Money

MLB players everywhere are rootin' like hell for Bryce Harper to ink the richest free-agent deal of all-time ... 'cause it means they'll get PAID eventually too -- so says Anthony Rendon.

Harper's (ex?) Nationals teammate tells TMZ Sports if Bryce signs the rumored $400 MIL deal he's expected to be offered -- players will have HUGE bargaining power over teams.

"Obviously if he drives up the free agency market, then I think it's going to help a lot of the players that are going to become free agents later on down the road. So, he's going to help other guys."

Of course ... that means Rendon is about to be the BIGGEST Harper cheerleader -- 'cause the 3rd baseman is set to be a free agent next offseason ... and could be the biggest fish available.

Layla tells TMZ the settlement with Drake required him to pay her $350k.

We reached out to Drake's attorneys to confirm. We were told they can't comment due to confidentiality.

Drake is coming out on top in his lawsuit against the woman he says falsely claimed he got her pregnant, accused him of rape and tried to extort him ... TMZ has learned.

Drake filed docs Friday alerting the court that he and Layla Lace have resolved their legal battle. According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Layla has agreed she will not republish her April 17, 2017 Instagram post where she first made the pregnancy claim. She wrote, "So I guess still in this era this is the new thing that after you tell a dude you pregnant they stop answering they phone!!!"

Layla also went on a SiriusXM show in 2017 to blast Drake. Later she went to authorities in NY to allege Drake raped her during a one-night stand. Drake says her lawyer then demanded money or they'd go public with the rape allegation.

As TMZ first reported, that prompted Drake to sue her for civil extortion, defamation and fraud.

That's all water under the bridge now, provided Layla sticks to the deal, which further requires she make no "statements alleging or insinuating that [Drake] assaulted her," got her pregnant and abandoned her ... or say anything else disparaging about him.

She also can't use any 3rd party to do any of the above.

Celebrity attorney Larry Stein, who's repping Drake, tells TMZ ... "The filing made by Drake against Layla Lace has been resolved, with Layla avoiding going to trial by agreeing to a stipulated judgment which prohibits her from repeating past statements she made against Drake. Drake and his team are satisfied with this outcome and while Drake appreciates the support he has received, he asks that his fans and the media allow both parties to move on with their lives"

1:30 PM PT -- Taylor has been released from jail after paying the $5,350 in back payments ... TMZ Sports has learned.

More legal trouble for Jermain Taylor ... the ex-boxing champ was arrested for the second time this month after missing a child support payment ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.

40-year-old Taylor -- once the undisputed middleweight champ -- was booked in Pulaski County jail in Arkansas around 1 PM on Wednesday.

Jermain owes a whopping $54,500 in child support ... and will not be released until he either pays $5,350 in back payments or otherwise satisfies the court.

ICYMI -- Taylor was arrested in Arkansas back in August for allegedly knocking a woman unconscious and holding a knife to her throat.

Prosecutors later indicted Taylor on felony aggravated assault, felony terroristic threats and misdemeanor domestic battery.

Casey Kasem's children can have some peace of mind after cops confirmed they had nothing to do with his death, but his widow ... maybe not so much.

As we reported ... police in Washington opened an investigation into Kasem's death last month at the request of his widow, Jean Kasem, who alleged members of the Church of Scientology and Casey's kids conspired to kill the radio icon for his money.

But, Gig Harbor Police concluded the standard of care Casey received from medical personnel at the behest of his children was appropriate, adding ... "There was no evidence of collusion between parties that would construe any part of this incident to be considered a homicide."

Casey's daughter, Julie, tells TMZ the family's grateful to the police for confirming what they already knew ... "That Jean Kasem’s ridiculous allegations are completely unsupported by reality or fact."

Julie adds ... "Jean has once again instigated a baseless investigation, then went on a media blitz to detract from the mountains of evidence we have compiled against her.”

