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We're getting a closer look at the alleged plot undertaken by two NYC suspects accused of kidnapping an Italian man and torturing him to obtain a password to his Bitcoin fortune ... prosecutors revealed in court this week the victim was allegedly lured to Manhattan in an attempt to reclaim some of his currency that had already been stolen.

John Woeltz and William Duplessie, two hard-partying "crypto bros" living in an 8-bedroom SoHo townhouse, are in custody after a barefoot and bloody Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan approached a cop on the street last week and said he'd just escaped from being imprisoned and tortured at the residence.

Prosecutors allege Woeltz and Duplessie had previously forced Carturan, a multimillionaire, to send them Bitcoin after they threatened to kill his family. Woeltz and Duplessie allegedly told Carturan he could get his Bitcoin back if he personally showed up in New York, which he did in early May.

Shakira fans who should’ve been shimmying their way to her Boston concert tonight are now shaking with frustration instead -- the show’s been scrapped last minute!

The Colombian singer was set to light up Fenway Park on Thursday and Friday, but both nights got the axe after a staging issue popped up during rehearsal -- and it's also lights out for Jason Aldean and Brooks & Dunn were also supposed to hit that same stage Friday.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... during a routine pre-show check, structural elements were identified as not being up to standard, so the shows were canceled by Boston Inspectional Services. All team members are safe.

A wide-eyed Uber driver who cops say pointed a gun at a Miami rapper in a viral video has been arrested ... and, while she was screaming and waving what looked like a weapon around in that clip, she's much calmer in the police body cam footage.

Jennifer Benitez was arrested May 17 after cops stopped her in Port St. Lucie, Florida because she had active warrants out for her arrest. In the video, cops yell at her to get out of the vehicle.

She follows their instructions to the letter, lying on the ground with her hands behind her back as they slap the cuffs on her.

The Diddy criminal trial is now at a dozen days of testimony ... and today's witnesses talked about sexual assaults, violence, "period blood," and some of Cassie's relationships with other celebs ... including a flirtation with Michael B. Jordan.

Things got emotional in the courtroom Thursday as a former Diddy assistant testifying under the pseudonym "Mia" recalled alleged sexual assaults, rapes and threats she endured from Diddy.

Mia sobbed during her testimony, and a lot of what she said lined up with some of Cassie's testimony about extortion ... though it's fair to wonder why prosecutors didn't bring Mia to the stand right after Cassie.

Donald Trump may have commuted Larry Hoover's federal life sentence, but the ex-Gangster Disciples leader still has a slew of red tape to cut through before he's totally free!!!

Hoover is still on the hook for a life sentence in the state of Illinois and the Governor's office tells TMZ Hip Hop ... the only way the 74-year-old can continue his quest for parole or clemency is to petition the Prisoner Review Board, AKA the PRB.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's office says, unlike Donald Trump, Illinois follows the law -- and its state justice system is no exception!!!

Julie Chrisley’s a free woman -- and wasting no time jumping back into everyday life after Trump’s last-minute pardon.

Check the pic -- Julie's post-slammer glow was written all over her face as she left a Nashville butcher Thursday, rocking her natural locks ‘cause clearly, the salon hasn’t made the post-prison to-do list yet.

After two and a half years behind bars for bank fraud and tax evasion, Julie’s first day out was clearly about the basics -- food runs and making sure everyone knew she was back in town.

Sarah Silverman’s locking lips with Joy Behar -- yep, it happened live on air ... and the audience ate it up!

Check out the clip -- guest Sarah told Joy it was a huge deal meeting her on "The View," when Whoopi chimed in with, "do the goodbye!" ... and boom, they went for it.

The clip says it all -- but if visuals aren’t your thing, here’s the play-by-play ... Sarah leans in, lays one on a ready-and-waiting Joy ... then pulls back with her lips sealed like she's soaking it all in.

Ana Navarro couldn’t resist jumping in -- cheekily asking how Joy’s breath was and throwing it back to that bowl of mints sitting in front of her at the Hot Topics table.

One of Diddy's former assistants says the music mogul sexually assaulted her for the first time during his birthday party at a swanky hotel in New York City ... but she says it didn't end there.

The witness, who is testifying under the pseudonym "Mia," told jurors she was working for Diddy in 2009 when he sexually assaulted her at The Plaza Hotel in New York, where he was celebrating his 40th birthday.

