Money

TNA's heavyweight championship belt -- valued at roughly $6,000 -- was stolen earlier this month from right under a stagehand's nose ... but thankfully, the suspected thieves have been caught ... with the help of TECHNOLOGY.

TNA sources tell TMZ, the alleged belt-snatching took place on August 18th in Ottumwa, Iowa before a non-televised event while a stagehand was unloading props from his truck.

We're told the stagehand turned away for a split second, and one of the suspects grabbed the $6,000 belt -- along with a $400 replica -- and took off.

The two suspects were later identified by police using surveillance footage.

33-year-old Joel Luke and 39-year-old Forrest Jamison were arrested Wednesday before posting bail and being released. Luke was charged with 2nd-degree theft and Jamison was charged with accessory.

Snoop Dogg's name (we refuse to call him Snoop Lion) is being dragged into a nasty lawsuit between a promoter and some nightclub -- all over an appearance gone wrong -- and now, the club wants over $100,000 in damages.

Exchange LA -- the nightclub in question -- filed a lawsuit in L.A. against a promotion company called Movement Management, claiming Movement promised to book Snoop for an appearance on June 30th ... for a fee of $25,000.

Exchange claims it paid a $15,000 deposit to secure Snoop -- but days after making the payment, Movement said Snoop had been double-booked ... and couldn't make the June 30th appearance as previously promised.

(For the record, Snoop was in Europe at the time.)

Exchange says it asked for its money back -- but it's been months ... and Movement still hasn't coughed it up, so now Exchange is suing for breach of contract and fraud.

Exchange wants its $15,000 deposit back stat -- in addition to $100,000 in punitive damages.

Lindsay Lohan's passing the buck -- telling friends she thought the producers behind her recent Liz Taylor movie were going to pay her $46,350 hotel bill ... which is why she never offered to cover the tab.

Sources close to the actress tell TMZ, Lindsay claims producers agreed to cover her stay at L.A.'s Chateau Marmont while she filmed "Liz & Dick" earlier this summer -- so she was shocked to learn there was an outstanding 5-figure bill in her name ... and even more shocked when she was banned from the hotel when the bill went unpaid.

We're told Lindsay is currently trying to sort the problem out with producers -- and if they refuse to pay, Lindsay will happily cover the tab.

Lindsay Lohan is now formally a suspect in the theft of $100,000 worth of watches and sunglasses ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

As TMZ first reported, Lindsay was at the Hollywood Hills home of Sam Magid a week ago when Sam called the LAPD and reported a jewelry theft. We're told Lindsay has been at the house frequently, including at an all-night house party a week ago Sunday.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... Lindsay and her assistant Gavin Doyle are both suspects in the theft.

Now here's the twist ... We're told Sam has recanted his story and now says nothing was stolen. But our sources say cops are not closing out the investigation because they believe they have independent witnesses who can finger Lindsay and Gavin as the thieves.

Sources tell us ... LAPD detectives contacted the lawyer for Lindsay and Gavin today, asking for an interview with the two suspects but the lawyer rejected the request.

It's unclear why Sam -- who is insanely wealthy -- suddenly changed his tune.

"American Idol" desperately wanted Katy Perry to fill one of its vacant judge's seats, so much so, they offered her $20 MILLION ... but she she still turned it down ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the production tell TMZ ... "Idol" pursued Perry relentlessly for weeks, eager to get her to sign on the dotted line. According to our sources, they started the offer at $18 million, but threw even more cash on the table ... $20 MILLION for a one year contract!!!

We're told Katy made it clear ... she was NOT interested and money wasn't the issue.

Sources tell us ... aside from the fact that Katy's schedule made it impossible to do the show ... she just didn't think it was right career choice for her.

Legendary director Martin Scorsese has been blowing off a movie he agreed to make 22-years ago, according to a new lawsuit -- and now it could end up costing him several million dollars.

