The Bail Project Celeb-Backed Org Shuts Down ... After Suspect Bails Out and Shoots Vegas Man
An organization that helps people bail out of jail -- and supported by big celebs -- has shut down after getting sued by a man who was shot days after the shooter was released on bail ... bail posted by the org.
The Bail Project has a list of big celebs behind it, including John Legend, Danny Glover and Richard Branson.
The Bail Project posted $3,000 bond for Rashawn Gaston-Anderson last December. He had been arrested on burglary charges and had a long rap sheet, including attempted grand larceny, carrying a concealed weapon, felony burglary and auto theft ... this according to 8NewsNow.
Six days after being released on the $3,000 bond, Gaston-Anderson shot a Las Vegas man, Chengyan Wang, 7 times.
Gaston-Anderson copped a plea on charges of attempted robbery, mayhem with enhancements for using a deadly weapon. He was sentenced to 7-18 years.
Wang, who apparently has permanent injuries, is now suing The Bail Project, claiming it did not do due diligence before posting bail for Gaston-Anderson. The Clark County D.A. who prosecuted Gaston-Anderson said, "One can say, in a sense, they are vouching for the person."
The Bail Project, which has posted bond for 51 people in the Las Vegas area since 2021, called the incident "an absolute tragedy."
The Bail Project reportedly violated the law by not registering with the Nevada Division of Insurance.
related articles
Univ. Of Idaho Murders Victim's Father Has Confidence In Police ... Says DNA & Video Evidence Key to Solving Case
Idaho detectives probing the savage murders of 4 college students have come under fire for failing to solve the case after six weeks, with some doubting their competence ... but at least one victim's family believes the cops have the wherewithal to bring the killer/killers to justice.
Ben Mogen -- father of slain University of Idaho student Maddie Mogen -- told The Spokesman-Review he has no doubt Moscow PD will solve the baffling quadruple homicide with biological and visual evidence.
"From the very beginning, I've known that people don't get away with these things these days. There's too many things that you can get caught up on, like DNA and videos everywhere. This isn't something that people get away with, that goes unsolved."
Maddie and her fellow classmates -- Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin -- were fatally stabbed in an off-campus house on Nov. 13. The unknown assailant/assailants are still at large. Police have not disclosed a motive.
Despite the lack of answers, Ben Mogen threw his support behind the case investigators..."I have to just know that they know what they're doing, and if they don't, then they know someone that does," referring to the FBI and the Idaho State Police -- both of whom are assisting the Moscow Police in the investigation.
Mogen gave one investigator in particular props for regularly keeping him in the loop on developments in the case. But, he still admits he's waiting for answers to "so many questions."
It's interesting ... Mogen's statements stand in stark contrast to those of Kaylee Goncalves' family, which has been very critical of police. Kaylee's father, Steve, called the cops "cowards" for not releasing more information about the killer/killers, which has put other people at risk or so he claims. Steve also labeled the police "inexperienced" and hired a private detective to conduct their own investigation into the slayings.
related articles
'Blues Clues' Star Steve Burns Reunion With Make-A-Wish Patient ... 22 Years in the Making!!!
-
Exclusive
- 5.7K shares
"Blue's Clues" star Steve Burns unlocked a memory buried deep inside when a cancer survivor visited him at a convention -- turns out they'd met 2 decades earlier thanks to the Make-A-Wish foundation.
Brandon Ragland tells TMZ ... he's been in remission for more than 23 years and recently reconnected with Steve at Steel City Con in Pennsylvania, some 22 years after their first face-to-face under much different circumstances.
It's pretty cool ... Brandon says he walked up to Steve's booth, shook the actor's hand and pulled out a picture of the 2 of them from 2000 -- back when Steve was a Make-A-Wish kid -- and it all clicked for Steve, whose eyes lit up and said, "I remember this and you!"
Brandon says Steve told him a story about their first encounter at Serendipity 3 in NYC. Brandon was a 4-year-old meeting his fave TV star, and Steve recalls him being a wild child running around the restaurant.
