Crime

The confidential informant the feds are working with in Tekashi 6ix9ine's racketeering case is still a mystery ... despite online rumors that it's a popular hip-hop blogger close to the rapper.

DJ Akademiks has been accused by another hip-hop blog of being the "snitch" in 6ix9ine's crew ... but Akademiks tells TMZ it's completely untrue.

He says he "has zero connection to this criminal case against Daniel Hernandez & other co-defendants. I view them as good people to me." He adds ... "All these charges are a shock to me and do not involve me. I have never been questioned or much less cooperated in this. I am just a news reporter."

The outlet accusing Akademiks of snitching claims to have gotten its info from the lawyer of Tekashi's former manager, Kifano Jordan, aka Shotti. However ... Shotti's lawyer, Scott Leemon, also denies the allegations.

Leemon tells us ... "I never made any public statement relating to this matter. Any statement attributed to me is false. I have not given anyone an interview about this case."

We broke the story ... Shotti is one of the voices heard on federal wiretaps revealing Tekashi's former crew members talked about killing him. These recordings are separate from the ones feds say are possessed by the confidential informant ... which have yet to be disclosed.

6ix9ine's lawyer told us feds having an informant is concerning, but he believes any recorded convos with the rapper will help prove he's innocent.

Pro surfing star Bruce Irons was arrested last week for driving under the influence of drugs ... cops say.

The 39-year-old Hawaiian surfer was approached by the Newport Beach Police Dept. on Nov. 22 at 9:23 AM.

Law enforcement tells TMZ Sports Irons was found passed out behind the wheel of a running car at a gas station. Cops responded, found Irons, woke him up and determined he was under the influence of drugs. He was arrested without incident.

According to police records, Irons was booked for DUI Drugs, possession of a controlled substance without prescription and driving without a valid license. Bail was set at $2,500.

Bruce Irons is a legend in the surf world -- he's won several tournaments over the years including the 2008 Rip Curl Pro Search. He also famously beat Kelly Slater at the 2001 Billabong Pipeline Masters.

Bruce is also the younger brother of surf legend Andy Irons -- the 3-time world surfing champion who died in 2010 from a drug overdose at a hotel in Texas.

Both Bruce and Andy struggled with substance abuse -- something Bruce spoke about in the documentary "Andy Irons: Kissed By God."

Here's hoping he can find a way to conquer his demons ...

3:00 PM PT -- We got Jesse as he walked out of the courthouse, surrounded by his Mongol MC "brothers," and he made it clear he never tried to hide his membership in the organization ... even when he was in politics. As he put it, "I don't run from being a Mongol."

1:15 PM PT -- Prosecutors asked Jesse about the Mongols MC allegedly retaliating for the killings of members ... and he said he'd lose respect for them if they didn't. During cross-examination, he conceded every organization has "some bad apples."

On a lighter note, Jesse referred to himself as a "gringo biker" who was never harassed while riding around East L.A. -- noting Mongols membership is about 75% Latino and 25% white.

He's now completed his testimony.

Jesse Ventura has found himself smack-dab in the middle of a real-life "Sons of Anarchy" storyline ... as the feds try to nail a biker gang on racketeering and conspiracy charges.

The legendary pro wrestler and former Minnesota Governor appeared in an Orange County courtroom Wednesday to testify on behalf of the Southern California-based Mongols Motorcycle Club ... of which he's an inactive member.

He was called as an expert witness for gang members who were accused of murder, drug running, robbery, extortion and other crimes. Jesse said under oath when he was a member of the MC he never engaged in criminal activity. He testified he was never asked to commit crimes and never did.

Jesse went on to praise the MC. He stated that joining the Mongols in the '70s helped him transition from the military -- where he was a Navy Seal -- to civilian life, and gave him a "brotherhood to rely on."

Ventura worked his way up to a Sergeant-at-Arms during his short time in the club, before leaving in 1974 to pursue his wrestling career.

It's interesting timing ... we just spoke with Jesse Tuesday, and he told us he's seriously thinking about running for President in 2020 against Trump.

We would say his affiliation with this case might hurt his chances, but controversy and legal trouble didn't deter Trump, so ... let the race begin?

Originally Published -- 10:01 AM PST

Tekashi69 was in mortal danger just before he got arrested for racketeering charges, and the feds say they have the proof on tape.

