Money

It seems like Toni Braxton has been in bankruptcy forever, but TMZ has learned she has finally settled her Chapter 7 blues ... and it cost her $150,000 to wipe the slate clean.

As TMZ first reported, Braxton filed for bankruptcy (for the second time) back in 2010, claiming debts as high as $50,000,000. Yikes.

According to docs filed in the bankruptcy, Braxton made a deal with the trustee to buy back some of the personal property she lost. The deal was for Braxton to pay $5,000/month for 15 months with the last payment being $50,000. Braxton made all the payments ... except for that last one.

The other part of the case hanging over Braxton's head was the issue of $754,000 Braxton made for overseas performances. The shows took place AFTER Braxton filed for bankruptcy, so she argued that she was legally entitled to keep the money earned from these performances.

However, the trustee argued since Braxton was technically paid before the Chapter 7 filing (the money was put in escrow before the shows, she didn't get it til after) she should have to fork it over.

The trustee and Braxton finally came to an agreement this week -- Braxton agreed to pay the $50,000 she owed for the property and $100,000 from the performances.

Lastly ... Braxton and the trustee came to an agreement that she could buy back the copyright on a slew of her songs for a cool $20,000. They go to auction on July 15 and they're hers, assuming she doesn't get outbid.

A judge still needs to sign off on it all ... but it appears this bankruptcy case is finally over.

Katy Perry has finally untangled herself from a British hair care company ... as the two sides settled a lawsuit over an oral agreement gone wrong.

As TMZ previously reported, Perry claimed a company called ghd (stands for "good hair day") owed her $2 million based on a verbal agreement she had to extend her deal. But ghd claimed they had no such agreement and didn't owe her squat ... because they wanted to cut ties with Katy when the deal expired.

The folks behind ghd struck first, filing a lawsuit against Perry to block her from suing them for the $2 mil.

Last month, the two sides agreed to drop the case completely with both sides giving up the right to re-file.

The Black Keys just put local pizza places and hardware stores in Akron, Ohio to shame -- cause the group just sponsored their own little league team in town ... and hooked 'em up with some pretty kick ass jerseys!

Keys drummer Patrick Carney tells TMZ ... he used to play for the West Akron Baseball League in Ohio decades ago with his childhood best friend. So when his BF asked him to sponsor his lil bro's team this year, he jumped at the chance to give back.

The WABL's president says it only cost the group $300 to make it happen ... and everyone on the team couldn't have been happier with their involvement.

The best part -- after the season was over ... Patrick and keys band mate Dan Auerbach told the kids to send mail them their jerseys and they'll autograph every single one.

eBay's profiting off "blood money" from Aaron Hernandez' alleged murder by allowing sellers to jack up jersey prices -- so say several New England sports memorabilia store owners ... and they REFUSE to do the same thing.

As you know, prices for Hernandez jerseys on eBay have soared in light of recent events -- with some jerseys reaching $1,500 or more -- but TMZ spoke with the owners of multiple New England sports memorabilia stores ... and not ONE of them plans to raise prices to meet demand.

The owner of Sportsworld USA in Saugus, MA, tells us, "We don't want to make money off this incident. It's what we consider blood money. We just want to get our money back."

The owner of Your Sports Memorabilia in Boston says, "I do not stand for what he allegedly did and wouldn't want to profit off an individual who was murdered ... Sports memorabilia is a dirty industry and this is one of the reasons why."

The owner of SureShot Promotions in Hanson, MA, says the store is even discounting some of the jerseys to get rid of them ASAP -- telling us, "It is a sad situation."

And for the record, the demand in memorabilia stores is just as crazy as it is online ... the owner of New England Pictures (Manchester, NH) says they sold more Hernandez jerseys the day his murder charge was announced than they did in the 6 months before.

50 Cent is adamant ... he did NOT kick his baby mama during an explosive argument last month.

50 Cent's attorney released a statement, saying, "Curtis Jackson [50 Cent] denies these allegations as made against him. It is important to note, Mr. Jackson has not been arrested and there is no warrant outstanding for his arrest."

TMZ broke the story ... 50 was charged with domestic violence this week following the alleged domestic dispute at his baby mama's Toluca Lake home, during which he allegedly kicked her and destroyed a bunch of her property (more than $7,000 worth).

50's attorney adds, "We have been in contact with the LA City Attorney's Office and are currently conducting our own investigation into these allegations."

50 was hit with 5 charges in total stemming from the incident -- including 1 count misdemeanor domestic violence and 4 counts of misdemeanor vandalism. Cops responded to the scene following the incident, but 50 had already left.

