Money

Aretha Franklin's riches weren't getting much R-E-S-P-E-C-T, allegedly, before she died last August -- cops are on the hunt for someone who stole from her.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, police in Michigan are conducting an investigation into the theft of Aretha's assets before she died.

Law enforcement sources tell us the criminal probe involves someone inappropriately using her funds. We're told a report was filed last June, but it's unclear exactly how much money's gone missing.

As you know ... Aretha's finances have been under the microscope following her death. The IRS is hounding her estate, claiming she owes more than $6.3 mil in back taxes. And, she's being dogged over legal bills.

We're guessing this isn't what Aretha had in mind when she famously sang, "I'm about to give you all of my money."

Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez have apparently had enough of the first property they bought together ... because they're already trying to unload their NYC love nest, only 10 months after scooping it up!

We've confirmed the celeb couple is listing their kick-ass 4,000 sq. ft. Park Ave pad for a cool $17.5 million, as first reported by the NY Post. You'll recall ... J Lo and A-Rod bought the 3 bedroom, 4.5 bathroom apartment back in March, dropping $15.3 million on their first real estate purchase together.

As for why they're already unloading this primo location -- in the world's tallest residential building, btw -- think family planning. We're told the couple's on the hunt for something a little more modern family friendly ... remember they have 4 kids between them.

Just the possibility of President Trump's impeachment was enough for the Escobar family to collect millions upon millions of bucks ... according to Pablo's bro, who's pissed GoFundMe censored his cause.

Sources connected to Pablo Escobar's brother, Roberto, tell TMZ ... his ByeByeTrump GoFundMe campaign had raised upwards of $10 mil while the page was still live ... for just 10 hours.

The crowdfunding site yanked the page to investigate where the money was going. A screenshot of the page prior to it getting shut down shows a balance of $10,786,980.

We broke the story ... Roberto and the rest of Escobar Inc. started the campaign in an effort to impeach the U.S. Prez. They were gunning for $50 million to finance "intelligence research, lobby firms and lawyers" they said would help get Trump impeached in the States.

In response, GoFundMe pulled the page pending more clarification on the funds' use and purpose. Our sources say the Escobars responded to GoFundMe with the info they wanted ... but the page was still down as of Thursday.

We've reached out to GoFundMe to confirm that $10 mil total ... but so far, no word back.

A rep for Escobar Inc. -- the holding company dedicated to the late Colombian drug kingpin -- tells us that it plans on taking its impeachment efforts to another site, where they'll be accepting cryptocurrency donations instead of government regulated funds.

We're told the Escobars believe the U.S. government (and Trump himself) got involved in derailing their efforts ... but insist they won't be deterred.

Patrick Whitesell, the estranged husband to Jeff Bezos' new love interest Lauren Sanchez, doesn't look like he's missing the married life ... because he was all smiles the day after news broke of his wife's shocking affair with the Amazon founder.

Patrick, a Hollywood mega-agent, was seen flashing a huge grin Thursday as he jumped behind the wheel in Los Angeles ... and it looks like he isn't broken up about the whole world finding out his ex is secretly seeing the world's richest man.

Seems like it's pretty much business as usual for Patrick ... because he showed up to work at William Morris Endeavor's office in Bev Hills, keeping it casual in grey jeans and a blue jacket.

Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos did NOT have a prenuptial agreement so, by all rights, they will split their incredible fortune right down the middle ... sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ.

The couple will file divorce docs in Washington, where community property rules ... translation -- all earnings and income during the marriage are split 50/50.

When the couple married in 1993 -- 6 months after meeting -- Jeff wasn't even a millionaire. He didn't become one until 1997, so dreams of being the richest man in the world were pie in the sky.

The division of assets will be incredibly complicated. Aside from cold hard cash, the former couple is hardcore baronial -- they own 400,000 acres of property, making them 2 of the biggest landholders in the country. Valuing that land is complicated.

As we reported, Bezos is in a relationship with former "So You Think You Can Dance" host Lauren Sanchez, who's estranged from talent mogul Patrick Whitesell. Our sources say Lauren and Jeff started hooking up in the latter half of 2018, after they separated from their respective spouses. Lauren and Patrick are also in the middle of divorcing.

We're also told both Patrick and MacKenzie have known about Jeff and Lauren's relationship. It's still awkward -- Lauren and Patrick were super close to Jeff and MacKenzie for a decade.

Bezos has said his divorce is super amicable.

Verne Troyer had a sizeable collection of celebrity memorabilia and just under $80,000 in cash when he died ... TMZ has learned.

The final appraisal on Verne's estate came in at $139,283.16 ... according to docs, obtained by TMZ. His attorney submitted the estimated value this week to the probate in L.A. County.

The docs show Verne had $21,000 worth of autographed memorabilia. There's no detail about the merchandise. He also had $78,283 in the bank.

We also know Verne was riding in style before he died in April 2018. The docs say he had a 2015 Audi S4 with only 3,490 miles on it -- guess he wasn't making a lot of road trips. The whip's valued at $38k. He also had a couple thousand bucks in furniture and personal belongings.

