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He's made his millions, but now, businessman Pete Kadens is taking on the U.S. wealth gap by storm through his nonprofit ... saying he's not paying it forward -- but backward.

Kadens joined "TMZ Live," to talk about his nonprofit Hope Chicago -- which is on its way to being the largest scholarship program in the U.S.

Pete tells us he started the org to send 4,000 high school grads in low-income communities to college -- debt-free. Now, that goal is to send 30,000 students to college with scholarships over the next decade.

Pete was able to retire at 40, after starting 5 companies --- one of which is the 2nd largest marijuana company -- which rakes in billions. He was motivated to not pay it forward, but backward, helping communities that don't have access to proper education ... a pillar in helping him succeed.

Pete recognizes he's made his millions in an industry built by black and brown people -- with a product that has put many behind bars -- and says it motivates him to help.

Pete's pledged $15 million of his own money -- a disproportionate chunk of his net worth -- and hopes other people will also do the same to give back.

Justin Bieber and his wife are checking out of the madness in America -- temporarily, at least -- with a trip down Mexico way, and it's a true family affair.

Hailey Bieber and her man soaked up the rays off Cabo San Lucas ... doing a little snorkeling and hanging out on the deck of a yacht.

They were both smiling ear-to-ear as they hugged and cuddled up Wednesday ... and their pup, Oscar, was there too. We're guessing he passed on the snorkeling, though! Lots o' sharks down there.

The quick trip is a super mini vacay for the couple, because Justin's actually in the middle of his world tour.

Shortly after these pics were taken, he jetted off to Mexico City ... where he performed last night, and has another show Thursday night.

Bruno Mars' first collaborator, "Nothin' On You" rapper B.o.B., owes several stacks -- to the tune of $3 million dollars -- to his former managers ... at least according to a new lawsuit.

In the legal docs, obtained by TMZ Hip Hop, Round Hill Music and Artists Rights Management claims B.o.B. violated a deal it struck in January 2017 which requires the rapper to hand over certain royalties associated with public performances of his tunes.

B.o.B's touring company is also named in the suit and he has 20 days to respond ... otherwise, it could become a very expensive legal default.

B.o.B tells TMZ Hip Hop, "I have not seen the lawsuit but am aware my former manager had entered into agreements without my knowledge. I take my business seriously and look forward to getting to the truth of what happened."

Sean Paul is all set to release his new album "Scorcha" tomorrow, but he's also waving the flag for Jamaica's reggae artists, and demanding they get their due.

The legendary dancehall reggae hitmaker was on "TMZ Live" Thursday talking about his genre's prevalence now in hip hop and pop music. As we've all heard for years now platinum artists such as Drake and Ed Sheeran have adopted it, and, of course, Rihanna's infused the sounds she grew up with in Barbados.

Sean da Paul (ya gotta say it that way, right?) says Drizzy's never reached out personally, but he does give him credit for recording with Jamaican artists like Popcaan. However, when it comes to the awards shows, he says they tend to bypass his homeland of Jamaica and it's native artists. Translation: Where's the respect?

He also spoke on "bridging the gaps" of reggae and reggaeton by recording with current superstars such as J Balvin and Anitta.

The latest single combines the best of both worlds with legends Damian Marley and Nicky Jam assisting for the track "No Fear."

Von Miller can breathe a sigh of relief -- the NFL superstar's revenge porn lawsuit has been dismissed.

Court documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, show the case was officially tossed out with prejudice on Wednesday.

We broke the story -- the 2-time Super Bowl champ was accused of sending sexually explicit pictures taken with a woman to two celebrities "in a fit of jealousy, anger, and rage" in May 2020.

The unnamed woman claimed Von sent texts to the celebs ... saying things like, "This the bitch you want? You can have her dawg."

It's unclear whether a settlement was reached ... but the woman was seeking "monetary damages."

The 8-time Pro Bowler had not spoken publicly about the lawsuit ... and it's unclear if the league ever looked into the claims.

Even the "Kings of Pain" have a limit when it comes to voluntarily being bitten by poisonous animals ... telling us rattlesnakes are a no-go.

History Channel stars Adam Thorn and Rob Alleva joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and told us why they're down to keep getting bitten by animals whose poisonous venom is geared towards defensive purposes, and where the cutoff lies.

The guys puked and were hospitalized following a bite from a Mexican beaded lizard, and they say that's about as much as they can handle ... because if they were to cross into deadly venom territory, the stakes are obviously much higher.

The way Adam and Rob see it -- rattlesnakes, for example, are on the attack when they take a poisonous bite -- and those bites can have potentially life-changing consequences, or even result in death.

In the second season of their show, they're bitten by lizards, urchins, piranhas, lionfish, centipedes and this scary beast ... the tarantula hawk wasp.

Adam and Rob are all about pushing their boundaries ... but some animals are clearly out of bounds.

Lisa Vanderpump is going all out to celebrate some four-legged friends by hosting her 6th annual 'World Dog Day'!

The 'Real Housewives' star (and her pup) joined "TMZ Live" to give us the lowdown on this weekend's festivities in West Hollywood, which raises awareness about global dog abuse.

