Russell Brand is entitled to approximately $20 million of Katy Perry's fortune ... but TMZ has learned he will not take a single penny of it.
Russell's lawyer filed final divorce papers Tuesday ... although the judge will make the divorce official on June 30, because there's a 6 month waiting period.
Informed sources tell TMZ ... Russell and Katy did NOT have a prenup. As a result, everything they earned during their 14-month marriage is community property -- which means they're each entitled to 50% of the pot.
Katy made $44 million between May, 2010 and May, 2011 -- according to Forbes. The couple married in October, 2010, so Russell could have scored a fortune if he exercised his community property rights.
But here's the deal. As one source put it, "This divorce is as amicable as it gets, and Russell was a mensch (Yiddish for a good person)." He doesn't want Katy's money. He's happy to walk away with the money he earned -- which is far less than what Katy raked in.
So we gotta ask ...
Deion Sanders "orchestrated" a violent attack on his wife ... designed to physically force her out of his Texas mansion ... this according to a new lawsuit filed by Pilar Sanders.
In a fast and furious legal response to the altercation at the home this week, Pilar filed suit against Deion and a woman named Laura Jones, the woman accused of carrying out the attack.
According to the documents, Deion summoned Laura -- his "fake aunt" -- to help him physically remove Pilar from the home on Feb. 6 so Deion could change the locks and bar her from returning.
Pilar claims Jones is legally banned from entering the home ... but she entered the place anyway ... so Pilar says she demanded that the woman leave immediately. Instead, Pilar claims, the woman "squared off and took a swing at [Pilar] hitting her in the eye."
Pilar says Laura "continued to hit, slap, punch, choke, push and kick" her ... causing various injuries. Pilar says she was so scared, she grabbed a KITCHEN KNIFE and prepared to defend herself until cops arrived.
Now, Pilar wants a judge to issue a restraining order against the woman ... and she wants Deion to fork over a check for the mental and physical pain.
After the incident, Deion claimed Laura was only at the home to fix his phone system and said Pilar's account is completely untrue.
Pilar Sanders called cops to Deion's gargantuan Texas mansion yesterday ... claiming she was ATTACKED by one of Deion's female friends ... while the NFL legend stood by and watched.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, Pilar told officers a woman named Laura arrived to the mansion to see Deion ... but Pilar told Laura she was not welcome in the home and asked her to leave.
We're told Laura refused ... and after some words were exchanged, Laura threw an object at Pilar ... striking her in the eye.
Pilar grabbed her phone and called 911 ... and told police Deion was present during the altercation, but didn't do ANYTHING to diffuse the situation.
Cops tell TMZ ... no arrests were made and the situation is under investigation.
Pilar's lawyer tells TMZ, "Pilar was taken to the hospital emergency room as a result of the injuries she sustained during the assault."
The lawyer adds, "This is an opportunity for Deion to use his 'Century-21 celebrity status' to set an example as to how to lovingly care for his wife and children during divorce proceedings."
10:05 AM PST -- Deion Sanders has broken his silence on Twitter ... saying, "My AUNT Laura Jones was at my home fixing my phone system and was attacked. We have proof. We apologize for these weekly ignorant lies! TRUTH."
He added, "Enough is Enough we're so tired and exhausted from the lies and foolishness. My kids are being affected weekly with these false allegations."
The Kim Kardashian, Kris Humphries divorce has become a bitter fight, and we've learned Kris' lawyer intends to put reality TV on trial ... but that could blow up in his face.
Sources tell us ... Kris and his lawyer, Lee Hutton, want to "expose the M.O. of reality TV" by proving Kim had no intention of staying married to him, but just wanted big ratings for her reality show.
Now here's the irony. The duo wants to prove their point by asking the judge to allow TMZ and TV stations to broadcast the trial -- something that the judge might find a tad hypocritical ... not that we're complaining.
TMZ broke the story ... Kim filed for divorce on grounds of "irreconcilable differences." Kris has countered that he wants the marriage annulled based on fraud.
Kris has a couple of problems with the fraud claim. First of all, he's the one who proposed. Second, the publicity has made him famous and marketable and he'll make millions more than he would have otherwise.
And another big point in Kim's favor ... We've learned the prenup is extremely long and complicated ... accounting for what would happen years into the future. Why would she go through the time and trouble of having a long prenup if she planned on pulling the plug on the marriage within a few months?
Estranged husband and wife Ben Harper and Laura Dern may not be so estranged after all ... the former couple kicked it together in Bev Hills yesterday ... more proof they're trying to get back together.
TMZ broke the story ... Harper blindsided Dern with divorce papers back in 2010 ... after 5 years of marriage and two children.
But last month, the two were spotted arm-in-arm at a Golden Globes after party ... and yesterday they looked pretty coupley strolling around Beverly Hills.
2nd time's the charm?
8:57 AM PST -- Sources connected to the couple tell us ... THEY'RE OFFICIALLY BACK TOGETHER!!!
As far as the divorce goes, we're told the papers have not been formally withdrawn ... but it seems it's only a matter of time.
The guy who created the "CSI" shows is raking in $25k per episode for EACH of the three series on the air ... this according to his estranged wife who claims she can't figure out why he deserves to keep getting paid ... and even worse, she says she's been totally cut off.
