Legal

The man who allegedly pulled a knife on Ariana Grande's security and got arrested at her home has been a menace for months, and now we know how ominous it was, because the guy threatened to kill her.

Ariana filed legal docs to get a restraining order, and in it she explains Aharon Brown has terrorized her for 7 months. Things escalated to a crisis level on the evening of Sept. 9, when Ariana was at home. Brown showed up again and this time allegedly brandishing a large hunting knife. When security asked him to leave, he became combative and screamed, "I'll f**king kill you and her."

Police were called and Brown fled on foot. He was ordered to stop multiple times but failed to do so. He was eventually taken into custody.

A law enforcement officer also filed a declaration saying he feared the alleged stalker would be released from jail and therefore the restraining order was essential. We checked, and he's still in custody, charged with 2 felony counts of making criminal threats.

Kym Whitley was trying to get her green thumb on, but instead, ended up badly bruised -- so she claims in a new lawsuit against a plant shop.

The comedian filed suit against a place called Green Thumb Nursery in L.A.'s Canoga Park neighborhood ... where she says she went a couple years ago to do some plant shopping.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Whitley claims she pulled up to the store, parked and then tried strolling through an alleyway adjacent to the facility, before tripping on what she says was a "broken, defective, poorly maintained section of asphalt."

She says the stumble turned into a tumble ... making her land face first into the ground, and busting her mug up pretty badly -- she claims she broke bones and gushed blood. Whitley claims the nursery staff helped her up, and the manager said, "I told them to fix that!"

KW posted videos of the aftermath, showing just how badly banged up the fall left her. Her attitude seemed pretty chipper at the time ... writing, "Had a little boo-boo today. One minute you’re fine and the next minute you could be in the bed with your girlfriend @jackiefabulous talking about can you please bring me some ice."

Lil Peep and XXXTentacion straight-up jacked another artist's original guitar riff for their hugely successful collab, "Falling Down" ... so claims the artist in a new lawsuit.

Richard Jaden Hoff -- who used to go by the stage name K.R.i.O. -- is suing the late rappers claiming the guitar riff in his June 2018 Soundcloud track "Under My Breath" was sampled in Peep and XXX's track that dropped just 3 months later without his permission.

Specifically, Hoff claims his guitar riff in "Falling Down" is looped, sped up, filtered and equalized. He says that while Peep and XXX altered the riff, it remained substantially similar to the guitar part in "Under My Breath" and a blatant ripoff."

"Falling Down" quickly gained commercial success ... with over 20m plays on Spotify and over 21m views on YouTube. The single also hit No. 13 on Billboard's Hot 100.

The track ultimately landed on Lil Peep's second studio album, "Come Over When You're Sober, Pt. 2."

There's some weird timing here -- XXX was shot dead 5 days after Hoff dropped his track on Soundcloud. Lil Peep had already died following an overdose in November 2017 -- so, "Falling Down" was a posthumous hit for both rappers.

What's really odd is Hoff's lawsuit, for copyright infringement, is written like Peep and XXX are still alive. He's NOT suing their estates and refers to both of them in the current tense and says they're residents of California. Might be time for a Google search, Hoff.

Britney Spears' getaway with Sam Asghari wasn't just a celebration of their engagement ... it was also the perfect reason for her to get back on Instagram.

The singer posted 2 identical photos -- one color, one black and white -- on Monday and said they were taken during a weekend trip to Palm Springs to celebrate their commitment to get married.

Brit says, "I couldn't stay away from the gram too long so I'm back already 💍😂!!!! Psss I took these in Palm Springs with clip in extensions 💁🏼😉."

As you know, just 2 days after Sam popped the question, Britney deleted her Instagram and said, "Don't worry folks ... just taking a little break from social media to celebrate my engagement 💍😉 !!!!  I'll be back soon 💋🌹✨."

The IG break lasted all of 7 days. As we reported ... sources with direct knowledge had told us she wanted to take a break from social media ahead of her conservatorship hearing later this month.

Long story short ... Britney wanted to keep a low profile ... with our sources saying there was concern in Britney's camp that she was a little too "out there" with some of her posts ... like her topless ones.

Farrah Abraham has her heart set on attending law school, possibly in the Ivy League -- on the heels of her Harvard beef -- and she says Harvard's fiercest rival is interested.

We got the former "Teen Mom" star at Debbie Durkin's EcoLuxe Lounge event at the Beverly Hills Hilton, and asked about her law school prospects. The headline here is Farrah's not soured on Ivy schools after experiencing what she calls "educational abuse" in Cambridge, MA ... and she might get the ultimate revenge at Yale.

Farrah says she's a wanted woman now that she's secured her transcript from Harvard, and she told us -- with a straight face -- Yale and several other law schools are recruiting her.

Laugh if you want, but Farrah does have a Bachelor's degree from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale which at least makes her eligible to apply at Yale.

While she seems open to giving the Ivy League another chance, it sounds like Farrah's leaning toward staying close to home in California ... because she thinks she would fit in better on a diverse campus. Plus, what Cali girl wants to brave a New England winter?!?

