CBS News
DEA agents joked about rape in WhatsApp chat before one was accused of the crime, secret files show
In a WhatsApp chat that quickly devolved into depravity, a group of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents boasted about their “world debauchery tour” of “boozing and whoring” on the government’s dime. They swapped lurid images of their latest sexual conquests. And at one point they even joked about “forcible anal rape.”
Within months of that jaw-dropping exchange, an agent in the group chat was accused of that very crime.
The 2018 arrest of George Zoumberos for allegedly forcing anal sex on a 23-year-old woman in a Madrid hotel room set off alarms at the highest levels of the DEA, beginning with a middle-of-the-night phone call from a supervisor to the agency’s headquarters outside Washington. But U.S. officials never even spoke with the woman and made only cursory efforts to investigate.
The DEA has refused for years to discuss its handling of the arrest, instead telling The Associated Press in response to its questions that “the alleged misconduct in this case is egregious and unacceptable and does not reflect the high standards expected of all DEA personnel.”
AP Photo
The details of the case and the graphic group chat are outlined in a trove of thousands of secret law enforcement documents obtained by the AP that offer a never-before-seen window into a culture of corruption among federal narcotics agents who parlayed the DEA’s shadowy money laundering operations into a worldwide pursuit of binge drinking and illicit sex.
Zoumberos, married and 38 at the time, maintained the interaction was consensual and, after a jailhouse visit from U.S. Embassy officials, was released and flew home within hours of his arrest. A Spanish judge later dismissed the case, ruling only that the allegations were not “duly justified.” The agent eventually returned to duty with a DEA letter of reprimand chiding him for “poor judgment.”
“I told him very clearly that I didn’t want to have sex,” the woman recently told AP, which does not typically identify those who say they are victims of sexual assault.
The woman, speaking about her allegations for the first time, says her anguish led to severe panic attacks that forced her to drop out of college, and to this day she’s haunted by fears her attacker will return.
“I’m very afraid,” she said, her voice trembling over the phone. “He could try to find me or take revenge.”
“A very fun game”
Many of the documents AP obtained focus on ongoing investigations following the scandalous 2020 arrest of José Irizarry, an agent in the group chat considered the ringleader of the debauchery and perhaps the most corrupt agent in the DEA’s 50-year history.
But despite his conviction and repeated claims that dozens of others were involved in his scheme to skim millions from money laundering seizures to bankroll a junket of partying and sex, no criminal charges have been filed against any other DEA agents, supervisors or prosecutors allegedly tied to the corruption. The U.S. Justice Department did not respond to questions asking why. More than a dozen, however, have been quietly disciplined or ousted from their jobs.
Irizarry, serving a 12-year federal prison term for laundering money for the very Colombian drug cartels he was sworn to police, has maintained to AP in recent interviews that he was not a rogue agent and accountability is long overdue for the many others who joined him in a wild ride that mocked the DEA’s mission.
Carlos Giusti / AP
“You can’t win an unwinnable war,” Irizarry said before reporting to prison. “The drug war is a game. … It was a very fun game that we were playing.”
That game revolved around the DEA’s undercover money laundering operations, including one codenamed White Wash that was led by the agents in the group chat. It was shut down in 2017 before a blistering internal audit found agents’ globetrotting through the bars, strip clubs and hotels of Paris, Madrid, and the Caribbean was “unacceptable” and rife with corruption.
“The agents would set up one meeting in the city of their choice but in reality were just going on vacation,” reads an FBI investigative report in the files obtained by AP. Other records detailed how agents frequented the red-light district of Amsterdam for prostitutes and recorded “no enforcement operations” whatsoever during a weeklong trip to Norway, a country with one of the lowest crime rates in the world.
In the end, the DEA audit found the five-year operation could claim credit for just five convictions while agents shelled out $900,000 on travel, and $26,000 on meals as they partied around the world tapping a $1.9 million government fund of lawful money laundering proceeds they referred to as their “debauchery piggy bank.”
“It was all bulls—” Irizarry told the FBI, adding that White Wash was compromised from its first day by reports falsified to justify the next party spree. “It was all a novel.”
An unending, degenerate party
The WhatsApp chat, recovered during the FBI’s criminal investigation of DEA misconduct, included five DEA agents identified by AP, one of whom remains with the agency today, and hundreds of exchanges from 2017. Irizarry was the only agent willing to discuss the chat with AP.
The chat backed up many of his allegations that portrayed life in the DEA as an unending, degenerate party. Agents planned DEA travel around binge-drinking and sex with no fear their encrypted messages would ever be read by anyone else. And rather than reporting Irizarry’s misconduct, agents pressed him for X-rated images of his exploits.