During their reunion, Steve asked Brandon for a new pic together, and then they both started crying. You can understand why all the water works -- Brandon had stage 4 cancer in his kidneys and lungs when they first met, and now he's 25 with a family of his own.
Brandon says Steve then pulled him in for a hug and said, "This made my entire year and I'm so glad you're here."
Since then, they've stayed in touch on social media ... and Steve's made it clear how proud he is that Brandon's now a healthy father and husband.
BTW, their OG Make-A-Wish experience back in the day included dinner with Steve, a Toys "R" Us shopping spree ... and tickets to "Blue's Clues Live" in NYC.
Sounds like the second meeting was even sweeter.
related articles
'RHONJ' Star Teresa Giudice Family Feud With Gorgas Rages On ... No Holiday Reunion
-
Exclusive
- 262 shares
Teresa Giudice didn't open presents and won't be watching the ball drop with her brother Joe Gorga and sister-in-law, Melissa ... because the famous family members are still beefing.
Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Joe and Melissa did NOT spend Christmas and won't do New Year's with Teresa and her brood ... because she and the Gorgas haven't spoken since this past summer's blowout fight.
As fans of the show remember ... the bad blood started flowing on the 'RHONJ' reunion show, and then there was more drama ahead of Teresa's August wedding to Luis Ruelas.
The simmering beef made things super awkward as recently as October, when Teresa and Melissa kept their distance at BravoCon ... refusing to interact with one another despite being in the same room.
Instead of thawing the ice in honor of the holidays, we're told the Gorgas are going on a vacation with friends and relatives, while Teresa and Luis will be spending time with her four daughters.
Our sources also say Teresa's children will NOT be visiting their father Joe Giudice over in Italy.
We reached out to Teresa's rep, who had no comment.
related articles
Margot Robbie Latest Movie 'Babylon' Bombs ... 2nd Flop This Year
Margot Robbie's latest film bombed at the box office, marking the second such flop she's been in this year ... both of which were huge ensemble numbers with top A-list talent.
Of course, we're talking about 'Babylon' -- which hit theaters this holiday weekend ... and only raked in a meager $3.5 million domestically through Sunday, with an estimated $5.3 mil expected to come in through Monday. Either way ... it's not a good turnout whatsoever.
Damien Chazelle’s #Babylon bombs at the box office with $3.5M domestically
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) December 25, 2022 @CultureCrave
The film cost $80M to make pic.twitter.com/BzFYMOG0qv
The movie -- which is about old Hollywood and the emergence of "talkies" -- had massive star power attached to the credits ... in addition to Margot as the lead, it also featured Brad Pitt, Tobey Maguire, Olivia Wilde, Chloe Fineman, Eric Roberts, Flea, Max Minghella, etc.
Plus, there's the director -- Damien Chazelle -- who's an Oscar winner ... and with a somewhat hefty budget of $80 million (and a lot of marketing) it's unclear why this one didn't do well with moviegoers this holiday season. The mixed reviews probably didn't help.
Interestingly, there's another movie Margot was a part of earlier this fall that had very similar vibes -- another star-studded lineup (Christian Bale, Robert De Niro, Rami Malek, Taylor Swift, etc.) that came together for 'Amsterdam' ... which also flamed out in theaters.
It only made about $6.4M during its opening weekend in Oct., and went on to collect just $16M or so domestically overall -- this after yet another $80 mil budget spent to make it.
Margot Robbie says the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ spin-off film she had previously been attached to is no longer happening.
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) November 14, 2022 @VanityFair
🔗: https://t.co/ipqLoNan01 pic.twitter.com/GcWPDwx9r7
Bit of a tough year for Margot on the film front -- not only were things meh at the box office ... but she also said the 'Pirates' movie she was attached to had been killed by Disney -- even though one of the producers for the franchise insisted that's not quite the case.
She's got a lot on the horizon for 2023, though -- MR's already set to star in 'Barbie', as well as a Wes Anderson flick, 'Asteroid City,' ... not to mention her own 'Ocean's Eleven' prequel. The only (potential) problem ... all of those will have super stacked casts too.
