19-Year-Old TikToker Arrested for Running GoFundMe Scam ... Over Fake Cancer Diagnosis

A 19-year-old has been arrested and booked in Iowa for what cops say was a phony charity scam that raked in tens of thousands ... all from people who believed she had cancer.

The Eldridge Police Department rang up Madison Russo on a first-degree theft charge this week, which carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison if convicted. She was arrested on Jan. 23, but has since bonded out ... and is due back in court on March 2.

Cops allege Russo lied about 3 different diagnoses that she'd publicly been touting for at least a year ... including leukemia, pancreatic cancer and a tumor "the size of a football."

Throughout much of 2022, Russo went viral on TikTok while documenting her health journey -- which the authorities are now saying was completely made-up ... and which entered criminal territory after she raised upwards of $37k on GoFundMe from 439 donors.

On social media, she was often seen adorned in hospital-like paraphernalia ... IV bags, tubes that ran through her nose and medical tape/gauze -- suggesting she was undergoing treatment. All of that, however, was phony and just an act -- so alleges Eldridge PD.

Court docs reportedly lay out what police say they found at Russo's apartment ... in addition to some of the medical supplies listed above, they allege they discovered a wig, pills for nausea in a relative's name and more. In other words, they're claiming these were all props.

In addition, Eldridge PD says they subpoenaed Russo's medical records ... and allege she'd never been diagnosed with cancer at any nearby hospitals. The cops say she got on their radar after people wrote in saying some of what they saw on social media seemed fishy.

TMZ INVESTIGATES

Organizations that Russo had allegedly affiliated with during this time -- when she was presenting herself as poster child for cancer awareness -- are now distancing themselves. She hasn't addressed the matter publicly. A TikTok account attributed to her has been scrubbed.

Tom Brady Not In Fox Sports' Super Bowl Plans ... Didn't Know About Retirement Decision

Tom Brady won't be jumping headfirst into his broadcasting gig with FOX Sports -- the newly retired NFL legend is not part of the network's plans for Super Bowl coverage next weekend ... TMZ Sports has learned.

The 7-time champion shocked the sports world when he shared his retirement plans on Wednesday ... saying he's leaving the game "for good" in an emotional social media post.

Our Brady sources tell us the announcement was equally surprising to FOX Sports ... who had no idea Brady was going to call it a career this morning.

Feb 1 2023
DONE FOR GOOD

As we previously reported, Brady inked a massive 10-year, $375 million deal to join FOX as an analyst upon his retirement ... whenever that day came.

TMZ INVESTIGATES

Now that Brady's post-football career seems to be here, he will eventually throw on the headset for the network in some capacity ... just not in time for the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles game in Arizona on Feb. 12 on FOX.

That being said, Kevin Burkhardt and ex-Panthers TE, Greg Olsen  -- a budding star behind the mic -- will be in the booth as originally planned ... and FOX will welcome Brady with open arms whenever he decides to kick-start his TV career.

J Lo Selling Bel-Air Home for HUGE PROFIT

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck planned to renovate her Bel-Air home after the couple got married, but they've pulled the plug on that plan and now she's selling ... with the prospect of an eye-popping profit.

MOVIN' TO A NEW BLOCK
Rudy Reyes

J Lo has just listed her home -- a stone's throw from Hotel Bel-Air -- for $42,500,000. Now get this ... in 2016, she bought the property from Sela Ward for $28 mil. You do the math.

The estate is almost 8 acres, an insanely large property for the area. The main house is more than 12,000 square feet, with 9 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms.

It's got all the bells and whistles ... an infinity pool, a 30-seat screening room, gym, guest house, 100-seat amphitheater, and on and on and on. And it's got central air!!!

The house is listed by super agent Brett Lawyer from Carolwood Estates.

Now here's the thing ... Ben and Jen have been looking for a home for well over a year, and have seen literally scores of properties.

We're told they're currently in a rental and are on the hunt again.

With the profit she's pocketing, it's not gonna make a dent in her wallet, for sure.

Gov. Ron DeSantis College Board Backs Down In Battle Over African American Studies

The College Board is caving to pressure from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to water down an Advanced Placement high school course on African American studies.

DeSantis dug in his heels, banning the class from all Florida high schools -- and Wednesday, the College Board, which oversees the AP program nationwide, announced several changes to the new course's curriculum ... and it appears concessions were made to DeSantis.

The Governor and others in the GOP, were pissed the course included topics like the Black Lives Matter movement, affirmative action, reparations, critical race theory and queer theory.

The official curriculum, released on the first day of Black History Month, removed those hot button topics ... while content on slavery, abolition, reconstruction, the Civil Rights movement and the Black power movement remains.

