Legal

Cardi B shining light on the death of Lauren Smith-Fields helped spur a criminal investigation in Connecticut ... so says the girl's family, who is applauding the singer.

Smith-Fields' family attorney Darnell Crosland tells TMZ ... Cardi was instrumental in getting Lauren's tragic death to become a criminal case, because police launched their investigation only after Cardi spoke out.

As you know ... 23-year-old Lauren died while on a date, back in December, with a man she met on a dating app. The medical examiner announced Monday Lauren died from an accidental drug overdose, which the family questioned ... and as public pressure continued to mount, police finally said Tuesday they were opening a criminal probe.

The family's attorney says Cardi B's Sunday night tweet calling for "Justice for Lauren" -- and accusing Connecticut of failing her -- brought extra attention and made a big impact ... because there's been a ton of progress ever since.

A Texas home owned by NBA YoungBoy -- where his mother currently lives -- became the target of an intense SWAT raid ... resulting in the arrests of 3 men and the seizure of multiple weapons.

A spokesperson for the Harris Co. Sheriff's Office tells TMZ, SWAT officers served a warrant at the property Tuesday morning. We're told NBA Youngboy purchased the home, and his mom, Sherhonda Gaulden, lives there ... although it's unclear if she was home when cops arrived.

Neither YoungBoy or his mother were arrested ... but cops call the 3 men who were busted associates of YoungBoy. We're told they were arrested on charges ranging from aggravated robbery to aggravated assault.

The Sheriff spokesperson, Thomas Gilliland, tells TMZ the arrests are related to the November shooting. Cops say the man was shot multiple times in the body and head, but survived and is out of the hospital now.

We're told the SWAT team also seized weapons, including AR-15s, pistols and long guns.

Big break for Nate Hobbs in his DUI case ... prosecutors say toxicology results revealed the Raiders player was UNDER the legal limit of .08 following his arrest earlier this month.

The Clark County District Attorney's Office made the announcement Wednesday ... saying blood analysis following Hobbs' Jan. 3 arrest in Las Vegas showed "Hobbs was under the legal limit for a DUI charge."

Prosecutors say as a result of the tests ... they did not pursue a DUI charge against Hobbs, and instead, they say the NFL cornerback ended up pleading guilty to a misdemeanor careless driving charge.

Prosecutors said in a statement they hit Hobbs with that charge after they say he fell asleep at the wheel of his car in an exit lane of a parking garage at a Vegas hotel -- just hours after Hobbs and the Raiders beat the Colts in Indianapolis.

Prosecutors say as part of Hobbs' guilty plea, he agreed to "pay a $685 fine, complete a victim impact panel, and complete 20 hours of community service."

The prosecutors added that if Hobbs does not complete the requirements, he faces a 30-day jail sentence.

"After reviewing the facts of the case, and the fact that the result of the blood-alcohol test placed Mr. Hobbs under the legal limit for a DUI charge, my office determined that this was the most appropriate disposition in this case," Clark County D.A. Steve Wolfson said in a statement.

"Mr. Hobbs' case will progress through the normal channels of the justice system, as would any other case with similar circumstances."

Wolfson added, "Additionally, he will be submitting to an alcohol treatment program provided by the National Football League and the NFL Players' Association."

Hobbs -- who played in the Raiders' playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals days after the arrest -- is due back in court for a hearing on the matter in March.

Erika just filed docs of her own saying she's totally innocent -- and had no idea where the money to buy the earrings came from 15 years ago. Out of good faith, Erika says she will give the earrings up to a third party to be held until a final order is made.

Erika's attorney, Evan C. Borges, tells TMZ, "Even based on the incomplete hearsay evidence filed with the motion, the trustee has no claim based on Erika innocently receiving a gift of earrings 15 years ago from her now-estranged and then-extraordinarily wealthy husband."

'RHOBH's Erika Jayne might have to surrender $750k worth o' bling -- a bankruptcy trustee is coming for her diamond earrings, claiming Erika's estranged hubby bought 'em with stolen client money.

According to court docs obtained by TMZ ... Tom Girardi bought the ultra-pricey and icy earrings back in 2007 from M&M Jewelers, using money that was in a client trust account at his old law firm Girardi & Keese.

We can't confirm these diamonds Erika was rocking back in 2019 are the ones in question, but they seem to fit the bill.

As for how they ended up in her ears ... the trustee in Girardi & Keese's bankruptcy case alleges Tom hid the transaction by describing the purpose of the check on G&K's Trust Account as a "cost" item paid to "M&M."

So, the trustee is now demanding Erika turn over the earrings to the bankruptcy estate.