Good luck!
related articles
LeBron James Historic H.S. Jordans Hitting Auction ... Could Fetch $200K!!!
-
Exclusive Details
- 853 shares
LeBron James fans are going to go crazy over this ... the shoes he wore during his first-ever H.S. championship are about to go up for sale -- but if ya wanna own 'em, there better be a whole lot of zeros in your bank account.
TMZ Sports has learned ... the black and white Jumpman Swift 6s that James wore when he won a state title as a freshman on the St. Vincent-St. Mary hoops team in Akron, Ohio are hitting the auction block in just a few weeks -- and they're so incredibly rare, they could land over $200,000 when the final gavel hits.
According to Heritage Auctions, which is hosting the impending sale, the sneakers were gifted to LBJ's stepfather, Eddie Jackson, back in 2000.
Jackson says 'Bron signed the kicks and handed them over following his huge game (25 points, nine rebounds) in the 1999-2000 Ohio High School Division III Championship against Jamestown Greenview.
James -- who was 6-foot-2 as a freshman -- added an inscription on both of the size 14 shoes, writing his jersey number "23" as well as "1999-2000 State Champs."
The auction house says the shoes will come with their original box as well.
The Js are obviously ultra rare -- they're one-of-a-kind after all -- but Heritage Auctions officials say they're also the earliest James game-worn material known in existence.
Bidding for the sneaks begins in February ... good luck saving up!!
related articles
Kardashian Hot Shots Of 2022
The Kardashian clan has had plenty of standout moments and fits in 2022 ... this time, we take a look back at some of the hottest shots to hit the Internet.
Kim Kardashian is known to drop a good bikini pic or two ... this time was no different, when she stunned in a pink two-piece during her baecation with her ex-bf Pete Davidson -- yeah, remember those two!
Kylie Jenner also popped out, back in October, in an all-black getup ... she posted a spicy pic sitting poolside.
Of course, Kendell Jenner nearly broke the Internet this year when she posed in her birthday suit. Remember, she reportedly dropped it a week after she and Devin Booker called it quits ... and it gave major revenge body.
With all the hot shots of 2022 ... the Kardashians are certain to make sure we keep up throughout the new year!
related articles
Andrew Zimmern Enough With the TikTok Recipes!!! Keep it Simple For Holidays
-
Exclusive
- 317 shares
Andrew Zimmern is putting an end to a very important debate ... mayonnaise does NOT belong in eggnog -- holidays or not -- and TikTok recipes do not belong in the kitchen!!!
We got the 'Bizarre Foods' host at LAX and picked his brain about the ... well, bizarre recipes going around on social media this festive season. Spoiler alert -- AZ ain't having it.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
Our photog asked about the mayo and eggnog trend ... and despite Andrew having tried some of the most exotic foods in the world, he says that blend is just plain wrong.
Andrew doubled down saying ... folks need to stop cooking à la TikTok, altogether. He says, every day there seems to be a new hack or outrageous trend. Next thing ya know there's gonna be a salmon fudge ice cream -- yes, he said that, and we hope to God that's hyperbole!!!
His advice is pretty simple ... keep it simple and focus on making it good, instead of unique. Now, we did tackle one more gastro controversy with Andrew -- charging family members for homemade holiday meals.
Andrew says, he doesn't blame folks for passing the hat. Check out his advice to families gathering for a holiday dinner -- he might have a lot of people putting credit cards down at grandma's house.
related articles
Allison In 'The Ultimate Christmas Present' 'Memba Her?!
American actress Hallee Hirsh was just 12 years old when she played the role of Allie Thompson -- the 13-year-old who finds a weather machine in the woods, which prevents bad weather from delaying Christmas -- in Disney's "The Ultimate Christmas Present" back in 2000.
Hirsh shared the big screen with Brenda Song as Allie's bestie, Sam Kwan, Spencer Breslin as Allie's younger brother, Joey Thompson, Greg Kean as Allie's father, Steve Thompson and John B. Lowe as Santa Claus.