“José you’re just smashing ass,” one agent wrote of Irizarry in February 2017, a month into a new U.S. presidential administration. “Nothing wrong with that under Trump. … Your good.”
Before one jaunt, an agent wrote colleagues he was “hoping you’ve organized some welcome p—y for me tomorrow when I land.”
“Tough life this war on drugs,” an agent quipped in one message.
Added another: “Think of how different our experience on the job is than most.”
Federal authorities’ extraction of the deleted chat does not identify the author of every message, but AP identified the senders through context, federal law enforcement records and interviews. AP is only identifying two of the agents who have been accused of crimes: Irizarry and Zoumberos.
Irizarry told federal authorities in 2020 that he had direct knowledge of 15 DEA agents soliciting prostitutes. He attributed the most damning exchanges in the group chat to Zoumberos, the agent briefly jailed on suspicion of sexual assault in Spain.
“Irizarry stated Zoumberos talked about forcing anal sex on hookers,” a Homeland Security Investigations report states.
References to anal sex were so common in the group chat that agents coined a term for it – pancaking – and often accompanied such mentions with an emoji of a stack of pancakes.
“I’m coming old school to pancake a few Colombia chicks,” Zoumberos texted before one 2017 trip.
There were frequent mentions of prostitutes and at least two references to assaulting them and leaving it to an informant to “clean up” the mess.
They also joked about creating a “hooker app” in which agents would sneak prostitutes past everything from a hotel front desk to DEA internal affairs while trying to avoid federal prison.
“These are some expensive bitches,” one agent wrote in an exchange that included the sharing of a prostitute’s phone number. “She’s telling me $1,000 for the night.”
Ben Greenberg, a former U.S. attorney in Miami who reviewed the messages at AP’s request, called them “beyond inappropriate.”
“In the context of such serious criminal allegations, the chats look like evidence of a crime and not just grotesque banter,” he said. “U.S. law enforcement has an obligation to fully investigate this case and to hold anyone involved in criminal activity accountable regardless of their position.”
The lewd texts came even as the DEA was making public promises to clean up its act following a highly publicized scandal in which agents participated in “sex parties” with prostitutes hired by Colombian cartels. That prompted the suspension of several agents and the 2015 retirement of then-DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart.
Misconduct in the 4,100-agent DEA has hardly been isolated. AP has tallied at least 16 agents over the past decade brought up on federal charges ranging from child pornography and drug trafficking to leaking intelligence to defense attorneys and selling firearms to cartel associates, revealing gaping holes in the agency’s supervision.
After Administrator Anne Milgram took the reins of the DEA in 2021, the agency placed new controls on how funds can be used in money laundering stings, and warned agents they can now be fired for a first offense of misconduct if serious enough, a departure from prior administrations.
“The DEA has made significant advancements in oversight measures, disciplinary processes and accountability of personnel,” the agency said in a statement to AP, adding it will “remain vigilant in our pursuit for excellence and integrity and will take decisive action should serious misconduct occur.”
Quiet casualties
The FBI and a federal grand jury in Tampa have been investigating DEA misconduct in money laundering probes for years, following a roadmap sketched out by Irizarry.
Recently, an informant who traveled the world partying with the agents – and was with Zoumberos when he met his accuser at the Madrid bar – was arrested in Colombia on a U.S. warrant for failing to pay taxes on more than $3.8 million in snitch money.
But so far, Irizarry is the only government employee to be charged. The internal records obtained by AP show the DEA disciplined or ousted at least a dozen other agents for either participating in the bacchanalia or failing to sound the alarms about it.
Among the quiet casualties was the head of the St. Louis division who retired amid allegations that he rented a New York apartment for his paramour with DEA funds. Another who quit was a veteran supervisor of the jet-setting agents who lied to the FBI about soliciting prostitutes, according to a law enforcement official who wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation.
The DEA records also contain new details about one agent, Danielle Dreyer, who was fired last year for what the Justice Department called “outlandish behavior” during a rooftop party in 2017 in Cartagena, Colombia, attended by a half-dozen DEA agents and then-federal prosecutor Marisa Darden. An internal DEA investigation found Dreyer used ecstasy and that her antics in a hot tub included squirting breast milk on colleagues, fondling Darden’s breasts and grinding on her supervisor’s lap.
After leaving the Justice Department, Darden was confirmed by the Senate in 2022 to be the first Black woman U.S. attorney in northern Ohio. She abruptly withdrew before taking the position, however, telling AP through an attorney that she did so for personal reasons.
