Crime

Filmmaker Sadhvi Siddhali Shree says there's a simple reason the sex trafficking industry continues to flourish -- it's the lack of serious consequences for pimps and madams, something she's aiming to change.

Siddhali joined "TMZ Live" to talk about her latest documentary, "Surviving Sex Trafficking," and the importance of sharing stories and spreading awareness on this issue. She says giving survivors a safe space to share their stories not only helps them heal, but it also helps to raise awareness.

As far as putting an end to the multibillion dollar worldwide sex trafficking industry -- Siddhali says there's been a lot of progress in the last 10 years, but there's a long road ahead. Even with more attention on this issue, she feels, the punishment for traffickers isn't tough enough.

Without that deterrent, she says traffickers are operating without fear.

Over 45 million people are trafficked around the globe, and only 2% ever escape it. Siddhali dives into that stark reality in her new documentary, which follows 3 sex trafficking victims on their journey to healing.

"The Flash" star Ezra Miller was catching looks at a lounge in Hawaii over the weekend, dancing wildly just weeks after their arrest at a nearby bar.

Eyewitnesses say Ezra was all over the place at the Hilo Axe lounge in Hilo, HI Friday night ... their moves caught the attention of the crowd, with one witness calling it "comical."

Ezra was dropping it low and trying to break dance for the patrons -- shaking their long hair back and forth for the camera.

Ezra's been running into trouble at Hawaiian bars lately ... as we reported, EM was denied entry to a bar on Hilo last month.

Things apparently got heated after the actor was physically blocked from going inside ... the police came to calm things down.

The "Fantastic Beasts" star was arrested a few weeks later for disorderly conduct and harassment after an incident at another bar  ... allegedly grabbing the mic from a woman performing karaoke and lunging at a guy playing darts.

A man in a Colorado Rockies hat punched several women in the face in a crazy altercation outside of Coors Field over the weekend ... and TMZ Sports has obtained video of the brutality.

The incident went down shortly after the Rockies vs. Dodgers game in Denver on Friday -- just a few blocks away from the stadium -- when a man jumped into an altercation between women who appeared to be feuding with each other.

You can see in the footage, as several of the women were fighting -- the man stepped in and began unloading haymakers.

The guy punched several of the women in the face -- with one blow landing so flush, it appeared to knock one of the females out.

Later in the fight, the man punched another woman in the face while she was on the ground.

A police officer showed up and appeared to break up the scuffle, though it's unclear if any arrests were made. We've reached out to cops for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

Kim Kardashian's support is going a long way for Texas death row inmate Melissa Lucio, who has newfound hope ... despite her looming execution date.

We caught up with Melissa's son, John Lucio, who was heading to a rally in Dallas to protest the impending execution.

John tells TMZ ... when he told his mom Kim Kardashian was advocating on her behalf, she was shocked and couldn't believe it. He says, Kim supporting her, alongside many others, really uplifted her spirit.

Kim has called on Texas Gov. Abbott to halt the execution ... which is scheduled for April 27. She's spoken out on this issue on her social media and shared a letter to the Governor from Melissa's 14 children.

Melissa has been sitting on death row for nearly 15 years. She was convicted back in 2008 of murdering her 2-year-old daughter. Melissa told cops her daughter fell down a flight of stairs when they arrived.

Melissa's family, attorneys and supporters all note she initially asserted her innocence but was coerced into a false confession ... after hours of tough interrogation.

As you know, Kim has been a long-time advocate for criminal justice reform ... speaking out on other death row cases in Texas, like Rodney Reed.

Henry Ruggs' former Alabama teammate, Jaylen Waddle, says he was shocked by the ex-Raiders star's arrest ... calling Ruggs both a "good person" and a "good dude."

Waddle explained his feelings on Ruggs' legal situation to Pacman Jones and Omar Kelly on the the "I Am Athlete" show this week ... saying he never would have thought Ruggs would be in the situation he's currently in.

In fact, Waddle said out of the star 'Bama wideouts who went to school together -- which also included Devonta Smith and Jerry Jeudy -- Ruggs was perhaps the best guy in the meeting rooms.

"Out of all us," Waddle said, "that'd be the person that you least expect something like that to happen to."

Waddle told Jones and Kelly that Ruggs was such a good friend, the two still keep in contact with each other to this day.

