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Massive Jewel Heist; Different Kind of Pope?

Aired July 29, 2013 - 15:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Officers arrested at least eight for causing the disturbance.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: It's a brazen crime right out of the movies, $130 million- plus in jewelry stolen. And now the international search is on for this armed robber.

I'm Brooke Baldwin. The news is now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Give it up for Amanda Berry.

BALDWIN: Two victims kidnapped in Cleveland trying to get back to normal. Amanda Berry surprises crowds at a concert and Gina DeJesus speaking publicly about a unique gift.

Plus, the pope candid and controversial.

POPE FRANCIS, LEADER OF CATHOLIC CHURCH (through translator): If a person is gay and accepts the lord and has goodwill, who am I to judge them?

BALDWIN: His comments on gay priests and women in the clergy have people all around the world talking.

BALDWIN: Plus, what's a million-dollar-plus payday worth? A professional athlete passes up the chance at winning the cash to witness the birth of his first baby.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Welcome back, hour two. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Top of the hour.

More than 100 kids, the youngest just 13 years of age, many kidnapped, some coerced and forced into a life of sexual slavery. They have now been found. Folks, this is the largest child sex trafficking sweep in U.S. history, using social media and even prostitutes to help track these children down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RONALD HOSKO, ASSISTANT FBI DIRECTOR: We see this vulnerable age of being 13 to 16. One of the reasons that we are encountering and working toward adult prostitutes is with the expectation or the anticipation that they were once child prostitutes.

And so, if they had been prior victims, that is not outside of our grasp and our reach. And we are probing into that as an opportunity that they were either a child victim or they can identify other child victims. So we have a fairly vigorous engagement with adult prostitutes to pick through that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Crime and justice correspondent Joe Johns is with me from Washington.

Joe, this is huge.

JOE JOHNS, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it certainly is.

It's something called Operation Cross Country. It's been going on for years and years and years. This is a crackdown on prostitution, exploitation, the sweep with FBI agents, local and state officials. Actually, only occurred over the last 72 hours in 76 different cities nationwide, 150 alleged pimps arrested.

The FBI said those 105 children who were being used for prostitution, they described them as having been rescued and relocated. Some of them actually may have been in the system before, identified with the help of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Joe Johns, thank you so much.

Want to continue the conversation. The FBI's Operation Cross Country has led to the rescue of more than 2,500 children since it began in 2003.

Joining me now, John Ryan from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children.

John, thank you so much for joining us. I know we can't talk specifically about your organization's role in this latest operation. But I do want to talk about sex trafficking, specifically here in the United States. So before we talk, let me just play this clip from a little bit more from the FBI's news conference today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOSKO: I can tell you that we have had significant activity around the NCAA Final Four, around the Super Bowl in the past. And we have had children recovered from each of those events, multiple children from each of those events in the past. So that we see a gathering of people with excess money and interested in the festivities and the frolic that go around high-profile sporting events, and this seems to be a part of that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: John, let me just ask you, you know, in your experience, how do these victims, these young women, 13, 14, 15, 16 years of age, how do they get picked up by these pimps so brazenly?

JOHN RYAN, NATIONAL CENTER OF MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN: Many of these young girls are targeted through social media platforms by these pimps and predators.

They learn some of the personalized information about these young girls. They may learn about their particular vulnerabilities. Some of them may have problems at home or at school. Some of them may even be abused. So they're looking for someone to pay attention to them. And these pimps and predators seize upon that vulnerability, target them and groom them.

BALDWIN: So that's, then, perhaps the common theme among these young women is the vulnerability, because, you know, one person could just easily say, why don't they just run away? But it's not that simple, is it?

RYAN: No.

They're looking for help and comfort that they're not receiving, unfortunately, at the home or in another safe environment. And these pimps take advantage of that. They manipulate these young girls. They shower them with gifts, love, so-called love and affection. And that quickly converts into violence, torture and then ultimately slavery through being trafficked in sex.

BALDWIN: And then sadly these young women, they are used to this trafficking, right? It becomes a way of life. So when we have these major news stories, and the FBI announces, you know, these arrests of these pimps and these freed young women, what are the odds they actually continue on with a -- quote, unquote -- "normal life"?