Jennifer Zuiker just filed new legal docs in her divorce from Anthony Zuiker ... in which she claims Anthony hasn't given her a dime in child and spousal support since she called off the marriage last April.
According to the docs, filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Jennifer is demanding $1,000,000 to pay her lawyers and accountants while they work out a long term financial arrangement. Plus she wants a judge to sign off on an order that would force Anthony to shell out $54,282 in monthly support. After all, Jennifer claims she spends $158,827 in monthly expenses including:
-- personal living expenses ............$91,882
-- children's personal expenses ... $5,236
-- costs related to houses .............. $61,710
In an effort to convince the judge that Anthony can afford it ... Jennifer spells out his yearly income -- an estimated $1.6 MILLION ... and that's JUST from the "CSI" franchise.
Jennifer notes in the docs, "It has not been determined what, if anything, [Anthony] is doing to earn those funds."
Jennifer claims Anthony is also banking a bunch of cash from a new show he's developing for ABC called "Chameleon" ... plus, she believes he's also getting paid for various speaking engagements.
However, in the docs, Jennifer admits the kids spend 40% of the time with Anthony ... and sources connected to the couple say its actually more than that.
A hearing is set for March. Stay tuned ...
Seal and Heidi Klum -- seen yesterday at LAX and running errands in Brentwood separately -- are each still wearing their wedding rings ... two weeks after announcing they were separating.
Seal told Piers Morgan in an interview last month that the possibility for reconciliation still exists and he wears the ring because "I'm still married to this incredible woman."
As we previously reported, Heidi shopped all over town for divorce lawyers and effectively blocked Seal from some of the best lawyers in the biz ... since he can't hire anyone with whome she shared confidential information.
Red Sox pitcher John Lackey's divorce from wife Krista is finally official ... TMZ has learned.
As TMZ first reported, Lackey filed for divorce back in August while Krista was battling breast cancer. She underwent a double mastectomy last March.
According to court records in Texas, the divorce was finalized on January 31. We're told there is a prenup in place, which calls for Lackey to keep his separate property for himself.
We emailed both sides for comment ... never heard back.
Deion Sanders says his estranged wife is straight up LYING ... telling friends he NEVER offered her cash for sexual favors ... and insists Pilar is simply trying to extort him for millions.
TMZ broke the story ... Pilar just filed an emergency motion in Texas, claiming Deion is holding her as a "financial hostage" ... cutting off her cash flow ... and only offering to give her cash in exchange for X-rated activities.
Sources close to Deion tell us the accusations are entirely untrue ... and claim the NFL legend recently sent her a cashier's check for $10,000 ... which Pilar REJECTED.
Pilar's lawyer, Larry Friedman, tells us she refused to accept the money because Deion presented the check as a "partial payment" towards the prenup ... a prenup she believes is invalid.
We're told Pilar was only promised $1,000,000 in the prenup ... but Friedman believes she's entitled to MILLIONS more ... saying, "The offer does not reflect the assets in the estate and does not account for the time, effort, devotion, and faithfulness Pilar has invested in the marriage."
A close adviser to Deion tells us ... "Pilar has continued to make false statements in an attempt to extort additional money, in spite of the generous pre-nup that she voluntarily signed. Deion is going to allow a judge to resolve this privately, then he looks forward to setting the record straight publicly at the appropriate time."
Pilar Sanders claims Deion Sanders is holding her as a "financial hostage" ... completely severing her cash flow ... and has only offered to give her money in exchange for sex ... this according to new court papers obtained by TMZ.
Pilar has filed an emergency motion in a Texas courtroom ... claiming the NFL legend has canceled her credit cards and left her without any financial means to support herself and their children ... and she needs the judge to force Deion to give her money so she can survive.
In the docs, Pilar claims, "Since [Deion] filed for divorce on December 21, 2011, he has given [Pilar] $300.00 and offered her money in exchange for sexual favors."
She then notes, "Pilar turned down the money."
Pilar is begging the court to force Deion to give her money stat ... claiming "The children and I have lived in survival mode for several months, and the emotional toll on all of us is palpable."
Pilar also claims Deion has canceled her cell phone and has "engaged in a pattern of systematically removing my belongings from the house and haphazardly throwing them into piles in the garage of the residence."
Pilar claims Deion still rakes in more than $1 million per year ... and she NEEDS a cut of his income to survive.
Calls to Deion's reps have not been returned.
Don Cornelius died with 2 life insurance policies worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and the ex-wife he hated will get all the money ... TMZ has learned.
Don's breakup with Viktoria Chapman Cornelius was brutal. He was convicted of domestic abuse and, according to him, she pepper sprayed him multiple times.
During the divorce in 2009, Don said in legal docs obtained by TMZ, 'I am 72 years old. I have significant health issues. I want to finalize this divorce before I die."
The divorce was indeed finalized later that year, but there's a provision in the settlement agreement that says Don must make Viktoria the beneficiary of both of his life insurance policies -- totaling around $300,000 in benefits.
Under California law, if a policyholder commits suicide within 2 years of the time the policy is issued, the company can deny payment. But Don had the policy for more than 2 years, so Viktoria -- the woman he despised -- will get the loot.