As we reported, Ruggs is facing decades behind bars after he was accused of driving drunk and killing Tina Tintor after he crashed his pricey sports car into the back of her Rav4.

Ruggs is currently out on bond while he awaits trial.

Waddle didn't want to comment too much on the situation due to the pending legal case -- but he did say the incident has made him more aware of his surroundings and behavior.

Courtney Tailor -- the model who was covered in blood after her boyfriend was brutally killed -- got a temperature check on how the public feels about her ... and it ain't good.

A video has surfaced that shows someone filming a blonde woman in the lobby area of Miami's Grand Beach Hotel Friday night -- with the camera person saying she will NOT stop recording and arguing this woman (whom she believes is Tailor) has no business being there ... especially since her BF, Christian Tobechukwu Obumseli, was slain just days ago.

The person filming also makes clear their opinion on the matter -- namely, that she believes Tailor may have been the one who did the stabbing ... something CT has yet to be accused of by cops or law enforcement officials at this point in the investigation.

Their IG caption is also telling ... "@mpdpolice does this look like a mentally unstable person to you, as she claims?" She's referring to the fact Tailor was placed in a psychiatric hold after threatening suicide when she was brought in for questioning. Clearly, she's been released from that hold from nearly a full week ago ... and is out and about, not in custody.

Courtney's attorney, Frank Prieto, confirms to TMZ ... yes, this is, in fact, his client -- but he defends her being there, and says this is just an example of people running with theories without knowing the full facts.

He says, in part ... Courtney was there that night with her father, who simply wanted to pop in and have a drink in private -- which was disrupted by this woman who started filming.

Prieto also says this ... "It is unfortunate that a member of the public, knowing absolutely nothing about circumstances and events surrounding the death Mr. Obumseli, would take the opportunity to harass the Clenney family during a time that they are trying to be supportive for Courtney."

He also drops a bombshell allegation, telling us he believes Courtney is the victim of "physical, emotional, and mental abuse at the hands of Mr. Obumseli," while also suggesting she may even have been a "victim of human trafficking," without elaborating much further.

Prieto also makes this clear -- he believes his client was fighting for her life during the domestic disturbance that got cops sent out that fateful day. He claims, "At the time of the incident, Mr. Obumseli was committing a forcible felony. He had gained access to Courtney’s apartment without permission on several occasions in the days leading up to this incident."

He adds, "Courtney acted in self-defense; the investigation by both the City of Miami Police Department and the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office will conclude such. With that said, we would ask for the public’s understanding about observing the family’s privacy at this time."

We've reached out to attorney Lee Merritt, who is working with Christian's family, for comment on Prieto's allegations about DV and self-defense ... so far, no word back.

Lady Gaga's dog walker is weighing in on the bungled release from jail of the man who allegedly tried to murder him.

Ryan Fischer called for the accused, James Howard Jackson, to turn himself in. As TMZ reported, he was released this week due to some sort of clerical error, and he's still on the loose.

Ryan says, "While I'm deeply concerned at the events that led to his release, I'm confident law enforcement will rectify the error. I ask for Mr. Jackson to turn himself over to the authorities, so resolution to the crime committed against me runs its course, whatever the courts determine that outcome to be. Thank you to everyone who is supporting me during this time."

The 19-year-old Jackson allegedly shot Ryan in the chest as he and others attempted to nab Lady Gaga's 3 French bulldogs as he was walking them in a residential area.

TMZ obtained the video which shows the brutal scene. Jackson allegedly took 2 of the dogs and left Ryan bleeding on the street.

The dogs were returned, but Ryan had a much tougher time. He suffered from a collapsed lung and is still enduring the physical and emotional aftereffects of the shooting.

Boris Becker has been convicted by a jury of his peers who believed he committed bankruptcy fraud, and he could spend years behind bars as a result.

The 54-year-old tennis great was convicted on multiple charges, including concealing assets and debts, and we're talking about more than a million bucks in debt.

It wasn't a total loss ... Becker was acquitted on 20 additional charges, including allegations he failed to turn over his Olympic gold medal and Wimbledon awards to the bankruptcy trustee.

Boris now faces 7 years in prison. He's free on bail pending sentencing, which is scheduled for later this month.

