Money

Justin Verlander's World Series ring nearly came with a $1 MILLION price tag ... 'cause an L.A. restaurant (jokingly) hit him with a HUGE "Dodger Killer" fee!!

The Astros ace -- who crushed L.A. in the World Series last year -- was dining at The Cabana Cafe in Bev Hills when, to his surprise, THE BILL CAME OUT TO OVER A MILLION DOLLARS!!

As Verlander read over the receipt, though ... it became clear to him, he just got punk'd.

"Beverly Hills Hotel really making me pay for that World Series win 😂😂," Verlander said of the massive charge.

"Thanks for the great lunch as always!"

As for why Verlander's grubbin' in L.A. this weekend ... he's in town for a series with the Angels.

So, rest easy, Dodgers fans ... for now.

Jennifer Lopez's TV turn as dirty cop Harlee Santos might technically be over, but she's about to do a lot of good in the real world ... particularly for Puerto Rico.

J Lo is partnering up with the Hispanic Federation and the UNIDOS Disaster Relief and Recovery Program to auction off a lot of her personal wardrobe from her NBC hit show, "Shades of Blue," to raise funds for struggling communities in Puerto Rico that were decimated from Hurricane Maria last year.

The clothes are going to be put up for auction on Screenbid -- a website dedicated to pawning off costumes to the stars. Detective Santos' garb is already on the racks right now and will remain up for grabs through September 9. Among the articles on the auction block -- J Lo's camel pants and silk striped blouse, her olive jacket and jeans, her anorak, her tank top and sweatshirt, her gold hoop earrings and, of course, her black cop boots.

Each item sans the earrings will have opening bids of $50 -- the earrings are starting at $100. However, we're told the wardrobe is expected to fetch thousands of dollars each.

Justin Bieber is one step closer to being a pro jockey ... dude just bought a crazy huge $5 MILLION mansion in Ontario, Canada with it's own private horse racing track.

The property is 101 ACRES -- a skosh smaller than the size of Vatican City (for real, look it up) -- and this place has it all!!!

Private lake access? Check. Two story temperature controlled wine room? Check. Private gym? Check. Heated floors? YOU KNOW BIEB'S GOT HEATED FLOORS!!

Oh, and did we mention ... the place has its own private equestrian facility with stables and a 5/8 mile race track!!!!

The living space is 9,000 square feet -- with 4 bedrooms, 6 baths, 3 fireplaces, game room and movie theater (obvi). It's also got a 3 car garage.

We're told Bieber closed on the place on Monday -- no word on when he plans on moving in ... but the sooner, the better.

Unclear if Bieber plans to make the home his main residence with fiancee Hailey Baldwin -- or just a place to get away and hang by the lake.

Either way, it's another baller piece of real estate Bieber can add to his portfolio.

Roger Federer vs. Serena Williams. Who wins?

We got Fed outside UNIQLO in NYC on Wednesday and asked him straight-up.

Obviously, Federer told us he's betting on himself ... but it begs the question, could Serena -- the greatest female tennis player of all time -- REALLY compete with Fed in a serious tennis showdown?

Remember ... Serena's been engulfed in this Battle of the Sexes subject for years. John McEnroe says he was once offered $1 MILLION by Donald Trump to do battle with her. Billie Jean King also threw herself into the conversation by saying there's no way in hell Serena would win a match with a man.

As for Serena's side on all of this ... her most recent comment on the issue came in the form of a tweet to McEnroe after he said "she'd be like 700 in the world" on the men's circuit.

"Dear John, I adore and respect you but please please keep me out of your statements that are not factually based," Serena said.

"I've never played anyone ranked 'there' nor do I have time. Respect me and my privacy as I'm trying to have a baby. Good day sir."

As for UNIQLO and why Fed was there rehashing the whole issue among so many wild fans -- the Swiss star just broke up with Nike to ink a $300 MILLION deal with the Japanese apparel giant -- and he was there to promote his new gear with the people.

