Crime & Arrests

R. Kelly and Diddy have something in common ... both men have been accused of racketeering and sex trafficking -- and even though the two aren't exactly friends, Kelly says he feels for Diddy, who's currently on trial, and says Black entertainers as a whole are under siege by the feds.

TMZ caught up with one of Kelly's lawyers, Beau Brindley, who spoke to us about his famous client, who was just placed in solitary confinement after receiving death threats from white supremacists in a federal prison in North Carolina.

Brindley points out Kelly and Diddy are not friends -- and "far from it" -- but Kelly still has sympathy for Diddy over his current situation ... as everyone knows, Diddy is facing decades behind bars if convicted on racketeering, sex trafficking and other charges at his federal criminal trial in NYC.

We're learning more about Tarek El Moussa's alleged beatdown of another man inside a Las Vegas casino -- and the details are truly shocking, 'cause the victim allegedly got pulverized!

According to a Las Vegas Metropolitan PD report, obtained by TMZ ... the HGTV "Flip or Flop" star got into a knock-down, drag-out fight with the man near a roulette table at The Palazzo at the Venetian hotel -- and it was all caught on surveillance video.

The report states ... last Thursday's battle royal was triggered by Tarek's adversary apparently bumping into the chair occupied by El Moussa's dad at the roulette table.

Diddy's ex-girlfriend says she watched an unnamed woman have sex in front of a party full of people in Las Vegas ... all while an unidentified rap icon flirted with her.

"Jane" was back on the stand for another day of testimony Thursday ... and, she answered questions about a January 2024 trip to Sin City to hang with the unnamed rapper -- described by her as a legend and icon in the industry -- and his wife or girlfriend at a birthday party.

Jane says she flew on the rapper's private plane -- Diddy was unaware because they were on a break at the time, she adds -- and met up with a group of people when they touched down, including Antoine ... who she says was a male escort who knew the rapper and his wife or girlfriend.

Brittany Fortinberry, the former school teacher who allegedly engaged in "gangbangs" with minors while dressing them up in "Scream" masks -- is being ordered by a judge to sell her marital home while she remains in jail.

According to divorce docs, Fortinberry and her husband, Nicholas, claim they can no longer afford their Indiana property -- where police say some of Fortinberry's twisted sexual encounters occurred. In February, Nicholas filed for divorce around the time cops began investigating Brittany for her alleged crimes.

In the divorce docs, the estranged couple say they would use their monthly benefits from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs to pay bills, but the money is no longer being deposited into their joint bank account.

Fortinberry says her money is now being funneled "elsewhere," preventing Nicholas from accessing the cash -- which has made it difficult for Nicholas to make monthly house payments.

Houston Texans safety Jimmie Ward -- a former first-round pick -- was arrested on Thursday morning on a domestic violence charge, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

Jail records show the 33-year-old was taken into custody in Montgomery County, Texas at around 5:38 AM and booked on one felony count of assault fam/house impede breath/circ.

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that roughly an hour prior to Ward's arrest, officers responded to a Magnolia residence over "a report of an assault in progress."

Diddy apparently needed companionship in the days after Cassie Ventura filed a civil lawsuit against him ... this according to a conversation he had with "Jane" just days later.

According to a new evidence exhibit filed in the case, the rap mogul and Jane had a conversation recorded by Kristina Khorram -- an employee often referred to as Diddy's chief of staff -- on November 19, 2023. The date is significant … as it is just three days after Cassie filed her lawsuit and two days after Diddy quickly settled for $20 million.

Diddy asks Jane not to send him any texts ... fearing anyone who reads them may misinterpret their communications.

Diddy's trial finished up its 21st day of testimony ... with the mogul's ex returning to the stand to talk more about their relationship -- and how she used the prospect of freak-offs to persuade him.

The rapper was back in court in Manhattan Wednesday, where "Jane" -- the pseudonym his ex-girlfriend is using to testify against him -- was asked questions by Diddy's defense about loving texts she sent to Diddy after freak-offs.

In one, she told him she had so much fun ... adding that her love was "unconditional" and "for life."

Atlanta rapper Silentó, of "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" fame has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in the 2021 shooting death of his cousin.

The DeKalb County District Attorney announced on Wednesday that the 27-year-old rapper, born Ricky Lamar Hawk, pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, as well as concealing the death of another -- Frederick Rooks III.

