Crime

Two Stanford students who were rejected by Yale and USC have filed a lawsuit against the college bribery ringleader and 8 universities.

Erica Olsen and Kalea Woods are suing Rick Singer -- the man who pulled the strings in the biggest admissions bribery case ever -- along with USC, Stanford, UCLA, University of San Diego, Texas, Wake Forest, Yale and Georgetown. The students allege "unqualified students found their way into the admissions rolls of highly selective universities, while those students who played by the rules and did not have college-bribing parents were denied admissions."

The 2 students are trying to turn this into a class action lawsuit, and presumably recruit others who have been denied admission as a result of bribery and other schemes.

Olsen says she had stellar test scores and athletic talent yet was rejected by Yale. She said had she known "the system at Yale University was warped and rigged by fraud" she wouldn't have applied there. Woods was rejected by USC and said she was never informed "parents could buy their way into the university through bribery and dishonest schemes."

Though both students ultimately got into Stanford, they claim their degrees are now devalued by the criminal racketeering charges.

As we reported ... Singer -- who once shopped a reality show on the pressures of families trying to get their kids into college -- copped a plea Tuesday to racketeering conspiracy, money laundering, tax conspiracy and obstruction of justice for funneling of money to college athletic coaches and administrators in return of helping their kids gain university admissions.

Frank Cali -- the boss of the legendary Gambino crime family -- was murdered in front of his Staten Island home Wednesday night, officials confirm.

It's the first time a high-profile mafia boss has been shot and killed in public since Paul Castellano was whacked in front of the famous Sparks Steak House in Manhattan in 1985.

Officials say Cali was in front of his home when someone rolled up and opened fire, striking 53-year-old Cali in the torso multiple times. Reports say he was hit 6 times.

Cali's wife and children were reportedly inside the house when the shots rang out.

The perps also RAN OVER the mafia boss in an apparent attempt to make sure he was killed.

Someone called 911 and Cali was transported to a hospital in Staten Island where he was pronounced dead.

Cali -- known as the acting Gambino mafia boss -- began his rise to power after John Gotti went down for murder and racketeering in 1992.

He reportedly took over as "boss" in 2015.

Cali famously kept a low profile -- the opposite of Gotti. He was known as a unifying figure in the mafia world who was making more allies than enemies.

Cops say they are investigating the Cali murder -- so far, no arrests have been made.

Meek Mill now has TWO holidays named after him in two different cities across the country ... after his hometown of Philadelphia just dedicated an entire weekend to the rapper.

That's right ... Thursday, March 14, 2019, kicks off Meek Mill Weekend in Philly -- which is getting announced today by City Council President Darrell L. Clarke. We're told Clarke will open Thursday's meeting with a city level proclamation bestowing Meek with the honor.

Not only will Meek Mill Weekend be confirmed on a city level, but Pennsylvania State Senator Sharif Street will step right up after him to announce the proclamation on a statewide level.

The official "holiday weekend" runs from Thursday to Saturday. The timing isn't random -- Meek's back in town for the next couple days as his Motivation Tour rolls through Philadelphia.

The reason is pretty much the same one Houston tapped when giving Meek his own day in their city -- contributions to music and art, as well as his philanthropic efforts to change the criminal justice system. Something tells us the Philly proclamation will look something like this.

As you might know ... Meek's been hard at work both in the studio and on the big stage trying to bring people together for criminal justice reform. He's already got some big names in his corner for the cause, and it doesn't look like he's slowing down anytime soon.

Kevin Spacey's back in Hollywood after spending a lot of time -- and facing a criminal charge -- on the east coast, so it begs the question ... is he getting back to work?

The disgraced actor was seen leaving the Sunset Tower Hotel in WeHo Wednesday night, although it looks like he's still trying to keep a low profile.

As we've reported ... Spacey's mostly been hanging out on the other side of the country amid facing a felony charge for allegedly fondling a teenage boy's genitals in Massachusetts back in 2016. He appeared in a Nantucket court in early January to face the charge of indecent assault.

It's unclear if Kevin's returned to Tinseltown to get back into show business or other business, but ever since misconduct allegations began to dog him in 2017 ... he's only lost acting gigs.

Spacey was replaced in the film "All the Money in the World" and got fired from his "House of Cards" job after various stories of sexual misconduct surfaced.

In fact, the only real acting he's done recently came around Christmas time, when he posted a bizarre video defending himself ... in the character of President Frank Underwood.

3/15 -- A source close to Cheryl Mack claims Joycelyn's mother traveled with her daughter to Palm Springs in 2015. We're also told Mack stopped working with R. Kelly in July 2015 and has not had any contact with the singer since.