Law enforcement records obtained by AP show Darden had been interviewed by the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General just days before she pulled out. Neither Darden nor her attorney responded to requests for comment.
“I didn’t want him to do this to others”
The overseas rape accusation turned out to be the beginning of the end for Zoumberos, who more than a year after his rape arrest resigned from the DEA after invoking his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination in refusing to testify to the federal grand jury in Tampa.
Irizarry long considered Zoumberos a brother but in his interviews with investigators accused his former partner of a list of crimes, including that he used DEA snitch money to buy a personal boat.
“Zoumberos could do whatever he wanted and would not get caught because he was in charge of the AGEO,” Irizarry told the FBI, using the acronym for the money laundering probes, Attorney General Exempt Operations.
/ AP
Zoumberos’ attorney, Raymond Mansolillo, has called Irizarry a serial liar and previously told AP that federal authorities were “looking to find a crime to fit this case as opposed to a crime that actually took place.”
On the night of the alleged sexual assault in Spain in April 2018, Zoumberos and a partner ate dinner with an informant at an Irish pub in Madrid, according to DEA records, and Zoumberos told authorities the woman later approached him at the bar.
The woman told AP that, over drinks, Zoumberos showed her smartphone photos of him fishing and playing with his dogs.
“He seemed like a good person,” she recalled.
The conversation was pleasant, she said, and she lost track of time. With the subway closed, Zoumberos made what seemed like a gentlemanly offer.
“He told me, ‘Don’t worry, you can sleep in my hotel room. We’ll watch a movie and in the morning you can catch the metro,'” she told AP. “Honestly, I was a student and I didn’t have 60 euros to pay for a taxi home.”
Around 1:30 a.m., the two walked a few blocks to Zoumberos’ government-paid hotel. The woman said she told Zoumberos she could not have sex because she was having her period. Zoumberos told the DEA that she agreed to consensual sex and was “never upset.”
About 3 a.m., the woman said, police and an ambulance arrived and found her bruised around the wrists and Zoumberos very drunk. She told AP she locked herself in the bathroom before fleeing the hotel through the fire exit in a state of utter shock.
A few hours later, the DEA chief in Spain placed an urgent telephone call to the agency’s command center outside Washington. Records show nearly three dozen DEA officials were eventually notified of Zoumberos’ arrest, including then-acting administrator Robert W. Patterson.
Within hours, the U.S. Embassy in Madrid dispatched a small delegation to visit Zoumberos in jail. What happened next is unclear. The U.S. State Department didn’t respond to repeated requests for comment and would not release any records related to its response. The DEA also denied Freedom of Information Act requests for records of Zoumberos’ arrest, citing the former agent’s privacy.
A day after his arrest, Zoumberos was released without bail with only an order to stay away from his accuser and he quickly caught an American Airlines flight home to Tampa. There’s no record of why the judge didn’t seize his passport.
Six weeks later, the case was dismissed at prosecutors’ request. Judge Enrique De la Hoz Garcia determined the allegations were not “duly justified” but didn’t elaborate, according to Spanish court records. He and prosecutors did not respond to emails seeking further comment.
Back in Tampa, the DEA opened an internal investigation and suspended Zoumberos from normal duties. But within a few months, his firearm and top-secret clearance were returned and Zoumberos resumed his job with a letter reprimanding him for showing “poor judgment.”
“As a DEA Special Agent, you are held to a higher standard of personal conduct and must take responsibility for your actions,” read the letter, which under DEA policy was to be removed automatically from the file after two years.
Zoumberos, who now lives in North Carolina, did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
Internal records and interviews show the DEA never spoke with the woman or attempted to reconstruct what happened the night of the alleged rape. The records indicate the ranking DEA official in Spain did not even have the accuser’s contact information and make no mention of any inquiries with Spanish authorities to obtain it.
The records also don’t mention any efforts to secure surveillance footage from the hotel or the results of medical examinations that the woman says would have corroborated her account.
“We dropped the ball,” a law enforcement official familiar with the matter told AP, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to discuss internal investigations.
About a year ago, the woman said she was approached by Spanish police asking if she would be willing to speak to the FBI as part of its broader probe of misconduct in the DEA.
At first, she said yes.
“I didn’t want him to do this to others,” she said.
But her willingness to speak out eventually gave way to fear of the powerful man she was confronting.
“I don’t want to reopen this,” she said. “I want to forget it.”
Amazon
Mark the dates, clear your schedule and prepare your spending budget, because Amazon has officially announced that its October Prime Big Deal Days sale event will be held on October 8 and October 9. To experience the most savings during this epic two-day extravaganza, be sure that you’re an active Amazon Prime member ($139 per year). Leading up to this much-anticipated sale, Amazon has already begun slashing prices on all sorts of popular items.