As we told you, DeKalb County Police found Rooks suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, with bullet casings at the scene.

Crypto kidnap and torture suspects John Woeltz and William Duplessie are now indicted on multiple felony counts, and prosecutors are addressing TMZ's wild videos showing their alleged victim partying and having sex ... calling it an elaborate smoke screen.

In a Manhattan courtroom Wednesday, crypto bros Woeltz and Duplessie were accused of staging those kinky videos to make it seem like they were not holding Italian businessman Michael Carturan captive.

Prosecutors say the duo arranged for Carturan to be photographed in those party pics and sex scenes to sell the lie that he was just living it up.

Charlamagne Tha God says Hitmaka sounded like an absolute jackass discussing the Diddy and George Floyd cases ... strong opinions without knowing the facts never make a compelling argument!!!

"The Breakfast Club" co-host was in disbelief on Wednesday when he ran back Hitmaka's recent interview during the BET Awards weekend and decided he deserved the "Donkey of the Day."

Hitmaka told Loren LoRosa he feels Diddy needs to be released from prison because he was just "high and freaky" and incorrectly declared Jeffrey Epstein received house arrest in comparison to Diddy's flight.

Greg Hardy is breaking his silence on his recent domestic violence arrest ... insisting he and his family "are all perfectly fine" -- despite the disturbing allegations that were made against him last week.

Hardy took to his Instagram page to share the update with his followers on Tuesday ... just less than a week after he was thrown behind bars for allegedly getting physical with his girlfriend during a dispute at their home in Richardson, Texas.

Hardy shared two videos and a picture of him getting cozy with his family ... with a caption that read, "Please stop spreading what these chaos machines post, they don’t know any facts then fuel the fire that effects my kids and my wife."

Diddy's ex once suggested the possibility of a freak-off to get Diddy to ditch his date ... this according to her testimony.

"Jane" is back on the stand for another intense day of cross-examination ... and, Diddy's legal team asked her about a text she sent where she seemed to be using the mogul's turn-on to get him to do what she wants.

Diddy's lawyer, Teny Geragos asked Jane about a night when Diddy was hanging out with Yung Miami on vacation.

Disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein was just found guilty by a New York jury on one charge in his sex crimes retrial.

The 12 jurors convicted Weinstein on first-degree criminal sexual act related to the 2006 case of ex-production assistant Miriam Haley, who accused HW of forcibly performing oral sex on her at his Manhattan home.

Weinstein was acquitted on a separate charge of criminal sexual act arising from similar allegations brought by model Kaja Sokola, also in 2006. The jury has yet to vote on a third charge in which aspiring actress Jessica Mann claimed Weinstein raped her in 2013.

Travis Decker -- the Washington dad accused of brutally murdering his three daughters -- has been seen in public, and cops say it’s only a matter of time before they catch him.

After a weeklong manhunt, cops now believe Travis is hiding out near Blewett Pass in the Wenatchee Mountains of Washington. It's all thanks to a tip from hikers who spotted a sketchy man -- who bore a striking resemblance to Decker -- trying to be inconspicuous as he wandered around a trail in the Enchantments.

The Chelan County Sheriff says tracking teams jumped on the hikers' tip -- and sure enough, one of their chopper pilots eyeballed the lone hiker near the trail. But, the moment the pilot saw him, the man bolted.

Allison Mack's locked up again ... no, she's not headed back to federal prison -- she's locked up in a new partnership, 'cause she got married!

Family sources tell TMZ ... Allison married a man named Frank during a small ceremony in L.A. last week.

We're told the two met at a dog park in Los Angeles after she served 21 months in federal prison and was released. It appears the two became engaged around Christmas last year.

The two suspects in NYC's crypto kidnapping and torture case just can't catch a break ... prosecutors just unsealed an indictment charging them with a series of felonies -- one day after their Kentucky home was raided by the feds.

Bitcoin investors John Woeltz and William Duplessie were indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on charges of kidnapping, assault, coercion, attempted grand larceny and criminal possession of a weapon, according to new court documents.

On Tuesday, federal agents with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives descended on a Smithland, KY, estate owned by Woeltz and Duplessie, sources with direct knowledge told TMZ.