As a matter of bankruptcy law, the trustee claims those high-priced diamonds are technically assets of the law firm's bankruptcy estate ... and the trustee can and should sell them to pay back creditors.

The judge hasn't ruled yet, but Erika might wanna box up those babies, just in case.

Michael Rapaport was almost speechless Tuesday ... he says he watched a "shopper" shoplift a bag full of items and breeze right past a security guard ... and the actor is just incredulous.

You don't see it in the video, but apparently, Michael saw the man putting items in a bag. It's unclear why Michael's eyes were trained on this guy before the video started, but it does appear the guy beelines it for the exit as a security guard stands there and does nothing.

"I can't believe I'm seeing this s*** ... this f***ing guy just filled his two bags up with everything in Rite Aid, right here on 80th and First Avenue is walking down the street like s***."

Rapaport follows the guy outside the store and continues ... "Looking me in my face like, 'What's good?' My man just went Christmas shopping in January. He had the condoms, the shampoo."

Michael put the video on his social media account and tagged NYC Mayor Eric Adams, who has been extremely vocal about crime in the City.

Apparently, the store didn't file a theft report, at least not yet.

We called the Rite Aid, but no one answered the phone.

There's been an epidemic of brazen store thefts around the country recently ... with smash-and-grabs from coast to coast, creating wars between progressive D.A.'s who aren't filing charges against the thieves and police. The L.A. County Sheriff is at war with the L.A. County D.A. for failing to prosecute some of these smash-and-grab robbers.

One half of the hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd is behind bars, after allegedly attacking the mother of his child, knocking down a door and pulling her hair extensions out in the process.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Slim Jxmmi was arrested Tuesday morning in Miami for battery. Slim's girlfriend -- with whom he also shares a son -- told cops the rapper first got pissed after she had questioned him about a woman he was following on Twitter.

Cops say the GF told them Slim left their home with a friend shortly after the argument and returned a short time later smelling like alcohol. The alleged victim told cops when she attempted to move their sleeping child from his playpen to a bed, Slim pulled her hair so hard her extension was ripped from her scalp.

We're told Slim's GF told cops she tried to record his outrage with her phone -- which made him more pissed -- and he chased her around their home.

At one point, the alleged victim told cops she ran to a room and closed the door, but Slim kicked the door down, ripped the phone away, and threw it over a balcony to prevent her from posting the video on social media.

Cops say they recovered the phone, undamaged, on a nearby street when they were called to the scene.

We haven't seen much of Slim Jxmmi lately, however, he recently joined Swae Lee, the other half of Rae Sremmurd, at Rolling Loud in L.A.

We've reached out to a rep for Slim Jxmmi ... so far, no word back.

Cardi B is feeling super grateful to a lot of people now that her libel trial is wrapped up ... and she's also walking away with a lot of money, thanks to the jury.

Cardi spoke out as she was leaving federal court in Atlanta Tuesday ... after a hearing to determine punitive damages in her case against YouTuber Tasha K. As we reported, Cardi won big in the case yesterday -- the jury found Tasha liable for all 3 claims against her for telling several damaging lies about Cardi.

The rapper was flanked by her attorneys as she thanked the jurors for reaching a "fair" decision, and she even thanked the media for encouraging her through the trial. She said reporters helped keep her strong while dealing with the "emotional distress."

She also shouted out her attorneys for nearly 3 years of work on the case.

As we told you ... Cardi was awarded $1.25 mil yesterday, and today she got an additional $1.5 million in punitive damages, plus $1.3 million for her attorney's fees.

Tiffany Haddish is laughing off her DUI -- well, sorta ... let's just say she's taking it in stride.

The comedian gave a little insight into what happened -- from her perspective, anyway -- during an appearance Monday on the 'Tonight Show' with Jimmy Fallon, to whom she described her Georgia bust with some humor to spare.

Jimmy asked if she was willing to talk about it, and sure enough, Tiffany was ... starting out the story by saying she'd been asking God for a new man in her life. Well, he answered her prayers, it seems, but might've overcompensated ... 'cause TH says she got more than she bargained for.

Instead of one man, Tiff says she was blessed with 4 ... and they were all in uniform -- which got a chuckle out of Fallon and the audience. She then says she's got a good lawyer and they're dealing with the sitch now, without elaborating much more about it.

TMZ broke the story ... Tiffany was arrested earlier this month when local residents in Peachtree City reported a driver who’d apparently fallen asleep on the side of the road. Cops eventually tracked down Tiffany's car, where they eventually got her in cuffs ... suspecting she'd been smoking weed. She was booked for DUI and improper stopping on a roadway.