12 pre-Prime Big Deal Days discounts available right now
There’s no need wait for the October Prime Big Deal Days event to kick off, because right now, there are all sorts of great deals to be found shopping on Amazon. Our team of expert deal seekers has curated this pre-sale roundup of awesome money-saving offers.
Amazon 50″ Fire 4K 4-Series TV: $300 (33% off)
Amazon
If you need a TV for a guest room, child’s bedroom or other smaller space, check out this 50-inch Amazon Fire 4-Series smart TV that’s now on sale for 33% off. This sale brings the TV’s price down to just $300.
This TV comes with an Alexa voice remote and runs using the popular Amazon FireTV OS. This means it’s ready to stream content from all of the popular services you subscribe to, including Amazon Prime Video, which comes free with your Amazon Prime membership.
This is a 4K resolution TV that supports HDR10 and HGL, plus Dolby Digital Plus for sound. And since the Amazon Alexa digital assistant is integrated into this TV, you can use the voice remote to control the TV and any other compatible smart gear that’s installed in your home. On the back of the TV, there are four HDMI ports, so it’s easy to connect your cable box, a sound bar, video game console or other gear.
Based on more than 38,700 reviews on Amazon, this TV has earned a 4.5-star rating out of five, so you know people love it.
Apple AirPods Pro 2: $190 (24% off)
Amazon
Apple continues to add new functionality to its highest-end wireless earbuds. In fact, the FDA recently approved that the AirPods Pro 2 will soon have the functionality to serve as over-the-counter hearing aids.
However, if your hearing isn’t impaired, the AirPods Pro 2 offer powerful features that make listening to any type of audio an absolute pleasure. And they work extremely well during hands-free calls, too.
The Apple AirPods Pro 2 offer active noise cancellation, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking and a slew of other features. Plus, they’re IP54-rated for sweat, dust and water resistance.
These AirPods come with a wireless charging case. They make the perfect audio companions to an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, MacBook or iMac. And right now, these bestselling wireless earbuds are 24% off, so you can purchase them for just $190.
For help deciding which Apple AirPods model is best for you, be sure to check out our newly updated 2024 Apple AirPods buyer’s guide.
Vizio 40″ Full HD TV: $148 (13% off)
Amazon
Here’s an entry-level, 40-inch, LED smart TV that offers 1080p resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. It’s compatible with virtually all of the popular video streaming services you subscribe to, including Amazon Video Prime which comes free with your Amazon Prime membership.
For a limited time leading up to the big Prime Big Deal Days sale, Amazon has reduced the price of this Vizio TV to a mere $148 — that’s 13% off it’s usual price.
This TV offers full array LED backlighting that’s fine-tuned at a granular level with what Vizio calls Active Pixel Tuning. This technology helps to ensure a clear and detailed picture quality at a very affordable price.
One notable feature is that if you have a pair of Bluetooth headphones or earbuds, you can pair them with this TV to enjoy a private listening experience. The TV also supports Apple AirPlay 2 and Chromecast, so you can stream content directly from your smartphone, tablet or computer.
Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen): $105 (30% off)
Amazon
On its own, the Amazon Echo Show 8 home hub can serve as an interactive smart speaker that gives you easy access to the Alexa digital assistant. The device can also be used to stream video content from the internet and participate in video calls. Plus, if you have Alexa-compatible smart home gear, you can control it using voice commands via the Echo Show 8.
Released in 2023, this edition of the Amazon Echo Show offers an 8-inch touchscreen display. And its built in speakers support spatial audio, so when you stream music, it can fill a room with robust and life-like sound. One notable feature is that the Echo Show can share data with your smartphone, so you can use it to check your schedule or display your favorite photos in an animated slideshow format.
Based on more than 9,500 reviews on Amazon, this edition of the Echo Show 8 has earned a 4.5-star out of five rating. Right now, it’s on sale for 30% off, so you can purchase it for just $105. And if you have an older Amazon smart speaker or home hub to trade in, Amazon will give you an extra 20% off the purchase of this device — just click on the “Save 20% with Trade-In” button located on the home hub’s product page.
Dyson V8 cordless vacuum cleaner: $388 (17% off)
Amazon
Enjoy a cleaner home when you use this Dyson V8 cordless vacuum cleaner to suck up unwanted dirt and dust. It works on all floor types and is battery powered, so you can maneuver it around easily, without having to drag a long extension cord behind you. And because this vacuum weighs just 5.6 pounds, it’s easy to carry around.
