Late New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson’s granddaughter arrested in South Carolina
CAROLYN RASHAD ARE UP NEXT. WYFF NEWS FOUR AT SIX STARTS RIGHT NOW. WINNING THEIR TURN. ALL THE CAMERAS OUT CUFFED AND TAKEN AWAY. BUT NOW HE’S TALKING. I’M MAYA PAYTON IN OCONEE COUNTY, A RESTAURANT MANAGER SHARES WHAT IT WAS LIKE HAVING FEDERAL AGENTS ENTER THESE DOORS. STORMS ARE MOVING OUT. THE HEAT IS CRANKING UP. COMING UP. I’LL SHOW YOU THE HEAT WAVE MOVING OUR WAY AND HOW LONG IT LASTS. HAVING A CHRONIC CONDITION COULD MAKE YOU MORE PRONE TO A HEAT WAVE. UP NEXT, ONE UPSTATE MEDICAL EXPERT TALKS TO US ABOUT HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM OVERHEATING AS WE HEAD INTO THE START OF SUMMER, FROM THE UPSTATE TO THE BIG LEAGUES, GREENVILLE NATIVE ELI WHITE, ON HIS JOURNEY TO THE ATLANTA BRAVES. FIRST AT SIX. IN WIFE NEWS FOUR INVESTIGATES, WE’RE HEARING FROM A WOMAN WHO SAYS SHE IS A SURVIVOR AFTER AN UPSTATE TAEKWONDO INSTRUCTOR WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL SEXUAL CONDUCT AGAINST CHILDREN. WIFE NEWS FOUR WAS THE ONLY TV STATION IN THE COURTROOM LAST NIGHT WHEN 74 YEAR-OLD JIMMY ANDERSON WAS DENIED BOND. RIGHT NOW, HE IS FACING FIVE CHARGES OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, AND THE JUDGE SAYS THERE COULD BE ADDITIONAL CHARGES. OUR NATE STANLEY CONTINUES THIS WIFE NEWS FOUR INVESTIGATION AFTER SPEAKING WITH AN UPSTATE WOMAN TODAY. JOINING US LIVE IN OUR NEWSROOM, NATE. RASHAD. CAROL. HER NAME IS JILL CORBIN. AND SHE SAID THAT SHE WANTED TO SHARE HER STORY IN HOPES OF ENCOURAGING OTHERS. CORBIN SAID THAT AT THE AGE OF 14, SHE TOOK PRIVATE SELF-DEFENSE CLASSES WITH JIMMY ANDERSON. SHE SAYS THAT’S WHERE HE BEGAN GROOMING HER. SHE TELLS US THIS HAPPENED IN SPRING 1986, AND CORBIN SAYS SHE’S BEEN FEELING GUILT AND SHAME FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS. SHE WROTE AN OPEN LETTER TO ANDERSON, WHICH YOU ARE ABOUT TO HEAR. AN EXCERPT FROM. SHE SAYS ANDERSON TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HER PARENTS TRUST AND CAUSED HER LONG-TERM PTSD. INSTEAD OF DOING YOUR JOB AND TEACHING ME TO FEEL SAFE, YOU TOOK MY INNOCENCE, MY SAFETY, MY PERSONALITY, AND 39 YEARS OF MY VOICE. I WAS A 14 YEAR OLD CHILD AND YOU WERE AN ADULT MAN IN YOUR 30S. YOU GROOMED ME. YOU TOLD ME I WAS SPECIAL. YOU THREATENED ME. AND CORBIN IS ALSO HOPING TO SHED LIGHT ON DELAYED DISCLOSURE, SAYING IT TOOK HER DECADES TO UNTANGLE HER TRAUMA. AND SHE’S HOPING OTHERS WILL COME FORWARD, TOO. WE WILL HAVE MORE COMING UP TONIGHT AT 11. FROM HER AND HER MESSAGE BACK TO YOU. THANK YOU. AND TONIGHT, JIMMY ANDERSON IS STILL BEING HELD AT THE GREENVILLE COUNTY DETENTION CENTER. AT THAT BOND HEARING LAST NIGHT, ANDERSON’S SON TOLD US THAT HE BELIEVES HIS FATHER IS INNOCENT. THESE ALLEGATIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE. I WAS ACTUALLY PERSONALLY THERE. DURING THESE CLASSES. I WAS ALWAYS WITH MY FATHER. I WAS AT EVERY CLASS I TRAINED. I WAS AN ELITE ATHLETE THERE. I NEVER SEEN IT ONCE. AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, LINE FIVE PEOPLE, 500 PEOPLE UP HERE WITHIN A WEEK TO SAY THE SAME THING AGAIN. ANDERSON WAS DENIED BOND AT THE HEARING LAST NIGHT. WE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING YOU UPDATES ON THIS STORY AS IT DEVELOPS. TO OUR WEATHER NOW. A LIVE LOOK FROM OUR LAKE HARTWELL SKYCAM THE CLOUDS CONTINUE TO THIN, WE SEE A LITTLE BIT OF BLUE SKY THERE, BUT IT’S BEEN A DIFFERENT SKY OVER PARTS OF THE UPSTATE THIS AFTERNOON. IT LOOKS KIND OF NICE OUT THERE, CAROL. I CAN SEE YOU OUT