R. Kelly allegedly coerced his alleged "sex slave," Joycelyn Savage, to lie to cops if asked about their relationship, and her family believes they have evidence to prove it ... which is now in the hands of the feds.

Law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation tell TMZ ... federal investigators in New York involved in the R. Kelly sex trafficking probe flew to Atlanta last week to meet with the Savage family ... and received a treasure trove of digital evidence.

We're told the Savages had lots of digital records that they say display shady tactics from both R. Kelly and folks who were working for him, including a woman named Cheryl Mack ... an ex-assistant who allegedly facilitated a meeting between Joycelyn and R. Kelly early on.

According to our sources, the records show Mack had arranged for Joycelyn to fly to Palm Springs to see R. Kelly in 2015. We're told that meeting led to Joycelyn dropping everything and moving in with him, without her parents' knowledge.

For the record, Joycelyn was 19 at the time this happened. She has been living with him since then.

There's a lot more the Savages had. Per our sources, they also handed over old emails and texts between them and Mack, as well as audio recordings of R. Kelly allegedly coercing Joycelyn into lying about her situation if authorities ever talked to her.

We're told in some of the other audio recordings obtained, you hear R. Kelly discussing how he'd conceal his relationship with Joycelyn ... and in another, we're told you hear R. Kelly demand Joyceln text him a statement that she herself was lying in the event she ever ratted him out.

Our sources say the Savages also handed over social media messages they say came from R. Kelly's camp through the years to show he had others working for him to procure young women.

The Savages' attorney, Gerald Griggs, declined to comment. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York also had no comment for this story.

3/14 5:25 AM PT -- ICE officials tell us Joe is now officially out of federal prison and, as expected, he is in ICE custody -- at an unknown location. He will remain there at least until he gets his day in court to appeal deportation.

Teresa Giudice's husband, Joe Giudice, won't have one second of freedom to enjoy when he's released from prison this week ... 'cause ICE will be right there to pick him up.

An ICE spokesperson tells TMZ ... their office is fully expecting Allenwood Low Federal Correctional Institution in PA to hand over Joe Thursday when he's released.

It's unclear exactly where ICE will take him, but Joe could be in one of the agency's detention centers for a while. He's appealing his deportation, and with the case still pending ... who knows when he'll actually get his day in court.

Until then, he'll remain in ICE's custody.

Teresa has said she'll divorce Joe if he ends up getting deported back to Italy -- so a lot on the line here.

Jordan Klepper is shocked undocumented students hadn't come up with the idea of having rich celebrity parents -- which now seems like a much easier way to get into schools.

We got the former 'Daily Show' correspondent at LAX Wednesday, and got his 2 cents on the explosive college admissions bribery scandal. The comedian has been pushing for Dreamers -- undocumented students brought to the U.S. when they were kids -- to have access to higher education.

He's such an advocate, Jordan got arrested last month during a protest for the cause.

So, you can see how the college bribery indictment -- which nailed Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin -- hit a nerve. Actually, it hit a funny bone because Jordan jokes Dreamers need to get on board and explore the celeb parents option.

Check out the clip ... Jordan makes fun of those who tried playing the game, but he does get serious for a min ... saying every kid has the right to be evaluated fairly and the opportunity to fail on their own.

In other words, the exact opposite of what the bribery ringleader Rick Singer was preaching.

As Lori Loughlin traveled from Vancouver to L.A. Tuesday night to surrender to federal authorities in the college bribery scandal -- which got her daughter, Olivia Jade, into USC -- Olivia spent the night on the yacht of the Chairman of USC's Board of Trustees ... but she's off the boat now, TMZ has learned.

We've learned 19-year-old Olivia was on Rick Caruso's yacht in the Bahamas. Caruso's daughter, Gianna, Olivia and several other friends were spending spring break in the area.

Gianna and Olivia have been friends for quite some time, occasionally posting photos of them together on social media.

Caruso, a billionaire who has major real estate holdings including The Grove in L.A., tells TMZ, "My daughter and a group of students left for spring break prior to the government's announcement yesterday. Once we became aware of the investigation, the young woman decided it would be in her best interests to return home." Olivia is off the yacht.

Caruso was elected Chairman of USC's Board of Trustees last year. We're told the Board will NOT decide the fate of Olivia and other students involved in the case. That decision is left squarely in the hands of the University's President.

Carly Schroeder's left Hollywood for the Army, because she's on a life mission to help out those who desperately need it ... and feels it's time to walk the walk.

The "Lizzie McGuire" actress joined "TMZ Live" Wednesday to discuss her decision to enlist, which wasn't made lightly. She tells us she got a lot of support from her family, though ... especially her dad, a former Green Beret, and her younger brother, a Marine.