Kodak Black is free to keep building up his hip-hop empire now that he's out of jail, but the dude's turning down tons of cash to focus on something more important ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the "Roll in Peace" rapper tell us KB has become a hot touring commodity since getting sprung out of Broward County Jail early last week after serving 7 months. You'll recall ... he was doing time for 2 probation violations after being arrested in January.

Turns out, the 7 months did wonders for his going rate. We're told a number of promoters have reached out to his camp with offers. He was asked to perform at a D.C.-area college for $100k, not to mention an offer from a venue in South Dakota for $105k and a weed festival in Oregon for a little more than $100k. He even turned down a Labor Day gig in Tallahassee for $125k!

Do the math -- that adds up to well over $400k Kodak's leaving on the table. Sources say it's all because his priority is recording new music.

Kodak was in solitary for a majority of his jail stint, and had a lot to get off his chest in song.

In other words ... look out for new Kodak tunes soon.

Here's advice from an ex-NBA superstar on how to handle yourself in a booty club -- take whatever you've got in your wallet ... AND CHUCK IT AT STRIPPERS!!!

The sage wisdom is brought to you by former Celtics star Glen "Big Baby" Davis ... who we got at OHM Nightclub, where he was judging an open audition for V Live L.A.

After explaining to us what he looks for in great strippers ... he unveiled advice to all the normal folk who have no idea how to be a big baller around butts.

"You gotta thrown what you can, man," Glen says. "Throw what you can, that's my motto."

The man accusing Asia Argento of sexual misconduct when he was 17 years old says he chose to keep the event private because he was afraid and ashamed to have his story heard.

In a statement to The New York Times, Jimmy Bennett says, "I did not initially speak out about my story because I chose to handle it in private with the person who wronged me. My trauma resurfaced as she came out as a victim herself. I have not made a public statement in the past days and hours because I was ashamed and afraid to be part of the public narrative."

He continues, "At the time I believed there was still a stigma to being in the situation as a male in our society. I didn't think that people would understand the event that took place from the eyes of a teenage boy. I would like to move past this event in my life, and today I choose to move forward, no longer in silence."

We broke the story ... a photo of Argento and Bennett in bed together -- shirtless -- suggests the 2 had a sexual relationship, along with several text messages between Asia and a friend in which she flat-out admits she had sex with him.

The bed photo is one of 4 that Bennett, now 22 years old, took in a Marina del Rey hotel room back in 2013. Sources tell us the pic was taken after the 2 had intercourse. It's a crime in California for an adult to have sex with a person under 18 ... and Asia was 37 at the time.

However, Argento released a statement Tuesday saying, "I have never had any sexual relationship with Bennett" ... but claims Bennett was litigious and made exorbitant money demands, so she settled with him for $380,000.

Her boyfriend, Anthony Bourdain, paid Bennett the money because Asia says they wanted to "no longer suffer any further intrusions in our life."

In the text messages to her friend, though ... Asia admits to sex with Bennett but claims she didn't know he was a minor until he sent a "shakedown letter." She adds ... "it wasn't raped (sic) but I was frozen. He was on top of me. After, he told me I had been his sexual fantasy since was 12."

If Donald Trump ever wants to retain the legal services of Michael Cohen again for some reason, he's going to have to wait several years ... TMZ has learned.

Trump's former lawyer is on a fast track to being disbarred in New York following his guilty plea Tuesday on 8 federal counts, including tax evasion and campaign law violations ... according to a source familiar with the process.

We're told Cohen will lose his right to practice law as soon as the NY Attorney Grievance Committee files a motion to have him disbarred ... it's just waiting on the official paperwork needed to get the ball rolling.

According to Nicholas Biase, spokesperson for the Southern District of NY ... "Mr. Cohen does lose his law license upon conviction, which technically does not occur until sentencing."

Cohen's disbarment isn't forever though -- he can reapply to get his license back after 7 years, and it would be up to a judge to allow it or not.