This bagless vacuum comes with four popular accessories and has an integrated HEPA filter. It’s designed to collect pet hair without getting tangled, thanks to Dyson’s de-tangling motorbar. With a fully charged battery, the vacuum will run for up to 40 minutes of continuous use.
Thanks to its modular design, the Dyson V8 easily converts into a handheld vacuum, too. It’s bin capacity is 0.14 gallons. Head over to Amazon right now to get 17% off this popular vacuum. It’s currently on sale for just $388. Based on more than 3,400 reviews on Amazon, it’s earned a 4.3-star out of five rating.
iRobot Roomba i3+ Evo (3554): $300 (32% off)
Amazon
If you have a lot of floors in your home, there’s no longer a need to manually vacuum them. The latest robotic vacuums, like this popular iRobot Roomba i3 Evo, can work autonomously and on a preset schedule to keep your home’s floors clean and dirt-free.
Using the iRobot smartphone app, you can set a schedule for when and how often you want this robot vacuum to clean each room of your home. Or, using a simple voice command, you can activate it to quickly clean up a newly formed mess. Using smart mapping technology, the robot learns the layout of your home, so it can avoid crashing into furniture or accidentally falling down stairs.
One feature we like is that it automatically empties its bin on its own for up to 60 days, so it basically cleans up after itself by emptying its vacuum bin into an enclosed bag that’s easy to dispose of. This robot uses iRobot’s proprietary three-stage cleaning system that relies on dual multi-surface rubber brushes to agitate and lift dirt.
For a limited time, Amazon has discounted the Roomba i3+ Evo by 32%, which brings its price down to just $300.
Cosori 9-in-1 air fryer: $90 (25% off)
Amazon
As Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sale event draws closer, we’re discovering more and more bestselling products being heavily discounted. Take this Cosori 9-in-1 air fryer. It’s currently on sale for 25% off, so you can purchase it for just $90.
Not only has this air fryer earned a 4.8-star out of five rating on Amazon, based on more than 3,300 reviews, it also continues to sell more than 10,000 units per month.
This is a six quart capacity air fryer that offers five fan speeds. It can reach up to 450-degrees Fahrenheit and uses 95% less oil, so the food it prepares is healthier to eat. And the smartphone app associated with this air fryer includes more than 100 easy to follow recipes.
Because this is a 9-in-1 device, it can air fry, roast, bake, broil, dehydrate, prepare frozen foods, proof, reheat, and keep foods warm. It’s the perfect alternative to using a traditional oven, microwave or dehydrator. Plus, the non-stick cooking basket and detachable components make cleaning a breeze, since they’re dishwasher safe.
ErGear height-adjustable electric standing desk: $128 (20% off)
Amazon
This is a sleek-looking, 48-by-24 inch electric standing desk that’s great for a home office or gaming setup. The desk comes in a variety of color combinations. It features a sturdy, alloy steel base and wood desktop.
You can freely select its standing desk height — between 28.35 and 46.46 inches — plus save your favorite three settings and smoothly switch between them.
The desk features powerful lifting performance and reliable long-term operation. It’s been tested 50,000 times and is still going strong. Based on more than 5,500 Amazon reviews, this desk has earned a 4.6-star out of five rating.
Right now, you can get this desk for 20% off, so you’ll pay just $128. And as an Amazon Prime member, of course you get free shipping. The desk comes with two storage hooks. A drawer and keyboard tray are sold separately
Apple iPad (10th Generation, Wi-Fi, 64GB): $299 (14% off)
Amazon
As you’d expect, this iPad 10th Generation is slightly more powerful than the 9th Generation version of Apple’s entry-level tablet. It’s a great option for younger kids, or anyone who wants the power of an iPad, without all of the extra and more advanced tech that’s built into the latest iPad Pro and iPad Air models.
You get a 10-inch Liquid Retina display. It’s powered using a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 10 hours. Choose between four casing colors — silver, blue, pink or yellow. This base model comes with 64GB of storage, but at the time of purchase, you can upgrade it to 256GB. Plus, you can choose between a Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi + cellular model.
This version of the iPad is powered using Apple’s A15 Bionic processor. For wireless connectivity, it supports Wi-Fi 6. Plus, it comes with a 12MP front and rear-facing camera. The iPad 10th Generation runs the latest version of iOS 18 and comes with the same collection of preinstalled apps as all other current iPad models. Plus, you can further customize the tablet with optional apps available from the App Store.
For a limited time, Amazon has slashed 14% off the price of this popular iPad, so you can purchase it for just $299.