RYAN: Well, the good news is, Brooke, there are programs and facilities now that are available to provide the critical resources and help that these young girls need.

In an operation like this with the FBI, they actually had on site victims specialists who coordinated the placement of these victims as they were being recovered over the past 72 hours and make sure during that critical time period they are put in proper care and they're not thrown back into the same risky environment.

BALDWIN: Good. We just wanted to shine a light on your work at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. John Ryan, thank you so much.

RYAN: Thank you.

BALDWIN: A contractor was working on a vacant home just before it collapsed in Philadelphia. The city's fire department says the home was being renovated. Investigators still are trying to look into what caused what you see here, the aftermath.

It appears there was some kind of explosion. Eight people in total, including a child, have been rushed to the hospital. Witnesses on the scene describe the terrifying disaster and what they did just to try to help the victims.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JORSEN BURKSY, RESCUER: It was just instinct. Anybody would do it for anybody else around here. We're all neighbors and friends here. You know, like I said, you see somebody in trouble, you do what you got to do to help them.

MIKE MCGRAW, WITNESS: Well, I didn't see it. I heard it. The impact was pretty loud. I was sitting in the house and I heard a big bang. And the door slammed and the TV went out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I saw the whole house was down. I saw the house next to it, it was falling over. I saw a fireman. This dude was burnt up. They were hosing him down with a fire hose. They threw this baby out the window because the girl was on fire. And the fireman had to catch the baby.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Fireman caught the baby. So says that little guy. This is the second time this summer a tragedy like this has happened in Philadelphia. Last month, six people were killed after another building collapsed.

In Cannes, France, a staggering broad daylight robbery netted a haul of diamonds worth north of $130 million. Police say a man armed with a semiautomatic pistol walked into this ultra-posh Carlton hotel on Sunday where the jewels were out and about on display.

Moments later, this man walked out with these gems. If history is any guide, and this has happened numerous times before, recovering the stolen diamonds and jewels may prove difficult, if not impossible.

Jonathan Sazonoff is the U.S. editor of the Web site Museum Security Network. He's also an expert on high-value crimes just like this. He joins me from Chicago.

Jonathan, my goodness. When I read about this and I heard about this, you have -- and the number, the value keeps increasing, right? Now the latest is $136 million in jewels from what I have read a very prestigious diamond house. Help me wrap my head around this kind -- of these jewels. Is this a massive amount of jewels? Is this four rings? How much?

JONATHAN SAZONOFF, MUSEUM SECURITY NETWORK: That's a huge haul, one of the largest hauls of stolen goods I have known of.

We haven't heard anything of what is in the manifest. Supposedly, the little I did hear was a different variety of rings and earrings and I assume loose stones.

BALDWIN: And I'm also assuming the stones are, you know, large if we're talking multimillion dollars. What typically -- in heists like this, what typically happens to these jewels? SAZONOFF: Well, they're easily fenced because they can be broken up. If you have a recognizable stone with a gemologist report, it's difficult to sell. But if you break it up into smaller pieces...

BALDWIN: You mean smashing them?

SAZONOFF: ... constituent pieces -- smash them up. Precious metals and rings can be melted down into ingot.

It's a very tough type of theft to break, to solve.

BALDWIN: And when you hear, when read these reports, this single man with this briefcase or suitcase walking in, the security there at the hotel apparently unarmed, I mean, could one person single-handedly pull this off, or might this be speculation possibly the Pink Panther jewel thief gang? Would that be their M.O.?

SAZONOFF: Well, when you hear of a large-scale theft of diamonds in Europe, suspicion immediately goes to the Pink Panther gang. That's what they do. But you can't rule out a lone cowboy or other organized crime elements in Europe.

There's the Corsican mafia. There's the regular mafia right across the border. But if you have to fence this, it pretty much means there's organized crime.

BALDWIN: Why Cannes? This has happened before.

SAZONOFF: Well, that's where the money is.

They said -- Willie Sutton had the famous quote, why do you rob banks? That's where the money is. If you're looking for the people with great wealth...