Hallee also played the role of Rachel Greene as a child in "ER" as well as Daley in "Flight 29 Down."
related articles
Akon on Nick Cannon Let Him Procreate ... F*** Recitals, Total White Guy Thing
Akon says Nick Cannon should keep on making babies, even if he has to miss a recital or two ... because, from his POV, that's something only white folks care about anyway. 😅
The singer sat down for an interview this past week with Zeze Millz that's making the rounds now online ... and for good reason. What Akon says here is pretty wild -- basically suggesting that Nick doesn't have to be at every one of his kids' events to be a good father.
But, the way he phrases it is ... interesting. Check it out -- Zeze asks Akon if he sees a problem with Nick potentially being spread too thin as he has more and more children -- especially if that manifests in him possibly not being able to be there for all of them at crucial moments, like a dance recital.
To that, Akon says ... NBD, because "that's a white man thing." He hits the point home by saying, "Who gives a f*** about a recital" -- and goes on to list what he sees as the tenets of being a solid dad, using his own 9 children as examples.
In Akon's eyes, as long as a man can provide for his family and teach them fundamental values/morals ... all the little stuff in between doesn't really matter. That's certainly what it sounds like based on what he's saying here -- and, of course, not everyone agrees.
Akon also says if the baby mamas are on board, what difference does it make? He's kinda got a point there -- everyone seems to have an opinion on Nick Cannon's loins ... when, in reality, the only ones who are part of the equation are him, his BMs and the kiddos.
DECEMBER 2022
Funny enough ... we actually got Nick during the holiday season, and he somewhat spoke on this exact issue. According to NC, he's able to see all of his 11 children the same way Santa Claus gets around -- Christmas magic!
BTW, Nick's got a 12th on the way ... and it sounds like Akon would be cool playing godfather. Dude's obviously got his back
related articles
Cher Shows Off Diamond Ring Engaged to AE???
Cher is either engaged, or trolling ... and we're not sure which it is, 'cause the rock she's showing off certainly looks like something you receive when someone wants to marry ya.
The singer posted a photo Sunday of a massive diamond ring that she says her boyfriend, Alexander Edwards, gifted her for Christmas -- and while it could certainly go on any finger ... there's a lot of speculation this might belong on THAT finger.
THERE R NO WORDS,
— Cher (@cher) December 25, 2022 @cher
ALEXANDER,A.E pic.twitter.com/TZOYLGVWkv
Unfortunately, Cher isn't giving a lot of hints here. All she wrote was, "THERE R NO WORDS, ALEXANDER,A.E." She then noted those are his hands holding the box.
Of course, the internet is flipping out over the fact Cher may be engaged again. She hasn't been married since Gregg Allman way back in the mid-to-late '70s, and obviously Sonny Bono before that. She's dated a lot of people since then ... including some pretty famous men like Gene Simmons, Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Richie Sambora, Warren Beatty and others.
None of those relationships ever got to the point of marriage though ... and if she is, in fact, set to walk down the aisle with AE, it'd be pretty stunning -- especially since they've only been dating for a handful of months now.
Although we know they met in September, they only went public as a couple a month and change ago ... so a would-be proposal is clearly moving things along quickly, if that's what's actually going on. Then again, this could simply be a regular diamond ring ... right?
We've reached out to Cher's camp for clarification ... so far, no word back.
related articles
Tory Lanez Christmas Dinner From Jail ... Turkey, Muffins and More!!!
-
Exclusive
- 2.3K shares
Tory Lanez is now behind bars awaiting sentencing after being convicted for shooting Megan Thee Stallion -- and on Christmas Day ... here's what's waiting for him in the cafeteria.
TMZ has gotten a rundown on what the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department is cooking up Sunday for their inmates in jail ... and with Tory now being one of them, for the time being, he's definitely getting the same meal as everyone else -- and it doesn't sound half bad.
According to LASD, their corrections facilities have quite the food lineup ... including 4 oz of roast turkey, 4 oz of mashed potatoes, 2 oz of gravy, 1 oz of cranberry sauce, 4 oz of green beans, 1 cup of tossed green salad, a dinner roll, a pumpkin muffin and a chocolate milk.
