MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota and federal authorities are investigating the alleged beating of a Mexican citizen by immigration officers last month, seeking to identify what caused the eight skull fractures that landed the man in the intensive care unit of a Minneapolis hospital.

Investigators from the St. Paul Police Department and FBI last week canvassed the shopping center parking lot where Alberto Castañeda Mondragón says Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents wrested him from a vehicle, threw him to the ground and repeatedly struck him in the head with a steel baton.

ICE has blamed Castañeda Mondragón for his own injuries, saying he attempted to flee while handcuffed and “fell and hit his head against a concrete wall.”

But hospital staff who treated the man told The Associated Press such a fall could not plausibly account for the man’s brain hemorrhaging and fragmented memory. A CT scan showed fractures to the front, back and both sides of his skull — injuries a doctor told the AP were inconsistent with a fall.

Earlier this month, the AP published an interview with Castañeda Mondragón in which he said the arresting officers had been “racist” and “ started beating me right away when they arrested me.” His lawyers have contended ICE racially profiled him.

In separate visits to the shopping center last week, local and federal investigators requested surveillance footage from at least two businesses, whose employees told the AP their cameras either did not capture the Jan. 8 arrest or the images had been overwritten because more than a month passed before law enforcement asked for the video.

Johnny Ratana, who owns Teepwo Market, an Asian grocery store that faces the parking lot where the arrest occurred, said St. Paul police twice sent investigators to the business in recent days. The second time, he said, a data technician sought to recover images automatically overwritten after 30 days.

Ratana said he also was visited by FBI agents interested in the same footage.

The St. Paul Police Department did not respond to requests for comment. The FBI declined to comment.

The investigations come amid another federal probe into whether two ICE officers lied under oath about a shooting in Minneapolis. Federal prosecutors dropped charges against two Venezuelan men — who had been accused of attacking one of the officers with a snow shovel and broom handle — after video evidence contradicted the officers’ sworn testimony.

The FBI, meanwhile, notified Minnesota authorities last week it would not share any information or evidence it collected in the Jan. 24 fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers. That killing is the subject of a Justice Department civil rights investigation.

For weeks, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security refused to discuss any aspect of Castañeda Mondragón’s injuries. It has not answered detailed questions from the AP, including whether its officers recorded body-worn camera footage of the arrest.

Agency insists man injured himself

But the agency last week doubled down on its claim that Castañeda Mondragón injured himself.

“On January 8, 2026, ICE conducted a targeted enforcement operation to arrest Alberto Castaneda Mondragon, a 31-year-old illegal alien from Mexico who overstayed his visa,” said Tricia McLaughlin, the department’s assistant secretary for public affairs “While in handcuffs, Castaneda attempted to escape custody and ran toward a main highway. While running, Castaneda fell and hit his head against a concrete wall.”

McLaughlin’s assertion that Castañeda Mondragón had been targeted for removal was contradicted by a Jan. 20 court filing in which ICE said officers only determined the man overstayed his work visa after he was in custody. McLaughlin did not respond to questions about which account was correct.

Castañeda Mondragón’s lawyers declined to comment on ICE’s statement.

Delay could affect investigations

The criminal investigations could be complicated by the amount of time it took law enforcement to look into the arrest, even as several elected officials called for answers.

St. Paul police told the AP on Feb. 5 that it was aware of “the serious allegations” surrounding the arrest but that it could not begin investigating Castañeda Mondragón’s injuries until he filed a police report — a step that was delayed weeks because of the man’s hospitalization and uncertainty over his immigration status. Police finally took his statement a week ago at the Mexican consulate.

By that point, at least one nearby business had overwritten its surveillance footage.

“It is my expectation that we will investigate past and future allegations of criminal conduct by federal agents to seek the truth and hold accountable anyone who has violated Minnesota law,” John Choi, the chief prosecutor of Ramsey County, said in a statement.

Castañeda Mondragón has been summoned to meet with ICE on Feb. 23 at its main detention facility in Minneapolis, raising the potential he could be taken back into custody and deported.

___ Biesecker reported from Washington and Brook from New Orleans. AP reporter Cedar Attanasio contributed from Seattle.

By Kyle Stock, Bloomberg News

Traffic may have dried up at EV dealerships after the end of federal purchase incentives, but sales of used electric cars and trucks have only accelerated.

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Almost 89,000 used EVs changed hands in the last three months of 2025, up 13.5% from a year earlier, according to Cox Automotive. What’s more, the inventory of used electric machines is turning over in about 50 days, slightly faster than for gas-powered cars. By contrast, sales of new EVs fell 36% in the fourth quarter of last year.

“The buzz word for the year is ‘affordability’ for a really good reason,” said Liz Najman, director of market insights at Recurrent, which provides range estimates and other EV-centric data to car dealers and shoppers. “You can get a two or three-year-old EV for 50% off and you’re talking about something with a lot of technology and a warranty on the battery.”