Dewalt 20V Max cordless drill/driver kit: $99 (45% off)
Amazon
During both Amazon Prime Day and Amazon Prime Deal Days sale events, Dewalt power tools are always wildly popular, especially when Amazon reduces their prices by 45% or more.
Right now, this bestselling 20 volt cordless drill and driver kit, which includes two rechargeable battery packs and a charger, is on sale for just $99. And Dewalt is also throwing in its iconic tool bag to store and transport your new power tool.
The drill’s high speed transmission delivers two speeds — either 0 to 450 or 1,500 rpm. This allows it to easily help you handle a range of fastening and drilling applications. Users of this drill also love the ergonomic handle that delivers comfort and control.
Based on more than 45,500 reviews on Amazon, the Dewalt 20V Max cordless drill/driver kit has earned a 4.8-star out of five rating. Plus, Amazon reports it sells more than 20,000 of these drills every month, so you know it’s built to get the job done.
Nintendo Switch: $265 (12% off)
Amazon
It’s not often that Nintendo’s bestselling Switch video game system goes on sale, so now that Amazon is offering it at 12% off, it’s the perfect time to snag one. Instead of paying $300, you can get this version of the Nintendo Switch for $265. It includes a 6.2-inch touchscreen LCD display.
What sets the Switch apart is that it offers three game play modes — TV, tabletop and handheld. It comes with one detachable Joy-Con controller. People of all ages love the Switch because it’s home to some of the most iconic games in video game history — many featuring stars like Mario, Luigi, Link, Princess Zelda, Donkey Kong, all of the Pokemon, and countless others.
The Switch also offers the largest library of family-friendly games, as well as a vast assortment of popular titles that’ll keep teens and adults challenged for hours on end. This version of the Switch that’s on sale is the all-gray edition.
Keurig K-Mini single serve K-Cup pod coffee maker: $60 (40% off)
Amazon
Enjoy your daily caffeine fix with this bestselling and easy to use Keurig K-Cup coffee maker. Choose between hundreds of K-Cup coffee, tea, hot cocoa and other drink varieties. This version of the coffee maker can brew up individual 6-ounce or 12-ounce servings.
Best of all, it’s just five inches wide, so it takes up minimal kitchen counter space. The coffee maker’s removable drip tray accommodates travel mugs up to 7.0 inches tall and holds a full accidental brew for easy cleanup. Plus, the auto off feature turns off your coffee maker 90 seconds after your last brew, which helps to save energy.
At the moment, Amazon is selling this popular Keurig coffee maker for a whopping 40% off, so you’ll pay just $60 (instead of its usual $100 price). Amazon sells more than 10,000 of this coffee maker model per month. Based on more than 100,000 user reviews on Amazon, it’s earned an impressive 4.5-star rating out of five.
What is Amazon Prime Big Deal Days?
Amazon Prime Big Deal Days are mega-event sales during which Amazon slashes prices on tens of thousands of popular items. The sale lasts for just two days. Inventory on many products that go on sale is limited, so if you want to get the best deals, shop early to snag the items you want at a deep discount.
When is Amazon Prime Big Deal Days?
The next Amazon Prime Day Big Deals sale takes place on October 8 through October 9, but Amazon has already begun offering some amazing deals on popular products that you can take advantage of today.
Do you need to be a Amazon Prime member to shop the October Prime Day sale?
During the upcoming Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sale, many sales will be available to everyone. However, a large number of deep discounts on popular products will only be available to Amazon Prime members. So, if you haven’t joined Amazon Prime yet, what are you waiting for?
For just $14.99 per month or $139 per year, you get unlimited, free, two-day (or less) shipping on virtually everything you purchase from Amazon. You also get free access to Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Music, the Prime Gaming service, the Prime Reading services, free GrubHub+, extra savings on prescription medications and much more.
CBS News
How to watch the New England Patriots vs. New York Jets NFL game tonight: Week 3 TNF Livestream options, more
Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
The New England Patriots vs. New York Jets game will be played tonight, giving both teams a shot at a prime time “Thursday Night Football” win. Aaron Rodgers’ Jets enjoyed a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 2, while the Patriots were defeated 23-20 by the Seattle Seahawks.
Keep reading to find out how and when to watch the New England Patriots vs. New York Jets game tonight.
How and when to watch the New England Patriots vs. New York Jets game
The New England Patriots vs. New York Jets game will be played on Thursday, September 19, 2024, at 8:15 p.m. ET (5:15 p.m. PT).
The game will stream exclusively on Amazon Prime. The game will be broadcast on local TV affiliates in Boston (WFXT Fox 25) and New York (WNYW Fox 5). Viewers in these areas can stream the NFL game for free on Fubo.
