CELEBRITY JUSTICE ™

Mally Mall and Swae Lee can always visit the L.A. Zoo if they want to see jungle cats and monkeys ... because there's little to no chance they're getting their exotic pets back.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... after Mally's Serval cat and Swae's spider monkey were seized in Wednesday's SWAT raids, the animals were immediately taken to special facilities. We're told Mally and Swae will ONLY get the animals back if they had legal reasons to possess them -- such as owning a zoo or an animal educational facility -- and that's just not the case here.

Even if Mally and Swae had a legit reason for housing the Serval cat and spider monkey, we're told they would still need to apply for permits to get the animals back, but those applications would be blocked because of their history.

Mally's had tons of issues with exotic animals in the past ... the Health Dept. launched an investigation when he brought a capuchin monkey to the Ace of Diamonds strip club, and he once gifted Justin Bieber a monkey and an ocelot.

We broke the story ... 40 SWAT team members, armed to the teeth, raided Mally's home Wednesday morning, executing search warrants for exotic animal possession and human trafficking. Swae's home was also raided.

As it stands, we're told the Serval cat and spider monkey seized in the raids are being housed in facilities that are permitted to possess each type of animal, with the capability of providing proper care and adequate caging.

Maybe just a house cat next time?!?

Chance the Rapper's bodyguard allegedly unleashed a can of whoop-ass -- caught on surveillance video -- and now the guy on the receiving end is suing.

Travis Montgomery is suing the rapper's muscle, claiming Star Thomas beat the hell outta him in August 2017 after a verbal exchange inside the lobby of the W Hotel in Chicago. Montgomery says the incident was even more violent considering Thomas's size ... 6 foot 4 and about 300 pounds, according to the suit.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Montgomery says Thomas had blocked him from jumping inside an elevator earlier in the day, because Chance was aboard. Montgomery says he ran into Chance's entourage again later in the day -- and that's when things got violent in the lobby.

Montgomery claims Thomas grabbed him by the neck, pushed him violently into a wall and held him by his neck, choking him. You can see it all play out in the video.

As we first reported ... cops were called to the scene and Thomas was booked for misdemeanor simple battery. Montgomery, who's hired attorney Tim Tomasik ... also has beef with the hotel for having inadequate security.

French Montana's song, "Ain't Worried About Nothin," features his voice and his lyrics, but everything else about it was created by someone else ... according to a lawsuit.

Eddie Lee Richardson, who goes by Hotwire the Producer, says French straight jacked a song he'd uploaded the year before 'Ain't Worried' was released.

Hotwire says his track, "*Hood* Pushin' Weight," hit SoundClick in 2012 as an instrumental with a "unique and artistic array of digital sounds and rhythms." According to the suit, it was also "tagged" with a single and repeating vocal ... "Hotwire." He says it was his way of marking his work, so no one could steal it.

French's song dropped in April 2013, and Hotwire says it's an exact duplicate of the music he created and produced ... just with lyrics and vocals on top of it.

Listen to both tracks ... there is more than a passing similarity, at least to our ears.

Jussie Smollett's lawyer says the actor will not be intimidated by the City of Chicago's latest move -- to recover $130k in investigative costs -- hinting he might sue the City for defamation.

Jussie's lawyer, Mark Geragos, fired off an angry letter to the city, saying Jussie "will not be intimated," calling the claim his client faked the "attack" "false and defamatory."

As we reported, the City is preparing a civil lawsuit to recover the $130k it spent in investigating Jussie's claim that he was the victim of a racist, homophobic attack. The lawsuit is significant, because it effectively puts Jussie on trial and the standard of proof is much lower than a criminal case.

Geragos says the attack was real, and points to the Osundairo brothers as the culprits.

And, Geragos is quick to point out, the State's Attorney dropped all 16 felony charges against his client.

He then threatens that he will grill Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson like cheeseburgers in depositions if the City goes through with the lawsuit. Both men were extremely critical of State's Attorney Kim Foxx for dropping the charges, saying Jussie did indeed fake the attack.