For a long time the used EV market in the U.S. was stagnant. There weren’t a lot of cars for sale and buyers worried about batteries in older models dying out. But EV batteries are proving to be more durable than expected and in the U.S. they’re generally covered under warranty for at least eight years or 100,000 miles.

New EVs still outsell used ones by a long shot, but analysts say a mature used market will help buttress demand for new battery-powered machines. When shopping for a new car, more than 90% of EV owners choose to go electric again.

The increase in used-EV sales follows simple economics: There are finally a lot of these cars for sale and at relatively low prices. In 2023 and 2024, Americans snapped up 2.5 million electric vehicles, the majority of them under lease. These vehicles are now hitting the used market for the first time. And depreciation rates for EVs have been steep, so those seeking a bargain are increasingly landing on a battery-powered machine.

While the average price of a used electric vehicle in the U.S. is still slightly higher than that of a pre-owned gas car, the spread has been narrowing. Almost 40% of used EVs in the recent quarter sold for less than $25,000. And of the 15 models that have seen resale values swoon the most over three years, more than half are electric vehicles, according to CarEdge.com, an AI-driven platform that helps car shoppers negotiate with dealerships.

“Used EVs are an answer to the affordability crisis in America,” said CarEdge.com analyst Justin Fischer. “You can score a really good deal for right under $20,000.”

Consider a Nissan Leaf, which travels about 150 miles on a charge and can power a house in a blackout. In the past three years, that vehicle has lost almost 70% of its value, and recently was selling for about $12,000. A Nissan Versa, a comparable gas-powered model, has retained more than 70% of its original price in the same period, selling for roughly $14,000.

While used EVs may still be slightly more expensive than gas options, they tend to be newer vehicles and in better shape. Recurrent found that when compared by list price, the electric options are, on average, one year newer and have 30,000 fewer miles than internal-combustion cars and trucks.

There’s also evidence that electric vehicles — without radiators, spark plugs or oil — may prove to be more reliable over time than gas-powered machines. A January study from the University of Michigan found the total cost of owning a used electric vehicle is drastically lower than that of any other type of car, largely because of relatively low bills for fuel and upkeep.

“That’s really the value story,” said Stephanie Valdez Streaty, director of industry insights at Cox. “You almost have price parity and then the cost to operate this vehicle is going to be less.”

She said the pace is likely to continue as bargain hunters are about to get a crack at recent EVs coming off lease for the first time, including the BMW i7, Cadillac Lyric and Tesla Cybertruck, all of which debuted three years ago.

©2026 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

MILAN, Italy — With a roster full of NHL players, Sweden was in danger of the earliest possible exit at the Olympics. Instead, it’s moving on to face the U.S. in the quarterfinals.

Adrian Kempe and Gabriel Landeskog scored in the first period, Jacob Markstrom made 20 saves and Sweden beat Latvia 5-1 in the qualification round on Tuesday.

With all the pressure on — and the possibility looming of being on the NHL player-filled first plane back to North America — the Swedes endured a nervous first 10 minutes before Kempe got them on the board. Landeskog scored 41 seconds later to relieve some of the tension.

Filip Forsberg scored in the second, and Mika Zibanejad and William Nylander added insurance goals in the third. Lucas Raymond, who has been Sweden’s best player minus a costly penalty, had three primary assists.

Sweden has won three of its four games in Milan and is a formidable opponent Wednesday for the unbeaten second-seeded Americans to begin the single-elimination knockout round.

“They’re one of the powerhouses in the world,” U.S. winger Matthew Tkachuk said. “They’ve been playing really well this tournament in some games.

Markstrom has emerged as Sweden’s starting goaltender after the Wild’s Filip Gustavsson started the tournament in that role. It’s entirely possible Markstrom plays on back-to-back nights, a rarity in the NHL

Czechia 3, Denmark 2

David Kampf and Roman Cervenka scored 69 seconds apart in the second period and Czechia beat Denmark  to advance to a quarterfinal showdown against Canada.

Czechia gets a second shot at the tournament favorite after losing to Canada 5-0 last week in their opener. They play on Wednesday.

Martin Necas also scored for the Czechs in a busy second period when the Colorado Avalanche forward one-timed a slap shot past goalie Frederik Andersen on a power play to open the scoring.

Denmark tied it at 1-1 on Alexander True’s goal at 29:02, but Kampf quickly put the Czechs back in front and Cervenka’s goal 69 seconds later made it 3-1. The 40-year-old Cervenka snapped a wrist shot into the top corner over Andersen’s glove.

Nick Olesen’s power-play goal closed the gap before the end of the second.

The Czechs killed off two third period penalties, and goalie Lukas Dostal saved two shots from Oliver Bjorkstrand with less than 25 second left.

“We knew it’s going to be a challenge, and it was,” Czechia winger Ondrej Palat said. “They’re a hard team to play against. They don’t give you much. We won, so big win for us. Joy and relief.”