Waiting for the game to start? Check out Amazon’s new Thursday Night Football store
If you’re waiting for today’s game to begin, now is a great time to check out Amazon’s new Thursday Night Football store. Every week, Amazon updates the store with the best fan gear and gift ideas for fans of the two teams playing.
This week, the Amazon TNF store is filled to the brim with the best New England Patriots fan gear and the best New York Jets fan gear you can buy through the retailer, including jerseys, team flags, T-shirts, hoodies and more. Tap the button below to head directly to the Thursday Night Football store page on Amazon.
Are tickets for the Patriots vs. Jets game available?
Though kickoff is less than 24 hours away, there are still tickets for the game available at Ticketmaster and other resale sites. Tap the button below to score tickets to see the game in-person at Met Life Stadium in New Jersey.
Can you watch the Patriots vs. Jets game without Amazon Prime?
Starting in 2022, Amazon became the exclusive carrier of Thursday Night Football (TNF). In addition to TNF, this season’s Black Friday game, which will be played on November 29, 2024 — Las Vegas Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs — will air exclusively on Amazon Prime, as well.
Amazon Prime is $1.99 for the first week. After one week, Prime is $14.99 per month ($139 annually) for all Thursday Night Football games, including the NFL’s first-ever Black Friday game. You also get fast and free Prime shipping, access to members-only deals during October Prime Day, free Kindle downloads, discounts at Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh stores and more.
Watch the Patriots vs. Jets game on your phone with NFL+
If you want to catch this game on your phone — and all the amazing football ahead this season — check out NFL+. The premium streaming service, starting at $40 per year (or $7 per month), offers access to NFL Network. And yes, that includes games being broadcast out-of-market. To boost your NFL experience even further, you can upgrade to NFL+ Premium with NFL RedZone and watch up to eight NFL games simultaneously. A seven-day, free trial is available.
Top features of NFL+:
- You get access to all NFL preseason games, including those that are out of market.
- NFL+ lets you watch stream local and primetime regular season games on your phone or tablet, but not your TV.
- Includes the NFL Network (and NFL RedZone with NFL+ Premium), so it’s a good option for those who are looking to stream football on the go.
2024-5 NFL Season Week 3 Schedule
The 2024-5 NFL Season Week 3 schedule is below. The game you see broadcast locally will depend on your geographical area.
Thursday, Sept. 19
- New England Patriots at New York Jets, 8:15 p.m. ET (Prime Video)
Sunday, Sept. 22
- New York Giants at Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Chicago Bears at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
- Houston Texans at Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
- Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Los Angeles Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
- Denver Broncos at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Green Bay Packers at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Carolina Panthers at Las Vegas Raiders, 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS)
- Miami Dolphins at Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS)
- Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Baltimore Ravens at Dallas Cowboys 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX)
- San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Kansas City Chiefs at Atlanta Falcons, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)
Monday, Sept. 23
- Jacksonville Jaguars at Buffalo Bills, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Washington Commanders at Cincinnati Bengals, 8:15 p.m. ET (ABC)
Epson
The latest photo scanners transform your favorite memories into high-resolution digital images that can be archived or shared online. Some of these scanners accommodate a wide range of print, slide and negative sizes and create digital files in your choice of format. If you have old photo albums you want to digitize, prints you’d like to share on social media, or images you want to securely store in the cloud, one of these photo scanners can handle the job. And these scanners will work beautifully with your Windows or Mac desktop or laptop computer.
Pro Tip: If you’re looking to scan photos simply to share online via email or social media, the scanner’s resolution isn’t too important. However, if you’re scanning photos for archival purposes, you want to scan those prints in the highest resolution possible, so seek out a scanner than can accommodate this.
The best photos scanners for digitizing your prints
Our in-house tech experts have curated this roundup of the best photo scanners currently available. Some offer a compact design, while others can help you scan large quantities of images quickly, especially if the prints are all the same size.
So, whether you’re looking to create a digital backup or archive of your most cherished printed photos, want to be able to create larger prints from digital image files, or share the scanned images online, a photo scanner is what you need. For photos, these stand-alone scanners work far better than scanner apps available for smartphones. And in many cases, they offer higher resolution and more options for scanning photos than the scanners built into the latest all-in-one printers.
Best photo scanner: Epson FastFoto FF-680W
Amazon
For amateur, semi-pro and professional photographers alike, the Epson FastFoto FF-680W is a high-end, dedicated photo scanner that can process prints at up to 1,200 by 1,200 dpi. The built-in document feeder can hold up to 36 prints and then scan one image per second at 300 dpi. When set at a higher resolution, the scanner functions a bit slower.
