Crime

Nipsey Hussle was praised by the LAPD as a peacemaker in the wake of his death -- a hero of sorts in his community for trying to stem gang violence -- but it turns out the very same police department was secretly investigating Nipsey for possible criminal prosecution for alleged gang activity.

The probe was centered around Nipsey's Marathon Clothing store in South L.A., as a possible hub for gang activity ... this according to The New York Times.

It's a stunning development, because the LAPD was both investigating Nipsey and embracing him at the same time. He was set to meet the LAPD Police Chief the day after he was murdered, to discuss gang violence.

What's more ... a few years before his death, the City of Los Angeles was trying to pressure Hussle's landlords to evict Nipsey from Marathon Clothing ... this according to The NYT. As it turned out, Nipsey bought the building with some investors.

Although the City can no longer prosecute Nipsey, the City continues to investigate Nipsey's business partners.

Nipsey was a member of the Rollin' 60s Crips back in the day, but disavowed gang life and worked heroically to stem gang violence and even worked with former gang members who got out of prison to help get them back up on their feet.

The outlet reports that city officials suspected the strip mall where his clothing store was located -- which Nipsey owned along with a bevy of investors -- was a hotbed for gang members, and that the exact type of violence that took the MC's life was rampant there.

You'll recall the LAPD Commissioner Steve Soboroff stood shoulder to shoulder with Mayor Eric Garcetti, Chief of Police Michel Moore and other L.A. City Officials to discuss a planned summit Nipsey had coordinated with them to curb gang violence.

R. Kelly's alleged sex slaves should not be in danger of going hungry or becoming homeless anytime soon -- even with the singer behind bars -- but they claim someone's cut them off from Kelly's funding.

Joycelyn Savage and Azriel Clary have built up a nice nest egg during their time with Kelly by working as his assistants ... according to sources connected to the women and Kelly -- and they should have plenty of money to hold them over for awhile.

We're told while they were Kelly's live-in "girlfriends," they also helped him by handling bookings and other business matters, and he paid them for it. He also gave them a weekly stipend and they were able to save much of that cash because he paid for everything anyway.

Their problem has been getting access to that money. Their attorney, Gloria Schmidt, tells us one of Kelly's staffers typically gives Azriel and Joycelyn cash -- but she says since his arrest that staffer's gone MIA.

One thing they don't have to worry about is a roof over their heads. Our sources say Kelly's Chicago condo in Trump Tower is all paid up through the end of the year, so the women can live rent-free for several months.

We broke the story ... both women responded to reports they'd been evicted by recording a video showing them hanging out inside the home, telling everyone they're living there free and comfortably, as always.

The vid came 3 days after Kelly was busted in Chicago on 2 new federal indictments, including charges for multiple sex crimes, racketeering and obstruction of justice.

Both Azriel and Joycelyn's families have expressed concern for their daughters, with Joycelyn's parents saying they haven't been able to get in touch with her.

As we reported, it's no secret where they will be Tuesday -- not only will they attend Kelly's bond hearing in federal court in Chicago, but they are planning to hold a news conference afterward with their attorney, Gloria Schmidt.

R. Kelly's alleged sex slaves or, as they would say, girlfriends, are setting the record straight on where the hell they've been since the singer was arrested -- and they say ... nothing's changed.

A rep for Joycelyn Savage and Azriel Clary tells TMZ ... the women were sitting comfortably in R. Kelly's Chicago apartment inside Trump Tower on Sunday afternoon when they recorded this video ... addressing claims they'd been evicted from the premises following Kelly's arrest for 2 federal indictments.

In the clip -- obtained by TMZ -- Azriel does most of the talking and says they're fine and dandy, and living comfortably inside R. Kelly's pad.

They even give a glimpse of the view from the high-rise, showing off the Chicago skyline. Azriel says they're at the "Trump" ... and adds it's the same place they've been for years.

However, she insists they move freely and come and go as they like, attempting to knock down the notion they're being held against their will. This part seems to be a direct message to their parents -- who've been vocally and publicly concerned for years now.

They go on to thank R. Kelly's fans for the ongoing support amid his new legal battles.

The video comes on the heels of Kelly's rearrest in Chicago on new federal charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking and obstruction of justice. Of course, that's on top of the state charges he's been facing in Cook County, IL.

Joycelyn and Azriel's parents relayed that they were concerned for their daughters, whose whereabouts since Kelly's arrest had been unknown until now. There had been reports they were kicked out of Kelly's place ... but they claim they've always been there through the whole ordeal.

As we reported, Joycelyn's father confronted Kelly's spokesperson during a news conference, demanding to know his daughter's whereabouts. We're told Joycelyn and Azriel are denying the alleged suicide pact some family members thought had been formed.