As we first told you ... Farrah trashed Harvard over what she says was a horrible experience with their online program, and even threatened a lawsuit.

Farrah tells us what type of law she would like to practice one day. Here's a hint: Anything goes!

As for her Harvard litigation -- sounds like that's on her back burner for now.

Rapper Mo Fayne's going to spend a long, long time behind bars, but if he expects a sigh of relief after his release he better think twice ... 'cause it won't be easy sailing once he's out.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the "Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta" star will be on a tight leash when he's done serving his 17.5-year prison sentence for his role in a PPP loan fraud case.

Pretty much everything in Mo's life will be under scrutiny during his 5 years of supervised release after he gets out of prison. One of the conditions is that Mo will have to participate in a mental health treatment program.

He'll also have to take part in a substance abuse treatment program and submit to testing to determine if he has used a prohibited substance. But, that's not all.

The rapper must also make full and complete disclosure of his finances and submit to an audit of his financial docs at the request of his probation officer. And, things will be a little complicated if he wants to get a new credit card because Mo needs the approval of his probation officer to incur new credit charges or open additional lines of credit.

As we first reported ... the 38-year-old was sentenced to 210 months in prison after he pled guilty to 6 counts, including bank and wire fraud. He's also been ordered to pay a huge restitution bill ... totaling a cool $4,465,865.55.

Robert Durst has just been found guilty in the murder of his best friend Susan Berman.

The jury found 78-year-old Durst guilty of first-degree murder Friday in L.A.

Durst arguably confessed to murdering his wife, Kathy Durst and Berman on an open mic during filming of the HBO documentary, "The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst." In the doc, you hear him muttering, "You're caught ... What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course." Durst had said he was high on meth when he made that confession.

As we've previously reported ... Kathy disappeared in 1982 and it was widely suspected Durst killed her. He was never charged for the murder, but that didn't stop Kathy's family from filing a wrongful death lawsuit against him, though Durst scored a victory in that suit.

L.A. County prosecutors set out to prove Durst killed Berman because she knew something about Kathy's mysterious death. Her body was found on Christmas Eve in 2000. Two days later, LAPD cops received a letter from someone telling them where Susan's body could be found.

Tory Lanez just dropped a fat stack of cash to help dozens of disadvantaged California families post bail for their loved ones through Unite The People Inc.

The rapper made a surprise visit to the non-profit in Long Beach Friday to meet some of the families who will benefit from his donation. Unite The People offers legal services to folks who are cash-strapped and gives them a fair shot with the legal system.

We're told Tory kicked in $50,000 to the cause ... and the money will help 50 families pay legal fees to bail their family members out of jail.

Tory's been a board member for Unite The People for 2 years and he says he was moved to make the donation after learning what many of the families were going through, including struggles to bring their loved ones home.

Playboi Carti has no problem flossin' his chains but the rapper's got problems paying for his shiny ice in full ... at least according to a new lawsuit.

Eliantte & Co. filed legal docs in New York claiming the "Magnolia" rapper owes $97,063.75, which the company says is the balance for 2 custom chains the rapper ordered back in September 2020.

In docs, obtained by TMZ, Eliantte, who has done jaw-dropping work for the likes of Swizz Beatz and many other celeb clients, says he quickly went to work on a 14-carat white gold diamond rosary chain and a custom diamond tennis chain.

The jeweler says PC was billed $197,063.75 for the pieces. Eliantte claims the rapper made a $100k payment on January 25, but then failed to pay off the rest of the balance despite repeated demands.

So now, Eliantte is suing to get what he's owed.

Kim Kardashian says she's is NOT building an underground vault ... despite the claims of a neighbor who has gone to court to block her.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Kim's neighbor, Sarah Key, has filed  a restraining order against the Hidden Hills Community Association to block Kim from building an underground vault, subterranean parking, an attached subterranean wellness center and a detached guardhouse.

But, sources close to Kim tell TMZ ... Kim absolutely has ZERO plans to build a vault on her property. She is building something on the property -- we don't know what -- but we're told it's not a vault. We're also told she's going through the proper channels to get approval from the homeowner's association.

But, in legal docs, Key -- who does not name Kim as a defendant -- says there are two high-pressure gas transmission lines running through the community, and she's concerned the proposed construction would put "Hidden Hills community members at risk of catastrophic bodily injury and irreparable real personal property damage."

Key is also concerned about the alleged project harming the natural and rustic aesthetics of the community.

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro admits he violated his probation by getting arrested for alleged domestic violence, but this must be his lucky day -- because the judge is giving him another shot.

The 'Jersey Shore' star appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom Friday, where he admitted to his probation violation, which could have meant immediate jail time -- but, instead, the court's making this a teachable moment for Ronnie.

We got Ronnie going into court and he told our photog he was hoping for good news ... and he definitely got some.

You'll recall, the D.A.'s Office said Ronnie violated probation in his domestic violence case with his ex Jenn Harley ... when he got arrested for an alleged incident with Saffire Matos, his latest GF.