Floyd Mayweather has one helluva watch collection -- 41 time pieces in total -- including a crown jewel, the $18 million "One and Only."

Seems Floyd was just bored on Wednesday and felt like stuntin' on all of us normies -- so he broke out the briefcases with his super expensive man jewelry ... and showed it all off.

"When I go on pay-cation for 30 days," Floyd said ... "I take 30 watches with me."

"But, you know what, if we add 10 more days, I take 10 more watches," he explained while opening a 2nd case.

And, then the big daddy ...

"But then, I say 'f*ck it. If I wanna bring out the one and only, then I'll take out the watch that costs $18 million."

The watch is technically called "The Billionaire Watch" -- made by Jacob & Co. back in 2015, it features 239 emerald-cut baguette diamond stones, each weighing up to 3 carats.

Floyd says he bought the watch last summer from a Japanese jeweler named Tadashi Fukushima -- and claimed he'd never buy any jewelry from anyone else ever again.

But, if he sees the right watch somewhere else ...

Floyd has made a ton of money during his pro boxing career -- $300 mil to fight Pacquiao, $300 mil to fight McGregor ... and $9 mil to fight Tenshin Nasukawa.

Baker Mayfield will be hittin' dingers for a cause this weekend ... signing on to join Christian Yelich, Charlie Sheen and more in a celeb softball game to raise money for CA fire and shooting victims.

Yelich -- along with Ryan Braun, Mitch Moustakas and Jared Goff -- created the California Strong campaign in the wake of the recent tragedies. They're all from California and decided it was their duty to help out.

Besides launching a website and partnering with the YMCA, the guys decided to host a celeb softball game to help raise money for people affected by the Borderline shooting in Thousand Oaks and the wildfires that ravaged the state.

It's all going down at Pepperdine University on Sunday, January 13 -- featuring huge names like Reggie Miller, Justin Turner, Mira Sorvino, Camille Kostek, Rob Riggle and Patrick Schwarzenegger.

The cause hits home for Yelich ... who told us last month he would consider donating his MVP trophy to his old hot spot, the Borderline Bar, where 12 people were killed in November.

Props to all involved.

Randy Johnson's big unit is up for grabs -- a 25,000 sq. foot estate with a full gym, game room, bar, basketball court and WATERSLIDE -- and all ya gotta do is be the highest bidder.

As we previously reported, the ex-MLB superstar put the house on the market for $25 MIL back in 2014 ... but didn't find a buyer. He slashed it all the way down to $14.5 mil before finally deciding to put it on the auction block.

The place is insane ... it's located in Paradise Valley. Here are the highlights:

-- 7 bedrooms, 12 baths
-- Full tennis court/ basketball court
-- Trophy room
-- Game room with bar and pool table
-- Music instrument room
-- Sick pool with twisty waterslide
-- Wine cellar
-- Massive garage
-- Secret garden area
-- Movie theater with box office

There's more ... make sure to check out the pics. The auction, hosted by Concierge Auctions, starts on Jan. 29.

There's no starting bid ... but in order to get in on the action, ya gotta cough up a $100K deposit and proof of income.

Chief Keef has a serious case of '90s nostalgia, and a high-priced way of dealing with it ... because the rapper just threw down a ton of cash to turn his home into a real-life comic strip.

We're told Chief reached out to Idiot Box Art owners Emily Bright and Tamara Martin over the weekend to purchase a bunch of art inspired by '90s TV shows -- specifically cartoons. The collection is an homage to "The Simpsons," "The Smurfs" and "Rugrats" ... and it's valued at $40k.

As you can see, Keef is hanging up some of the new art in his son's room ... and we're told his daughter's room is getting decked out too.

All the works are made of hand-cut wood, covered with acrylic paint and finished with a coat of resin. The pieces range in size from 2 to 15 feet high.

We're told Chief also commissioned a few cartoon versions of himself because ... why not?

Justin and Hailey Bieber are still looking to become L.A. homeowners ... because they just checked out a massive property that's definitely large enough to start their new family.

The newlyweds were seen leaving this Encino mansion Tuesday afternoon, and it doesn't look like a second straight day of house hunting is stressing them out.

Justin and Hailey checked out a sprawling estate in the Royal Oaks section of Encino ... and the deets are pretty wild. It's 12,500 square feet of luxury sitting at the end of a cul-de-sac, and the 10-bedroom, 11-bathroom home is being listed for a cool $13 million!

Yeah, that's a hefty price tag ... but JB is already renting a place in the valley for $100k/month, so he can definitely afford it.

Trevor Noah added an incredible piece of property to his portfolio ... because we've learned he recently dropped a boatload of cash on a baller bachelor pad.

Our real estate sources confirm Trevor plunked down over $20 MILLION for a jaw-dropping estate in Bel-Air ... and the 'Daily Show' host quietly purchased the contemporary mansion through a blind trust.