The lawsuit was filed by Cecchi Gori Pictures -- big time producers of movies like "Seven" and "A Bronx Tale" -- and claims Scorsese entered into an agreement to direct a film called "Silence" ... way back in 1990.

However, Cecchi Gori claims the project was eventually put on the back burner so Martin could direct 3 other little films -- "The Departed" ... "Shutter Island" ... and "Hugo" -- but only for a price.

According to the suit, Scorsese paid for the right to do each of those films before "Silence" -- but never forked over the hefty fee for "Hugo."

The suit alleges Scorsese owes Cecchi a flat fee of $1.5 million, plus the value of his producer title on "Hugo" ... PLUS 20% of his back-end on "Hugo" -- which you gotta figure is considerable since it was nominated for 11 Oscars and won 5.

According to the docs, Scorsese previously reached an agreement in 2004 to make "Silence" his next movie. Obviously, that hasn't happened ... and now Cecchi Gori says Martin is pushing off their movie again to make "Wolf of Wall Street."

Cecchi Gori is suing for the unpaid fees on "Hugo," and any other movie Scorsese ends up making before "Silence" -- so, basically ... a truck-load of cash.

Watch your step at William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman's Hollywood Hills home -- according to a new lawsuit the A-list couple has a staircase so dangerous it caused a woman to slip, fall, and seriously injure herself.

Felicity and Bill are being sued by a woman named Lourdes Orozco ... who claims she went down hard on the stairway from hell back in April, 2011.

According to the lawsuit the stairs were "dirty and poorly maintained," and lacked "regulated handrails."

The suit further alleges WHM and his wife were negligent ... because they "knew or should have known" the stairway conditions "could easily cause anyone to slip and fall, as in [Orozco's] case, resulting in serious personal injury."

The lawsuit also accuses Macy and Huffman of willful failure to warn Orozco about the allegedly horrendous staircase.

Lindsay Lohan's back to her old ways -- at least in the reckless spending department ... because TMZ has learned, she recently dropped nearly $3,000 on a surf-themed shopping spree in O.C.

Lindsay and her bro Cody hit up the famous Jack's surf shop in Huntington Beach Friday -- and according to the receipt, the actress spent a total of $2,723 on surfer swag for her brother ... and that was WITH a 30% famous-person discount.

We're told Cody's an aspiring surfer -- and Lindsay wants to encourage him as much as possible by kitting him out.

Lindsay Lohan was flat broke at the time she was sentenced last year in her shoplifting case, but things have changed dramatically, because we've learned she'll rake in more than $2 million this year.

Sources directly involved in Lindsay's finances have given us the breakdown:

-- Playboy (December issue but she was paid in 2012) $1 Million

-- "Liz and Dick" Lifetime movie -- $300,000

-- "The Canyons" -- $6,480 (scale)

-- "Scary Movie" (Lindsay is about to sign on) -- $200,000

In addition, Lindsay was paid for her appearance on "Glee." And she's pulling in money for being the face of Philipp Plein. But wait, there's more. Lindsay is also getting $$$ for endorsing Jag Jeans. And she makes $2,000 -- $10,000 per tweet endorsement for several companies.

Our sources say, all tolled, Lindsay will make north of $2 million this year.

Ne-Yo dropped an AVALANCHE of singles on Drake's ex-girlfriend's naked body Wednesday night ... a chick who happens to be a VERY famous stripper ... and TMZ has the pics.

Sources tell us, Ne-Yo burned roughly $5,000 at the famous Diamonds strip club in ATL -- a large portion of which was spent trying to impress a certain Maliah ... a famous stripper who dated both Drake AND Sean Kingston.

Go ahead, Google her.

If you like shoes ... especially RARE Air Jordans (and you happen to be a Size 15) you're in luck, 'cause Warren Sapp's ENTIRE collection is up for auction ... as part of his bankruptcy case.

The collection is INSANE -- a total of 240 pairs of Jordans ... some worn, some untouched.