Lisa tells us, "World Dog Day' is a real feel-good factor ... especially coming amid some very tough times in America, around the world ... and even for Lisa's charity Vanderpump Dog Foundation.

From the sounds of it, it'll be a whole 'lotta fun ... Lisa says, they're doing it big for all the furry folks -- live music and a DJ, vendors with doggy treats ... also a dog water park, pie-eating contest and even a fashion show with dog models!

While the foundation puts on a great show for pleasure, it also gets down to business too. The org has rescued and adopted over 2,300 dogs domestically and hundreds internationally ... even more of a reason to celebrate!

This year's event is co-sponsored by WeHo as a part of the city's celebration of Pet Week.

'RHONJ' star, Teresa Giudice, is clapping back at Caroline Manzo ... insisting she was all bark and no bite.

ICYMI, Caroline recently let loose on the "Dear Albie" Podcast, "Caroline Manzo, Out For Blood," saying she was tired of Teresa blaming her for allegedly alerting the IRS of the Giudice's wrongdoings. She added, "Sometimes, you gotta smack the bully. I am more than happy to go smack the bully.”

Giudice clearly isn't intimidated by Caroline, telling us, "She didn't knock the s*** out of me the entire time she was on the show, that's why I'm still there and she's not." She says Caroline's just using her name for clout, adding, "She's promoting her son's podcast so she talks about me because otherwise, no one is paying attention."

Interestingly enough, Teresa claims Caroline was totally cool with her when they recently did a Super Bowl commercial together, saying, "In person, she was hugging me. On her son's podcast, she wants to fight me."

McDonald's may have found their latest spokesperson, or at the very least a new star to sing their jingle ... cause The Kid LAROI gave some excited fans the ultimate treat outside the fast-food restaurant.

The Australian rapper put on an impromptu show outside one of the franchise's locations in Sydney, Australia ... performing his song "Thousand Miles," asking folks, crowded around, to sing along.

Before singing, LAROI tells fans his record label has pushed him to post on TikTok more, but confesses he doesn't know what to do on the app ... so the sing-along seemed like a good idea.

As we reported ... he surprised fans last month with a secret concert at the Lodge Room in L.A.'s Highland Park neighborhood, just before 2 fans got a little too amped up and had to be taken down by security.

Parents are doing anything to keep their kids safe on the heels of another school mass shooting -- and that means an all-new run on bulletproof backpacks.

Former Secret Service agent, Mike De Geus, is the founder and CEO of Leatherback Gear, and he says his company has seen an 800% spike in sales for their fortified knapsacks since Tuesday's shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

Mike, who protected former Presidents Trump, Obama, Bush and Clinton when he was a Secret Service agent, says his brand's backpacks offer the same amount of bulletproof armor he had when he was protecting POTUS.

We're told most of the sales are for a $249.99 Sport One Jr. backpack that separates into two pieces, creating a bulletproof vest in seconds, covering the user's front and back.

Mike says the backpack was designed with active shootings in mind.

Another bulletproof backpack manufacturer, TuffyPacks, says it's seeing a noticeable uptick in sales for armor inserts that can go inside any bag. Owner Steve Naremore says the products are being shipped all over the country, with sales up 300%.

It's interesting ... TuffyPacks is based in Texas and they say they work with several school districts across the country, but not the one in Uvalde, where 19 students and 2 teachers were gunned down.

A third company, Guard Dog Security, says it's seen an increase in demand from consumers and retail partners who carry their bulletproof bags, including Lowe's and Dick's Sporting Goods.

The company's president, Yasir Sheikh, tells TMZ the brand donates a portion of its proceeds to Make Our Schools Safe, an organization founded by the parents of a student killed in the 2018 Parkland shooting in Florida.

Most Congress members are pawns in the hands of gun lobbyists, according to former Ohio State Senator Nina Turner ... which is why she's calling on another group to make gun reform happen.

We got the outspoken Ohio politician at LAX, and she gave us way more than her 5 cents about Congress' reaction -- or lack thereof -- to the tragic Texas mass shooting that killed 19 elementary school children and 2 adults.

Nina ripped elected officials for playing footsy with gun lobbyists, and insists politicians do have the power to stop gun violence, but instead they make decisions based purely on money and power.

You can see and feel just how fed up Turner is with politicians who refuse to act -- and now she wants mothers across the country to unite and demand action from lawmakers.

While we've seen lots of officials making speeches since the Uvalde tragedy -- she's calling BS, saying we need results instead of rhetoric.

And, as far as Beto O'Rourke confronting Texas Governor Abbott during a news conference ... Nina says that was genuine, and also a bit of theater. But, as she explains ... it's necessary theater!

In a powerful final plea, she says there's only one way to break gun lobbyists' hold on Congress ... "If the mamas get together, we'll shut this whole thing down!"

Brandon Thomas Lee and his brother Dylan just closed on a house in Encino, shelling out just under $4 million for their new digs ... TMZ has learned

Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson's sons didn't just scoop up a 4-bedroom home, the place is more like a palatial estate!

The ranch-style property -- for which they paid $3,995,000 -- has a main house that's 3,700 square feet with 3 bedrooms, a fireplace in the living room, a modern kitchen adjacent to the dining room and a yoga retreat in the attic.