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: You go to the French Riviera. Quickly here, when you look at previous heists, why put this kind of -- this caliber jewelry on display without adequate security?

SAZONOFF: That's mind-boggling to me. Usually if you're having that much merchandise on display, you would have armed guards. You would have people buzzed in. But the lapses in security are very much beyond me right now.

BALDWIN: Well, $136 million in jewelry gone.

Jonathan Sazonoff with Museum Security Network, thank you so much.

And this just into us here at CNN, reports of another memorial statue vandalized in Washington, D.C., this time the statue on Smithsonian Drive smashed, once again, green paint. This is a statue of a man by the name Joseph Henry, the first secretary of the Smithsonian. You will remember, this was, what, just last week, Lincoln Memorial, remember, below President Lincoln's feet there also splashed, vandalized, green paint. No one still has been arrested in the case. Police say they are reviewing the surveillance video to try to track down the vandal or vandals.

Coming up next, two stars of the real "Housewives of New Jersey" indicted for charges of conspiracy and fraud. That story coming up next.

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BALDWIN: All right, "Real Housewives" fan, just into us here at CNN, we're learning two of the stars of "Real Housewives of New Jersey" have been indicted.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And arrested.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Prostitution whore. You're (EXPLETIVE DELETED)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So, that's the show. This is real life. They're charged with conspiracy and with illegally obtaining mortgages and other loans.

Alison Kosik live at the New York Stock Exchange with the latest on this.

Alison, what do we know?

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, these reality stars are about to face a reality.

Teresa and Joe Giudice, they're the couple that, safe to say, viewers love to hate on Bravo TV's "Real Housewives of New Jersey." What this indictment does is it accuses the couple of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, bank fraud, loan application fraud, bankruptcy fraud, and failure to file tax returns.

They're accused of submitting false paperwork and supporting documents to get mortgages, get this, as far back as 2001. The U.S. attorney's office in New Jersey says an application for $121,000 mortgage showed they were employed for big salaries, but that none of it was true. They're accused of doing that for several loans. The indictment goes on to say that they filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and allegedly hid the income, including income from "The Real Housewives," all of this hiding all this from the bankruptcy court.

And Joe Giudice is accused of not filing tax returns on almost $1 million in income from 2004 to 2008. They potentially face serious jail time, too. The different charges carry penalties of up to 30 years plus heavy fines ranging into the millions of dollars. Viewers of the show know this is a couple that can get pretty defensive about their finances. We're not sure if they have shot the latest reunion special yet. If not, it's likely to be a very, very hot topic, Brooke. BALDWIN: Looking down at my note, it looks like they are scheduled to make their very first court appearance, what, tomorrow morning, 10:00 a.m.?

KOSIK: Tomorrow morning. Exactly. Expect cameras to be there. We will be there.

BALDWIN: I know we will. Alison Kosik, thank you very much.

KOSIK: Sure.

BALDWIN: Coming up next, Pope Francis returning to the Vatican after his big trip, his first foreign trip to Brazil, speaking out to reporters on that plane for an hour-and-a-half on a wide variety of issues, on gays and lesbians. The pope is saying -- quote -- "Who am I to judge?" Also gave his thoughts on women and the church. Interesting comments coming from the pope. We will share that with you next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Pope Francis is showing he is comfortable with big crowds and small ones. On Sunday he did not shy from the spotlight in front of three million Catholics. And then flash forward to just today. The crowd he left stunned was reporters on the papal plane heading back home to Rome with this comment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

POPE FRANCIS (through translator): If a person is gay and accepts the lord, and has goodwill, who am I to judge them?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: CNN senior international correspondent Matthew Chance joins me live from London.

And, Matthew, the context specifically of the gay and lesbian comments, he was being asked about the alleged gay lobby, correct?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right. He came out very much against what he called lobbying by gay people inside the Vatican.

It's only in the last couple of months, of course, the Vatican has acknowledged any such lobby inside its walls. But I think what was interesting about those comments is that he was saying that, you know, while homosexual acts may remain sinful, being a homosexual in itself is not sinful.