As we reported ... Cohen pled guilty to 5 counts of tax fraud and one count of bank fraud, as well as 2 campaign finance violations related to "hush" deals he struck with Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal. Cohen claimed the campaign law crimes were carried out at the direction of Trump to cover up affairs with the women and influence the 2016 election.

Trump has denied the affairs and responded to Cohen's guilty plea on Twitter Wednesday, saying the campaign finance violations are "not a crime."

Anthony Bourdain paid the $380,000 to Asia Argento's sexual assault accuser ... and denies she had sex with the then 17-year-old, but TMZ has seen text messages between Asia and Anthony that suggest otherwise.

Argento just released a statement, saying, "I am deeply shocked and hurt by having read news that is absolutely false. I have never had any sexual relationship with Bennett." The Bennett to which she is referring is Jimmy Bennett, whom she had visit her in a hotel room when he was 17 and she was 37.

She acknowledges Anthony paid, saying, "Anthony personally undertook to help Bennett economically." She goes on to say Bennett was litigious and made exorbitant money demands and they wanted to "no longer suffer any further intrusions in our life."

Bourdain and Argento -- who were dating for over a year before Bourdain's death -- texted each other about Jimmy Bennett, referring to him as a "donkey" and Bourdain writing that paying him is "no admission of anything, no attempt to buy a cover up, simply an offer to help an obviously tortured soul whose desperate and trying to jack you for money."

Bourdain goes on to say, "Or you just tell him to f*** himself. Either way, I am with you."

In discussing the settlement -- which ended up to reportedly be $380,000 -- Argento confesses, "I am also broke." Bourdain makes it's clear he's handling the negotiations, instructing Argento to take a call from a rep who is involved in the matter.

Asia, at one point, seems to contradict her claim she never had a sexual relationship with Bennett, saying, "It wasn't raped (sic) but I was frozen. He was on top of me. After he told me I had been his sexual fantasy since he was 12."

Asia also never addresses the photograph -- which TMZ has seen -- of Asia and Bennett shirtless and in bed with their foreheads touching. This photo was reportedly the centerpiece of their settlement.

As we reported, Argento did not want an NDA as part of the settlement since she railed on Harvey Weinstein -- whom she had accused of raping her -- for using NDAs to silence his victims.

Bourdain seemed to agree in the texts, saying, "You are not buying silence. Only freedom from inconvenience. And to help a 'poor twisted goof' get his life together."

Asia responds, "I will never buy his silence for something that isn't true since I am also broke." Yet she claims in other texts that he was the sexual aggressor.

And there's this ... at one point Argento says, "I don't fear him [Bennett]. I am no Puritan, google my ass."

As we reported, Bennett claimed Argento plied him with alcohol, performed oral sex on him, jumped on top of him and had intercourse.

A former 'Steve Harvey Show' actress abandoned her estranged husband after he suffered a stroke, and left him completely broke and on his ass ... according to the gent himself.

Wendy Raquel Robinson's estranged hubby, Marco Perkins, claims in divorce docs -- obtained by TMZ -- he needs Wendy to pay him significant spousal support when their divorce is all said and done 'cause she allegedly left him destitute after he had a stroke back in 2015.

Marco says he enjoyed a lavish lifestyle while married to Wendy, and is asking a judge to make her cough up at least $10,000 a month so he can maintain that life -- adding that she can afford it, since he believes her monthly income is in the ballpark of $200k/month.

We broke the story ... Marco filed for divorce last week after 15 years together with Wendy. They have no minor children.

Well, Jon Gruden hates Tom Cruise movies.

The Oakland Raiders coach was asked about his reported $100 million deal with the team -- and while trying to explain his high salary ... he randomly took a shot at Tom Cruise.

Here's the quote from his interview with Peter King ...

"I’m not making $100 million, just so you know. Well, I never thought Tom Cruise, never thought his movies were any good but he’s making plenty of money."

