”


He finished his devastating statement by noting that he would be on the new social media platform BlueSky, where his Democratic friends can join him. The ex-anchor has also been quite active on TikTok, where he’s been posting man on the street-style videos — and some of them feature some clear self-owns.

“Women I’ve been talking to are really, really concerned, and they’re emotional, and I think a lot of them have a right to be,” Lemon said to a man in one short interview.

“Politicians aren’t perfect, they’re imperfect like everybody else. Trump’s rhetoric isn’t for everybody, his style isn’t for everybody, we got a lot of good things done under Trump,” the man responded to Lemon’s surprise.

“A woman’s right to choose is removed under Trump,” Lemon countered.

“That’s not the only issue in this world,” the interviewee shot back. “A percentage of the female vote went up 2%. So are those women crazy? I mean, it’s not 50%, but it’s high 40s, and he got that. So ask those women why they voted for Trump. So clearly, it wasn’t just abortion was the issue.”

“They’re concerned about the broken border; they’re concerned about crime; they’re concerned about inflation; they’re concerned about a lot of other things. So women are not one-dimensional. Men are not one-dimensional. And so if you’re upset about abortion, great. If that’s your prime issue, then go live in a state that’s pro-choice,” the interviewee continued.

“That’s easy for you to say as a man,” Lemon countered.

“Well, dude, it’s easy for me to say a lot of things. Sure, I’m not a woman, that’s why I don’t opine on abortion,” the interviewee said, nearly laughing.

Pat Gray of “Pat Gray Unleashed” is impressed, noting that “he just owned Don Lemon.”

“He posted that on his own site,” Keith Malinak says through shocked laughter. “Kudos to rando guy in the park.”

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TikTok knows exactly how fast it can get you hooked — and the number of videos is shockingly low



A swath of internal TikTok documents revealed that the company knows much more about its platform's addictive properties than it publicly admits.

The company knows how quickly users can become addicted and how disruptive the app is to children's lives.

With 14 states currently suing TikTok predominantly over the platform's algorithm — claiming it addicts children — court filings are making their way into the public's hands.

Large portions of Kentucky's 119-page court filing were redacted when it was uploaded online. However, as Louisville Public Media reported, Kentucky Public Radio was able to read the text underneath the digital redactions, which contained summaries and primary quotes of internal TikTok documents and communications.

The summaries revealed shocking revelations, including the precise amount of videos it takes for a TikTok user to become addicted.

According to state investigators, TikTok has determined that it takes 260 videos before a user is "likely to become addicted to the platform."

Kentucky authorities stated that "while this may seem substantial, TikTok videos can be as short as 8 seconds and are played for viewers in rapid-fire succession, automatically."

"Thus, in under 35 minutes, an average user is likely to become addicted to the platform."

NPR reported that internal documents showed TikTok was aware that many of its features urged young people to keep opening the app. The company's research reportedly stated that "compulsive usage correlates with a slew of negative mental health effects like loss of analytical skills, memory formation, contextual thinking, conversational depth, empathy, and increased anxiety."

Disturbingly, other TikTok research, distributed in 2019, found that younger users are more likely to be addicted, as well.

"As expected, across most engagement metrics, the younger the user, the better the performance," a document allegedly read.

Along with disrupting sleep patterns, TikTok is allegedly aware that compulsive use of the app tends to interfere with personal needs such as work, school, and even "connecting with loved ones."

'This complaint cherry-picks misleading quotes and takes outdated documents out of context.'

When speaking to NPR, TikTok spokesman Alex Haurek said in a statement that the publication of such information from the legal documents is "irresponsible."

"It is highly irresponsible of NPR to publish information that is under a court seal," Haurek said. "Unfortunately, this complaint cherry-picks misleading quotes and takes outdated documents out of context to misrepresent our commitment to community safety."

Haurek said the company has "robust safeguards, which include proactively removing suspected underage users, and we have voluntarily launched safety features such as default screen time limits, family pairing, and privacy by default for minors under 16."

The spokesperson has previously said that the company is "deeply committed" to protecting teens as they continuously update and improve their product.

Sorry, you're ugly

The lawsuit additionally claimed TikTok is aware of how harmful their filters can be for minors, allegedly telling employees in an internal document that the filters perpetuate "a narrow beauty norm" that could "negatively impact the wellbeing of our community."

At the same time, an internal report that analyzed TikTok's main video feed found that it was pushing "a high volume of ... not attractive subjects," so TikTok retooled the algorithm to amplify users that were deemed attractive.