For everyone currently eating themselves into a hot dog coma at their 4th of July barbecues, don't feel too bad -- competitive eater Joey Chestnut just downed 69 FRANKS at the famous Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Competition on Coney Island ... a new personal record.

Chestnut won the competition last year with 62 dogs, but this year he went above and beyond ... taking home the $10,000 grand prize and a mustard-yellow championship belt. Chestnut's previous personal best was 68 hot dogs.

He obliterated the competition too ... the 2nd place winner Matt Stonie only ate 51 hot dogs.

As for the women, Sonya "Black Widow" Thomas came in first with 37 hot dogs ... pretty damn scary.

Ryan Seacrest has some serious game -- but it didn't help him this week in Monaco when he got burned at a fancy casino ... playing craps.

Just like an effervescent James Bond ... Seacrest hit up the famous Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco Tuesday night along with his gang of smokin' hot female friends who we already told you he's definitely NOT hooking up with.

Our eyewitness on scene says there was no limit posted on the table so its unclear how much the A.I. host dropped ... but after 30 minutes of rollin', we're told he lost a majority of his stack and eventually decided to play some roulette instead.

3:43 PM PT -- Apparently, the Billy Jean tweet didn't really mean anything, he just happens to be listening to Michael Jackson music ... writing, "I'm in the car I haven't been arrested. I'm listing to MJ#SMSAUDIO"

3:33 PM PT -- 50 Cent just posted a tweet that seems like it's directed at his accuser -- "look billy jean your not my lover."

It's unclear if he's trying to say he's not the father of her child.

3:20 PM PT -- The woman accusing 50 Cent of domestic violence is a second baby mama. Translation: 50 Cent has TWO kids.

50 Cent has been charged with domestic violence after the rapper allegedly kicked one of his baby mamas and destroyed a bunch of property in her condo last month ... TMZ has learned.

The L.A. City Attorney tells TMZ ... 50 is accused of causing $7,100 in damage during the June 23 incident, which took place inside the victim's condo in Toluca Lake, Ca.

According to officials, LAPD officers were called to the scene ... and the woman told cops she had gotten into an altercation with 50 and locked herself in the bedroom.

50 -- real name Curtis Jackson -- allegedly got so mad, he kicked down the door and kicked her, resulting in an injury.

Officials say the 37-year-old rapper is also accused of breaking chandeliers, furniture, a TV and a lamp -- and allegedly ransacked the bedroom closet -- during his rampage.

Officials say 50 left the scene before cops arrived.

50 has been hit with 5 charges in total -- including 1 count misdemeanor domestic violence and 4 counts of misdemeanor vandalism.

If convicted on all counts, 50 could face up to five years in jail and $46,000 in fines.

50 is due in court to be arraigned on July 22.

We've reached out to 50 's camp for comment -- so far, no word back.

TMZ shot footage of 50 with his crew at Mr. Chow in Beverly Hills on the night of the alleged attack -- but it's clear, he was in no mood to talk.

Story developing ...

The gravy train is about to come to a screeching halt in the child support department ... at least if Charlie Sheen has his way with Brooke Mueller.

TMZ has learned ... Charlie filed legal docs this week ... asking a judge to cancel his obligation to pay Brooke $55k a month in child support.

Sources close to Charlie tell TMZ ... he thinks it's absurd he should pay her anything while she's in rehab, because she doesn't have the kids -- they're with Denise Richards.

Charlie believes Brooke is using almost all the money for her rehab -- something he doesn't want to pay for. Charlie has paid for several of Brooke's rehab stints before, and he doesn't think he owes her that obligation any longer.

Now get this ... we've learned Charlie has offered to up Denise's child support while she cares for Bob and Max, but Denise has refused the money.

One final thing. It's feeling like there's some bad blood here. We've learned Denise recently brought the twins by the set of "Anger Management" to see Charlie at work. You may recall ... last XMAS Brooke went nuclear when she heard Denise planned to take her kids by the set, and Denise backed off.

When mom's away ... the kids will play -- and dad won't pay.

Alex Rodriguez' career could hang in the balance of a 7-figure check -- because sources tell TMZ, the whistleblower who allegedly has proof A-Rod and other players bought steroids wants at least a million bucks for his info.

As TMZ first reported, Porter Fischer -- an ex-employee at the Biogenesis clinic in Miami -- scheduled a sit down with MLB investigators in Miami ... which went down on Tuesday.

Fischer's attorney tells TMZ, his client discussed a possible deal with MLB ... in which the league would acquire the drug-purchasing records of more than 100 MLB players (including A-Rod and Ryan Braun) -- but it's gonna cost 'em.