If you're one of the 1 million-plus people planning on storming Area 51 later this year -- you might wanna rethink that ... 'cause it ain't gonna be a walk in the park.

Law enforcement sources in the Nevada area -- where the notorious U.S. Air Force base is located -- tell TMZ that all the agencies that need to be aware of a potential raid on the premises are briefed and prepared for folks who might wanna try something come September.

The viral Facebook event caught fire last week with more than a million RSVPers who say they're down to head out there on Sept. 20 ... in hopes of learning the truth about alleged captured aliens on the base. 

We're told the right people are monitoring all this online chatter about a potential raid, and the way the powers that be see it -- anyone who tries to follow through will be met with serious obstacles.

First and foremost, we're told anyone who commits a crime in or around Area 51 -- including trespassing -- will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of local and military law. Our sources also tell us local cops will work together to curb any attempts to even wander near Area 51 property .. and they're prepared to use non-lethal force, such as tear gas and pepper spray.  

There are also natural hurdles folks will have to overcome. The route to get to Area 51 follows a narrow two-lane highway about 3 hours outside of Las Vegas ... and the terrain is rough to say the least. It's not really suited to withstand tens of thousands of cars. 

If cops and the landscape don't stop ya, the desert critters just might -- the terrain surrounding Area 51 is full of snakes, scorpions and other dangerous animals.

Soulja Boy skipping a gig might prove costly ... 'cause he's now being sued.

William Hicks claims Soulja was a no-show after he booked the rapper to perform back in April in Birmingham, AL. According to legal docs obtained by TMZ ... promoter Hicks says he paid Soulja a deposit of nearly $9k up front.

Hicks, however, claims moments before Soulja was supposed to perform, the rapper's manager texted him saying he wasn't gonna make it 'cause he missed his flight. According to docs ... Hicks wasn't buying the excuse, claiming Soulja was partying in Vegas and performing there instead.

As we first reported ... Hicks fired off a legal letter to Soulja's team back in April demanding repayment or face a lawsuit. Hicks never got his money so he called out Soulja on social media, prompting this response from the rapper:

According to the lawsuit ... Hicks says Soulja sent him a video apologizing for skipping out on the gig but Hicks wanted the rapper to publicly apologize. Hicks says Soulja refused, which is odd since an apology video can be found on YouTube.

For his part, sources close to Soulja say he was in negotiations with Hicks, and they were trying to work out an agreement. However, communication stopped when Soulja was arrested, and was sentenced to 240 days behind bars.

Nevertheless ... Hicks is suing for breach of contract and the money he's out ... to the tune of $13,487.85. As we reported, Soulja got out of jail on Sunday -- so ya win some, ya lose some.

Peter North -- one of the biggest male performers in adult film history -- keeps getting arrested for beating the hell out of his wife, and now she's getting court ordered protection from him. 

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the porn legend was arrested TWICE for domestic violence -- first on June 5 and again on the 15th -- after cops say he roughed up his wife in their Newport Beach, CA home.

North's wife filed for a restraining order and according to the docs ... he tossed her into a wall, leaving her with a concussion in the most recent alleged attack. He was arrested, but released after his bail was set at $50k. 

She claims he attacked again 10 days later ... throwing her to the ground, choking her and slamming her head against the floor.  

Sadly, this is nothing new according to North's spouse, who claims she's been the victim of approximately 20 instances of domestic violence -- suffering concussions, broken bones, cuts, memory loss and ongoing emotional and physical trauma.   

The time is quickly approaching for Soulja Boy to turn his swag on again ... he's getting out of jail way early.

According to jail records ... the rapper's set to be released today, after just a little more than 3 months locked up, despite being sentenced to 240 days for a probation violation. Do the math ... that's 146 days of early freedom.

The L.A. Sheriff's Dept. tells us Soulja is getting sprung early thanks to a combination of good behavior, time served and overcrowding.  

We broke the story ... SB was hit with a sentence of 240 days in jail and 265 days of community service for violating his probation in April.  

The judge said he failed to do his court-ordered community service and even conspired to falsify evidence saying he had completed it ... on top of feds finding ammunition at his home in February, another big no-no.

The good news -- while Soulja was locked up, his kidnapping case was rejected by prosecutors.

So, today is sort of a win-win ... crank that!!!

The man who showed up at Chloe Grace Moretz's home uninvited -- 2 days in a row -- has been hit with trespassing charges, but he's off the hook for stalking.