THERE ON THE LAKE HANGING OUT. YEAH. YOU KNOW, WE DID HAVE SOME STORMS THAT ROLLED THROUGH OUR AREA EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON, BUT THOSE HAVE SINCE MOVED ON. CHIEF METEOROLOGIST CHRIS JUSTUS JOINS US WITH THE AREA CERTIFIED MOST ACCURATE FORECAST. CHRIS, YOU HAVE HAD A BUSY WEEK AND IT’S ABOUT TO GET A WHOLE LOT HOTTER. YEAH, WE’RE TURNING DOWN THE STORM CHANCES UP THE HEAT MOVING FORWARD. AND I CAN TELL YOU THE SEVERE WEATHER RISK ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS IS BEGINNING TO GO DOWN. RIGHT NOW WE JUST HAVE A FEW REMAINING CLOUDS. I CAN’T RULE OUT ANOTHER DOWNPOUR, BUT NO MORE SEVERE WEATHER TONIGHT. THE FRONT’S GOING TO CROSS THROUGH THE AREA AND ACTUALLY GIVE US A BREAK FROM THE HUMIDITY FOR ABOUT 18 HOURS. WE’LL ENJOY EVERY SECOND OF IT GOING THROUGH TOMORROW. WE HAD A DOWNPOUR MOVE ACROSS LAKE ROBINSON INTO SPARTANBURG COUNTY THAT HAS SINCE FIZZLED OUT. WE NOW HAVE A FLASH FLOOD WARNING, A CONSIDERABLE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR ABOUT ANOTHER 45 MINUTES FOR THE LENOIR AREA JUST NORTH OF HICKORY, NORTH CAROLINA. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL SWIFT WATER RESCUES IN THIS AREA. JUST NORTH OF I-40, BIG TIME RAIN CAME THERE. AS WE LOOK OUT AT GREENVILLE. IT IS BREEZY. IT IS HOT OUT 86 DEGREES. FEELS MORE LIKE 89 WITH A SOUTHWEST WIND AT ABOUT 18MPH. RIGHT NOW WE’RE IN THE MID 80S ACROSS ALL THE UPSTATE, AND OVER THE NEXT 12 HOURS WE’LL SEE THOSE TEMPERATURES SIMMER ON DOWN TO THE MID 60S. COMING UP, I’LL MAP OUT THE WEEKEND FORECAST. THANK YOU CHRIS. THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A CHRONIC CONDITION MAY BE MORE SENSITIVE TO THE SUMMER HEAT THAN OTHER PEOPLE. RIGHT NOW, WE WANT TO WELCOME THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE WIFE NEWS FOUR TEAM, CAITLIN ASHBAUGH. SHE SPOKE TO AN UPSTATE DOCTOR ABOUT HOW THOSE WITH DIABETES OR HEART DISEASE CAN PROTECT THEMSELVES. EXTREME TEMPERATURES COULD TRIGGER HEAT INJURY SOONER. FOR THOSE WHO HAVE DIABETES OR HEART DISEASE. MAKING A DAY AT THE PARK A POTENTIAL RISK. PRISMA HEALTH TELLS US THESE PATIENTS MAY HAVE TROUBLE BOUNCING BACK FROM PHYSICAL STRESSORS IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT. CHILDREN ARE EVEN MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO OVERHEATING, BEING UNABLE TO HANDLE THE EXTREME TEMPERATURES, DEHYDRATION FROM EXTREME HEAT CAN RAISE BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS IN DIABETES PATIENTS AND BLOOD PRESSURE FOR THOSE WITH HEART DISEASE, HEAT AND MEDICATIONS DON’T ALWAYS MIX WELL, REDUCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OR HAVING ADVERSE IMPACTS ON A PATIENT. OFTEN WE WORRY ABOUT FOLKS THAT ARE ON HEART MEDICINES. FOR EXAMPLE, OR EVEN SOMEBODY ON ANTIBIOTICS THAT CAN MAKE THEM MORE SENSITIVE TO THE SUN. WE CALL IT PHOTOSENSITIVITY, BYRD SAYS. YOU CAN KEEP COOL BY STAYING HYDRATED, WEARING APPROPRIATE CLOTHING, AND STAYING INSIDE DURING PEAK HEAT HOURS. HE ALSO SAYS TO KEEP AN EYE ON HOW YOU STORE YOUR MEDICATION OR YOUR SUPPLIES, KEEPING THEM OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT. REPORTING IN GREENVILLE CAITLIN ASHBAUGH, WYFF NEWS FOUR. CAITLIN, THANK YOU AND WELCOME TO THE TEAM. SWITCHING GEARS NOW, EMOTIONS ARE STILL HIGH IN WEST UNION. THIS AFTER FEDERAL AGENTS MADE THEIR WAY INTO A LOCAL RESTAURANT. NOW PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY ARE SPEAKING OUT, SHARING CONCERNS AND SUPPORT, INCLUDING A MANAGER OF THE RESTAURANT WHO WAS ARRESTED. OUR AMAYA PEYTON JOINS US LIVE NOW FROM WEST UNION WITH