The feds wiretapped several ex-members of Tekashi's crew and the transcript -- obtained by TMZ -- is pretty damming ... including a convo about "feeding" Tekashi after his appearance on "The Breakfast Club." Prosecutors believe "feed" means unloading bullets.

One of the taps was on Jamel Jones -- gang name, Mel Murda -- a former member of 6ix9ine's inner circle, who is now behind bars.

During the convo, Jones says, "[Tekashi] is trying to dry snitch at the same time, homie. But he keep saying, f*** Treway, f*** that n****, Treyway. Ain't no n****, Treway. F*** Treway."

Tekashi's former manager Kifano Jordan, aka Shotti, responds with laughter and says, "Imma feed him though."

TMZ broke the story ... Tekashi was busted earlier this month on racketeering charges and prosecutors believed Tekashi was in danger of getting shot. The transcripts -- which refer to Tekashi by his birth name, Daniel Hernandez -- seem to graphically describe the danger.

Tekashi's former crew members were also recorded saying how Tekashi tried to separate himself from the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods after firing his entire staff. The feds recorded an unnamed crew member saying, "That's cool. Now he gotta get violated."

Jones replied, "Yeah, super violated. Super duper. Ain't no much he could really do unless he run around with 100 armed securities all day."

Conor McGregor will be living the chauffeur life for a while -- the UFC star's driver's license has been suspended for 6 MONTHS in Ireland over a 2017 speeding incident.

McGregor arrived to court Wednesday morning -- in a SHARP looking suit -- in County Kildare, Ireland to face the judge in a case where he was accused of doing 95 mph in a 60 in a blue Range Rover.

Aside from having his driving privileges revoked, McGregor was also hit with an $1,100 fine.

During the hearing, McGregor reportedly apologized to the court -- but the judge was upset and asked why Conor wasn't charged for a more serious crime, considering how dangerously the UFC star was driving.

After the hearing, McGregor told media including the Irish Mirror, "I gotta drive safer."

Funny, the punishment for speeding seems to be more harsh than Conor's punishment for throwing a steel dolly at a bus in Brooklyn earlier this year.

Remember, in the case Conor was sentenced to 5 days of community service, ordered to pay for the damages and complete an anger management course.

As for the driving ban, too bad for McGregor -- his fleet of cars is sick ... dude drives everything from Lamborghinis to Rolls-Royces ... even giant Proper 12 semi-trucks.

Good thing he can afford a driver ...

A North Carolina man grabbed a shotgun and fired at his son during a HEATED Thanksgiving Day argument about kneeling players in the NFL.

Makes you feel a little better about your family, right?

Here's the deal ... cops say 51-year-old Jorge Luis Valencia-Lamadrid had invited family members over to his home for Turkey Day when his two sons began arguing about NFL kneelers.

The sons began fighting and Jorge tried to break it up -- but realized his kids were too strong. So, he went and got his shotgun.

Officials say Jorge told his 21-year-old son -- who appeared intoxicated -- to leave the home.

Things began to escalate again -- and the son allegedly threw a water bottle at Jorge, striking him in the face -- and causing him to squeeze the trigger on his gun.

The shot connected with his son -- striking him in the hand and leg. Jorge told cops he checked on his son, made sure he wasn't seriously injured and then went inside to change his clothes.

Don't worry, the son will be fine.

As for Jorge, he was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury. He's since been released.

The L.A. celebrity burglary ring is WAY bigger than we thought -- officials say a total of 10 gang members were a part of the group targeting stars like Rihanna, Yasiel Puig and LeBron James.

Officials had previously arrested 4 people in connection to the crime wave -- after video captured a couple of guys breaking into Puig's home and raiding his bedroom.

1 of the initial 4 suspects is apparently off the hook (the mother of one of the other suspects) but now 7 new men all between the ages of 18 and 25 have been arrested and charged with various crimes.

The charges include everything from criminal street gang conspiracy to 1st degree residential burglary and home invasion robbery.

In total, cops say the burglary crew hit more than 24 homes -- and had at least 12 more rich and famous targets in their sights, including Viola Davis.

The key to solving the case ... cops say a neighbor of NFL star Robert Woods had called police to report a robbery at his house. Cops located the suspect and, during the arrest, they found items connected to the other high profile cases.

In total, cops say the group stole more than $1 MILLION in property -- including $50,000 cash, watches, purses and a vehicle. Cops say one of the suspects also had a firearm.