Becker was mum on the verdict. As you probably know ... he was an unstoppable force in tennis, winning 6 Grand Slams.

During the trial, Becker admitted he squandered his fortune -- $50 mil -- on his first divorce, child support and an extravagant lifestyle.

Hayden Panettiere's boyfriend Brian Hickerson could be in big trouble over video of them getting into a huge brawl at a famous Sunset Strip hotel ... because his probation officer says it's a clear violation of his probation.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Brian's PO says the fight at the Sunset Marquis in WeHo started when Hayden's BF confronted another bar patron for not leaving a large enough tip, resulting in a fight that spilled out into the street.

Brian's probation officer references the video TMZ first posted last month ... which shows Brian throwing down with a large group of people. The PO notes Brian is clearly seen and heard asking for a round two of the fight.

What's more, Brian's PO points out the portion of the video where Hayden is heard yelling, "Brian, jail!"

Remember, Brian's on probation until 2025 as a result of his domestic violence conviction back in April 2021.

In the docs, Brian's probation officer says he violated to conditions of his probation by failing to refrain from using force or violence against any person.

The PO is asking the court to find Brian in violation of probation and order him to complete 26 weeks of anger management and 26 weeks of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Rapper Polo G's final 2 charges in his cop attack case have been dropped after he completed anger management classes ... putting an end to this whole saga.

The artist recently completed a 6-hour anger management course, resulting in his final 2 counts of misdemeanor Resisting an Officer Without Violence being tossed.

As for why he got cut a break, this was part of the Pre-Trial Intervention program -- PTI -- which allows offenders with non-violent offenses to have charges dropped when they complete such programs.

Polo never pled guilty, so he won't be on probation. It's case closed.

Polo's celeb attorney, Bradford Cohen, tells us the rapper is happy to put this behind him and get back into the studio ... thanking the State Attorney for Miami-Dade County for her professionalism in resolving the matter.

As we reported, Polo G was arrested for allegedly attacking a cop during a traffic stop back in June. According to an affidavit, obtained by TMZ, the cop suffered abrasions to the face and a swollen right cheek ... the officer took multiple punches and elbow strikes to his head while trying to cuff the rapper.

The Instagram model covered in blood after her boyfriend's stabbing death proudly talked about needing to be in control of her relationships and only dating "rich Black men" just weeks before he was killed.

Courtney Tailor went on the "We In Miami Podcast" we're told just 2 weeks before Christian Tobechukwu Obumseli's death. A newly surfaced clip from the interview makes her taste in men pretty clear -- "Let me clarify, I only date rich Black guys."

As the interview goes on, she reveals she doesn't like being controlled in her life ... saying she never wants to be told what to do.

As we reported, cops responded to a domestic violence incident Sunday ... they found 27-year-old Christian with an apparent stab wound. Christian was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The footage, obtained by TMZ, shows Courtney handcuffed in her luxury apartment in Miami with her clothes are covered in blood after the event.

Police have yet to announce Courtney as the woman in the video, but Lee Merritt, an attorney working with Christian's family, says she's the one.

Trey Songz has officially been cleared in a sexual assault investigation out of Vegas.

A rep for the Las Vegas Metro. PD tells us, "The LVMPD has concluded the investigation into the sexual assault allegations against Tremaine Neverson and determined that no criminal charges will be filed. If any new evidence comes to light, the case will be reopened for further investigation."

TMZ broke the story, Songz was accused of misconduct while in town to celebrate his 37th birthday back in November. Trey allegedly brought a group of women back to his room at The Cosmopolitan, and that's when the accuser had claimed things went South.

Trey's attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, tell us, "We are pleased that Trey Songz' has been cleared of wrongdoing and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigation has officially been closed."

They continue, "We are grateful to the LVMPD for the professional police work done and their thorough investigation, which included findings of inconsistency in witness testimony and insufficient evidence. We are pleased that Trey can now return to what he does best, entertaining."

New video showing the bloody aftermath of a domestic disturbance in Miami, which ended with one man being stabbed to death and a woman covered in blood.

In the footage, obtained by TMZ, you see the woman in sweatpants and a bra handcuffed and soaked in blood as she sits on the floor of a luxury apartment talking to cops.