As you know ... Julie and her siblings filed a wrongful death suit against Jean in 2015. They claim she removed their dad from an assisted living facility in California and took him on a 7-day journey, but when they returned, Casey had a massive bedsore that was deeply infected. The kids allege Jean's neglect led to a staph infection, UTI, and sepsis ... all of which killed their father.

Josh Groban's famous song, "You Raise Me Up," has been dragged into a legal battle by an Icelandic singer who says the hit was jacked from his original work.

The publishing company for Johann Helgason -- who touts himself as one of Iceland's most prolific singers/songwriters -- just filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group, Warner Music and Spotify. According to the docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Helgason says he wrote "Soknudur" in 1977 which is allegedly hugely popular at Icelandic funerals.

Helgason claims at some point Norwegian musician Rolf Loveland went to Iceland and was mesmerized by "Soknudur" and penned his song called "You Raise Me Up" ... which he dropped in 2001.

Fast forward to 2003 -- when Groban released his massive hit -- selling 6 million copies in the U.S. alone.

Helgason doesn't name Groban as a defendant in the lawsuit -- but he calls the tune a blatant ripoff -- to his credit, it does sound VERY similar.

Calling all space cadets ... Travis Scott wants you to blast off with tokes from an "Astroworld" bong, which raises one obvious question: what took him so long to come up with this idea??

The rapper recently filed paperwork to blaze a trail into the marijuana accessories market. Trav wants to slap "Astroworld" all over pipes, bongs and hookahs. And, lest you think this is some half-baked plan ... it's a savvy move to keep cashing in on the title of his hit album, music fest and tour.

According to docs, obtained by TMZ, the gear will be for use with tobacco. Riiiight. That line might fool Uncle Sam -- remember, weed's still illegal federally -- but we all know what plant's really gonna be burning in those pipes.

It's a small step for Travis, after his giant leaps to trademark "S.P.A.C.E" merch and "ASTROWORLD" jewelry.

Seems Travis has figured it out ... there are mountains of money to be made off marijuana.

Tekashi69 climbing to the top of the charts doesn't make him immune to the harsh reality -- if ya do the crime, ya gotta do the time ... so says Kevin O'Leary.

We got the "Shark Tank" star outside Benjamin Prime Steak House in NYC -- Tekashi's home turf -- and he surprised us in a couple of ways. For starters, the 64-year-old entrepreneur knows exactly who 6ix9ine is. And, get this ... Kevin's a fan.

Check it out ... Kevin -- an expert in brand-building -- says Tekashi's monumentally successful album, "Dummy Boy," means he won't have to worry about money ... even while he's sitting in a federal prison facility.

Floyd Mayweather had to come out of pocket more than $600,000 to settle charges brought against him by the SEC for his role in a cryptocurrency scandal ... officials have announced.

As we previously reported, Floyd and DJ Khaled both went to social media in 2017 to promote a crypto coin called Centra.

The problem according to the Securities and Exchange Commission ... neither star disclosed that they were getting paid to promote the coin ... which is a violation of federal law.

Turns out, Floyd received $300,000 to promote the coin and DJ got $50,000.

Officials previously said the company behind the coin was operating illegally, misleading investors and several of the execs listed on the company website don't really exist. The whole thing was essentially deemed a giant scam.

The SEC brought charges against both Floyd and Khaled -- but they both were able to settle their cases behind closed doors after writing big checks.

Officials say Floyd ponied up $300k in disgorgement (the money he made for promoting the coin) plus another $300k in fines and another $14k in interest.

Khaled paid $50,000 in disgorgement plus $100,000 in fines plus another $2,725 in interest.

Mayweather -- who was cooperative with investigators -- also agreed NOT to promote any kind of currency for the next 3 years. Khaled agreed to hold off for 2 years.

Nicki Minaj doesn't owe her former stylist a dime -- in fact, she paid him too much money and now she wants it back ... according to new legal docs.