Mia said Diddy rented out the penthouse for a party filled with unnamed celebrities and she says he asked to speak to her in the kitchen, clearing out the room and leaving just the two of them alone.

Alice Marie Johnson says Larry Hoover's federal prison sentence was commuted to give him the hope of receiving a real second chance ... but he still has years to serve in an Illinois prison for a state crime, and Alice hopes the Illinois governor might grant him clemency as well.

We spoke with President Donald Trump's "pardon czar" on "TMZ Live" Thursday ... and, we asked her about Trump's decision to commute Hoover's federal sentence.

She tells us she first learned about Larry's case from Kanye West and Drake's live-streamed event at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum back in 2021, where she was sitting first row at the event and learned of Larry's plight.

Diddy's former assistant says she had to clean up some pretty nasty scenes in the hotels where he stayed with Cassie ... including some fluid she says he told her was "period blood."

The ex-employee, who is testifying under the pseudonym "Mia," told jurors one of her jobs as a Diddy assistant was to clean up hotel rooms before housekeeping ... due to concerns about embarrassing photos getting out.

Mia testified the rooms she encountered were "destroyed" and the "really nasty" conditions were a "nightmare." She said there would be candle wax everywhere, broken glass, oil on the walls, and sometimes even blood.

Gregg Sulkin has a new lady in his life two years after his split with actress Michelle Randolph ... and TMZ has learned the new couple has already taken a big step in their relationship.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... the actor has been quietly dating British model Freya Tidy for the last six months after the two met at an exclusive members-only club in London.

We're told things quickly got serious -- and Freya has since relocated to Los Angeles, where the couple now lives together. Our sources say Freya’s move to the States wasn’t just for love. We're told U.S.-based brands showed interest in working with her, giving her modeling career even more momentum on this side of the pond.

Can you guess which "Love Island" hottie put her bikini bod on blast in these eye-popping selfies? We'll get you goin' with a few clues, but then it's on you to score the unknown TV star ...

She's leveraged her days on "Love Island" into a 2.4 million Instagram following ... She's the host of the "So Wrong, It's Right" podcast ... This model has appeared on other reality TV shows like "I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!"

Tory Lanez's team has launched a spiraling, detailed new website containing never-before-heard audio from the night that got him convicted for shooting Megan Thee Stallion … with the defense’s trial witness telling cops at the scene the fired shots came from a woman!!!

Tory's team designed the site 36hourslater.com to uncover the 3 days following the shooting, sparked by Megan going on Instagram Live to tell her side.

L.A. native Sean Kelly was interviewed by investigators on the early morning of July 12, 2020 and told cops he could see one woman -- who we now know to be Kelsey -- angrily exit the rear passenger side of a Cadillac Escalade and open the driver-side passenger door in a fit of rage to confront the other woman, later learned to be Megan.

Fifth Harmony's Ally Brooke has found her perfect balance -- 'cause she’s officially tied the knot with Will Bracey!

The duo made it official in a dreamy sunset ceremony, officiated by none other than Bieber’s pastor, Judah Smith, at L.A.'s iconic Hotel Bel-Air on Saturday. And the pics are absolutely stunning.

Ally was glowing in a fitted strapless white wedding dress by Lee Petra Grebenau, looking every bit the bride of the year. Will, the Chief Operating Officer for the Bieber family, was all suited and booted, matching her elegance step for step.

Offset's not willing to give up his "Bad and Boujee" lifestyle ... and, he's asking the court to ensure his estranged wife, Cardi B, helps him maintain it.

The rapper filed an amended divorce response earlier this month in which he's now asking that Cardi pay him spousal support. He does not request a specific amount in the documents.

The rest of the requests look relatively unchanged ... 'cause Offset's still asking for joint custody of their children -- and he wants Cardi's place to serve as the primary residence for the kids.

Farrah Abraham’s found her niche -- posing in practically nothing under the sun, and it looks like she’s officially out-bikinied herself!

Feast your eyes on this – Farrah’s had her surgically enhanced assets front and center, barely covered by a sliver of silver bikini string as she worked those angles in the scorching Miami heat Wednesday.

Farrah turned up the heat with a pop of bold yellow string bottoms, the straps riding high on her hips, making sure her curves were flaunted to the best of their ability.