"By changing the TikTok algorithm to show fewer 'not attractive subjects' in the For You feed, [TikTok] took active steps to promote a narrow beauty norm even though it could negatively impact their Young Users," authorities wrote.

TikTok also experimented with screen-time prompts, but when implemented, they only reduced the average use time for teens by about 1.5 minutes, from 108.5 minutes per day to about 107 minutes. TikTok stopped the experiment following the results.

"The company did not revisit the design of the tool to be more effective at preventing excessive use of TikTok," the Kentucky filing said.

Parent company ByteDance has until mid-January 2025 to sell TikTok in accordance with federal laws but is challenging the ruling in a Washington appeals court.

The 14 states suing TikTok are the following: California, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, and Washington, along with the District of Columbia.

TikTok does not allow children under 13 to sign up and restricts some content for those under 18.

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WATCH: The 4 most BONKERS videos of the week



One of Liz Wheeler’s favorite segments of “The Liz Wheeler Show” is when she addresses the most unhinged video clips of the week. From CNN segments and FEMA footage to viral TikToks and Harris campaign ads, Liz exposes and breaks down the lunacy infecting society.

This week, the clips feature famous TikToker and certified creep Jeffrey Marsh, a racist Kamala Harris campaign ad, an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper and socialist Bernie Sanders, and footage of FEMA and Border Patrol being inefficient to a level that is actually funny.

In the first clip, Jeffrey Marsh – whose entire social media platform is built on the idea of “grooming children into gender disorders,” encouraging them “to cut off contact with their parents if their parents do not ‘affirm’ their gender,” and urging children “to contact him privately via DM” – argues that Trump support is reason enough to cut a family member out of your life.

“Should you cut off contact with family members just because they are voting for Donald Trump? Yes. … If they are unwilling to change, they must experience consequences, and you should not withhold those consequences from them. The consequence in this case would be they don't get your beautiful, loving, wonderful presence in their lives – it's over, and they are gone,” said Marsh, sporting a makeup-caked face and frilly blouse.

“Not only is Jeffrey Marsh a creep, not only is he grooming children, not only is he obviously dangerous – he was embraced by the Democrat National Committee and invited as a VIP to their convention, which means they endorse what he's doing,” says Liz.

In clip #2, a Harris campaign ad attempts to appeal to black men but ends up insulting them instead.

In the ad, a handsome, 6’5” black man who earns a six-figure salary and works out talks to several attractive women, all of whom are holding a balloon. Initially, they all are interested in him based on his appearance and income, but when he reveals that he isn’t planning on voting, they all pop their balloons, which is the equivalent of swiping left, or rejecting, someone on Tinder.

“Kamala Harris is telling black men that women won't date them if they don't vote for her,” says Liz, adding that this isn’t the first time Harris has insulted black men trying to garner their votes.

Liz points to two other insulting examples of Harris trying to win the black male vote. “Last week she put out a video telling black men that she would give them ‘free money’ if they voted for her. She [also] put out a graphic on X promising black men drugs – marijuana – if they voted for her,” says Liz, adding that this approach is “racist because she’s generalizing all black men, saying all [they] care about is drugs, sex, and money.”

In the third clip, Bernie Sanders indirectly admits that Kamala Harris is lying when she says she has reversed course on fracking, the Green New Deal, and Medicare for all.

When CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Sanders whether or not Harris was making a mistake by abandoning her previous beliefs on those three subjects, Sanders responded with the following:

“I think what we're seeing is a coalition of people – more establishment Democrats and progressive Democrats and progressive independents … come together with the goal of defeating a very dangerous candidate, and that is Donald Trump.”

Liz easily reads between the lines of Sanders’ answer.

“What are the words underneath those words?” she asks. “He admits that Kamala Harris hasn’t rejected his policies – the Green New Deal, Medicare for all, or banning fracking. He believes that Kamala Harris still believes in those things, but he knows that voters reject those things and so Kamala Harris has to lie to voters to trick voters into voting for her.”

In the final clip, Border Patrol and FEMA are seen joining forces to help with hurricane relief efforts in North Carolina. Except neither group is actually helping. Although "joining forces" might be a bit misleading.

The video shows roughly a dozen agents in official uniforms in a long single-file line passing a small tree limb from person to person until it’s finally dumped in a woodpile. The spectacle can only be described as childish.

“This video encapsulates perfectly the inefficiency of government,” laughs Liz, who says she, as a “110-pound woman, could carry more logs than that at one time.”

To see the videos and hear more of Liz’s commentary, watch the clip above.