Germany 5, France 1

Leon Draisaitl and JJ Peterka scored in a three-goal first period and Germany set up a quarterfinal game against Slovakia.

Frederik Tiffels added another when he scored unassisted from a tight angle by snapping a shot off the right side of Julian Junca’s mask and into the net in a dominant opening period for the Germans.

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare had given away the puck on Tiffels’ goal but the France captain scored in the second period by throwing the puck into the crease, where it hit defenseman Moritz Muller and got past goalie Philipp Grubauer.

Joshua Samanski scored a power-play goal in the third and Nico Sturm added an empty-netter for Germany.

Switzerland 3, Italy 0

Switzerland beat, outshooting the host country 51-20.

New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier had a goal and two assists. Philipp Kurashev and Roman Josi had the other Swiss goals.

Switzerland next faces Finland.

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By KEN SWEET

NEW YORK (AP) — The Trump administration is throwing its support behind the prediction market operators Kalshi and Polymarket in a critical legal battle between the growing prediction market industry and states that wish to ban these platforms.

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The move by Michael Selig, the recently appointed chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, could have enormous implications for how sports betting is regulated in the country and, if Kalshi and Polymarket were to prevail, could erode the ability for states to effectively regulate gambling.

Any friendly decision the CFTC makes on this industry could end up financially benefiting the president’s family as well. President Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., has invested in Polymarket through his venture capital firm and is a strategic advisor for Kalshi.

The CFTC currently regulates prediction markets, and that federal oversight allows Kalshi and others to operate in all 50 states, even those where gambling is illegal. Several states have sued Polymarket and Kalshi, alleging that the companies effectively operate casino or gambling operations in violation of state gambling laws, and have ordered them to shut down or stop operating in their states.

In an opinion piece in the The Wall Street Journal, Selig wrote, “The CFTC will no longer sit idly by while overzealous state governments undermine the agency’s exclusive jurisdiction over these markets by seeking to establish statewide prohibitions on these exciting products.”

Polymarket and Kalshi and other prediction markets allow participants to buy and sell contracts tied to the probable outcome of an event. Customers can wager on everything from whether it will rain in Los Angeles tomorrow to who will in the NBA championship to whether the U.S. and Iran will go to war. The contracts are typically priced between one cent and 99 cents, which roughly translates into what percentage of those customers believe that event will happen.

While customers can bet on anything, roughly 90% of Kalshi’s trading volume goes toward wagers on sports, while roughly half of Polymarket’s trading is tied to sports. Kalshi said it saw more than $1 billion in volume trade on the Superbowl.

The biggest of the lawsuits comes from Nevada, where the Nevada Gaming Control Board sued or issued enforcement actions against Kalshi and Polymarket, saying they are operating unlicensed sports betting operations in the state. A federal judge agreed with the NGCB and issued a temporary restraining order against Kalshi from operating in the state.

In response, Kalshi has appealed the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, which is why the CFTC is weighing in through what is known as a “friend of the court” briefing.

As the regulator of commodities, futures and derivatives, the CFTC has historically overseen markets like oil futures, agricultural products, gold, and other financial products. At roughly 700 employees, the CFTC is much smaller than the Securities and Exchange Commission, with roughly 5,000 employees. But as the CFTC has become the favored regulator of cryptocurrency companies and prediction markets proponents, it has taken on a much larger role in financial markets in the last five years.

By stepping into the lawsuit, the Trump administration is taking an unusually broad definition of commodities and futures. Selig has shifted his position from what he told Senators at his confirmation hearing, where he said that it would be best for the CFTC to defer to the courts on the core legal issue facing Kalshi and Polymarket.

Last week Selig announced the the regulator would create an “Innovation Advisory Committee” to help the CFTC draft regulations on issues such as cryptocurrencies and prediction markets. The 35-member panel includes the CEOs of Polymarket, Kalshi, Coinbase, Robinhood, FanDuel and DraftKings. While there’s some representation from traditional finance, the panel has no representation from consumer advocates or public interest groups.

Selig now says that prediction markets effectively do the same thing as other futures contracts, where customers can hedge against bad weather or changes in energy prices, and they are not betting against the house, which is what happens with sports book companies. The states that have taken legal action against Kalshi and Polymarket argue that while these companies do offer customers the ability to bet on future events, the vast majority of their business is sports betting. Further, most prediction markets allow customers 18 years or older to use their platforms, while state gambling is limited to those 21 years or older.

Selig now says states cannot preempt federal regulators.

“To those who seek to challenge our authority in this space, let me be clear, we will see you in court,” Selig said in a video statement.

Some members of the GOP pushed back on Selig’s announcement, including the Governor of Utah, which has some of the strictest gambling laws in the country.

“Mike, I appreciate you attempting this with a straight face, but I don’t remember the CFTC having authority over the “derivative market” of LeBron James rebounds,” said Gov. Spencer Cox, in a statement on Twitter. “These prediction markets you are breathlessly defending are gambling — pure and simple.”