1/31/23
POTENTIAL CHANGES
TMZ.com

Christopher Tinson, the chair of the African American Studies department at Saint Louis University, joined us this week on "TMZ Live," and told us the College Board would be open to compromise, even though it now opens the door for other states to demand specific changes.

TMZ INVESTIGATES

DeSantis also made a fuss about several Black authors who were included in the course ... and the College Board's final draft also removed them from the material.

The new AP course is still a landmark opportunity for high school students to get educated on material usually reserved for college classrooms -- it's just a much more watered down version now.

Eagles' Josh Sills Indicted On Rape, Kidnapping Charges ... Days Before Super Bowl

UPDATE

10:28 AM PT -- The Eagles just released a statement on the charges ... saying, "The organization is aware of the legal matter involving Josh Sills. We have been in communication with the league office and are in the process of gathering more information. We have no further comment at this time."

Eagles offensive lineman Josh Sills has been indicted on rape and kidnapping charges ... just 11 days before Philadelphia is slated to play the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.

According to prosecutors in Ohio, the charges stem from an incident that happened in Guernsey County back on Dec. 5, 2019.

Officials allege that Sills -- a rookie reserve lineman for the Eagles who made the team this year as an undrafted free agent -- "engaged in sexual activity that was not consensual and held a victim against her will."

Prosecutors say the Guernsey County Sheriff's Office conducted an investigation into the case -- and a grand jury eventually indicted Sills on one felony count of rape and one felony count of kidnapping this week.

The 25-year-old is slated to appear in court on the matter on Feb. 16 -- just four days after the Super Bowl.

Sills -- who played high school football in Ohio -- attended both West Virginia and Oklahoma State during his college career. He played just a handful of snaps for the Eagles this season, appearing in just one game against the Cardinals on Oct. 9.

TMZ INVESTIGATES

The Eagles have yet to publicly comment on the charges. They're scheduled to play against Kansas City on Feb. 12 in Arizona.

Originally Published -- 7:38 AM PT

Tiffany Haddish I'm Doing 'GT2' If My Costars Want Me ... Screw What Other People Think

NOT WORRIED ABOUT IT
TMZ.com

Tiffany Haddish says she's shocked there's a push to get her written out of the long-anticipated "Girls Trip" sequel -- but she's defiant, telling us there's no way she'd miss it ... no matter what Twitter haters think.

Tiff seemed genuinely surprised outside The Ivy Tuesday evening when she was asked what she thought about the instant backlash when it was announced last week "Girls Trip 2" was finally going to be made ... and with the OG cast of Tiffany, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Regina Hall.

Well, she makes it crystal clear that as long as her costars want her to do the movie ... Tiffany WILL be there, regardless of any controversy.

The issue is, some fans think Haddish should not be included this time around, because of the child molestation lawsuit that was filed last year against Tiffany and Aries Spears.

As we reported, the suit was dismissed and the plaintiff even publicly forgave Tiffany ... saying she knows the actress would never harm her or her family.

As for the sequel to the 2017 comedic hit ... Tiffany told us she "can't be concerned with what other people think. I gotta be concerned about how I feel" ... and she says she's feeling really good about herself these days.

BTW, even though it's been announced the film will be set in Ghana, and everyone's on board ... Tiffany seems less than convinced it's actually gonna happen. As she put it, "Y'know every year they say this."

However, she does confirm she's spoken to her costars and everyone sounds excited to finally get it done.

Tom Brady I'm Retiring ... Gisele Sends Best Wishes

Feb 1 2023
DONE FOR GOOD
UPDATE

8:39 AM PT -- Tom Brady's ex-wife, Gisele Bündchen, reacted to the quarterback's announcement ... saying, "Wishing you only wonderful things in this new chapter of your life."

Tom Brady's run in the NFL has officially come to an end ... the quarterback revealed Wednesday morning he's retiring -- and this time, it's "for good."

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers star made the announcement in a short video that he posted to his social media page.

In the clip, Brady fought back tears -- while insisting there's no chance he comes back to the gridiron again.

"I know the process was a pretty big deal last time," Brady said, "so when I woke up this morning I figured I'd just press record and let you guys know first."

Tom went on to thank his family, friends, teammates, opponents and fans -- adding that he "wouldn't change a thing."

"Love you all," he concluded.

Brady's made this announcement once before -- back on Feb. 1 of last year, he told the football world he was done. Of course, that retirement lasted just a few weeks, as he unretired just 40 days later.

Tom's contract with the Bucs had run out this offseason -- but many had speculated the 45-year-old could return in 2023, perhaps with the Super Bowl contender San Francisco 49ers.