Cops responded Sunday to a call about a domestic violence incident involving a stabbing and when they got there they say they found a 27-year-old man with an apparent knife wound who was rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Police say the man, Christian Tobechukwu Obumseli, and the woman in the video were involved in a physical confrontation that turned deadly.

Cops are not releasing the woman's name, and she has not been arrested ... but Lee Merritt, an attorney working with Christian's family, says the woman is IG model Courtney Tailor ... Christian's girlfriend.

In the video, the woman's blood-soaked bra and sweats are identical to what Courtney was wearing earlier that same day when she posted a video of herself on Instagram Live.

You might recognize Courtney ... she was featured in the music video for G-Eazy's 2015 track, "Me, Myself and I."

Folks who knew Christian say he lived in the building with his girlfriend.

As for why Courtney wasn't arrested ... we're told she was taken to the police department for questioning and reportedly threatened to kill herself. She was then placed on a psychiatric hold.

The suspect who allegedly shot Lady Gaga's dog walker was accidentally released from jail ... and the L.A. Sheriff's Department is investigating how such a blunder could occur.

19-year-old James Howard Jackson was released Wednesday. Jail records simply say  "dismissed." The Sheriff's department says Jackson was the beneficiary of a clerical error.

Jackson had appeared in an L.A. courtroom Tuesday ... and somehow got released the following day.

The LASD Major Crimes Bureau is now trying to find Jackson .... they're asking anyone with info to contact the Sheriff's Dept.

As we reported, Jackson was in custody for attempted murder in connection with the shooting of Lady Gaga's dog walker, Ryan Fisher, and the theft of two of the singer's French Bulldogs.

Ryan suffered a collapsed lung and serious mobility issues and is still enduring the physical and emotional aftereffects of the shooting.

Members of Jill Biden's security detail are under investigation after they were offered lavish gifts from 2 men allegedly posing as federal agents ... and prosecutors say those gifts included firearms and rent-free apartments.

The 2 men, Arian Taherzadeh and Haider Ali, were arrested Wednesday in D.C. and charged with impersonating federal law enforcement agents -- prosecutors claim they posed as Department of Homeland Security agents, and then tried to hook up the First Lady's Secret Service agents.

Taherzadeh allegedly offered a $2,000 assault rifle to one of Dr. Biden's agents -- and now 4 of her agents are on administrative leave pending an investigation.

Prosecutors claim the federal posers also lavished Secret Service agents and a real DHS employee with iPhones, a drone, a flat screen TV, a generator, an assault rifle storage case, surveillance systems and law enforcement equipment.

Prosecutors says one Secret Service agent, who was assigned to the protect the White House, lived rent-free in a 3-bedroom luxury apartment provided by Taherzadeh ... where the rent typically runs more than $48,000 a year.

The FBI says Taherzadeh and Ali pretended to be agents from a fake DHS task force investigating violence at the Jan. 6 riots ... and the feds say the men used insignias and firearms used by federal agents to keep up the act.

Prosecutors believe the men were posing as agents "to ingratiate themselves with members of federal law enforcement and the defense community."

The alleged impostor act began to unravel last month, when a U.S. Postal Inspector looked into a possible assault on a letter carrier at the apartment complex where Taherzadeh lived, with the men allegedly identifying themselves as members of the non-existent task force.

21 Savage's battle over his immigration status isn't moving forward, and it all has to do with his criminal case ... this according to the artist's lawyer.

21's immigration attorney Charles Kuck tells TMZ ... the pending criminal charges basically paused the rapper's now 3-year-long immigration case -- and nothing will happen on that front until the criminal case in DeKalb County wraps up.

As we reported, 21 was detained by ICE officials way back in 2019 ... agents say he had been illegally living in the U.S. for years after his visa expired.

Authorities later claimed the rapper threw out a bottle of codeine during that ICE arrest ... and they say a handgun was also found in his vehicle.

Here's the crazy part -- the Dekalb D.A. didn't even formally charge 21 with possession of a controlled substance and possession of a firearm until January of this year. Think about it, a whole worldwide pandemic came and went before that much happened, and as a result ... he's still in limbo as to where he'll end up living.

BTW, we're told there are currently no pending court dates for the criminal case, so this ain't ending anytime soon.

Savage's lawyer says his client is still allowed to travel domestically, but can't leave the U.S. because he has no visa to reenter the country.