Rihanna's dad is facing more legal blowback for allegedly pretending to rep her ... but this time, it's a social media star threatening to sue.

First, a little background ... you'll recall back in January, RiRi sued her pops, Ronald Fenty, claiming he's fraudulently profiting off her brand by falsely advertising himself as her rep through a talent development company called Fenty Entertainment.

That case is ongoing, but it appears to just be the tip of the iceberg. Harvey Justice -- aka Chef Henny -- is going after Ronald for doing exactly what Rihanna claims in her lawsuit.

Harvey's attorney, Alex Spiro, fired off a legal letter to Ronald claiming Ronald told Harvey multiple times he repped Rihanna.

What's more ... Harvey -- who made a name for himself on YouTube with more than 9 million views from parody videos, always showing him cooking with Hennessy -- claims Ronald told him Rihanna plays a central role in the company.

Harvey says he trusted Ronald so he signed with him back in April 2018 and was promised a $750k marketing budget but says he's only gotten $50k. Where's the rest? Harvey claims Ronald keeps telling him it's being held up by a South American investor.

The chef says he wants what he was promised plus additional damages ... or else.

Jussie Smollett is about to get sued by the City of Chicago and, in the process, he could effectively go on trial for allegedly faking the "attack."

As we reported, the City of Chicago fired off a letter to Jussie's people, demanding $130,000 for the cost of investigating the case. Jussie's people told the City to go pound sand.

The City had to wait 7 days before filing a civil lawsuit against the actor. Well the 7 days has now passed, and the City has made its intentions clear -- they are going forward with the lawsuit.

A spokesman for the City says, "Mr. Smollett has refused to reimburse the City of Chicago for the cost of police overtime spent investigating his false police report on January 29, 2019. The Law Department is now drafting a civil complaint that will be filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County. Once it is filed, the Law Department will send a courtesy copy of the complaint to Mr. Smollett's L.A. based legal team."

The stakes are high for Jussie ... the City can ask for 3 times the actual cost of investigation ... $390,000.

In addition, in order to win, the City must prove that it's more likely than not that Jussie faked the "attack." This, in effect, puts Jussie on trial before an administrative law judge.

2:53 PM PT -- Holder just pled not guilty and his bond was set at $5 million ... he will be back in court May 10. Holder's attorney is Chris Darden ... who was famously part of the prosecution team in O.J. Simpson's double murder trial.

Nipsey Hussle's alleged killer, Eric Holder, is now officially charged with murder, and he's about to appear in court for the first time since his arrest.

The L.A. County D.A. charged him with 1 count of murder, 2 counts of attempted murder and 1 count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Holder faces the possibility of life in prison if convicted.

The attempted murder charges are for the alleged shootings of Kerry Lathan and Shermi Cervabta Villanueva. We broke the story ... the only reason Nipsey was at his Marathon Clothing store Sunday morning was to help his friend Kerry -- who recently got out of jail -- get some new clothes. Shermi is Kerry's nephew and had driven him to meet with Nipsey.

Holder is being held in solitary confinement, as cops fear he'll be offed in jail because they believe he's a target. As we reported ... LAPD picked up Holder from the L.A. County Sheriff's Department station in Lakewood after his Tuesday arrest, and transferred him to a police station in South L.A.

It's doubtful he sees the light of day anytime soon, his bail's already been set at a whopping $7,040,000.

Cops say they believe Holder -- who goes by the street name, Shitty Cuz -- is the person seen in surveillance video shooting Nipsey and his friends multiple times. The Crenshaw rapper died Sunday afternoon from gunshots to his head and torso.

3:31 PM PT -- Timmothy's Aunt and Grandmother have just spoken out, thanking law enforcement and promising that they will never stop looking for Timmothy.

They also asked everyone to join them in praying for Rini, stating, "We hope our tragedy will help to shed some light on the horrific problems of suicide and missing children in our country."

2:05 PM PT -- The story just keeps getting more bizarre ... the kid claiming to be Timmothy isn't a kid at all! Cops say he's a 23-year-old MAN named Brian Michael Rini.