Weird and random Tom Cruise shot -- but alas, there's more.

"There’s a lot of things that I don’t understand. No disrespect to Tom Cruise. I’m sure he’s a great actor. But you know what? You just go about your life as hard as you can. You try to find something you love and you do the best you can at it."

No word on why Jon dragged Tom Cruise into the conversation -- maybe he finally got around to seeing "Rock of Ages" or "The Mummy" ... both trash.

But what Gruden's clearly forgetting in his weird Tom Cruise rant is "Top Gun" and "Jerry Maguire" and "Jack Reacher" (the first one) was actually pretty solid.

And several people in this office are adamant the new 'Mission Impossible' movie was "f**king awesome" and they're actually mad at Gruden for throwing shade.

By the way, Jon Gruden had a cameo in "DRAFT DAY" -- THE WORST FOOTBALL MOVIE EVER MADE!!!

Lisa Marie Presley won't have to pay her estranged hubby spousal support ... 'cause the postnuptial agreement they signed in 2007 says she doesn't have to pony up a penny and it's ironclad.

According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ ... the judge said the agreement Michael Lockwood signed in 2007 -- after they married in 2006 -- is legit. Michael gave up his right to spousal support, something they've been at war over for the last week.

Even though Michael testified he had NOT read the postnup when he signed it, the court ruled signing it on the advice of his attorney holds up because it means he understood what he was signing based on what his lawyer was telling him.

This is just the latest in Lisa and Michael's divorce war. She was ordered back in February to pay him $100k in legal fees.

Did you know ... Michael Phelps got a $1,000,000 bonus check for racking up 8 gold medals at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing???

Neither did we ... but it's true -- and what's even cooler is the way Phelps spent the money.

"10 years ago after winning 8 golds in Beijing I received a million dollar bonus," Phelps said on Instagram.

"There was one thing and one thing only that I wanted to do with that bonus. I started the [Michael Phelps Foundation]."

Phelps says the foundation was initially created to teach the importance of water safety and how to live healthy and active lifestyles.

But since then, Phelps has dealt with substance abuse and mental health issues -- and says he's drawing from his own experience to help others.

"Since becoming aware of the importance of my own mental health we have worked hard to add a mental health awareness component. I’m incredibly proud of how far my foundation has come, but there’s still more work to be done!!!"

One Republic has made one enormous gesture.

The band donated $100k to help cover medical costs for the victim of a shooting ... TMZ has learned.

The woman -- who has not been identified -- was shot in Nashville, TN last week and is in critical condition. She's the wife of a team member of One Republic.

One Republic is leading the charge in raising funds for her medical costs. The band is asking people to donate to a GoFundMe ... roughly $170k has been raised in just 5 days.

Dierks Bentley also chipped in $2,000.

The victim has undergone multiple surgeries and lost her spleen ... but her condition is not life-threatening.

The former home of Comedy Store founder Mitzi Shore is getting a facelift, courtesy of her son, Pauly Shore.

Pauly's remodeling the 3-story home. The stand-up comic now owns the property after Mitzi transferred it to him before she died.

The house is located directly behind The Comedy Store on the Sunset Strip. The renovations include vaulted ceilings in the bedrooms and extending the deck. The house needs updating -- both cosmetically and internally, and that's why Pauly's also upgrading the stuff you can't see, like plumbing and wiring.

Sources close to Pauly tell TMZ ... he's not sure what he's going to do with the home after the remodel, but it clearly needs a lot of love.

The sun has set on Amar'e Stoudemire's time in this awesome Phoenix crash pad ... 'cause the ex-NBA superstar is parting ways with his home of 12 years ... and it sold for $800K!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... Amar'e bought the 3 bed., 4 bath. crib back in 2006 when he was killing it for the Suns ... and decided to put it on the market with David Khalaj from Pro Sports Realty in August 2017.

The place is sick ... it's got a massive built-in aquarium in the living room, an outdoor pool and spa and a gourmet kitchen.