Nicki's countersuing Maher Jridi, who was her stylist in 2017 and hit her with a lawsuit in October for allegedly not returning nearly $74k worth of fancy clothes. Minaj denies Jridi's allegations and is firing back some of her own, claiming she overpaid him $12,000 for stylist services and he kept the cash.

According to the docs ... Nicki has an email chain proving Jridi knew about the overpayment and agreed to return it, but never did. She's now countersuing him for the $12k plus legal fees.

Minaj is also asking the court to dismiss Jridi's original suit.

As we reported ... Maher's known for being the man behind Nicki's famous wardrobe during 2017's Paris Fashion Week.

Tyrese is not celebrating his recent court win against his ex-wife, but one thing's for damn sure -- he desperately wishes to get on the same page with her when it comes to parenting their daughter.

We got Tyrese leaving Avra Wednesday afternoon in Bev Hills where the singer opened up about a judge ruling he no longer had to cover Norma Gibson's childcare costs when her activities aren't work-related.

For starters, Tyrese says he didn't win. You can tell the subject weighs heavily on him 'cause he pours his heart out ... wishing he got along better with Norma for their daughter Shayla's sake. As you know ... Tyrese has been at war with Norma over custody and other financial issues.

Tyrese says their best option for settling disputes now is L.A. Superior Court -- he even shouts out the address -- but he also openly admits he wishes he and Norma could turn the page on their contentious relationship.

Tekashi 6ix9ine is making sure his girlfriend is well taken care of while he's in a federal holding cell ... surprising her with some super pricey bling on her birthday ... TMZ has learned.

Tekashi's GF, Jade, celebrated her 22nd Tuesday night in NYC with all her family and friends who aren't facing federal indictments -- but her BF still managed to hook her up with a 41mm Rolex DateJust ... blinged out, of course.

Sources close to the rapper tell us Tekashi picked out the piece several weeks ago, and customized it with 18k white and rose gold and 24 carats worth of VS diamonds. In total, we're told it set Tekashi back around $35,000 -- a drop in the bucket, especially considering how "Dummy Boy" has blown up since then.

The watch was hand-delivered to Jade by celeb jeweler JimmyBoi on Tekashi's behalf. She posted a pic of herself with it, saying, "Thank you baby :) your the best even when your not around."

TMZ broke the story ... Tekashi was arrested by federal agents on gun, drug and racketeering charges. He remains in custody and his lawyer's still working on getting him out on bail. His trial isn't scheduled to start until September.

Here come some feel-good vibes, courtesy of "Empire" star Jussie Smollett, who is donating a ton of cash to charities heading into the holidays.

We're told Jussie is taking proceeds from his tour and latest album, "Sum Of My Music," and passing along $125,000 to charities supporting his most beloved causes.

Jussie is paying it forward to groups like the Black AIDS Institute, Flint KIDS, South Africa's SKY Foundation, the Trayvon Martin Foundation, the Human Rights Campaign, Know Your Rights Camp, ACLU and the Anthony Burrell Dance School.

Jussie, who plays Jamal Lyon on "Empire," is no stranger to good deeds.

As we reported ... he recently hooked up a double amputee, 6-year-old Kayden Kinckle, with a handicapped-accessible van in a tearjerker of a surprise.

TOMS Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie knows 90% of Americans want what he does when it comes to gun reform, but what might surprise you is he says a majority of NRA members also back his plan.

Blake was on TMZ Live Wednesday when he told us he's planning to hit up NRA leaders about his initiative to get Congress to enact universal background checks for all gun purchases. He told us the vast majority of the NRA's rank and file members support it ... so he's hoping the org gets on board with his "End Gun Violence Together" campaign.

Blake has said the Thousand Oaks bar mass shooting sparked his company's interest in taking a stand. He kicked things into high gear last week announcing on 'The Tonight Show' that TOMS will donate $5 million to several organizations working to end gun violence.

He's proudly touting, and rightfully so, the technology on toms.com that makes it simpler than ever to mail a postcard to your elected officials, demanding they back universal background checks.