ALL THE DETAILS FOR US. MAYA. YES, RASHAD AND CAROL. THAT MANAGER’S NAME IS JUAN LEON. AND HE TOLD ME YESTERDAY HE WAS ARRESTED JUST STEPS AWAY FROM ME RIGHT HERE. HE WAS RELEASED THIS MORNING. NOW HE WALKS ME THROUGH ALL THAT UNFOLDED, AND HE SAYS HE’S SHARING HIS SIDE OF THE STORY. WE CHECKED THE CAMERAS. THERE’S PEOPLE IN UNIFORMS TAKING OUR WORKERS OUT OF HERE. SO I IMMEDIATELY CAME DOWN HERE. AFTER FEDERAL AGENTS ENTERED PUERTO NUEVO. ACCORDING TO POLICE, TWO PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT. MANAGER JUAN LEON SAYS HE WAS ONE OF THEM. HE WAS RELEASED THURSDAY MORNING. I DIDN’T CARE ABOUT THE YELLOW TAPE. I WAS TRYING TO BARGE IN AND LET THEM KNOW THAT I NEED PAPERWORK. I NEED TO SEE SOME TYPE OF WARRANT OR ANYTHING. DOESN’T MATTER BECAUSE THIS IS PRIVATE PROPERTY. IF WE WERE RENTING HERE, I UNDERSTAND BY ALL MEANS, YOU KNOW, GO AHEAD, DO WHAT YOU GOT TO DO. BUT IT’S PRIVATE PROPERTY. I NEED TO SEE DOCUMENTS. IF Y’ALL WANT TO DO THINGS LEGAL, I NEED TO SEE LEGAL DOCUMENTS. POLICE SAY ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS HAD A FIREARM AND WAS ORDERED NOT TO TOUCH IT. JUST FOR MY OWN PROTECTION. JUST LIKE HOW THEY HAVE NEVER PULLED IT OUT. MARGIE FULLER TELLS ME SHE ENJOYS MEALS AT PUERTO NUEVO OFTEN AND IS SADDENED BY WHAT HAPPENED. SHE SAYS IF THERE IS WRONGDOING, THERE IS A WAY TO HANDLE IT. COME IN. YOU SHOW YOUR FACE. YOU IDENTIFY YOURSELF. YOU DON’T COME ARMED FOR BATTLE IN SOME WAR ZONE. WEST UNION POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THIS IS AN INVESTIGATION INVOLVING HOMELAND SECURITY AND WAS NOT AN ICE RAID OR IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. LEON SAYS AROUND EIGHT WORKERS WERE TAKEN TO AN IMMIGRATION HOLDING FACILITY IN ATLANTA. I DIDN’T SEE ANYBODY WITH THE ICE, BUT ICE DOES WORK WITH HOMELAND SECURITY. THEY’RE THEIR ICE OR WHETHER THEY’RE HOMELAND SECURITY. I SEE NO REASON FOR THEM TO COME DRESSED FOR WAR IN A PARKING LOT AT A RESTAURANT IN WEST UNION. I HAVE REACHED OUT TO HOMELAND SECURITY ON A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS, INCLUDING IF A SEARCH WARRANT WAS ISSUED AND IF WORKERS WERE TAKEN, AND IF SO, WHAT WERE THEY TAKEN TO? I’M STILL WAITING TO HEAR BACK. I WANT PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT THIS IS A FAMILY ORIENTED RESTAURANT, AND WE GOT PLENTY OF THEM. THERE ARE HARD WORKING PEOPLE. SO, MAYA, WHAT’S NEXT? YES, CAROL, THAT’S THE QUESTION. RIGHT. SO LEON SAYS THERE ARE TALKS ABOUT PROTESTS MAYBE HAPPENING IN THE COMING WEEK. AND WE’LL DEFINITELY KEEP YOU ON TOP OF THAT. NOW. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER MANAGEMENT WHO MAY WANT TO TALK TO ME. I MET WITH THEM THIS THIS EVENING, AND SO THEY PROMISED TO BE IN TOUCH WITH ME SOON ON THAT. AND SINCE I’VE BEEN OUT HERE THIS EVENING, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CIRCLING THE PARKING LOT, MANY PULLING UP TRYING TO EAT. BUT OF COURSE, THESE DOORS ARE LOCKED. AND LEON SAYS IT WILL BE LIKE THAT FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER. REPORTING HERE IN OCONEE COUNTY, I’M MAYA PAYTON, WYFF NEWS FOUR. MAYA. THANK YOU. WHILE LAW ENFORCEMENT IS ADAMANT THIS WAS HUMAN TRAFFICKING, AN INVESTIGATION AND NOT AN ICE RAID, IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE OCONEE COUNTY DOES HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH ICE. ICE RECORDS SHOW OCONEE COUNTY HAS ENROLLED IN ITS WARRANT SERVICE OFFICER PROGRAM. THAT MEANS ICE CAN TRAIN, CERTIFY AND AUTHORIZE DETENTION DEPUTIES TO SERVE AND EXECUTE ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS IN THEIR AGENCY’S JAIL. THE GREENVILLE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS ALSO ENROLLED IN THE WARRANT SERVICE OFFICER MODEL. THE ANDERSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THEY ARE ALSO ENROLLED IN 287 G. BUT IT’S NOT REFLECTED ON ICE’S RECORDS. RIGHT NOW, CREWS ARE WORKING ON A SECTION OF INTERSTATE 40 THAT REMAINS CLOSED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS NEAR THE NORTH CAROLINA TENNESSEE STATE LINE. MAJOR FLOODING CAUSED A ROCK YESTERDAY. CREWS BEGAN THE PROCESS OF CLEARING THE ROAD THIS MORNING. TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS SAY THERE’S NO TIMELINE WHEN IT WILL REOPEN. THEY ENCOURAGE DRIVERS TO FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES IN ANDERSON. THE CORONER SAYS THERE WAS A DEADLY CRASH IN TOWNVILLE. OFFICIALS SAY IT HAPPENED EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON AT AN INTERSECTION ALONG FAIRPLAY ROAD. THE CORONER HAS IDENTIFIED THE DRIVER AS 46 YEAR OLD JEREMY BRYANT. INVESTIGATORS SAY HIS VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE. UNION COUNTY DEPUTIES ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THIS MAN. THEY SAY 19 YEAR OLD CAIN FLEMING IS WANTED IN CONNECTION WITH 22 CAR BREAK INS. THAT HAPPENED MONDAY IN THE FAIRWOOD COMMUNITY. DEPUTIES SAY SEVERAL ITEMS WERE STOLEN. AN UPSTATE COUPLE IS FACING FRAUD AND TRAFFICKING CHARGES THIS AFTERNOON. THE GREENVILLE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ANNOUNCED THE ARREST OF. MAURICE AND LAUREN CUMMINGS, PICTURED HERE. INVESTIGATORS SAY MAURICE ILLEGALLY OBTAINED SEVERAL IDS AND MADE PURCHASES USING STOLEN FINANCIAL INFORMATION. DEPUTIES ALSO SEARCHED THE COUPLE’S HOME IN SIMPSONVILLE AND THEIR BUSINESS IN GREENVILLE. DEPUTIES FOUND OVER 150 POUNDS OF MARIJUANA, 1 POUND OF MUSHROOM
Late New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson’s granddaughter arrested in South Carolina
Updated: 8:57 PM EDT Jun 19, 2025
Late New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson’s granddaughter has been arrested in Charleston, South Carolina. Rita Benson LeBlanc was arrested on Monday evening and is facing a charge of interference and hindering police officers, according to detention center records. LeBlanc was released from the detention center on Tuesday afternoon.WDSU has reached out to the Charleston Police Department for more information surrounding her arrest. LeBlanc was a longtime executive with the Saints and Pelicans, and was in line to take over from her grandfather as the owner of both professional franchises. A family feud in 2015 resulted in LeBlanc and her brother and mother being pushed out of the sports empire and Gayle Benson taking over complete control of both teams.
Late New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson’s granddaughter has been arrested in Charleston, South Carolina.
Rita Benson LeBlanc was arrested on Monday evening and is facing a charge of interference and hindering police officers, according to detention center records.
Charleston County Detention Center
LeBlanc was released from the detention center on Tuesday afternoon.
WDSU has reached out to the Charleston Police Department for more information surrounding her arrest.
LeBlanc was a longtime executive with the Saints and Pelicans, and was in line to take over from her grandfather as the owner of both professional franchises.
A family feud in 2015 resulted in LeBlanc and her brother and mother being pushed out of the sports empire and Gayle Benson taking over complete control of both teams.