1:48 PM PT -- According to The FBI, DNA testing has revealed the 14-year-old claiming to be Timmothy is NOT the missing child. A statement reads, "A local investigation continues into this person's true identity."

Timmothy Pitzen -- a 6-year-old child who famously went missing in 2011 and was featured on "Live PD" -- has allegedly been found in Ohio after escaping his captors.

The story's pretty wild. A teenager discovered by locals in north Kentucky Wednesday morning claimed to be Timmothy and said he'd just escaped his 2 kidnappers. He reportedly said they'd been holding him for 7 years. The locals then called 911.

Cops went on the hunt, and eventually found the boy in Sharonville, OH ... just outside of Cincinnati. He claims he's 14-years-old now, and managed to escape from a Red Roof Inn ... although he's unsure where the motel was. He describes his kidnappers as white men covered in tattoos on their necks and arms who look like bodybuilders.

It's unclear if the teen, who's now in police custody is, in fact, Timmothy. A DNA test to confirm his identity is reportedly underway and should take about 24 hours.

Timmothy initially disappeared after his mother took him out of school one day for a 3-day vacation, but she ended up being found dead a few days later at an Illinois hotel. A note was found near her body, saying Timmothy was safe with people who'd care for him.

The story was heavily covered at the time, and even featured last year on the popular A&E show, "Live PD." The show produced a visual rendering of what Timmothy should look like now.

Jack Osbourne is the victim in a coffee shop attack -- his morning cup of Joe was brutally interrupted when a random stranger delivered a blow to his head in a totally unprompted attack.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Jack was at a coffee shop Wednesday in Studio City where he was sitting on the sidewalk patio. We're told someone who appeared to be homeless came out of nowhere and sucker punched Jack on the right side of his head. Jack, who had his back to the street, got up and threw his coffee at the guy ... who then ran away.

Our sources say cops were called and they found the attacker, who struggled with cops and needed to be tazed to calm the hell down. The suspect was ultimately arrested for battery and assault.

A rep for Jack tells us he is doing just fine.

The attack comes on the heels of Jack and his now ex-wife, Lisa, finalizing their divorce ... rather amicably too.

About a month ago, they reached a settlement that saw Jack pay Lisa a $1 million lump sum ... while he got to keep a bunch of their artwork.

Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Bezos are a done deal ... officially -- and it sounds like she's walking away with a huge chunk of change, while he's retaining the lion's share of their companies.

Mackenzie says she's "finished the process of dissolving my marriage with Jeff," and says she's given him all of her interests in the Washington Post and 75% of their Amazon stock. She's also surrendered her interest in Blue Origin ... the aerospace company Jeff started in 2000.

To be clear ... she's not giving him all of that. No doubt, Jeff's paying out a nice chunk of what was their $149 billion net worth. BTW, that number was $137 billion when they announced the split ... so, it's been a good year for Bezos. Financially.

The former couple got hitched back in 1993 -- 6 months after they met, and way before he became the world's richest man -- and they have 4 children together ranging in age from 13 to 18.

The division of their assets could've been complicated by how much they have -- besides cold hard cash, they are straight-up baronial. They own 400,000 acres of property and are 2 of the biggest landholders in the country.

The now-exes jointly announced their plans to split following what they called a trial separation.

Jeff, of course, has already moved on to date former "So You Think You Can Dance" host Lauren Sanchez, the estranged wife of talent mogul Patrick Whitesell. As we reported, Jeff and Lauren started hooking up in 2018, after separating from their respective spouses.

Lauren and Patrick are also going through a divorce.

Jeff and MacKenzie both went to Princeton, but they met in New York when he was vice president of a hedge fund. After getting married, they quit their Wall Street jobs and moved to Seattle, where Jeff started an online bookstore -- the dawn of Amazon. Jeff started the bookstore in his garage, just like Steve Jobs.

MacKenzie is an award-winning novelist and the executive director of an anti-bullying org. called Bystander Revolution.

