Crime & Arrests

Iran may be the key to Diddy's defense in his sex trafficking trial ... because we're told his defense may use the growing conflict in the Middle East as a way to take a shot at the federal case against him.

Our sources tell us Diddy's defense may invoke the recent conflict with Iran later this week in their closing argument.

We're told the possible defense goes like this ... this was a manufactured case of bedroom police instigated by Homeland Security Investigations and rather than worrying about what Diddy is doing with baby oil and lube, HSI should worry more about the escalating conflict with Iran.

Diddy is NOT going to take the stand and testify in his criminal trial ... because his defense team plans to rest their case Tuesday without calling any witnesses.

There was some question before the trial whether or not Diddy would testify -- his attorney Marc Agnifilo told us he didn't think he could keep Diddy off the stand -- and now we have our answer.

Frankly, the defense would be taking a huge risk in putting Diddy on the stand, where he'd be subject to cross-examination from some of the best prosecutors in the country ... but it looks like the defense feels they don't need to do a whole lot to counter the prosecution.

R. Kelly's fiancée says her family's telling a bunch of lies about her ... insisting she's not a victim or sex slave despite their concern.

Joycelyn Savage released a video denying the claims Sunday evening ... hitting back at her family after they told us they don't support R. Kelly's pardon push 'cause he's never taken accountability for his actions, and she's still under his thumb.

Savage says she and R. Kelly have been together for 10 years -- engaged for the last three -- and, they want to get married and start a family together.

Police shot and wounded a suspected gun-toting teenager near a community pool in Ohio — and the violence was all caught on video.

The Columbus PD released body camera footage last week showing the dramatic June 11 police shooting at Lincoln Park Pool and Barack Community Center.

As you can see, the incident kicks off with an officer responding to gunshots she hears while on patrol in the pool area.

The suspect cops say hit and killed "Million Dollar Beach House" star Sara Burack thought she hit a traffic cone her lawyer reportedly told the court. Saturday

Amanda Kempton -- the woman who was arrested and booked on suspicion of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident -- made her first court appearance in the Hamptons ... and, the New York Post reports her attorney, William Keahon, argued his client thought she hit a cone.

Keahon reportedly said it was foggy, and Kempton didn't see Burack ... adding she only realized she hit a person when she went to a friend's house and found Burack's pink suitcase lodged under her car.

TMZ Sports has learned the dishes Ippei Mizuhara will be chowing down on during his stint in prison ... and, sadly for Shohei Ohtani's ex-interpreter, peanuts and Cracker Jacks ain't on the menu.

According to a Federal Bureau of Prisons spokesperson ... FCI Allenwood Low -- the Pennsylvania prison where Mizuhara has been in custody since Monday -- follows the National Menu, which means Mizuhara will have a choice of a set of rotating meals to munch on for the foreseeable future.

Every day, Mizuhara will get breakfast, lunch and dinner ... giving the 40-year-old access to most of America's food staples.

Prosecutors just released text messages they say show a Diddy escort getting detailed instructions for a paid trip to participate in a marathon freak-off.

Federal prosecutors did another document dump of exhibits in Diddy's racketeering and sex trafficking case Friday, with reams of texts between the male escort known as Jules and an unidentified "Device owner."

The August 2009 messages kick off with the "Device owner" making a spur-of-the-moment pitch to Jules to fly from Los Angeles to NYC for the freak-off -- and being promised a nice "tip" if he can make it work.

A suspect has been arrested in the fatal hit-and-run of Netflix star Sara Burack ...  and authorities wasted little time in cracking the case.

Per the New York Post ... Amanda Kempton was arrested and booked on suspicion of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident, a felony.

A family spokesperson told TMZ ... they family was not aware an arrest had been made ... and Southampton Town Police did not immediately respond to a request for more information.

The Diddy trial is entering the home stretch because prosecutors are almost done with their case and the defense is now saying they only need one or two days to make their case ... and it sounds like we could get a verdict as early as next week.

Prosecutors called one of their final witnesses Friday and we heard more of the same ... this time from Brendan Paul, Diddy's former assistant, who said he is not a drug mule.

