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Cardi B's announcement she's covering funeral costs for all the victims of the historically deadly Bronx apartment fire has one man -- who lost 5 relatives -- calling Cardi an "angel."

Haji Dukuray's niece was killed in the blaze, along with her husband and 3 children ... and Cardi is making sure he doesn't have to worry about finding the money to bury 5 family members.

Haji, who used to drive 200 miles from his Delaware home to see his niece and her family in the Bronx, tells TMZ ... Cardi is an angel and his family can't thank her enough for what she's done.

He says it's a huge help to his family to not bear the financial burden ... and he's sending Cardi blessings for stepping up to help so many people she's never met.

As we reported, the inferno engulfed a 19-story apartment building in the Bronx earlier this month, killing 9 adults and 8 children -- the city's deadliest fire in more than 3 decades.

Cardi, a Bronx native, vowed to cover funeral expenses and worked with NYC Mayor Eric Adams' office to make it happen.

Haji says he got word of Cardi's gift from Mayor Adams' people -- and had no idea, initially, the rapper was their benefactor.

Remember, Fat Joe is helping rally celebs for relief efforts, and he told us most of the people living in the building were immigrants who lost everything in the blaze.

We got Jim Jones at Impact Zone Gym in New Jersey and asked him about Cardi's gesture ... and he praised her too, saying he would expect nothing less.

A Tongan athlete is about to be known to the world for more than his greased-up chest and chiseled abs -- starting a GoFundMe to help the people of his country devastated by a volcano.

Pita Taufatofua, an athlete in taekwondo and cross-country skiing has raised about $400,000 in just 4 days. His fundraising page reads, "In preparation and through the recovery efforts we are seeking your donations to help our island Kingdom. My Father, the Governor of Haapai is on Tongatapu." Taufatofua says he has not heard from his dad since the eruption.

Taufatofua was on BBC's Newsday, telling anchors the money raised will be used for clean drinking water, and rebuilding hospitals and schools ... among other things.

The Olympian first rose to fame at the games in 2016 joining the opening festivities without a shirt and sporting an oiled-up chest ... he has competed in 3 Olympics.

Scientists say the underwater explosion of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano eruption on Saturday appears to be the largest on Earth in 3 decades.

Tonga is home to 170 islands and a population of around 100,000 ... Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni says a "volcanic mushroom plume" has covered each island since Saturday's blast.

On "Wheel of Fortune" you're either a winner or a loser -- but one contestant who many feel got screwed into taking an 'L' ... still managed to scoop up a brand new Audi.

That's right, on Monday Charlene Rubush finally got some justice when she took home a brand new Audi Q3 3, the SUV she would've won when she was on 'Wheel' ... if not for a technicality.

In case you missed it, Charlene lost during a final round last month after solving the phrase "CHOOSING THE RIGHT WORD." The problem is she paused too long before saying "word" -- well, at least that's what Pat Sajak and the 'Wheel' judges deemed. Watch the clip ... easy to see why viewers were outraged.

Anyway, she missed out on taking home a $40,000 Audi Q3 -- but now the Audi dealer in Henderson, NV came through for her. Charlene tells TMZ ... “The car drives so well. I'm loving it!! Much needed since my husband and I have been sharing one car since we moved here 3 years ago!”

After Charlene's episode, Audi actually tweeted that she was still a winner in their eyes. They tracked her down to gift her with the car anyway. And, yes they covered the entire cost ... including taxes!!!

The creator of "Full House" is selling his house for a fortune ... and it's got a lot of history to it.

Real estate sources tell TMZ ... sitcom creator Jeff Franklin is moving on and is inviting buyers who are interested to make an offer ... buyers, that is, who have $85 mil to spend.

The house sits on the land where the Manson Family slaughtered Sharon Tate, Abigail Folger, Steven Parent, Wojciech Frykowski and Jay Sebring back in 1969. The house was razed in 1994 and a new mansion was built in its place.

There's more recent history ... Jeff hosted the reception at his home for Bob Saget's family after his funeral last week.

The home is 21,000-square feet with 9 bedrooms and 19 bathrooms and sits on 3-acres, with a jetliner view of the city.