Tasha K tweeted about the verdict, saying "My Husband, Attorney’s, & I fought really hard. I want to thank them for their long hours and sleepless nights. Winos it’s only up from here. See y’all in a few days. Back to work."

Cardi B claimed a blogger made up harmful lies about her on the internet, which is ringing true with the jury ... which just sided with her in federal court.

The rapper won her libel case against Tasha K, whom she sued for posting videos where she alleged, among other things, CB was a prostitute who dabbled in drugs and had contracted STIs.

After a week-plus long trial, Tasha was found liable on 3 separate claims and ordered to pay Cardi $1.25 million in general damages and $250k for medical expenses.

Cardi called BS on Tasha, suing her back in 2019 when the blogger refused to take down the damaging posts.

CB even went on the witness stand during the trial and testified she was suicidal during this period as a direct result of Tasha's stories.

Looks like she made an impact with jurors -- she and her attorneys, Lisa Moore, Sarah Matz and William Pequignot scored a big W, and can close the book on this mess, for now.

A Connecticut man got thrown into jail after he lost it at a smoothie store -- where he was recorded going on a racist tirade against the employees ... not to mention getting physical.

48-year-old James Iannazzo was arrested Saturday in Fairfield, CT and got booked on charges of intimidation based on bias, breach of peace and criminal trespass ... this according to local reports.

Iannazzo is said to have purchased a smoothie from a Robeks, only to return 30 minutes later in a rage after claiming his kid had an allergic reaction due to someone putting peanuts in their drink ... and the guy wanted to know which of the workers was responsible.

Part of the interaction was captured on camera. The one employee initially dealing with him says she's not sure how it happened, and then Iannazzo starts to accuse the other workers in the back. As the girl walks away, he throws his drink at them from behind the counter.

A second employee gets in his face (from a distance) and tells him to scram, and that they're calling the police. That's when he calls her an "immigrant," and continues to insult them.

Iannazzo also appears to try and breach the employee-only entrance, and the workers scramble to block the door to prevent him from coming in -- this while he demands to speak to a manager and continues yelling. It's scary ... and in the end, he was busted.

Word is, this guy was a financial advisor for a local Merrill Lynch branch -- and as soon as he was ID'd, the company canned him ... saying they don't tolerate that type of behavior.

R. Kelly's former manager, James Mason, agreed to stay away from R. Kelly's girlfriend, her dad and their family for good ... as a result, his terroristic threats case was dismissed.

A spokesperson for the Henry County D.A.'s office, tells TMZ ... the case against Mr. Mason was dismissed last month in exchange for him agreeing to a permanent protective order that prohibits him from having any contact with Kelly's girlfriend, her father, and their family.

In addition, the spokesperson tells us the victim also signed a permanent protective order not to contact Mason.

As we reported, Joycelyn Savage's father told us ... Mason called him back in 2018 and threatened him, saying ... "I'm gonna do harm to you and your family, when I see you I'm gonna get you, I'm going to f***ing kill you."

An arrest warrant was issued for felony terroristic threats and Mason eventually turned himself in. He was released on a $10k bond, and now we've learned the case is a thing of the past.

As you know, Kelly's GF Joycelyn has stuck by his side and adamantly denied she's being held against her will, but her parents believe that is not the case. For years, they say she has been brainwashed and have tried to get her to come home.

Chargers owner and chairman Dean Spanos is being sued by his own family ... who accuse Uncle Dean of secretly diverting money meant for them after the team moved from San Diego.

The allegations are spelled out in a lawsuit filed Friday in San Joaquin County, California.

Dean's nephews, Dimitri and Lex Economou -- beneficiaries of the trust that owns a portion of the NFL team -- have accused Spanos of secretly changing the trust, screwing them out of boatloads of money in the process, according to the lawsuit.

According to the suit, here's the deal ... the trust owns 36% of the Chargers. In addition, the trust is also partially funded by revenue from the stadium -- and therein lies the problem.

The Economous' claim Dean convinced the family the move from San Diego to Los Angeles would be lucrative with the building of SoFi Stadium ... the $5+ billion state-of-the-art facilities where the Chargers play.

However, Dimitri and Lex say Dean -- with aid from brother Michael Spanos -- surreptitiously diverted money from the trust ... cutting them off from the stadium-related revenue (ticket sales, etc.).

FYI, Dean's dad, billionaire Alex Spanos, purchased the team in 1984. In 2017, the team moved from San Diego to L.A.

The suit claims Dean and Michael redirected the money while dad Alex and mom Faye -- who both passed in 2018 -- were in "failing health."

