Avicii, DJ-producer who performed around the world, dies

Avicii, DJ-producer who performed around the world, dies

NEW YORK

Avicii, the Grammy-nominated electronic-dance DJ who performed sold-out concerts for feverish fans around the world and also had massive success on U.S. pop radio, died Friday. He was 28.

Publicist Diana Baron said in a statement that the Swedish performer, born Tim Bergling, was found dead in Muscat, Oman.

No more details about the death were provided. Oman police and state media had no immediate report late Friday night on the artist’s death.

Avicii was an international pop star, performing his well-known electronic dance songs around the world for die-hard fans.

His popular sound even sent him to the top of the charts and landed onto U.S. radio: His most recognized song, the country-dance mashup “Wake Me Up,” was a multi-platinum success and peaked at No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. On the dance charts, he had seven Top 10 hits.

Actress arrested in sex trafficking in ‘guru to stars’ case

NEW YORK

A television actress best known for playing a young Superman’s close friend pleaded not guilty Friday to sex trafficking after federal prosecutors said she worked as a slave “master” recruiting unsuspecting women to a cult-like group led by a man who sold himself as a self-improvement guru to the stars.

Allison Mack was accused in an indictment unsealed by the federal court in Brooklyn. She entered her plea and was remanded to custody after Judge Cheryl Pollak refused a request from Mack’s lawyers to release her without bail. A bail hearing will be held Monday.

Mack, 35, starred in The CW network’s “Smallville.” Since that series ended in 2011, she has played only minor roles. Prosecutors said she helped recruit women for leader Keith Raniere and his cult-like organization called NXIVM. She told the women they were joining what was purported to be a female mentorship group, prosecutors said.

But “the victims were then exploited, both sexually and for their labor,” according to federal prosecutors.

Prosecutors said she required women she recruited to engage in sexual activity with Raniere, who paid Mack in return.

Associated Press