The home, tucked behind a wrought iron gate and towering oak trees, also includes a 400-sq.-ft. guest house and a massive swimming pool. There's even a bridge behind the gate with a paver-stone driveway leading to the motor court and 2-car garage.

TMZ broke the story ... Brandon and Dylan sold their crib in Malibu -- where they lived most of their lives -- getting their asking price of $3 million after 2 months on the market.

Now, 25-year-old Brandon and 24-year-old Dylan are all grown up, and putting down new roots.

Nick Diaz ain't done yet ... the UFC legend tells TMZ Sports he's gunning to return to the Octagon this year, and he's looking to challenge the very best in the world, Kamaru Usman.

We recently talked to 38-year-old Nick at Represent HQ in SoCal ... and asked the older Diaz bro -- who has fought once since the beginning of 2015 -- if, and when, he wanted to fight.

"We're working on the end of the year," Diaz says.

Nick told us he's "focused on my training right now" ... but made it clear he isn't interested in fighting his way up the rankings against fighters looking to make a name for themselves.

"I don't need to go in there and get my ass whooped by one of them young guys anyway, and it's not that I won't win," Nick says, admitting, "It's just I'm not motivated."

It makes sense ... Nick's been in the sport for over two decades, and has shared the Octagon with everyone from Georges St. Pierre, Anderson Silva, BJ Penn, Diego Sanchez, and Robbie Lawler.

FYI, Ruthless' was Nick's last fight ... a loss by TKO at UFC 266 in September 2021. Before and after the bout, Diaz talked about being unhappy with how the fight was scheduled. However, Nick made no excuses for the actual outcome.

As for who he does want to fight, Nick has someone in mind.

"I wanna fight for the title. I don't wanna do all this -- I'm 38 years old."

Of course, the titleholder is also the top pound-for-pound fighter in the MMA world ... Kamaru Usman. The Nigerian Nightmare hasn't lost since May 2013.

How would Nick fare against the world's top pound-for-pound fighter?

Britney Spears says her dad has been ducking for cover so he doesn't have to sit for a deposition, detailing his conduct in the conservatorship case, but now her lawyer says they're calling Jamie's bluff.

Jamie has said he would sit for a depo, but only in Kentwood, Louisiana. Britney's lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, says in legal docs, he'll gladly fly to Kentwood to put Jamie under oath.

Rosengart says in new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, that Jamie has been skirting the depo for more than 5 months, and he thinks for good reason. Rosengart claims he can prove Jamie was running "a corrupted and conflicted conservatorship that stripped his daughter of certain fundamental liberties," adding Jamie enriched himself to the tune of at least $6.3 million and paid various people involved in the conservatorship tens of millions of dollars more.

Rosengart goes on to claim Jamie "continues to harass and bully Britney Spears by, among other things, failing to cooperate with his discovery ... and actually noticing his daughter's deposition, even as he hides from answering essential deposition questions."

TMZ broke the story ... Jamie wants Britney under oath to challenge her allegations.

Caitlyn Jenner didn't intentionally skip out on Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's wedding, fact is, she just wasn't on the guestlist ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the couple tell us Caitlyn never got an invitation for the weekend affair in Portofino, but the couple has no hard feelings toward her. We're told Kourtney and Travis wanted a very small and intimate ceremony, and Caitlyn simply didn't make the cut.

Our sources say it's not that Kourtney and Caitlyn don't have a relationship -- they do, but don't see or speak to each other all that much, so Kourtney didn't feel the need to invite her.

As for what Caitlyn did over the weekend while the rest of the fam was celebrating the newlyweds? She was busy cheering on her newest passion, Jenner Racing. Driver Jamie Chadwick won her 5th W Series race in a row, taking the prize in Barcelona.

Shortly after Chapman's victory, Caitlyn tweeted a photo of the driver with the caption, "Win! Win! Win! No matter what!" So, she still found plenty of joy, just not wedding-related.

It's worth noting, Caitlyn did attend Kim and Kanye's wedding in Italy back in May of 2014 -- the year after splitting from Kris Jenner, and the year before announcing her transition.

For Jay Ellis, flying commercial feels super boring after filming scenes in real fighter jets with Tom Cruise ... but he's already working on finding that cockpit thrill again.

When we got the "Top Gun: Maverick" star at LAX he made it clear he's laser-focused on getting his pilot license. Or, in 'Top Gun' speak ... Jay feels the need for speed!

He and the rest of the cast "pilots" trained for months in different aircraft, advancing to the F-18 Super Hornet and even getting launched from an aircraft carrier. Jay says it was Maverick -- aka Tom -- who cooked up the training program.

Tom is, famously, a licensed pilot himself, and Jay -- who plays "Payback" in the blockbuster -- wants to follow suit, and since he already has a head start on training ... he wants to go the distance.

It's safe to say Jay's hooked on flying -- you gotta see him light up telling us the experience of feeling all those G-forces while filming.

Jay's pretty confident he could fly our photog up the Cali coast, but it sounds like he needs more practice when it comes to getting back on the ground.