The jails also have religious/medical diet options ... Halal, vegan, diabetic and everything in between -- none of which sound quite as appetizing as what's listed above. FWIW, Tory's currently being held at the Men's Central Jail just outside of Chinatown ... not too far from where he was in court for the past couple weeks, and where a jury found him guilty Friday.
Speaking of Friday, here's a photo of what may have been Tory's last meal on the outside. During an afternoon break amid jury deliberations ... TL and his crew were seen grabbing some pizza in DTLA.
Not too long after this ... he was taken into custody right in the courtroom, and hauled off to jail. His family, as we know, were practically in hysterics -- calling it an injustice.
related articles
Austria Avalanche Near Ski Resort ... Leaves At Least 2 Missing
-
Breaking News
- 180 shares
A major avalanche in Austria has left at least two people unaccounted for ... this after a reported 10 were feared buried and missing.
The natural disaster went down Sunday near the Lech/Zuers ski resort in western Austria, tearing through slopes where skiers who were visiting apparently got caught in it when the avalanche hit around 3 PM local time ... triggering several search teams to be deployed.
There were helicopters sent out to search for people who were initially thought to be missing at first -- but after a few hours, only two people are still nowhere to be found.
Two other people who were reportedly hit by the avalanche were injured to varying degrees -- one needed to be flown out to a hospital, and another was able to free themselves and seek medical attention on their own. Others who appeared to be impacted were unharmed.
As nightfall crept in, upwards of 200 volunteers continued to look for the two missing people, using search dogs to help.
Story developing ...
related articles
Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Reject The Sun's Apology Over Graphic, Hateful Column
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry calling BS over a British newspaper's attempt to make peace after one of their writers penned a scathing takedown of the Duchess ... one that got so much backlash, they actually had to yank the thing entirely.
We're talking about Jeremy Clarkson's column in The Sun from a couple weeks ago, in which he suggested MM was deserving of a public flogging of sorts ... saying he dreamed of her being stripped down and shamed in the most graphic of terms.
Literally gobsmacked at the utterly vile and disgusting comments written about Meghan Markle by Jeremy Clarkson in the Sun. What an utter piece of trash he is…what is it with these type of men that triggers them so? pic.twitter.com/iLpzIilTlm
— Dom Joly (@domjoly) December 18, 2022 @domjoly
The paragraph that drew the most outrage read, "Meghan, though, is a different story. I hate her. Not like I hate Nicola Sturgeon or Rose West. I hate her on a cellular level. At night, I'm unable to sleep as I lie there, grinding my teeth and dreaming of the day when she is made to parade naked through the streets of every town in Britain while the crowds chant, 'Shame!' and throw lumps of excrement at her."
He was referring to an infamous scene in 'Game of Thrones,' when Cersei is put through this exact type of treatment, in dramatic fashion.
Of course, his words drew the ire of many on social media ... with a ton of folks calling his words misogynistic, racist and downright evil -- just the sheer amount of vitriol he expressed for Meghan in the wake of her and Harry's Netflix special was, frankly, beyond the pale.
There were reportedly scores of complaints filed over the column, and eventually ... The Sun got the message and apologized. They said, in part, "Columnists’ opinions are their own, but as a publisher, we realise that with free expression comes responsibility."
Oh dear. I’ve rather put my foot in it. In a column I wrote about Meghan, I made a clumsy reference to a scene in Game of Thrones and this has gone down badly with a great many people. I’m horrified to have caused so much hurt and I shall be more careful in future.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) December 19, 2022 @JeremyClarkson
The Sun added, "We at The Sun regret the publication of this article and we are sincerely sorry." They deleted the piece from their website and their archives as well. Clarkson even apologized, saying he'd made a "clumsy" misstep in trying to reference 'GOT.'
Welp, the Sussexes weren't having ... calling The Sun's word empty and meaningless -- especially since they, apparently, have not reached out to the one person that matters.
A rep for Meghan and Harry says, "The fact that The Sun has not contacted The Duchess of Sussex to apologize shows their intent. This is nothing more than a PR stunt."