NO, REALLY THIS TIME
TMZ.com

But, Brady -- who played 23 seasons in the NFL -- made it clear in his vid Wednesday, he ain't coming back.

RED CARPET ROYALTY
BACKGRID

Tom appeared at peace with this decision at the "80 For Brady" premiere on Tuesday in Los Angeles, sporting a big smile while rubbin' elbows with his costars and other Hollywood celebs.

Brady will go down as arguably the greatest football player ever -- his resume is unmatched ... he won seven Super Bowls, earned three MVP awards, and was selected to 15 Pro Bowls. He was also named an All-Pro three times ... and threw for 89,214 yards and 649 TDs -- both NFL records.

In his final season in the league, Brady led the Bucs to the playoffs -- but bowed out early, losing to the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card round.

He's now expected to hit the broadcast booth after signing a mega deal to work with Fox as a color commentator.

Originally Published -- 5:27 AM PT

Jason Sudeikis, Olivia Wilde Battle Over Child Support Issues

Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis may have been hugging recently, but not because they've resolved their conflicts -- TMZ's learned there's a dogfight over how child support will be handled.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Jason's New York lawyer, Bill Beslow, has gone to a New York judge to resolve all child support issues. The reason it's sticky is that last July both a New York judge and a California judge ruled all CUSTODY issues should be handled in L.A.

We've learned Beslow went to a New York court January 4 and asked the judge to handle all child SUPPORT issues, and the judge set a hearing date for February 15.

Sources connected to Jason say he does not want any child support from Olivia. We're told he's willing to pay her "a reasonable amount" in child support either decided by the 2 of them or a New York judge.

Our sources say Olivia is baffled because both a New York judge and a California judge have already said this is an L.A. and not a New York case. She wants both custody and child support decided in L.A.

Beslow is appealing the decision to have custody decided in L.A. As for Olivia, we know her lawyer, Laura Wasser, and Olivia's New York lawyer have filed legal docs asking the judge on February 15 to dismiss Beslow's move to handle child support in New York, so a judge in L.A. can decide all issues involving the children.

APRIL 2022
NOT THE SCRIPT
BACKGRID

Short story ... this dispute is far from resolved.

As for Olivia and Jason hugging a few days ago ... we are told very clearly -- they are NOT getting back together.

Stay tuned.

Pamela Anderson Sons Says Sex Tape Ruined Career ... Spoiled Earnings

Pamela Anderson's kids say her infamous sex tape torpedoed her career and cost her a lot of money in the long run ... which is why they're hating on the streaming version of her life.

Brandon and Dylan Lee -- the two adult boys Pam shares with Tommy Lee -- spoke out in her new Netflix show, "Pamela: A Love Story" ... calling the stolen and leaked video she's made with her then-rocker hubby ended being a turning point in her life for the worse.

Brandon said, "She would've made millions of dollars if she just would have signed a piece of paper. Instead, she sat back with nothing and watched her career fizzle into thin air. She was in debt most of her life."

Dylan, meanwhile, said his mom's trajectory in Hollywood would've been much different if she had just sold out and cashed in on the tape.

NEVER SAW A DIME
Netflix

Rather than get in the gutter, however, Dylan says his mom tried to protect her kids as much as she could ... even if it ended up putting her in the red, which her sons say happened.

TMZ INVESTIGATES

They also decried just how underpaid PA was at the height of her career, pre-sex tape, and how unfair they think it is that their mother continues to be exploited by Hollywood to this day. They didn't name names -- Lily James and Sebastian Stan, specifically -- but it's clear they're not fans of the way their show was handled or how it portrayed their parents.

The boys ended their thoughts in a somewhat ominous tone, saying there'd be hell to pay "when we come knocking" over the way their mom was treated at the time.

Pete Davidson, Emma Stone Celebs Pour Into MSG ... Gotta Watch LeBron!!!

LeBron James made his return to Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night -- and in turn, so did a ton of celebs ... and the king didn't disappoint in NYC as a bunch of Hollywood's A-listers cheered him on.

LBJ went off in the game against the Knicks -- logging 28 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists  ... as the Lakers knocked off the home team in overtime, 129-123.

Emma Stone, Michael B. Jordan, Jon Stewart and Pete Davidson -- sporting a new haircut! -- seemed to love it all ... rockin' big smiles on their faces as the L.A. superstar did his thing.

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, former NHL star Henrik Lundqvist and comedian, Hasan Minhaj were also in attendance.

Of course, Spike Lee -- as usual -- was in the building ... though he wasn't in good spirits as his favorite team got dumped on by L.A.