Paul testified about getting drugs sometimes for Diddy and setting up hotel rooms for freak-offs -- like other former Diddy helpers -- but he helped the defense by saying on cross-examination it didn't feel like 'Jane' was being coerced into participating in freak-offs.

Cops are investigating a campsite found in the Washington state woods where Travis Decker is believed to have gone on the run after allegedly killing his three young daughters -- this according to Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison.

Sheriff Morrison tells TMZ the abandoned campsite was discovered while an associate was on a hike in central Washington ... but there's a major problem -- they can't tell if the mystery equipment was left by lazy campers or if it's a spot where Decker sought shelter while on the lam.

Morrison says investigators are DNA-testing several pieces of evidence found throughout the intense search for "killer dad" Decker ... but it's not a quick turnaround like people are used to seeing on crime shows like "CSI."

Luigi Mangione's defense team says he's not a terrorist, as the feds would have you believe ... and they're telling it to the judge.

The alleged killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is facing a murder as an act of terrorism charge ... but Luigi's attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo is laying out a slew of reasons why they feel the terrorism charge is unwarranted.

In new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Luigi's defense says prosecutors have failed to adequately make the case for the terrorism charge from their indictment ... arguing terroristic intent cannot be inferred from Thompson's murder.

We could have a jury verdict in the Diddy federal criminal trial in NYC as soon as next week ... depending on how long jurors deliberate after the defense rests its case and closing arguments are made.

After the jurors were sent home Friday, prosecutor Maurene Comey told Judge Arun Subramanian the feds could rest their case on Monday ... and then Diddy defense attorney Marc Agnifilo told the judge if that happens, they think they would rest their case Tuesday or Wednesday.

The judge said closing arguments could happen Thursday ... and then the jury would start deliberations ... leaving open the possibility for a verdict by the end of next week, though that's on the early side.

Cassie told Diddy she felt like he was treating her like a prostitute during their relationship ... at least according to a text between the exes that was just read aloud in court.

Federal prosecutors in Diddy's criminal case in New York are introducing some old texts between Cassie and Diddy as new exhibits in his sex trafficking trial.

Prosecutors first read this text between Cassie and Diddy -- "You treat me like a hooker to be honest. You always want to call one and you have one. This hooker has been here for 10 years." They said Diddy responded, "wow."

The Minnesota lawmaker and his wife -- who survived being shot by a masked man dressed as a cop who allegedly targeted them -- have spoken out about the suspected politically motivated attack ... and the details of the scenario are harrowing.

In a statement released to media ... State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette said they are continuing to recover after both were struck with a combined 17 bullets when the cop-impersonator opened fire at the front door of their house last weekend.

The state senator was shot nine times ... and he remains in critical but stable condition. Yvette, shot eight times, was released from the hospital Thursday.

Sean "Diddy" Combs' ex-assistant Brendan Paul says he didn't see any force or coercion from his former boss when it came to "freak-offs" with "Jane" ... and he says he was absolutely not a drug mule.

Brendan, a former Syracuse University basketball player and aspiring music producer, took the stand Friday in Diddy's criminal trial in NYC and told jurors about his 18 months working as an assistant to the music mogul.

During cross-examination from Diddy's defense attorney Brian Steel, Brendan testified he would often talk to Diddy's former girlfriend "Jane" before and after freak-offs ... and he said she did not come across as hesitant or apprehensive, and he says there was nothing from her indicating she was not a willing participant.

Brendan Paul, Diddy's alleged "drug mule" -- who's been given immunity by Judge Arun Subramanian to testify in the music mogul's federal trial after confirming to the judge he's received a subpoena and intends to invoke the 5th Amendment -- took the stand in the federal trial Friday ... and the testimony is expected to revolve around drugs, TMZ has learned.

Remember ... Diddy's former assistant was arrested in March 2024 at the Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport when authorities allegedly found cocaine and marijuana candy in his bag. The arrest occurred at the same time federal law enforcement raided Diddy's properties in L.A. and Florida.

The charges against Paul were dropped after he completed a pretrial diversion program ... and, now he's testifying at his former boss' trial.