3:00 PM PT -- We got Jesse as he walked out of the courthouse, surrounded by his Mongol MC "brothers," and he made it clear he never tried to hide his membership in the organization ... even when he was in politics. As he put it, "I don't run from being a Mongol."

1:15 PM PT -- Prosecutors asked Jesse about the Mongols MC allegedly retaliating for the killings of members ... and he said he'd lose respect for them if they didn't. During cross-examination, he conceded every organization has "some bad apples."

On a lighter note, Jesse referred to himself as a "gringo biker" who was never harassed while riding around East L.A. -- noting Mongols membership is about 75% Latino and 25% white.

He's now completed his testimony.

Jesse Ventura has found himself smack-dab in the middle of a real-life "Sons of Anarchy" storyline ... as the feds try to nail a biker gang on racketeering and conspiracy charges.

The legendary pro wrestler and former Minnesota Governor appeared in an Orange County courtroom Wednesday to testify on behalf of the Southern California-based Mongols Motorcycle Club ... of which he's an inactive member.

He was called as an expert witness for gang members who were accused of murder, drug running, robbery, extortion and other crimes. Jesse said under oath when he was a member of the MC he never engaged in criminal activity. He testified he was never asked to commit crimes and never did.

Jesse went on to praise the MC. He stated that joining the Mongols in the '70s helped him transition from the military -- where he was a Navy Seal -- to civilian life, and gave him a "brotherhood to rely on."

Ventura worked his way up to a Sergeant-at-Arms during his short time in the club, before leaving in 1974 to pursue his wrestling career.

It's interesting timing ... we just spoke with Jesse Tuesday, and he told us he's seriously thinking about running for President in 2020 against Trump.

We would say his affiliation with this case might hurt his chances, but controversy and legal trouble didn't deter Trump, so ... let the race begin?

Originally Published -- 10:01 AM PST

Gilbert Arenas wasn't lying when he said he would make his sex tape accuser pay ... he just settled his lawsuit with her -- and claims SHE had to write HIM a check for lying.

As we previously reported, Janelle Reeves got a restraining order against Arenas after telling the court he had been harassing her and threatened to release a sex tape of her to her own minor son.

Arenas claimed the woman was making the whole thing up and sued her for defamation -- demanding $10 MILLION in damages -- insisting he lost his job at Yahoo Sports as a result of the allegations.

The case was dismissed earlier this month, according to court record -- and now Gilbert's attorney, David Bass, tells TMZ Sports ... it's all because Reeves folded like a cheap suit.

"[Reeves] resolved the dispute by paying Mr. Arenas an undisclosed amount for his damages and confirming that the restraining order action of June 2018 was meritless, filed with fabricated documents and, therefore, filed without cause."

Reeves released the following statement to us, saying ... "I am generally a reclusive person, a lover not a fighter. I can't help it. My naivety to a lot of things landed me in situations that are not what I thought they would be."

"I am a person of integrity, honor, and love. And I will continue to be that. I am working through it all and am so glad to have moved on past this never to associate with the individual involved again."

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are handing over $25,000 to assist the family of Marcus Hyde, the couple's personal photographer who was horrifically injured in a car crash.

TMZ broke the story ... Marcus Hyde -- who has worked with Kim and Kanye around the world -- went plummeting over the side of a ravine in Malibu last month in his Mercedes. Hyde sustained serious head injuries, and has remained in a fight for his life ever since.

A GoFundMe was recently started for Hyde and his family to help with medical costs ... as the photog remains hospitalized.

On Wednesday, Kim and Kanye pledged $25k to the cause. We're told the couple chose to make their contribution public in hopes it will bring more attention to the page, and raise more money. The fundraiser originally had a goal of $10k ... so Kimye's donation will be a massive help.

Just before the crash, Hyde traveled with the family on their trip to Bali, shot pics of the Kardashian and Jenner sisters in their Victoria's Secret angel wings and was by Kanye's side during his album release in Wyoming.