Legal

Brad Pitt is pushing to grill a wealthy Russian businessman about his winery dealings with Angelina Jolie ... TMZ has learned.

According to court docs obtained by TMZ, Brad is asking a Los Angeles judge to force businessman Yuri Shefler to appear for a remote deposition as part of the ongoing war between the actor and his ex-wife.

Brad sued Angelina in 2022, claiming she sold her stake in the French winery Chateau Miraval without his permission. The former couple purchased the estate while married, but Angelina told Brad she wanted out years after the divorce.

Taylor Frankie Paul's baby daddy, Dakota Mortensen, has a much different view of what went down between them 3 weeks ago, and believes he's the real victim ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" production tell TMZ ... Dakota and Taylor were spending time together at his place when they started fighting about Dakota's romantic past -- namely his hookup with cast member Shinia Powell.

We're told it got physical as Taylor allegedly choked Dakota and ripped his necklace off, and grabbed his throat and face ... and this happened with their son, Ever, in the room.

Jessica Alba will split half of her residuals for her work in Taylor Swift’s music video and "The Office" with her ex-husband, Cash Warren, TMZ has learned. 

TMZ obtained the divorce settlement signed by Jessica and Cash on February 12.

The exes share three children: Honor, 17, Haven, 14, and Hayes, 7. 

Per the docs, Jessica was awarded all furniture, clothing and jewelry in her possession. She will split the furniture that was in their former marital home and their art collection.

Huda Mustafa is caught up in some serious drama with boyfriend Louis Russell’s ex getting a restraining order against her ... but judging by these steamy gym pics, they clearly aren't letting the situation kill the vibe.

Check it out -- just a day before TMZ broke the allegations, the "Love Island USA" star posted some spicy workout snaps Sunday ... including one where Louis grabbed a handful of her booty as the two posed for mirror selfies.

There were weights sitting right in front of them, waiting to be used ... but it looks like the couple took a quick break between reps for the steamy photo sesh.

"The Real Housewives of Pretoria" star Melany Viljoen was cuffed in her bathrobe after allegedly shoplifting from a Florida supermarket ... and it's all captured on new body cam footage.

ICYMI ... Melany and her husband Petrus "Peet" Viljoen were booked last Wednesday after Boca Raton police say the couple stole more than $5K worth of groceries from a local Publix.

In the body cam footage -- obtained by Page Six -- of their arrests, you can see Melany answer the door of their home and get handcuffed ... while wearing only a bathrobe.

Production on "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" has been put on ice after allegations of child and spousal abuse, and we've learned it's gotten so crazy Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen have been ordered to get psych evaluations.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Dakota has called the Utah Division of Child and Family Services more than a few times, alleging Taylor has been physically abusive to their son Ever, who turns 2 this week. Our sources say Taylor denies the allegation, and Dakota has become frustrated that no action has been taken.

Things came to a head late last month, when Taylor and Dakota were driving in his car and got in a heated argument. We're told a drink was spilled on the seat and on Dakota, and he became enraged. Sources connected to Taylor say he got physical with her. We're told Dakota called the police and said Taylor was the one who got physical.

Our Taylor sources say Dakota went MIA for nearly 3 weeks after the car incident, and that's why production stopped. He has an important part in the show, and producers wanted to wait until he resurfaced. Sources connected to the show tell us a different story ... that cast members refused to continue filming -- despite producers wanting to keep filming -- because of the child and spousal abuse allegations.

Mark Gastineau just took an L in his battle against ESPN over a recorded interaction with Brett Favre ... as TMZ Sports has learned a judge dismissed his lawsuit with prejudice.

The former Jets star's issue stems from a "30 for 30" documentary titled "The New York Sack Exchange" ... which showed him confronting Favre at a sports show in November 2023 over a sack he gave up to Michael Strahan 21 years prior to break the single-season record, which Gastineau owned at the time.

He felt the clip was edited to make it more aggressive than it really was ... and the network "intentionally and maliciously" did not include the part where they shook hands -- resulting in "ridicule, scorn and contempt" directed at him on social media.

Police believe Jesse James' wife, Bonnie Rotten -- whose real name is Alaina James -- attacked him Saturday in a fight that left him with visible injuries on his face and neck.

As we reported ... Alaina was arrested and booked into the Hays County Jail outside San Antonio, Texas on a charge of assault causing bodily injury involving a family member. But now we have all the gritty details of the shocking incident that Jesse says preceded the arrest.

In a police report obtained by TMZ, cops say Jesse accused Alaina of striking him several times in the face and biting his right thumb.

Big drama for Huda Mustafa ... her boyfriend Louis Russell's ex-girlfriend is seeking court-ordered protection from the "Love Island" star, alleging Huda threatened to kill herself and tried to break into her home.