Jussie Smollett ain't out of a job in Hollywood ... at least according to Taraji P. Henson who says the embattled actor is slated to return to "Empire" ... assuming it officially gets greenlit for season 6.

Taraji dropped the news Thursday after Joy Behar straight-up asked on "The View" if Jussie's gonna be on the show -- currently in hiatus -- next season. Taraji didn't beat around the bush saying, "Yes. I haven't heard anything else." There is, of course, wiggle room here -- she may not be looped in.

The fifth season of "Empire" wrapped up last week but there's been no official word on whether season 6 is a go ... but Taraji made it sound as if it's all but official.

Check out the vid ... Taraji's also asked if she still talks to Jussie. Her answer might surprise you. Or not.

As you know ... prosecutors dropped Jussie's case but he's still in the city of Chicago's crosshairs.

Mally Mall has been accused in a civil lawsuit of running a major sex/human trafficking operation out of Vegas.

The lawsuit was filed by 3 Nevada prostitutes, who are asking a judge to declare the State's prostitution law unconstitutional on grounds it violates the 13th Amendment which prohibits slavery.

The lawsuit was widely covered when it was filed several weeks ago, but buried in the documents are allegations against the famed record producer. One of the prostitutes who filed the case claims in 2006 she responded to an ad for a job posting by one of Mally Mall's employees.

The company was VIP Entertainment based in Dallas. She claims this is just one of a number of shell companies Mally Mall used to disguise escort services.

She says she was trafficked across state lines and came to Vegas to work as a prostitute for the company.

The woman says Mally Mall used "methods of fraud" to entice women into working for him by saying the work was glamorous and they were like Playboy Bunnies and he was like Hugh Hefner. She says she was also "forced" to perform oral sex on him.

She says initially she was allowed to keep 30% of the money she earned but eventually she had to give up 100% to Mally. She says she was booked to travel to Chicago and Boston for sex, where she was only given a small allowance to cover food and hotels.

The woman goes on to say at the time, "Mally Mall was entering the music industry and he was recognized as a major pimp in the illegal sex trade in Las Vegas."

9:30 AM PT -- Attorney Gloria Allred tells us she is representing the woman from Texas, but would not comment further on the case.

Mally Mall had his home raided and searched because police are investigating allegations of multiple sexual assaults and human sex trafficking, along with alleged importation of exotic animals ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ, but the music producer says the principal accuser is an extortionist.

Sources connected with the investigation tell us, the LAPD SWAT informed supporting officers, the raid was triggered by allegations of "multiple rapes and human sex trafficking, as well as firearms on the premises." They added they also believe, "he was illegally importing exotic species into California for people working in the entertainment industry."

As for the alleged rapes and alleged human trafficking, sources involved in the investigation tell TMZ, a woman claimed back in January, Mally Mall flew her out from Texas after seeing her fitness videos on social media. She says she was staying at his home and he drugged and raped her and locked her in a room.

The woman claimed she stayed another day and had intercourse with him a second time because she felt she had to be "submissive." The following day she says she developed a rash and went to a hospital where a nurse called the cops after observing vaginal trauma.

Sources close to Mally Mall say everything was consensual and they were partying together the entire weekend. They add the woman was in no hurry to leave his home. He also says he has voicemails and texts proving she was trying to squeeze money out of him.

We're told the woman has been in touch with various authorities, including the sex unit in the LAPD's Robbery Homicide Division. Our sources say cops believe there are at least 3 women who have come forward with similar allegations of rape.

As for the exotic animals, law enforcement sources tell us, Mally Mall's social media posts showing the various creatures triggered the interest of the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. We're told 3 animals were seized in Tuesday's raid ... 2 monkeys and a Serval cat.

Our sources say the initial search warrant was issued on March 21 but was never executed, and police went back to a judge a week later to get an extension that allowed them to conduct Tuesday's raid.

Mally Mall was NOT arrested but rather detained and released, however, cops tell us the investigations are ongoing.