Carly says she's passionate about giving aid to veterans and the homeless, and rescuing human trafficking victims. The best way to do both, according to her -- enlist in the Army and learn some skills to make it happen.

The "Mean Creek" star's been accepted into Officer Candidate School and has already begun training -- a lot of training -- to improve her skills. Ultimately, she plans to get into military intelligence, which is crucial for combating trafficking.

3:15 PM PT -- Loughlin got the same treatment as her husband ... the judge set her bond at $1 million. Just like Mossimo Giannulli, she was allowed to put their home up as collateral to secure the bond.

She will be allowed to travel to Vancouver and British Columbia, Canada for purposes of work -- that's where she shoots projects for the Hallmark Channel. However, she'll have to surrender her passport in December, once all her contracted work in Canada is completed.

The judge also instructed Loughlin to avoid contact with other suspects and witnesses ... other than her daughters and husband. She'll have to appear in federal court in Boston on March 29 ... along with Mossimo and Felicity Huffman.

Lori Loughlin just surrendered to federal authorities in Los Angeles ... turning herself in after being charged in a massive bribery scam involving some of the country's most elite universities.

Law enforcement sources tell us Loughlin made prior arrangements to meet with FBI Agents Wednesday for her surrender.

As we reported ... the FBI showed up at her doorstep early Tuesday morning, but she wasn't home because she was shooting in Vancouver. FBI agents arrested her husband, Mossimo clothing founder Mossimo Giannulli, who was also indicted in the bribery scam, and made arrangements with Lori's team for her to turn herself in when she got back to L.A.

FBI agents will now take Lori to a federal building where she'll be processed by federal marshals.

As you know ... Lori and Felicity Huffman were among the 50 people indicted for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. Lori and Mossimo allegedly paid $500,000 to have their 2 daughters designated as recruits for USC's crew team, despite the fact the girls didn't actually participate in the sport.

Huffman was arrested Tuesday -- along with Mossimo -- in an operation in Los Angeles. Both were released Tuesday night, but didn't speak with cameras.

Dwight Howard says allegations he threatened a man for not signing a non-disclosure agreement is pure BS -- telling TMZ Sports he's never even met the person behind the lawsuit.

The NBA star is being sued by Masin Elije -- who claims in a lawsuit filed in Georgia that Howard approached him in Nov. 2018 and asked him to sign an NDA "regarding their communications."

Dwight tells us ... "I don't know this person, never seen him. Any allegation said about me is false."

TMZ Sports obtained a copy of Elije's suit, filed in Georgia. In the documents, Elije does not say what Dwight was allegedly trying to keep quiet -- but says he REFUSED to sign an NDA and tried to end all contact with Dwight.

Elije claims Howard then began acting hostile -- and made "threats on his life."

The lawsuit says ... "Mr. Elije started receiving threats to his safety and well-being via a multitude of phone calls, text messages, communications on various social media platforms and emails, all of which were from unfamiliar or disguised sources."

Elije claims he reached out to Dwight's family members and also police in the hopes of getting the threats to stop ... "all to no avail."

Elije is now suing for assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress -- and he's demanding punitive damages.

BlackSportsOnline first reported the news about Elije's lawsuit.

He's also asking the judge to force Dwight to cover all of his legal expenses -- because he's racked up a fortune in costs due to Dwight's alleged actions.

One of the men who shot Damian Lillard's brother in a mall parking lot last year has pled guilty to attempted murder ... TMZ Sports has learned.

As we previously reported, then-20-year-old Jahrell Lillard -- the Portland Trail Blazers star's half-brother -- was shot on March 29, 2018 during an altercation with 2 men in Clackamas County, Oregon.

Cops say Lillard was shot in the Clackamas Town Center parking lot in what appeared to be a targeted attack -- with witnesses saying they heard 5 to 10 gunshots fired in the confrontation.

Jahrell suffered injuries ... but reportedly survived the attack -- with Damian saying just a day after the shooting that his brother was "stable" and "doing fine."

Now, we've learned one of the men responsible for the shooting, 20-year-old Jeffrey Jessie, cut a deal with prosecutors in the case and has pled guilty to attempted murder and one count of felon in possession of a firearm in order to avoid a jury trial.

Jessie was facing FOUR total felonies ... which added up to a possible punishment of 50 YEARS behind bars.

12:27 PM PT -- A sketch artist caught Manafort in court Wednesday.

10:00 AM PT -- Manafort just got hit with 16 NEW charges in an NYC indictment tied to a mortgage fraud scheme. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. says Manafort will now face 16 felonies for alleged residential mortgage fraud, conspiracy and falsifying business records ... to name just a few.