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Exclusive: Senators Probe TikTok For Spreading Trans Propaganda While Censoring Girls’ Sports Advocates

A pair of female Republican senators are demanding TikTok provide documents to explain the company's censorship of 'hate speech.'

14 states sue TikTok, claiming American teens are addicted to scrolling endlessly



More than a dozen attorneys general in the United States are suing TikTok in their jurisdictions. The new lawsuits predominantly criticize the platform's algorithm, saying it is addicting to children.

One of the litigators is New York's Letitia James, who said American teens have died or been injured due to the influence of TikTok challenges, where users are indirectly dared to follow a trend.

According to the BBC, James cited a 15-year-old boy who died doing a "subway surfing" challenge in Manhattan by attempting to ride atop a moving subway car. The boy's mother found TikTok videos of the same nature on his phone.

"TikTok knows that compulsive use of and other harmful effects of its platform are wreaking havoc on the mental health of millions of American children and teenagers," the New York lawsuit argued.

The document continued, "Despite such documented knowledge, TikTok continually misrepresents its platform as 'safe' [and] 'appropriate for children and teenagers.'"

The lawsuits claim that the algorithm, the "For You" feed on TikTok, uses design features that make children addicted to the platform. The features in question include the ability to scroll endlessly, push notifications, and face filters that create allegedly unattainable appearances.

The 14 states suing TikTok include California, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, and Washington, along with the District of Columbia.

In D.C., Attorney General Brian Schwalb called the algorithm "dopamine-inducing" and said it is intentionally addictive to trap users into excessive consumption of the app.

Schwalb also argued that TikTok does this knowing that it will lead to "profound psychological and physiological harms," the Associated Press reported. The issues listed include anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia.

"[TikTok] is profiting off the fact that it's addicting young people to its platform," Schwalb said.

In response, TikTok spokesman Alex Haurek said the company strongly disagrees with the lawsuits' claims, which he called "inaccurate and misleading."

"We're proud of and remain deeply committed to the work we've done to protect teens and we will continue to update and improve our product," Haurek said.

He added, "We've endeavored to work with the attorneys general for over two years, and it is incredibly disappointing they have taken this step rather than work with us on constructive solutions to industry-wide challenges."

TikTok does not allow children under 13 to sign up and restricts some content for those under 18.

The lawsuits call for TikTok to stop using the aforementioned features and also for the company to pay monetary fines for its alleged illegal and damaging practices.

At the same time, TikTok faces a U.S. ban if parent company ByteDance does not sell the company by mid-January 2025, in accordance with federal laws. The company is challenging the ruling in a Washington appeals court.

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Furries and fake babies: The worst of TikTok



As TikTok grows in popularity, so does the eccentricity of its users. And what some of them post for the entire world to see is a little disturbing — to say the least.

One TikTok user has been using the platform to document her travels with a realistic baby doll that she’s named “Peaches.”

“This was the first day that I brought Peaches out and about,” the TikTok user said in her video. “This is our new model baby Peaches, which I’m obsessed with. So when we got there I wanted her to get some sun, and then I made her a bottle, and then we were getting ready to go into the ocean but the sun was still so, so hot. So I went ahead and gave her some sunblock.”

The woman shows herself spraying sunblock on the fake baby, before bringing it into the ocean and plunging the doll underwater.

“I could hear people next to me, they were laughing. Some people were pointing fingers at me, but you know what, I love silicone dolls. I’m not hurting anybody,” she continued, concluding the video by saying, “Don’t forget, even as an adult, it’s okay to play.”

Allie Beth Stuckey of “Relatable” is horrified, calling it “something very dark.”

“You’re trying to fill a void that could be filled, should be filled with a human child. And I would even say if you can’t have kids, or even if you had a miscarriage, which obviously is very tragic, you should be investing your time and energy into real kids who need love — whether you are adopting them or fostering them.”

“It’s just so craven to me that our birth rate is declining and that the fake baby community is growing. There is something dark about that, and you can’t convince me otherwise,” she continues, adding, “I might even venture to say demonic.”

But fake babies aren’t the only delusional phenomena to make waves on social media.

Furries, people who dress up in animal costumes to go about their daily life, are also growing in numbers.

“Part of it is feeling different and unique, like, 'You don’t really know me, I’m secretly a wolf, you think I’m just Ethan, but I’m secretly howling at the moon every night,'” Stuckey comments. “I think having an underground kind of identity and community that the rest of the world doesn’t really understand, that seems to be a motivation,” she adds.




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