The L.A. City Attorney's Office has charged 18-year-old Justin Alexander Behr with 4 counts of misdemeanor trespassing -- 2 counts each for the back-to-back incidents on June 30 and July 1. He was arrested after hopping Chloe's gate and knocking on the door, asking her family if she was there.

We broke the story ... the second time Behr was arrested for showing up at the house looking for Moretz came just 3 HOURS after he got out of jail for the first arrest.

He was booked for felony stalking for the second occurrence, but the law enforcement sources tell us law enforcement didn't think it rose to that level.

Ezekiel Elliott is now at the center of a criminal probe after the security guard he pushed down changed his mind and pressed charges against the NFL superstar.

The guard, Kyle Johnson, recently filed a criminal complaint with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. It's unclear what exactly he's alleging, or if Zeke's been taken into custody yet ... but his camp is already pushing back against this latest development ... claiming extortion.

The running back's lawyers, Scott Rosenblum and Jason Lampert, issued a statement Saturday saying, "Over the course of the past several weeks, Mr. Elliott has been the target of extortion." They added, "Kyle Johnson’s filing of a criminal complaint against Mr. Elliott in connection with the Las Vegas incident is the latest attempt to do so. Mr. Elliott and it his team are in contact with all of the proper authorities and are fully cooperating with them in their investigations."

TMZ broke the story ... Zeke shoved the security guard down to the ground at EDC earlier this year after getting into an argument with a woman he was there partying with. He was handcuffed by police at the time, but was NOT arrested because Johnson didn't press charges.

Seems like he's had a change of heart now -- despite saying he'd let the whole thing go if he got a legit apology from the Cowboys star. He'd claimed that Zeke's initial apology was BS, saying it wasn't sincere and that eye-contact wasn't made.

WWE Wrestler Jeff Hardy -- aka Brother Nero -- was arrested down in South Carolina for allegedly being drunk in public. 

Jeff was arrested and booked Saturday for public intoxication and impairment in Myrtle Beach, where he posed for this mug shot. Jeff's distinguishable features are on full display -- his large gauges in his ears, and his unique facial hair make him stand out like a sore thumb among the weekend lineup for MBPD. 

It's unclear what exactly led to his arrest -- we're working on getting more deets -- but we're told he was released at some point Saturday on less than $200 bond.

Jeff is currently dealing with a knee injury -- for which he underwent surgery earlier this year and is recovering -- that's kept him out of the ring for a bit. He normally wrestles as one half of the Hardy Boyz for the SmackDown brand of the company. 

Jeff was arrested for a DWI last year in North Carolina after he was reportedly involved in a car crash, and allegedly blew a 0.25 BAC. 

R. Kelly's behind bars thanks in large part to his own inner circle -- enablers and ex-employees who handed the feds videos of Kelly having sex with underage girls, according to the attorney for multiple alleged victims.

Gerald Griggs -- who represents Joycelyn Savage's family among others -- tells TMZ the federal investigation run by the Northern District of Illinois uncovered over 20 videos of Kelly engaged with minors.

Both Griggs and our federal law enforcement sources tell us the tapes show multiple victims ... and prosecutors confirmed with multiple witnesses the girls were underage. Griggs says several of Kelly's enablers -- past and present -- flipped and turned over the tapes to investigators. He says those videos were exactly what the feds needed to secure indictments for sex crimes, including child pornography.

We broke the story last month ... an ex-employee testified the singer regularly recorded his sexual encounters with underage girls, and believed the feds got their hands on some of that video.

As we reported ... Kelly was arrested Thursday after a federal grand jury handed up a 13-count indictment, including 4 counts of producing child pornography and 2 counts of receiving child pornography.

Of course, he's facing another 5-count federal indictment out of the Eastern District of NY which includes racketeering and 4 violations of the Mann Act. Prosecutors in Brooklyn want to keep Kelly locked up until his trial too.

Meanwhile, Joycelyn's parents say they're desperately trying to get in touch with her and get her help ... and won't feel any vindication over Kelly's arrest until they do.

TMZ Sports has obtained video showing Mark Rypien's wife desperately crawling on the ground in pain after she was struck by the former Super Bowl MVP in a domestic violence incident. 

The footage was shot June 30 around 5:45 PM in Spokane, Washington -- where cops were called to respond to an incident involving the 56-year-old NFL legend and his wife. 

Mark told cops at the scene that he had hit Danielle Rypien because she was covering his eyes while he was driving and he was scared. He told cops he "knocked the wind out of her."

You can see in the video Danielle is clearly in pain and struggling to breathe as she crawls on all fours from the vehicle to a nearby grass area ... where she eventually collapses. 

Medical personnel later responded and evaluated Danielle -- determining she did NOT need emergency medical attention so she was not transported to a hospital. 