Use the FF-680W to scan prints of almost any size, like Polaroid photos, panoramas, postcard-size images or anything up to 8 by 10 inches. The scanner comes with the free Perfect Picture Imaging software. It allows you to quickly edit and enhance scanned images and handle tasks like restoring color to old photos or fixing red-eye.
Use the Epson ScanSmart software (also included), to scan and store traditional documents, too. Documents can be up to 8.5 by 24 inches and the software’s OCR feature can transform scanned text into editable documents.
Photos or documents scanned by the FF-680W can be stored locally or automatically uploaded to the cloud. The scanner supports Dropbox and Google Drive. Use a USB cable or a wireless connection between the scanner and your computer.
Best budget photo scanner: Canon CanoScan LiDE 300 Slim
Amazon
This is a dedicated, flat-bed scanner that connects to a Windows or Mac computer via a USB cable. It’s then able to scan photos or documents, one at a time, at up to 2,400 by 2,400 dots per inch. The unit measures 14.5 by 9.9 by 1.7 inches and weighs just 3.6 pounds, so you can set it up when it’s needed, but easily store it away when it’s not being used.
The scanner’s Z-lid can be elevated parallel up to 21 millimeters from the platen surface, making quality scans possible when working with photo albums, bulky books, magazines or document stacks. The scanner is able to scan a single photo or document at 300 dpi, that’s up to 8.5 by 11 inches, in under 10 seconds.
For photos, the 300 Slim is a basic, budget-friendly scanner that’s great for occasional use, especially if you’re working with larger size prints.
Best flatbed photo scanner: Epson Perfection V850 Pro
Amazon
Designed more for semi- and pro-level photographers, but usable by anyone, the V850 Pro is a desktop photo scanner that offers up to 6,400 by 6,400 dots-per-inch resolution. This means you can create extremely high-resolution digital images from your photo prints that are up to 8.5 by 11.7 inches.
During the scanning process, the software that comes with the scanner will automatically remove dust and scratches as it scans. Another key feature is that the scanner can also digitize one or more 35mm slides or negatives at the same time.
The V850 works with either a Windows or MacOS computer via a USB cable connection. Between the scanner itself and the supplied Epson scanning software, you’ll wind up with high-resolution scans that showcase impressive shadow detail and smooth gradations within each digital image.
Best photo scanner for prints, slides and negatives: ClearClick QuickConvert 2.0
Amazon
If you have a collection of 4-by-6 inch prints, 35mm slides or negatives from 35mm, 110 or 126 film, the QuickConvert 2.0 photo scanner creates digital images from that content with no computer needed during the scanning process.
The unit is able to scan photos at up to 7,200 by 7,200 dots per inch. The unit measures just 8 by 7 by 6 inches, so it’s easy to set up almost anywhere. Since the scanner does not have an auto-feeder, you need to feed one image or negative at a time to be scanned, but the scanning process takes less than three seconds per image.
As photos are scanned, they’re stored on an SD memory card, while can be removed from the scanner and inserted into the memory card slot of your computer when you want to work with the images or upload them to the cloud for storage. Keep in mind, this scanner works with 4-by- 6 inch prints (as well as slides and negatives), but not 5-by-7 inch prints.
The built in, five inch display shows you exactly what will be scanned, before the scanning process begins. The unit runs on a rechargeable battery. A 32GB SD memory card that can hold up to 8,000 scanned images is included.
Best high-resolution photo scanner: Canon CanoScan CS9000F Mark II
Amazon
This dedicated flatbed photo scanner from Canon offers 9,600 by 9,600 dots per inch resolution for film, or 4,800 by 4,800 dots per inch resolution for printed photos and documents. It’s compatible with Windows PCs only and connects to a computer using a USB cable. Based on almost 1,000 user reviews on Amazon, the CS9000F Mark II has earned a 4.4-star rating out of five.
It takes this scanner about 18 seconds to scan a 35mm negative at 1,200 dots-per-inch resolution, or just seven seconds to scan a photo at 300 dots-per-inch resolution. In addition to prints and slides, the scanner works with a variety of negative formats. During the scanning process, dust and scratches are automatically removed and the scanner compensates for image fading.
Scanned images can be stored on your computer or uploaded directly to your Dropbox account. One thing we like about this scanner is that it delivers detailed digital images that are ideal for enlargement and high resolution printing, while 48-bit color depth ensures accurate color reproduction. The scanner comes with the My Image Garden and Scanning Utility software that allows for easy, one-touch operation.
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