Inside an alleged $4M NFT scam

Plus, the UN’s historic vote on Palestine, Toronto gets its WNBA team and “The Fall Guy” salutes Hollywood's riskiest business [Get This Offer]( [The Star] First Up [By Andrew Joe Potter] By Andrew Joe Potter Good morning. With their second straight shutout, [PWHL Toronto is now just one win away from eliminating Minnesota]( — and advancing to the first championship series in the pro women’s hockey league’s history. Here’s the latest on everything else. MUST READS Susan Kao/Toronto Star Illustration LAWSUIT [Inside the alleged “Boneheads” scam — and what’s at stake for Canada’s jilted NFT investors]( At the height of 2021’s non-fungible token craze, backers of the Boneheads project thought they were buying much more than a tacky drawing of a cartoon skeleton. The sellers behind the project promised community, exclusive merch and major cash prizes. None of those perks were delivered; buyers now allege a Belleville-area couple defrauded them of millions. They tell Richard Warnica that if Canada doesn’t start taking “rug-pull” scams seriously, [there’s nothing stopping them from happening again](. Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Global Affairs [The United Nations have granted Palestine “historic” new standing, though not all countries welcome the change]( With 143 votes to nine, UN members voted to upgrade Palestine’s status on the world stage on Friday. Palestinian representatives may now sit with, co-operate with and debate other UN member states, Allan Woods reports — though the global body stopped short of granting the nation full membership and voting rights. In addition to the naysayers, Canada was among 25 countries that abstained from voting. [Here’s why some resisted the resolution](. Steve Russell/Toronto Star Sports [Toronto is getting its WNBA franchise after all. The city’s shot is as timely as ever]( Pending approval from the WNBA’s board of governors, Toronto will reportedly be awarded a professional women’s basketball team later this month; backed by MLSE chairman Larry Tanenbaum, the league’s 14th franchise would start play at Coca-Cola Coliseum in 2026. While launching an indoor summer sports team in Toronto might’ve been unthinkable a decade ago, Doug Smith explains [how the ascendance of women’s hoops has altered the playing field](. Dreamstime Workplaces [Happy Mother’s Day? For many Canadian employers, there’s still much work to be done]( About a third of Canadians recently told Statistics Canada that work interferes with their family life. Those dynamics can be especially fraught for working mothers, writes David Olive. Though some Canadian workplaces have made major strides in how they support moms and those expecting, employers who provide comprehensive assistance are still the minority. [A happy Mother’s Day may very well depend on where you work](. Eric Laciste/Universal Pictures MOVIES [In “The Fall Guy,” Hollywood salutes its stunt performers — once again]( As a star vehicle built on the charisma of Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, “The Fall Guy” is a serviceable romantic action comedy and a love letter to the film industry’s stunt work community, writes Adam Nayman. It’s the latest in a storied history of Hollywood turning its cameras onto the people who take the hits to make the hits. [Here’s how it stacks up](. Support THIS Supplied Today marks the start of the Star’s annual fundraising drive for the Fresh Air Fund. Editor Anne Marie Owens kicks us off by making the case that [every family should have the opportunity to experience the delights of the great Ontario outdoors](. Thanks for reading. Yes, we do all our own stunts at First Up. You can reach the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_213604), and I will see you back here tomorrow. Get unlimited digital and ePaper access Newsletter exclusive offer: Now only $49.99 for 1 year [Get This Offer]( If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below. [Unsubscribe From This Newsletter]( [Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts]( [View in Browser]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](