Mally Mall's lawyer, Steve Sadow, tells TMZ, "If they had real evidence, they would have arrested him. They don't have evidence. It's bogus. Period."

5:05 PM PT -- The spider monkey that was seized from another residence was taken from Swae Lee's crib. We're told the Cotton-top Tamarin listed in the search warrant for Mally's place was not found at his home.

3:45 PM PT -- Mally Mall tells TMZ he was never taken into custody ... never arrested. He was just detained at his home while police searched and then released him. Although law enforcement says the search warrant was for exotic animal possession and human trafficking, he and his lawyer say the allegations are bogus. His attorney, Steve Sadow, tells TMZ, "If they had real evidence they would have arrested him. They don't have evidence. It's bogus. Period."

12:05 PM PT -- Capt. Foy tells us a Serval cat was also seized from the property and a spider monkey that allegedly belonged to Mall was seized from another property in Los Angeles.

10:45 AM PT -- LAPD officers have arrested Mally and others, it appears.

9:40 AM PT -- Capt. Patrick Foy of CA Dept of Fish & Wildlife tells TMZ they've seized a Cotton-top Tamarin monkey from Mally's home. He says their investigation began 8-9 months ago when they started getting tips about photos of Mally with the monkey.

It appears Mally posted a video of the monkey back in January of 2018 when he was hanging out with Rae Sremmurd rapper Swae Lee.

9:10 AM PT -- We've learned the raid is part of a double-barreled investigation ... for human trafficking and trafficking of exotic animals.

Law enforcement tells us LAPD's Robbery/Homicide division, in conjunction with CA Fish & Wildlife, served the search warrant.

Mally's had several issues with exotic animals in the past. The Health Dept. launched an investigation when he brought a monkey to Ace of Diamonds strip club -- and he also gifted a monkey and an ocelot to Justin Bieber.

As for the human trafficking ... there were allegations in Nevada he was involved in an escort service.

LAPD is raiding hip-hop producer Mally Mall's home in the San Fernando Valley, and cops are going in heavily armed ... TMZ has learned.

A SWAT team surrounded the 'Love and Hip Hop' star's home early Wednesday morning before moving in to serve a search warrant. Our sources tell us the operation was in progress since before sunrise ... as cops prepped for the raid.

There are a ton of officers out there. More than 8 patrol cars, and at least one armored van are lining the block. It's unclear why cops are raiding Mally's place. We've confirmed he is home though.

Mally's been through this at least once before. Back in 2014, the FBI raided his Las Vegas home as part of a federal human trafficking investigation.

Ryan Seacrest's gonna have to make time in his jam-packed schedule to get grilled like a cheeseburger for Blac Chyna's lawsuit against the Kardashians.

A judge ruled Seacrest -- the exec producer of 'KUWTK' -- can be deposed in the case because there's a good chance he has inside info on why "Rob & Chyna" was canceled. As the judge put it, Ryan likely has "superior and unique" knowledge.

We broke the story ... BC is suing the Kardashians, claiming they threatened to pull 'KUWTK' from E! if the network didn't put the kibosh on Chyna's spin-off reality show.

Ryan tried to avoid any deeper involvement in the case by fighting Chyna's legal team's efforts to depose him -- but no dice.

According to the docs, Ryan's deposition will be limited to 3 hours over a single day, and will be recorded on video.

Lance Bass has some choice words -- and a splash of sarcasm -- for the Sultan of Brunei on the day his country will start stoning gay people to death.

We got the 'NSYNC singer Wednesday leaving NBC in NYC -- where he was plugging his new doc, 'The Boy Band Con' -- and asked about the deadly law that takes effect Wednesday in the Asian country -- gay people can now be stoned to death for who they are.

Lance clearly has a POV, but it was tough for him because while we were talking to him a slew of fans were asking for selfies so whatever he said he had to say with a smile on his face.

Our camera guys also asks Lance if he was on board with George Clooney's renewed call to boycott hotels owned by Brunei's leader, including The Beverly Hills Hotel and the Hotel Bel-Air. Check it out ... sounds like he's been with it for a while.