Trevor's new digs, first reported by Yolanda's Little Black Book, are pretty insane. The two-level pad is a whopping 10,044 square feet, and it's surrounded by glass walls and wraparound terraces, giving Trevor some breathtaking views of L.A.

The 1.31-acre property sits on a hillside lot in western Bel-Air, on a quiet cul-de-sac ... but there's nothing quiet about Trevor's place. The master suite is massive -- we're talking 2,200 feet -- and we haven't even mentioned the home theater, infinity pool and the 500-gallon saltwater aquarium!!!

As if that's not enough for Trevor to entertain his guests ... there are 3 other bedrooms with unobstructed views, and one is an "ultra private VIP suite" with private entrance.

Mauricio Umansky and James Harris of The Agency listed the property -- and Jonah Wilson of Hilton & Hyland repped Trevor.

Congrats, Trev!

How 'bout them Cowboys!?

Jerry Jones just bought himself one of the sickest yachts we've ever seen -- 357 feet long with TWO helipads and a gym ... and a reported price tag of $250 MILLION!!!!

The ship is called "Bravo Eugenia" -- which the 76-year-old billionaire named after his wife, Gene Jones. It was built in the Netherlands and delivered to Jones on Dec. 20 ... an early Christmas present.

The ship can hold 14 guests with 30 members ... and has all the bells and whistles you'd expect.

Fun features include a steam room, full gym, massage room, plunge pool, rain shower and a storage area for all of the cool water toys Jones decides to take out to sea.

The interior is also top of the line -- featuring light woods and lacquered surfaces.

One of the designers, Pascale Reymond, issued a statement on his work ... saying, "We worked very closely with the Owner to find the perfect artisans and craftsmen in creating bespoke artworks, fabrics and signature furniture pieces that reflect the Owner's style and essence and combine to create a warm, inviting environment for all on board."

10:05 AM PT -- The page has been temporarily pulled -- we're told GoFundMe has asked the fundraising page creators for additional information -- including how exactly the money raised will be used. Once more questions are answered, we're told the page will be put back up.

Pablo Escobar's family needs your help to make another person disappear -- this time, it's President Trump they want out ... but, apparently, it'll be no cheap feat.

The brother of the deceased Colombian drug kingpin, Roberto (aka El Osito), has started a GoFundMe campaign seeking at least $50 million in donations to bolster his company's efforts to impeach the U.S. Prez. Sounds totally legit ... we're listening.

Roberto and his associates at Escobar Inc. are soliciting anyone and everyone to kick in cash toward their crowdfunding page to finance "intelligence research, lobby firms and lawyers" that could ultimately lead to Trump's downfall in Congress. Hmmmmm ... yes, go on.

Roberto claims he's already got dirt on Trump from previous alleged business dealings between DT and the Escobar company ... among other things. Roberto says his dirty secrets on Trump are something Special Counsel Robert Mueller would wanna hear.

He sounds pretty confident in himself, saying, "I am the brother of a Latino hero, I have eliminated many people from power ... Trump will be impeached." We'll give him this ... the Escobars have definitely (allegedly) gotten rid of some folks in their day.

Maybe it's just us, but it's weird that Roberto and co. are asking for a cool $50 mil to fund this project if they've already got the goods on Trump.

Dick Wolf, one of the most prolific and successful TV producers/creators in history, has filed legal docs separating from his third wife, TMZ has learned, and a fortune is on the line.

Wolf, the creator of the "Law & Order" franchise, filed on December 3, but he is not asking for a divorce ... at least, not yet. By filing for legal separation, it immediately separates his assets from hers.

Wolf, who's repped by attorneys Joe Kibre and Jacqueline Misho, says in his docs there IS a prenup.

Now, here's what's interesting. His wife, Noelle, followed suit by filing her own docs for legal separation last Friday. In the docs, filed by disso queen Laura Wasser, she's asking for spousal support.

The marriage lasted 12 years and, since they tied the knot, Wolf created the incredibly successful 'Chicago' franchise.

Sources tell TMZ Wolf makes between $10 and $15 MILLION A MONTH.

Despite the prenup -- and it appears Noelle isn't contesting it -- it will have no impact on child support, which could end up being a huge number. The couple has 2 kids, ages 8 and 11.

This is not Wolf's first trip to the courthouse over marriage. He was in a 12-year legal battle with wife #2, Christine.

It's unclear why Wolf didn't file for divorce, but that could come later.

Wolf's lawyer, Joe Kibre, tells TMZ, "The lawyers for the parties are in the process of negotiations."

As the saying goes ... a picture of Cardi B's worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, which is why a photographer says she's suing VH1 and BET's parent company ... TMZ has learned.

The above shot of Cardi was taken by Rebecca Fay Walsh and, in her lawsuit, Rebecca says she noticed Cardi use it in a social media post in September 2018. But then, Cardi's post -- WITH Rebecca's photo -- showed up on vh1.com and bet.com.

That's a big no-no in Rebecca's book. According to the suit, neither outlet got the photog's permission to use her photo. She wants Viacom -- the parent company of VH1 and BET -- to fork over a minimum of $150,000 for each use of the shot.