Nicole Olivera beelined it to court Thursday and filed for a restraining order against Huda, who she claims threatened her and Louis' baby boy and broke into their Los Angeles building.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Nicole claims Huda swore on her daughter's life she was going to kill herself and then made a bunch of "terrifying" and "extremely mentally unstable" threats against herself, her daughter, and Nicole's son before showing up to Nicole's home and breaking into the building.

It looks like mysterious street artist Banksy has finally been unmasked.

On Friday, Reuters published an in-depth investigation into the artist's identity, naming him "beyond dispute."

The international news organization uncovered a handwritten and signed confession from Banksy to a disorderly conduct misdemeanor charge from about 25 years ago ... and his signature seems to read "Robin Gunningham."

That name also popped up several times in court docs about the arrest.

According to Banksy's company, Pest Control, the artist "has decided to say nothing."

Banksy's lawyer, Mark Stephens, wasn't so tight-lipped, saying Banksy "does not accept that many of the details contained within your enquiry are correct."

Reuters says Stephens didn't confirm or deny his client's identity ... but did warn the outlet that publishing their investigation would violate his privacy and threaten his safety.

Funny enough ... The Mail on Sunday clocked Robin Gunningham as Banksy's real identity back in 2008, but Banksy's manager insisted the photo featured in that report wasn't of the artist.

And RG wasn't the only name floating around over the years.

A major theory suggested Robert Del Naja -- frontman of the band Massive Attack -- was behind the famed stencil art.

But the crucial clue is the signed confession from Banksy's NYC arrest in 2000.

His former manager, Steve Lazarides, wrote in his book "Banksy Captured" about how the street artist was nabbed by NYPD while defacing a Marc Jacobs Men billboard.

In his confession, Banksy called it "a humorous adjustment," before signing it as RG.

According to Reuters, the cops had "no idea" they had booked Banksy, because he had only just started going by that name and implementing his signature style into his work.

In 2008, Banksy allegedly changed his name from Robin Gunningham to David Jones, since it's one of the most common names for British men.

Taylor Frankie Paul and her ex, Dakota Mortensen, were duking it out in court months before their issues led "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" producers to shut production down temporarily ... TMZ has learned.

According to online court records obtained by TMZ, Dakota went to court over custody and support of their son Ever back in June 2025. Taylor filed a response and counterclaim a couple of weeks later. 

It looks like a proposed order on custody, support, and parenting time was filed in the case around September.

Jesse James' estranged wife Bonnie Rotten (Alaina James) was arrested in Texas ... TMZ has learned.

According to jail records seen by TMZ, Alaina was booked into the Hays County Jail Saturday night on a charge of assault causing bodily injury involving a family member.

Records show the arrest was listed as "warrantless/on-view," meaning authorities allegedly witnessed the incident or had probable cause at the scene. Alaina had her bond set at $3K.

Tucker Carlson says the CIA read his text messages with people in Iran and claims the agency is trying to get him charged as a foreign agent.

The conservative commentator made the allegation in a video posted to X Saturday, saying the CIA is preparing a criminal referral to the Department of Justice tied to conversations he had before the recent conflict with Iran.

"The CIA is preparing some kind of criminal referral against me," Carlson said. "What's the crime? Talking to people in Iran before the war. They read my texts."

The Georgia teen who avoided criminal charges after he ran over and killed a math teacher should not be criminally charged because he was driving safely, according to his lawyer.

Jayden Wallace's attorney, Graham McKinnon, tells TMZ ... Wallace, 18, was not driving his pickup truck "in a dangerous or unsafe matter" as he left the home of his "mentor," Jason Hughes, after toilet papering Hughes' property with his buddies. 

As a result, McKinnon says it's not "appropriate to charge a crime" because it was a straight-up accident. Wallace was arrested and booked for vehicular homicide after the March 6 tragedy.

Neo -- a friend of D4vd who blasted the guy on social media this week -- says he doesn't care what the public thinks of him ... and he's done commenting on the case publicly.

Neo took to Instagram Saturday to speak out in a series of fiery posts ... kicking one off by saying he knows his silence in previous months has led to a "void of information that everyone wants to fill."

However, this case isn't about him, Neo notes ... it's about getting justice for Celeste Rivas, whose mutilated body was found in the trunk of D4vd's Tesla more than 6 months ago.

"Married to Medicine: Los Angeles" star Lia Jones wants to change the child custody agreement from her nasty divorce ... and she's asking a judge to grant her more time with her kids.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Lia is asking for a 50/50 legal and physical custody arrangement with her ex-husband, Colin Dias.

Lia says Colin is financially providing for the kids but is failing to recognize their emotional needs ... and she says the relationship she has with their two kids is loving, supportive and the strongest it's ever been.

In the docs, Lia says Colin moved the kids to Lake Elsinore, CA to get away from her ... but she says she's been driving 4 hours round trip from Los Angeles several times a week to be with her kids.

She claims her son's gotten multiple detentions at school for fighting and says suicidal messages were found on his phone, which she claims his father was not aware of.