He didn't actually change church policy, church doctrine in any way. It's been sort of the longstanding case that homosexuals should be loved and embraced and respected. But he did definitely offer a change of tone, much more conciliatory than his predecessor, Pope Benedict and, of course, the pope before that, John Paul II. BALDWIN: And my goodness, just to have been on that plane. The questions he was asked, it seemed he didn't dodge a single one of them. This pope talked on the record, Matthew, for an hour-and-a-half talking abortion, talking papal security, women, those who have been divorced within the Catholic Church. What did he say specifically about women?

CHANCE: Yes. I mean, he spoke about a whole range of issues. But he was asked the question about women, will they be priests? Of course, he essentially ruled that out. That will obviously disappoint a lot of women, a lot of male supporters of women priesthood around the world.

But he did talk about how important women were to the Catholic Church. He talked about how it could no longer be the case that they were just limited to running charities and being altar girls and spoke about how there needs to be a way found that they can, you know, become more integrated into the church without actually being made into priests.

And so, again, Pope Francis illustrating that, at the very least, he's prepared to engage with some of the more controversial issues very honestly and openly that affect the Catholic Church and indicate as well he's very open. That's what many people are so supportive of this pope for.

BALDWIN: Just talking to a reverend last hour, just even -- he was making the point even hearing the word gay, we heard him say in Italian (SPEAKING ITALIAN) gay, that is significant in and of itself.

Matthew Chance in London, Matthew, thank you very much.

And coming up next, San Diego Mayor Bob Filner under fire for several allegations of inappropriate sexual advances says he is not stepping down. Remember this from Friday, the mike incident? But will -- what is next for him? We know he's going through two weeks' intensive rehab. Will that be enough for those calling for him to step down? And what happens during a two-week stint anyway? Those questions next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Anthony Weiner's campaign manager out. But Weiner himself says he is staying in this race for New York mayor despite all these calls for him to quit. The new sexting scandal some two years after the first one has sent his poll numbers plummeting.

In an e-mail today to supporters, Weiner said -- quote -- "I'm going to keep doing what I have always done. I'm going to keep on fighting for my city" -- end quote. He reinforced that message a little later.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY WEINER (D), NEW YORK MAYORAL CANDIDATE: I don't take my cues on policy from the Sunday talk shows listening to pundits. I never have. I don't -- I don't cake my cues from the headline writers in the newspapers. I never have. Those are the very same people that didn't want me to run, that didn't want New Yorkers to have this choice in the first place. I'm going to keep talking about the things important to this city.

I don't really care if a lot of pundits or politicians are offended by that. I'm going to keep doing those things, and I think New Yorkers deserve that choice. I'm going to let New Yorkers decide.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That is Anthony Weiner.

On the other coast, meantime, the chorus is growing for Bob Filner to quit as mayor of San Diego. Filner is in the midst of a sex scandal as well.

Here's Senator Dianne Feinstein, herself a former mayor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: I don't think that somebody who is lacking a moral compass really sets a role model or really will provide the kind of leadership that San Diegans want.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Feinstein is a Democrat and a Californian, as is Filner . Filner announced Friday he is taking a leave of absence. He's going to enter this rehab program starting a week from today to deal with the problem that has led to widespread claims of sexual harassment.

So with us now from New York, Judy Kuriansky, the well-known clinical psychologist and sex therapist.

Dr. Judy, let's begin with this two weeks, right, that he has to begin starting next week. From what he said on Friday, it's this, you know, behavior counseling clinic, intensive therapy.

Obviously, we don't know the specifics of it. But what kind of therapy might this entail?

DR. JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: Well, he's going to have to hit the ground running really, Brooke, because this is two weeks. It's so rare.

Normally, there needs to be at least a month of inpatient and then well after that. He will come in. He will sit down and have what we call an intake. He will be going over honestly every detail of everything he has ever done, every attempt to kiss, every time he said take off your undies, every headlock. He will have to go who, what, where, when, why did I do it.

Then he will have to go through, what are the cues that make him want to do that behavior? What triggers him to want it?