What's that thing about raining and pouring? It's a monsoon for Manafort.

Paul Manafort is nearly doubling his time behind bars -- another judge just sentenced him to an extra 43 months .... nearly 4 more years in the pen.

President Trump's former campaign manager went through his second sentencing Wednesday in D.C., where a judge presided over the criminal case Robert Mueller's office prosecuted. Manafort got an additional 43 months in prison ... on top of the tax and bank fraud sentence he got last week.

You'll recall ... Manafort got 47 months in that matter. This additional time will bring his full prison sentence to 7 1/2 years.

This second case includes 2 conspiracy charges. Federal prosecutors accused Manafort of witness tampering and obstruction of justice after he was released on bail ... saying he urged 2 witnesses to commit perjury in his defense.

That got him sent back to the slammer, where he's been ever since last June. For the record ... Manafort pled guilty to the 2 conspiracy charges.

Manafort apologized for his crimes during Wednesday's sentencing -- he read a statement from his wheelchair, and begged the judge to "let my wife and I be together." He reminded the judge that he is about to turn 70, and his wife is 66.

Manafort actually got sentenced to 73 months, but the judge allowed 30 of them to be served concurrently with the 47 months for fraud.

The man who pulled all the strings in the massive college bribery case auditioned for his own reality show back in 2010 ... a reality show on the pressures of families trying to get their kids into colleges, and he makes it clear -- traditional donations don't cut it anymore.

TMZ has obtained Rick Singer's audition tape, which was shot by a production company and submitted to a network. You hear Singer explain that even his clients with big, big money can't afford to plunk down a donation to a University that will guarantee admission. He says bluntly, $10 million isn't enough ... it won't even get noticed by the big universities.

He explains the pressures of college admission on his clients and makes it clear ... the clients are not just the students but their parents as well. He says there's so much craziness in these families, he wishes he could prescribe meds for the parents.

The reality show never sold.

As we reported, Singer copped a plea Tuesday to racketeering conspiracy, money laundering, tax conspiracy and obstruction of justice. He faces a maximum of 65 years in prison, but he'll clearly get way less by singing like a bird.

10:40 AM PT -- We just got Jay Leno out in NYC and asked him about the scandal ... Leno certainly didn't hold back, calling the whole thing "the definition of white privilege."

The 50 people who were indicted for allegedly paying bribe money to get their kids into college may just be the tip of the iceberg, and scores of very nervous and very rich parents are calling around L.A. trying to get recon.

Sources familiar with the case tell TMZ, FBI agents have seized numerous cell phones and other evidence they believe will lead them to other parents, college employees and others who might have participated in admissions bribery.

We know a number of wealthy parents from some of the most exclusive private schools in L.A. were calling around Tuesday, asking if Rick Singer, the ringleader who just copped a plea, kept lists of clients. As one source put it, "These parents are sweating bullets."

On a different front, sources at USC familiar with the scandal tell us the University has known about the investigation for around 2 months, but they did not investigate ... because they didn't want to undermine the feds. Our sources say they've dealt with the U.S. Attorney's Office before, and they know if they conducted a simultaneous investigation it could tip off witnesses and targets, and result in the destruction of evidence.

As for what USC will do with the students whose parents got them into the school via bribery, well-connected sources tell us the students will not all be evaluated the same way. We're told if the students knew they were admitted because of bribes, they will be expelled. If they were in the dark, the University will evaluate all of the circumstances and the decisions will be student-specific.

And, one final thing, as for USC ... we know officials are furious at the parents who engaged in bribery. They say it has tarnished the school, the students and the athletic programs.

8:15 AM PT -- The hearing just ended, and R. Kelly's lawyer says there's been no change in child support yet. He says they're setting a new court date to argue the matter.

R. Kelly's back in a court of law, shooting his shot with the judge in his child support case.

The singer and his legal team made their way into the Chicago court Wednesday morning, hoping to score a reduction in his monthly payments to his ex-wife, Drea Kelly.

As you know, Kelly was arrested last week, and sat in jail until he coughed up $161,633 ... the back child support he owed Drea.

Kelly was supposed to be paying Drea $20,833 per month as of January 2009 but he fell way off schedule last year. Sources close to the singer told us he scraped together the $161k with the help of a "benefactor."

As we reported ... Kelly's camp says the singer got into a huge fight with Drea back in 2017 and, after that, she didn't allow their daughter and 2 sons to talk to him.

Drea calls BS ... saying Kelly cut her off as a means of controlling her when she spoke out publicly about him allegedly abusing her.

Ultimately, the child support is the lesser of Kelly's legal issues right now -- with 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse in Cook County hanging over his head.