Senator Dianne Feinstein got a serious bomb threat a month before pipe bombs started showing up at the homes and offices of other prominent politicians ... TMZ has learned.

According to court docs ... an intern at the California Senator's field office on Santa Monica Blvd. answered the phone on September 26 and a man on the line wanted to confirm the address of the office. He got mad and blurted out he was gonna "bomb the place" and hung up.

The intern, concerned with what he had just heard, told his supervisor who then contacted Capitol police. According to the docs, cops executed a search warrant for phone records in hopes of identifying the caller.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... no arrests have been made and it's an ongoing investigation.

The bomb threat came nearly a month to the day before pipe bombs were sent to former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, among others. There was also a package addressed to former CIA director John Brennan at CNN's HQ and Robert De Niro.

It had been believed a similar package was sent to Feinstein's field office on October 25 ... but the item turned out to be harmless.

Tekashi69's still behind bars hoping to get out on bail, but now he has something else to worry about -- the feds announcing they've had a snitch in the rapper's crew.

We broke the story ... Tekashi pled not guilty in his federal racketeering case Monday, and a trial date's been set for September 4. Things got potentially worse for him when prosecutors revealed they are working with a confidential informant who's made recordings -- presumably of conversations with 6ix9ine.

Tekashi's attorney, Lance Lazarro, admits it's a serious development in the case, telling TMZ ... "Anytime there is a confidential informant, there is cause for concern."

In court, prosecutors boasted the recordings could send Tekashi to prison for life.

His lawyer's trying be optimistic, though, saying ... "I am confident that any recorded conversations with [Tekashi] will prove that he was never a part of the Enterprise and support the conclusion that he’s innocent."

Richard Simmons has struck a deal with "National Enquirer" in his transgender defamation lawsuit that will put the legal drama behind him ... for the most part.

Simmons has agreed to drop his appeal against American Media -- which owns 'Enquirer' -- after a judge ruled against him last year. If you don't remember, the fitness icon sued for defamation over a story published claiming he was in the process of sexual reassignment.

The judge sided with American Media, though, saying being misidentified as transgender does not inherently expose someone to "hatred, contempt or ridicule." Simmons filed an appeal shortly thereafter.

The 2 sides have now come to an agreement to drop it and move on ... but the terms are confidential. So, it's unclear if Simmons is still on the hook for American Media's legal fees.

Not everything related to the case is wrapped up -- he's still got a lawsuit out against the private investigator who allegedly planted tracking devices on him to try and prove the sex change rumors.

Boosie knows first hand how simple it can be for celebrities to sleep with their fans, so he can't wrap his head around why Bill Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted a woman.

Boosie sat down with our Raquel Harper for Tuesday's episode of "Raq Rants" on BET, and she asked what his takeaway was from Cosby's sexual assault trial. He explained why the entire saga left him scratching his head.

The Louisiana rapper says women lining up outside hotel rooms for a chance to have sex with celebs is totally common. Now, Boosie was clear ... he isn't saying Cosby is NOT guilty -- but he definitely thinks some women have ulterior motives, and that might be the case for some of Cosby's alleged victims.

Ex-NFL star Aldon Smith was just convicted in his domestic violence case in which he allegedly roughed up his fiancee ... but he will NOT go to jail if he keeps his nose clean.

As we previously reported, the former Oakland Raiders defensive end was arrested back in March after his fiancee (now ex-fiancee) claimed Smith attacked her at their Bay Area home during a booze-fueled rage.

Smith was initially hit with 4 misdemeanor charges -- domestic violence, assault w/ force likely to produce great bodily injury, false imprisonment and vandalism and faced several years in jail.

But, on Monday, the 29-year-old struck a deal with prosecutors in which he pled no contest to 2 counts -- violating a court order and false imprisonment.

In exchange, he was sentenced to 90 days in county jail -- but he got credit for time served for the days he already spent in jail and also for his stint in a live-in alcohol treatment facility.

He also got 3 years probation, 1 year of domestic violence counseling and 25 hours of community service.

During the hearing, the judge allowed a victim statement to be read out loud in court -- in which Smith's ex said, "I may never be the same" but also wished him luck in getting/staying sober.

12:35 PM PT -- The person who posted the image has now been FIRED from his job ... according to a statement from Hilton Grand Vacations.