All the celebs sat near each other in courtside seats ... with most appearing to have a hell of a time while rubbing elbows with one another.

It should be noted there was no date spotted on Davidson's arm ... but he seemed to be content riding solo and hanging with Stewart for the big hoops night, nonetheless.

Celebrities won't get another chance to watch LeBron hoop at the Mecca again until 2023 -- this was the Lakers' lone appearance at MSG this season.

TMZ INVESTIGATES

But, hey, if those that weren't in the arena were really feeling the FOMO on Tuesday night ... something tells us they'll be able to afford to go watch him play in L.A. later this year.

Anna Delvey Con Woman Makes it to Harvard!!! Speaking to MBA Students

Infamous con artist Anna Delvey -- whose story became a big Netflix hit -- is planning to drop some knowledge on Harvard students ... adding to her list of post-prison gigs.

Delvey, AKA Anna Sorkin, is gearing up to speak to an MBA class at the prestigious university ... according to Page Six. Cambridge has some time to brace itself as it's reportedly just in the planning stages at this point.

Anna was convicted on multiple fraud charges in 2019 ... including 4 counts of theft services and 3 counts of grand larceny while pretending to be a German heiress named Anna Delvey.

She was sentenced to four to 12 years in prison, but got out in February 2021. The following year, "Inventing Anna" -- the story about her life and crimes -- dropped on Netflix and became a huge hit.

Of course, the Harvard gig might come as a shock to some ... given the fact Anna, who is currently under house arrest, has an impressive criminal resume. But, she's been doing quite a bit despite it.

You'll recall, she put on a high-end art exhibit while locked up in ICE Detention ... and even recently hosted a party downtown.

Apparently, this won't be the first time Anna has spoken to college students -- she's already addressed some NYU students, and Oxford is also interested in having her speak too.

EVERYONE DESERVES A SECOND CHANCE
TMZ.com

We spoke with Anna last year and she told us she believes she deserves a second chance ... and from the looks of it, she's getting it.

Tyre Nichols Celebs Donating To Memorial Fund

Some of Hollywood's biggest names, plus a skateboarding legend, are pitching in to help Tyre Nichols' mother and stepdad ... with big donations to his memorial fund.

TMZ combed through more than 33,000 donations to Tyre's official GoFundMe and found a ton of celebs who donated money.

"Love Song" singer Sara Bareilles, pro skateboarder Tony Hawk and comedian Lil Rel Howery each pledged $1,000 ... as did "Shea Butter Baby" singer Ari Lennox.

The fundraiser is being organized by Tyre's mom, RowVaughn Wells, who says her and her husband's lives have been turned upside down by Tyre's death, which came after he was brutally beaten by Memphis police.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Lil Rel's been outspoken about the tragedy, saying Tyre was a peaceful person who should still be alive.

Tyre's mom says the donations will help cover the costs for her and her husband's mental health services, plus help them afford to take time off from their 9-5 jobs to focus on "seeking proper justice" for Tyre.

What's more, Tyre's mom says the family wants to build a memorial skate park for Tyre "in honor of his love for skating and sunsets."

Tony, the most famous skateboarder ever, appears all-in on building a skate park in Tyre's honor ... he reposted a video of Tyre skating, along with the caption, "Help Tyre's family (and honor him with a skatepark)."

Other donations pouring in from Hollywood include ... $2,300 from "Watchmen" screenwriter Damon Lindelof, $1,500 from "As Told By Ginger" writer Emily Kapnek and $5,000 from Madonna's manager, Guy Oseary.

The GoFundMe's raised $1,313,070 and counting.

'Dances With Wolves' Nathan Chasing Horse Arrested For Sex With Minors Police Call Him A Cult Leader

An actor who appeared in the Oscar-winning film, "Dances With Wolves," was arrested in Nevada for sexually assaulting underage girls and other serious felonies, ending a two-decade crime spree.

Nathan Chasing Horse was rounded up Tuesday by a SWAT team near his home in Las Vegas, where he lives with his 5 wives. He reportedly planned for his wives to take "suicide pills" and prepare for a shootout with police. He was booked in the Clark County Jail for child abuse or neglect, sex assault, sex assault against a child and sex trafficking of an adult.

According to the 50-page search warrant, Chasing Horse targeted young Native American girls and used his good reputation among tribes in the U.S. and Canada to lure them into his secret web. Known as a "medicine man," Chasing Horse performed healing rituals and held spiritual get-togethers ... but it was allegedly all to exploit his victims as the leader of a cult named, "The Circle."