They went on to say, "While the public absolutely deserves the publication’s regrets for their dangerous comments, we wouldn’t be in this situation if The Sun did not continue to profit off of and exploit hate, violence and misogyny. A true apology would be a shift in their coverage and ethical standards for all. Unfortunately, we’re not holding our breath."
related articles
Kardashians Christmas Eve Family Blowout ... Holiday Fun for Everyone!!!
Another year, another Kardashian Christmas ... and this one was just as extravagant as ever.
The whole fam came together Saturday for an Xmas Eve blowout, which took place at Kourtney's house -- where she spared no expense in decking the place out with holiday-themed decorations, treats and attractions ... tons of fun for both adults and kids.
There was an elaborate spread of good eats for everyone to nosh on, and grownup beverages aplenty for those who were thirsty ... of which there seemed to be a few.
The house itself looked like something straight out of a Christmas fairytale -- or a Winter Wonderland, more like. Tons of fir trees adorned the grounds, some of them even looked to be different colors (red) ... and they were fully decorated too with lights and such.
The hired talent was on point as well ... the KarJenners hired Sia to belt out some tunes for everyone ... and it seems North West was in the mood to croon too, which she totally did.
As for the ladies themselves ... everybody was in their best holiday attire, dressed to the nines in evening gowns that looked pretty fabulous on each and every one of them.
Kim chose a sparkly silver dress ... while Khloe and Kourtney went with red and white, respectively. Kylie had a black and white ensemble on, and Kendall rocked a Jessica Rabbit look -- pulling it off well, we might add.
Unclear how many people attended this thing, but by the looks of all their videos ... it appeared packed (and poppin'). You can see all of the sisters enjoying themselves with a drink or two in their hands -- ditto for all the little ones, who were having a ball.
The Kardashians have thrown some awesome shindigs in their day -- but this one might take the cake in what was clearly an eventful year for them. That's another one in the books ... and another 365 days over with for the krew.
Can't wait to see what 2023 brings ... probably a lot, we're sure.
Happy holidays!
related articles
Vice President Kamala Harris Migrants Bused to D.C. Home Xmas Eve ... Sent From Texas, Again
Three busloads of undocumented immigrants were shipped to Vice President Kamala Harris' home in D.C. -- on Christmas Eve, no less ... courtesy, it seems, of Gov. Greg Abbott.
The startling scene unfolded late Saturday night, when a bus pulled up near the Veep's Naval Observatory residence in the dead of night ... and scores of people poured out in the freezing cold temperatures, which are said to have been in the teens.
#HappeningNow the second bus of migrants has arrived here in D.C. near VP Kamala Harris’ home. They are boarding another bus taking them to a church. Was just told by someone helping bring them to the church that this bus came from Texas: pic.twitter.com/Sp4upqz1yB
— Christian Flores (@CFloresNews) December 25, 2022 @CFloresNews
A lot of them didn't have the proper attire for the weather, and they were quickly provided blankets and jackets by folks on the ground who scrambled to find them housing.
Before long, two more buses showed up ... and even more migrants were dropped off and left to fend for themselves. Good Samaritans are reported to have worked together to get as many as they could to local shelters and churches, at least for one evening anyway.
Another bus just arrived outside @VP residence. One man tells me that traveled 2 days from Texas and he came from Ecuador. He said he was happy to be here. Bus includes children and women- moved to another bus by aid workers on ground after standing outside briefly in 14 degrees pic.twitter.com/W9JfRCJPNp
— Noah Gray (@NoahGrayCNN) December 25, 2022 @NoahGrayCNN
Many of the migrants are said to be asylum seekers from Ecuador, Nicaragua and other Central/South American countries, and they're all believed to have come from the TX border.
This marks the second time this year that Texas officials have transported folks like this across the country -- earlier this year, in a tag-team effort from Florida's Gov. Ron DeSantis, even more migrants were bused to both the Veep's residence and Martha's Vineyard.
The move, which many view as a cruel political stunt from the GOP, is supposedly meant to be a message about the state of things at the border ... but to do something like this on Christmas Eve is another level of messed up.
It doesn't appear VP Harris was home during the ordeal. She hasn't commented on it either.