TMZ broke the story ... Sapp filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy earlier this year ... claiming he's racked up millions of dollars in debts since he retired from the NFL. Warren's expensive shoe habit probably didn't help the situation.

Toni Braxton is responsible for over $57,000 in STOLEN ADVERTISING for her TV show "Braxton Family Values" -- so says a new lawsuit ... and now, the singer's being sued BIG TIME.

A company called National Promotions & Advertising filed the lawsuit in L.A. County Superior Court, claiming it entered into an agreement last year with the producers of Braxton's WEtv reality show -- including Braxton herself -- to promote the show's 2nd Season.

According to the lawsuit, NPA agreed to post 4,300 "BFV" posters around the country in exchange for a fat paycheck -- $57,322.29.

NPA claims it completed its end of the bargain in November -- days before the premiere of the show's second season -- but Braxton and her producing partners didn't pony up.

NPA says it's been trying to get paid ever since ... in vain ... and now, it's suing for its money ... plus damages.

Ariel Winter -- the girl who plays brainy Alex Dunphy on "Modern Family" -- is a tiny money-making MACHINE ... 'cause besides her steady sitcom paycheck, she made an extra $3k per week to star in a TV movie last year ... and she's only 14-YEARS-OLD!!!!

TMZ has obtained legal docs which show Ariel took a gig back in 2011 appearing in the Nickelodeon TV movie, "Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred" ... during her downtime from "Modern Fam."

According to the docs, Winter raked in $2,808 per week to play the role of "Talia" ... the new girl in school. It's unclear how many weeks she spent on the project.

Meanwhile, Ariel is reportedly making between $10k and $15k per episode on "Modern Family" ... and is expected to renegotiate for A LOT MORE.

And if that wasn't enough ... in 2011 -- when she was only 13 -- she also did some voice work on a couple of Disney cartoons AND a "Final Fantasy" video game.

Flo Rida screwed over the entire country of Canada by pulling the plug on a concert tour ... at least that's what the jilted promoter is claiming in a whopping $200k federal lawsuit.

The suit was filed this week in Florida (the state) by Spin Artist Agency which claims they had a signed contract for the rapper to perform 10 shows in the summer of 2011 ... but he never showed.

According to the suit, Flo was supposed to perform from July 3 to July 12 -- but just one day before that Flo's reps "wrongfully cancelled the Tour."

SPAA is suing Flo Rida for breach of contract and claiming massive loses in ticket, concession and booze sales. They are demanding damages of at least $200,000.

Charlie Sheen hasn't spent all of his money on crack and hookers ... in fact, the Warlock has announced he's donating ONE MILLION DOLLARS to support our men and women in uniform.

Sheen has pledged to give at least $1 million to the U.S.O (United Service Org.) ... the largest single contribution the USO has ever received from an individual.

Sheen says he will donate 1% of the profits from his "Anger Management" earnings ... with a minimum of $1 mil ... and an unlimited cap. So the more $ he makes from his show, the more $ goes to the USO.

Brig Gen (ret) John Pray, EVP and Chief of Staff, USO released a statement saying, “[Sheen's] support is greatly appreciated, especially from our wounded warriors and their families.”

Sheen also released a statement saying, "It’s an honor for me to be able to give back to these men and women of the military who have done so much for all of us."

He adds, "They put their lives on the line for us every day, and I’m just happy that my work on 'Anger Management' can bring a little bit of relief to the troops and their families.”

Katy Perry and Russell Brand have officially severed ties -- their divorce became final today.

Russell filed for divorce at the very end of 2011, and the settlement was hashed out quickly, but it takes a full 6 months before a divorce in California can become final.

We broke the story ... even though there wasn't a prenup, Russell walked away from half of the $44 million fortune that Katy racked up during their 14-month marriage.

Even though they had to wait for a legal divorce, they didn't wait to move on. Both have been seeing other people for months.