Las Vegas cops say they've identified six alleged victims, some of whom were under 13. Chasing Horse allegedly recorded his sexual assaults and arranged sexual encounters between his victims and other men who would pay him.

The police investigation began with a tip in Oct. 2020.

TMZ INVESTIGATES

Sex crime allegations against Chasing Horse stretch back to the early 2000s and not just in Nevada, but also in Montana and South Dakota. Chasing Horse has not been charged with crimes in those other states.

In "Dances With Wolves," Chasing Horse played the role of Smiles a Lot, a young Sioux tribe member, alongside Kevin Costner. He also landed parts in three TNT telefilms.

Ozzy Osbourne Cancels Tour ... No More Live Performing

Ozzy Osbourne is canceling his upcoming tour, as well as the rest of his touring days for good ... citing a decline in his physical health that's preventing him from getting onstage.

The rocker announced Wednesday he's hanging it up on live shows ... starting with a slate of performances scheduled in the UK and Europe, which was supposed to begin in May. The tour was a continuation of a canceled Ozzy tour during COVID times.

Ozzy says an accident he suffered 4 years ago -- falling in 2019 and reaggravating an old neck/back injury from years ago -- hasn't quite gone according to plan in terms of recovery ... even now. Despite numerous surgeries, treatments and PT ... Ozzy says he still feels weak.

He adds, "I am honestly humbled by the way you've all patiently held onto your tickets for all this time, but in all good conscience, I have now come to the realization that I'm not physically capable." Ozzy goes on to say that it hurts him he might be letting down fans.

One final heartfelt note from him ... "Never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way. My team is currently coming up with ideas where I will be able to perform without having to travel from city to city and country to country."

Ozzy thanks his family, his band, his crew and his longtime friends in Judas Priest for the loyalty, support and dedication to him and his career for all these years.

Of course, we've been aware of Ozzy's health-related setbacks for a good while now ... but all this time, he's said he was determined to get back into the spotlight to do what he loves most. All the while ... his wife and former manager, Sharon Osbourne, has been by his side.

She, herself, has been through some health scares -- and some controversies -- in recent years as well ... but she's been steadfast in supporting Ozzy through and through, and he's been there for there her in return.

TMZ INVESTIGATES

The famed couple have recently relocated to their native U.K. ... although their children and grandchildren reside here in the States.

'Selling Sunset' Say Goodbye to Mary F!!! I've Got a New Last Name

"Selling Sunset" star Mary Fitzgerald will now be selling homes with a new last name ... she's officially been granted a change in order to take her hubby's.

According to legal docs obtained by TMZ, the reality star and real estate agent's petition to change her name from Mary Catherine Fitzgerald to Mary Catherine Bonnet just went through.

This means she and her French husband, Romain Bonnet, will finally share the same last name ... years after they got married.

Mary says it wasn't an easy decision, first wanting to keep her name for business purposes, as everyone knew her as MCF up until this point ... but in reality, she says it's actually her ex-husband's last name and she's ready to let it go.

As she puts it, she and Romain are madly in love with each other and they plan to start a family soon ... making this the perfect time for the switch.

TMZ broke the story ... the reality show stars actually tied the knot 19 months before they got married on the Netflix show in 2019. Of course, this had lots of fans side-eyeing the validity of their nuptials, but Mary later insisted the TV wedding was the real thing.

TMZ INVESTIGATES

So say hello to Mrs. Bonnet.

NLE Choppa Starting ‘Skate 4 Tyre’ Org 🛹 To Ease Family's Trauma

SKATE FOR TYRE
TMZ.com

NLE Choppa isn’t letting the momentum wane following his peaceful protest in Memphis -- he's planning to launch a skate foundation to support Tyre Nichols' family ... especially his young son.

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with NLE, who tells us his head's been swirling since seeing the brutal body cam footage of Tyre being pummeled to death by several now-ex-Memphis cops.

The "Shotta Flow" rapper says he was a novice when he hopped on a skateboard for the January 28 protest march he organized in Memphis. Skateboarding was one of Tyre's passions, and NLE feels like Tyre's talking to him through his newfound love of the sport -- he says he hasn’t stopped riding, calling it the Lil Wayne effect.

NLE thinks everyone should adhere to “love” these days and thinks the MPD operated with the complete opposite -- not only the night Tyre was beaten, but with the timing of the body cam footage release.

TMZ INVESTIGATES

He fears Tyre's 4-year-old son will be traumatized when he grows up and sees the video -- just one of the reasons NLE wants to do all he can to help the family.

SAVAGE BEATING
Memphis Police Department

He's hopeful Tyre’s son will grow up to share his dad's love for skating ... and maybe even manifest it into a pro career.

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