"Our concern regarding this situation has been a top priority. The person responsible for posting this information has been terminated."

"His behavior was in violation of multiple company policies and the furthest example from being a reflection of our company’s values."

A disgusting, racist depiction of Florida State football coach Willie Taggart being hanged from a tree has triggered a state attorney investigation in Florida ... officials have announced.

The image was posted to Facebook after FSU's 41-14 loss to Florida this weekend. It's a photoshopped pic of Taggart's head pasted on top of a black and white photo of an African American man being hanged.

A caption on the image reads, "Believe In Something Even If It Means Sacrificing Your Rep."

The person who posted the image reportedly works for Hilton Grand Vacations in Orlando -- and the company has already issued a statement saying the employee has been suspended.

Second Judicial Circuit State Attorney Jack Campbell has confirmed his office is aware of the post and they've connected with the FSU Police Dept. -- and other law enforcement agencies -- to investigate.

Campbell issued a statement to Tallahassee.com saying. "Any threat of violence to anybody in this community – he’s a father, a husband and a member of our community – we’re going to investigate it to the fullest extent possible."

FSU President John Thrasher also weighed in ... saying, "I speak for the entire FSU community in expressing our disgust and extreme disappointment, and I am glad the state attorney is investigating."

Tekashi69's got a date with the judge -- he got a trial date in court Monday morning after he entered a plea in his federal racketeering case.

The rapper -- who has been behind bars since Nov. 18 -- was in court, where he entered a not guilty plea. The judge set his trial date for September 4. That's a long way off and, at least for now, it seems 6ix9ine will remain behind bars for much of that period ... if not all of it.

The issue of bail was not addressed in court. As we reported, his attorney, Lance Lazzaro, plans to apply for bail directly to the trial judge. Tekashi was denied bail when Lazzaro offered to pay $750k, surrender his passport and remain on house arrest.

TMZ broke the story ... Tekashi and 2 former associates, including his manager, Shottie, were arrested by federal agents on racketeering and other serious charges. According to his indictment, obtained by TMZ, Tekashi and his crew conspired to commit a slew of crimes, including drug deals, armed robberies and shootings.

The feds believe Tekashi himself pulled an armed robbery on April 3 along with his ex-manager, Shottie, and 2 other members of the Nine Trey Bloods.

The indictment also mentions the April 21 shooting incident at Barclays Center in Brooklyn ... and fingers Fuguan Lovick as the trigger man. In all, the indictment lists 17 counts dating back to 2013.

6:50 AM PT -- Alec was just officially charged with one count of attempted assault in the third degree and one count of harassment in the second degree. The assault charge is a misdemeanor and the harassment charge is a violation. He did not enter a plea, and his defense said they turned over video evidence to the DA's office showing Alec never punched the other man.

Alec Baldwin showed up for his arraignment today -- after being charged with punching an NYC driver over a parking space -- and on this one it seems like it's advantage Baldwin.

The actor was a man of no words as he entered the courthouse. He's charged with misdemeanor assault and harassment over the scuffle that erupted earlier this month after another driver swooped in and took the space Alec thought was his.

Baldwin said shortly after the arrest he didn't punch the guy, and the police report seems to bear it out. According to the police report, the alleged victim told cops Baldwin struck him with his hand, and that's more consistent with a slap than a punch.

What's more, TMZ broke the story, surveillance video seems to show the 2 men shoving each other, which is consistent with mutual combat.

NFL linebacker Rey Maualuga dodged a bullet ... 'cause he ain't gonna spend a single minute behind bars for allegedly grabbing a club employee by the throat -- as long as he stays outta trouble.

As we previously reported, Maualuga -- who spent 9 seasons in the NFL with the Bengals and Dolphins -- was arrested in Miami in Nov. 2017 after officials say he got into a physical altercation over a $40 bar tab. He's accused of shoving and grabbing a bar employee by the throat.

31-year-old Maualuga was initially charged with misdemeanor battery and faced up to a year in jail if convicted.

But, TMZ Sports learned, the former USC Trojan cut a deal with prosecutors in which he agreed to complete a pretrial diversion program and, in exchange, the charge will be dropped.

The program requires Rey to attend two 6-hour anger management courses -- designed to teach conflict resolution and impulse control ... and he's gotta stay away from the club.

Seems like a good deal to us.