On Friday, the judge ordered Ronnie to take 26 parenting classes, and there's now a 3-year protective order in place so he can't harass or intimidate Saffire. The judge also gave him credit for completing a rehab program in Florida, so he won't have to spend 30 days in jail.

As we first told you ... Ronnie claims he's since cleaned up his act and he's getting ready to return to the reality TV show that made him famous.

Ronnie's attorney, Scott Leemon, tells TMZ ... they're happy the court was satisfied with Ron's completion of a rehab program. We're told Ron's now been sober for 5 months and is deciding to continue with counseling as he focuses on being a better family man.

Spotemgottem is recovering in a Florida hospital after being shot multiple times in a Miami road rage incident.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Florida Highway Patrol responded to a road rage incident involving a shooting around 3 AM Friday, with the car the rapper was riding in being shot at least 22 times on the driver's side.

Our sources say the driver told troopers he was driving southbound on I-95 when gunshots started ringing out from another car. We're told the driver was shot in his hip, and Spotemgottem suffered gunshot wounds to both legs, and they were both taken to a local hospital in stable condition.

Spotemgottem's manager, Dee Phatboy, tells TMZ ... the 19-year-old rapper was riding in the passenger seat when another vehicle pulled beside them and shot up Spotemgottem's ride with an automatic weapon.

The "Beat Box" rapper's manager says Spotem was being driven from a Miami recording studio when the shooting went down ... and he's expected to make a full recovery.

Spotemgottem has collabed with the likes of DaBaby, Polo G, Pooh Shiesty and NLE Choppa.

Peter Dante -- you've seen him play goofy roles in just about every Adam Sandler film -- is in serious trouble after cops say he threatened to kill his neighbor over construction noise.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... cops showed up at Peter's L.A. area home Wednesday morning after he allegedly went berserk on a neighbor. Cops say Peter was upset about loud noise from construction work at a neighbor's house.

Apparently, it set Peter off ... cops say the actor ended up confronting his neighbor in a big way. Officers say they were told the confrontation escalated to the point Peter threatened to kill the neighbor and harm his wife and their kids.

Our sources say after talking to everyone involved ... cops arrested Peter for making felony criminal threats. He was taken into custody but posted bail and was released.

It's not the first time Peter's been accused of making threats. As we reported ... he was arrested back in 2013 and thrown out of an L.A. hotel after allegedly making violent threats and using racial slurs.

Jason London is harkening back to his most popular movie role, but in the worst way possible -- cops say he was so drunk he swerved off a road and crashed his car ... multiple times.

According to a police report, obtained by TMZ, the "Dazed and Confused" star was arrested late Tuesday around 11:30 PM in Ocean Springs, Mississippi when cops found him behind the wheel of a 2010 Nissan Maxima that was on fire and stuck in a ditch.

Cops say London's passenger was standing near the car -- which had sustained heavy damage on the passenger side -- and London claimed someone had sideswiped them and run them off the road.

According to cops, London -- who played football star Randall "Pink" Floyd in the 1993 Matthew McConaughey film -- reeked of booze, could barely keep his balance and had slurred speech.

Cops investigated the scene and believe he swerved off the road, mowed down a sign, got back on the road, and then hit a concrete object before driving into a ditch.

London was booked for public intoxication and leaving the scene of an accident. When they got him to jail in Jackson County, cops say he was so drunk and out of it they couldn't fingerprint him.

Bam Margera's tough times aren't getting any better ... his wife's asking for custody of their 3-year-old son, but hasn't pulled the trigger on ending the couple's marriage.

According to court records ... Nicole Boyd filed docs Wednesday in Los Angeles seeking full custody of their child, Phoenix Wolf. She's willing to give Bam visitation, but only with a monitor -- whom he can select -- but she must approve.

It's interesting ... you usually see child custody issues attached to a divorce, but Nicole made custody a stand-alone. She did not file a divorce petition to end their 8-year marriage.

As you know ... the "Jackass" star has had an incredibly turbulent past couple years, which recently culminated with him suing Johnny Knoxville and several other members of the "Jackass" team for alleged "inhumane treatment."

This came well after Bam got booted from the fourth installment of the film franchise for failing to stay clear of drugs and alcohol, escalating attacks on the "Jackass" crew and rants about suicide. Things got so bad, director Jeff Tremaine got a restraining order against him.

T.I. and Tiny won't be charged for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting a woman in 2005 in Los Angeles ... we've learned prosecutors declined to move forward with the case.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, prosecutors decided not to charge the couple because the case falls outside the statute of limitations.

As we reported ... the accuser filed a police report earlier this year, alleging T.I. and Tiny drugged and assaulted her sometime in early 2005 after the trio met at a club.

In the docs, prosecutors say the 10-year statute of limitations has expired.

It's a similar outcome to other allegations against T.I. and Tiny in Las Vegas ... where another woman claimed she was drugged and sexually assaulted in 2010 after meeting Tiny at the airport and being invited to hang with the couple.