Sources close to the investigation tell us, the MLB has yet to make an official offer for the goods ... but as it stands, Fischer won't settle for less than a million.

MLB officials want the records as part of their ongoing investigation into allegations of widespread performance enhancing drug use by players.

We're told Fischer and MLB already have plans to meet again in the near future -- but no one's talking dollars yet.

Never know when the price could go up ...

It's a good thing Shakira keeps her old emails ... 'cause the pop star says she found an old cyber-exchange that proves her ex-BF is lying through his Argentinian teeth in his $250 million lawsuit.

Shakira has filed a declaration in her legal war with Antonio De La Rua -- who she dated from 2000 to 2010 -- in which she adamantly denies A.D.L.R. has any right to her fortune, despite his claim that he's entitled to a cut of her businesses.

FYI -- A.D.L.R. claims he wasn't just Shak's lover, he was also her business adviser and says she owes him a quarter of a BILLION dollars ... based on an oral agreement the two struck back in 2004.

But Shakira is calling B.S. on Antonio ... claiming in 2011, he sent her an email in which he couldn't have made it any clearer -- "I am not a partner in any of your companies. You are the sole owner of all of them."

Shakira says he sent a similar email to her mother.

In the legal docs, filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Shakira also says she had hammered out a relationship contract back in 2006 -- the equivalent of a prenup -- that spelled out their financial obligations to one another in case they broke up.

According to Shakira, both parties agreed back in '06 to create a joint account worth $10k ... which they would split if they broke up. Shakira says they also agreed to "renounce" any rights to future earnings.

Shakira explains the point of the contract was to prevent a stupid lawsuit ... like the one Antonio has filed.

It's been a rough year for "Happy Endings" star Eliza Coupe -- 'cause 2 months after ABC canned her show, her marriage is following suit.

TMZ has learned the actress has been hit with divorce papers by her husband Randall Whittinghill -- a puppeteer and acting coach.

In the docs, Randall says they're working out the division of property in mediation ... but he IS asking for spousal support. Makes sense since, ya know, he's a puppeteer.

The two married back in 2007 after 7 years of dating. They have no children together. According to the docs, Randall blames the split on irreconcilable differences.

Fun Fact -- Coupe has previously said that she only started dating her husband because he looks like Johnny Depp.

We kinda see it ...

Chief Keef is officially the richest person to ever go hungry -- after McDonalds refused to sell him some grub because he only had $100 bills.

Poor, poor rich people ... they have it so tough.

Jennifer Lopez did nothing wrong when she sang happy birthday to the President of Turkmenistan ... because she was AMBUSHED ... this according to her rep.

Mega-manager Benny Medina tells TMZ ... Jennifer was NOT in Turkmenistan to perform for the Prez -- she was hired by the China National Petroleum Corp. for a corporate concert. Lopez sang 3 songs, and Medina says as she finished her set someone walked up to him and said President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow was in the audience and asked him if Lopez would come back on stage and wish him happy birthday.

Medina says it was HIS decision to bring Lopez back on stage at the end of the concert. Medina tells us ... the Prez got on stage and the M.C. started goading Lopez to sing "Happy Birthday" -- singing it quietly in her ear, goading her on the spot to sing the Bday song.

Medina says there was no reason to do heavy research into the President's record, since no one even knew he would be at the concert. Medina adds when Lopez started getting flack he did some research and found the FORMER Prez is the one with a record of human rights abuses, and Berdimuhamedow actually seems ok.

Just two-and-a-half months after "Oblivion" was released to some not-exactly flattering reviews ... Morgan Freeman tells TMZ he's already trying to reunite with Tom Cruise ... and it's obvious why.

Despite an unimpressive 55% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, "Oblivion" reportedly raked in $284 MILLION at the box office ... on a $120 million production budget.

Translation -- Tom Cruise still puts butts in the seats ... even after "Rock of Ages."

Terrell Owens can't find a football team ... or do the weather ... but he CAN open his wallet -- the former NFL'er just paid off a tax debt to the tune of $430,000.

TMZ broke the story ... Uncle Sam filed a federal tax lien against T.O. back in February for the years 2005 ($294,661.71), 2007 ($46,504.00), and 2009 ($97,747.81). Total debt -- $438,913.52.

A man of honor ... T.O. kicked the crap out of the lien and paid it all off ... every last cent. It was officially released on June 27th.

Now T.O. can get back to trying out new careers -- like his failed attempt at weatherman.