🌱 Charlotte Man Accused In $7M Ponzi Scheme + Pedestrian Hit By Train

Hello, everybody! I'm Sean Peek and I'll be filling in for Alexis as your host of the Charlotte Daily for the next couple of days. Please note that your newsletters may be a bit lighter during this time. Now, here's what happening in and around town today.

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First, today's weather:

Rain and a thunderstorm. High: 78 Low: 63.

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Here are the top three stories in Charlotte today:

1. A Charlotte man has been accused of operating a $7 million Ponzi scheme to fund his "lavish lifestyle," according to a press release by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Wynn Charlebois has allegedly defrauded 75 North Carolina residents since 2005 by marketing himself as a "self-made" investor and consultant. In addition to claiming he used investor funds to pay for his children's private school tuition, expensive vacations, and other lifestyle expenses, the SEC's complaint against Charlebois says he falsified bank documents to make it appear investors had funds in their bank account. (WRAL News)
2. On Saturday evening, a pedestrian in northeast Charlotte was severely injured after being hit by a train, reports MEDIC. The collision reportedly occurred around 6:30 p.m. on 101 E. 16th Street near N. Tryon Street around 6:30 p.m. No further details about the injured individual or their current condition are currently available. (Fox 46 Charlotte)
3. Charlotte CBD business owner and licensed pharmacist Joslyn Brown is pushing for North Carolina to keep cannabis legal in the state, for her own health and that of the community. The current law that legalizes hemp containing less than 0.3 percent of THC marijuana is set to expire on Jun. 30. Brown, who relies on CBD to manage a chronic health condition, says the current laws are "unfair," and told Spectrum News she hopes legislators "legalize hemp permanently" and decriminalize all cannabis products, including marijuana. (Spectrum News)

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Today in and around Charlotte:

• Virtual Resume Reviews, Hosted By Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Main Branch (All Day)
• Virtual South Boulevard Adult Book Club, Hosted By Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Main Branch (11:30 AM)
• Mindless Minutia Trivia At Divine Barrel Brewing (7:00 PM)
• Wage War, Gideon & Chamber At The Underground (7:00 PM)

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From my notebook:

• Rent prices in Charlotte are rising. The Charlotte Observer offers some helpful tips for how to negotiate your monthly rate. (Charlotte Observer)
• Attention prospective homeowners: These local properties have just hit the Charlotte housing market. Get the details on Patch. (Charlotte Patch)
• It's official: Charlotte-Douglas has been named among the most expensive U.S. airports to fly out of. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation, CLT ranked No. 6 for its average domestic airfare of $356.60. (WGHP FOX8 Greensboro)

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Events:

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That's it for today. I'll see you around!

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.