The lawsuit doesn't specify an amount ... but we're talking about a team worth nearly $3 BILLION, according to a Forbes report last summer.

While the team has improved on the field and is worth a lot of money, the lawsuit paints a grim financial picture for the Spanos family.

According to the docs, the trust is in major financial trouble ...  and that's been compounded by Dean's alleged misconduct.

Bottom line ... the suing family members want things to go back to the way it was before the changes were instituted. Dimitri and Lex have also asked a judge to remove Dean as the co-trustee of the trust ... and they want monetary damages awarded to them.

More trouble for Nate Hobbs -- the Raiders rookie was busted for reportedly driving well over the speed limit on Sunday ... just 2 weeks after he was arrested for DUI.

TMZ Sports has confirmed ... the 22-year-old cornerback was cited for reckless driving on Jan. 16. According to 8 News Now, Nevada State Police Highway Patrol clocked him driving 110 miles per hour in a 65.

Hobbs was issued a citation ... and his car was reportedly towed from the scene.

We broke the story -- Hobbs was arrested for DUI around 4 AM on Jan. 3 ... just hours after the Raiders' road win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Cops say they found Hobbs passed out in his car in the exit ramp of a parking garage ... and claim he smelled like booze and had "glassy watery eyes."

Hobbs was arrested after cops claim he did not do well on field sobriety tests, but his attorneys released a statement saying there were serious concerns it did not qualify as a DUI under Nevada law based on the facts relayed by Vegas police.

Hobbs' recent run-ins with the law are obviously not the first time someone from this Raiders team has allegedly acted recklessly in a vehicle -- Henry Ruggs is accused of getting drunk, speeding in his car and then killing a woman and her dog in a wreck in Las Vegas in November.

The man allegedly responsible for the stabbing death of UCLA grad student Brianna Kupfer has officially been charged with murder.

The L.A. County District Attorney's office announced the murder charge against Shawn Laval Smith Friday, along with a special allegation that he used a deadly and dangerous weapon, a knife.

As the charges were announced, D.A George Gascon said, "Those who show no compassion for human life will face serious consequences. The murder of Brianna Kupfer has left Los Angeles County devastated and my office is reaching out to her family to provide any services they may need.”

TMZ broke the story ... Laval was arrested Wednesday in Pasadena after a city-wide search following Brianna's murder. Laval allegedly walked into the Hancock Park furniture store where Kupfer was working on January 13 and stabbed her to death.

Cops were quick to put out photos and surveillance of Smith -- taken at a 7-Eleven store shortly after the murder -- urging the city to help track him down.

We obtained video of Smith's arrest from Wednesday, we're told a man called police after believing he spotted Smith walking the streets ... turns out, he was right.

Universal Studios has pissed off some moviegoers whose jam is clearly Ana de Armas ... and they're outraged she was advertised as a star of the film, "Yesterday," but ended up on the cutting room floor.

Two consumers say they plunked down $3.99 to watch the movie about the dude who hits his head and wakes up to discover he's the only person in the world who knows the entire Beatles catalog.

Ana was originally cast to co-star in the film. According to the suit, although Ana appeared in the trailer and various advertisements, she was not in the flick. It's unclear why she ended up on the cutting room floor.

The 2 named plaintiffs are particularly pissed off ... in the trailer, the main character sings the song, "Something" to Ana, but it's nowhere to be seen on screen.

Well, now there's a class-action lawsuit for those who rented the movie in California or Maryland. The class is defined as everyone who purchased the movie, but fact is ... there are probably a lot of people who don't care one way or the other if Ana is in the flick.

What's more ... we're assuming each consumer would get a maximum of $3.99 -- the cost to rent the movie. The lawsuit is for $5 million, so the ones who will make out like a bandit -- the lawyers!

BTW ... the movie was a hit, grossing $150 million.

Garrett Hedlund is still being haunted by his 2020 DUI bust ... because now he's facing a lawsuit from a family that claims he crashed into their car before being arrested.

According to a lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, the family members -- a mother and her 3 children -- claim they were riding in a Nissan Sentra when Garrett passed out drunk behind the wheel of his Jeep, ran a red light and slammed into them.

In the docs, the family claims the "Troy" actor was driving at a high rate of speed and was over twice the legal limit for alcohol at the time of the crash. They also claim he tried to flee the scene after the accident and didn't call an ambulance for them.

The mom says she and her 3 children were eventually transported to different hospitals after sustaining injuries in the Jan. 24, 2020 crash.

Garrett was arrested for DUI that same night and court records show he pled no contest to a DUI charge in Feb. 2020, and was sentenced to 3 years probation.

The family is suing Garrett for damages.