Mark was arrested for assault/domestic violence and pled not guilty. He was released without bail and is due back in court later this month. 

Danielle issued a joint statement with Mark supporting him and insisting he did not commit a crime and she does not want him prosecuted. 

Danielle also stated that she believes Mark suffers from CTE brought on by the hits he took during his NFL career -- and suggests the brain injury is to blame for his violent outburst. 

We also obtained the 911 calls made by multiple witnesses -- who all describe the terrifying scene in detail.

DMX is off the hook for a potential probation violation ... the feds found no wrongdoing on his part when he and his entourage mistakenly drove away from a restaurant in someone else's Corvette.

TMZ broke the story ... DMX and his crew left a Los Angeles restaurant in another diner's car following a mix-up with valet, and the car was reported stolen. But, the bigger issue for DMX was a question of whether he was behind the wheel. 

The feds felt X could've violated probation in his tax evasion case if he was the one driving the "stolen" Vette.

X's attorney, Murray Richman, tells TMZ ... DMX met with his probation officer and everything is fine. We're told the rapper's in the clear as far as a potential probation violation goes.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York -- which prosecuted DMX for tax evasion -- declined to comment on its investigation. 

Bodybuilding superstar Shawn Rhoden -- the 2018 Mr. Olympia winner -- has been charged with 1st degree rape in Utah after allegedly sexually assaulting a female bodybuilder in 2018.

Cops in Salt Lake City tell TMZ Sports ... 44-year-old Rhoden -- who goes by Flexatron -- has not been arrested, but a warrant has been issued. 

According to court docs, first obtained by KSL.com, Rhoden's accuser claims she visited Rhoden in his hotel room in Oct. 2018. The unidentified woman told cops she viewed Rhoden as a mentor. 

But, during the visit, the woman claims Rhoden forced himself on her -- and despite repeated pleas to stop, he refused. She claims he eventually stopped and let her leave the room. 

Officials say the woman went to police and they collected evidence from her body that tested positive for Rhoden's DNA.  

Rhoden has been hit with multiple criminal charges including felony rape, object rape and forcible sexual assault. 

Rhoden is a huge star in the bodybuilding world -- he has 1.6 million followers on IG and is the reigning Mr. Olympia ... the most prestigious title in the sport. He famously dethroned Phil Heath, the legend who had won the Mr. Olympia competition 7 years in a row. 

NY Jets TE Chris Herndon -- who had a breakout rookie campaign last year -- will be banned 4 games this season after he pled guilty in his DUI crash case, the NFL announced.

Herndon was lucky to be alive after cops say the 22-year-old smashed into another car on a New Jersey highway on June 2, 2018 after he was speeding at more than 100 mph.

TMZ Sports obtained footage from the aftermath of the crash ... and you can see Herndon's 2018 Nissan Armada nearly rolled over wrongside up.

To make matters worse, 23-year-old Herndon bombed field sobriety tests ... and he was arrested for DUI at the scene.

Chris fought the charge in court throughout the Jets' season last year ... but eventually cut a deal with prosecutors and pled guilty in the case.

Herndon was sentenced to complete 12 hours of an intoxicated driver education program. Plus, his driver's license was revoked for 90 days. He was also hit with $639 in fines and fees.

Now, the NFL has weighed in with their punishment, hitting the guy with a 4-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the initial ban was supposed to be 2 games ... but after a woman at the scene claimed the crash caused her bodily harm, the NFL upped it to 4.

R. Kelly was arrested Thursday night for multiple federal sex crimes in 2 different states.

Kelly was arrested Thursday in Chicago on charges contained in a 13-count indictment returned in the Northern District of Illinois. The U.S. Attorney's Office of the Northern District says the indictment includes charges of child porn, enticement of a minor and obstruction of justice.

He was arrested in Chicago while walking his dog. Various law enforcement officials assisted in the arrest, including Homeland Security and Chicago Police.

But, that's not all. There's a second federal indictment out of Brooklyn, where Kelly is reportedly charged with various crimes, including sex trafficking. That indictment is expected to be unveiled Friday.

The singer will be arraigned in Illinois and then taken to New York where he will face a judge in that case.

R. Kelly was in court in Chicago in June on new state charges, where he pled not guilty to 11 felonies related to sexual assault and various abuse in Illinois. The Cook County State's Attorney's Office charged him with 5 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, 4 counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault and 2 counts of criminal sexual assault.

In those legal docs, Kelly is accused of forcing contact between his penis and the alleged victim's mouth and committing an act of sexual penetration on a victim listed only as "J.P." The alleged incident occurred in January 2010, when the victim was under the age of 18.