The modern estate is decked out with a movie theater, spa, gym, hair salon, billiards room and a bar ... and the backyard features a 75-yard pool with 3 waterfalls, 2 Jacuzzis, a 35-foot water slide, swim-up bar, private grotto, koi pond, lazy river, cabana, BBQ area and fire pits.

Oh and we didn't mention the detached guest house and an underground garage with room for 16 cars.

Jesse Williams is in the legal hot seat after a woman claims he fled the scene of a car accident -- but the actor's attorney is firing back, claiming she's making the whole thing up in an attempt to make big money.

The woman, Paula Bruce, just filed a personal injury lawsuit against the "Grey's Anatomy" star claiming he caused a January 2020 accident in L.A., and then fled the scene. Bruce says she's suffered emotional distress and lost out on wages because of injuries suffered in the crash.

However, Jesse's attorney, William Briggs, tells the story differently -- admitting Williams did rear-end Bruce but absolutely did not "flee" the scene.

Briggs tells us after the crash, Bruce told Jesse she was alright, and when Jesse called the cops they advised both parties to simply exchange insurance info, as there were no injuries. Briggs says Jesse stuck around to take photos of the crash (which he provided to us) and got Bruce's insurance and license info.

After all info was exchanged, Briggs says Jesse's assistant came and waited at the scene for a tow truck, and Jesse left to avoid the paparazzi arriving.

Briggs tells us Jesse checked in on Bruce a few days after the crash -- who allegedly still said she was fine -- and he thought it would all be handled by insurance.

Briggs says all was quiet until a couple weeks ago when Bruce's attorney contacted Jesse's insurance to demand $1.6 million for a "hit and run." Briggs says he attempted to speak with Bruce's attorney, who informed him the lawsuit was going to be filed.

The highly-anticipated Nike X Louis Vuitton "Air Force 1" shoes -- which were created by the late fashion designer Virgil Abloh -- are hitting the auction block ... and for a good cause.

Sotheby's is auctioning 200 pairs of the limited-edition sneaker -- created by Virgil for the Louis Vuitton Spring-Summer 2022 collection -- in an exclusive colorway.

The auction marks the first-ever release of the Louis Vuitton and Nike Air Force 1 ... which Abloh worked on before he passed away.

Each pair -- ranging in sizes 5-18 -- will be sold with an orange Taurillon Monogram leather Louis Vuitton pilot case ... which is exclusive to this specific auction.

Of course, the Nike Air Force 1 sneaker -- which was designed in 1982 -- is one of the most iconic sneakers ever ... with cultural relevance especially in major cities like New York.

The collab between the fashion icon and sneaker conglomerate Nike makes this particular sneaker one of the most coveted items on the market ... and a unique moment in fashion history.

The online sale will run through Feb. 9 ... and proceeds from the auction will benefit Abloh's "Post-Modern" Scholarship Fund.

Alec Baldwin is being dragged to court by the family of a Marine killed in Afghanistan ... they claim the actor falsely accused one of them of being a January 6th rioter and sicced his fans on them.

Alec is being sued by relatives of late Marine Rylee McCollum, who was one of the 13 U.S. service members killed in last August's bombing outside the Kabul airport during the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, McCollum's family claims Alec found out about the Marine's death and sent his widow $5,000 via the marine's sister ... but they say the nice gesture turned into a nightmare for the family.

In the docs, the McCollum family claims Alec went on a social media rant ... commenting on a picture the Marine's sister posted of her at the Washington Monument on Jan. 6, before the riot at the Capitol.

According to the suit, Alec commented ... "Are you the same woman that I sent the $ to for your sister’s husband who was killed during the Afghanistan exit?"

The family claims Alec then began exchanging direct messages with the Marine's sister, accusing her of being a "January 6th rioter" and telling her to "own it."

In the docs, the family says Alec even posted a photo of the Marine's sister on his Instagram, which led to tons of his 2.4 million followers threatening and harassing the McCollum family online.

The Marine's sister claims she did not participate in the Capitol riot, adding she didn't even go to the Capitol ... and says she's already been interviewed by the FBI and was cleared of any wrongdoing.

According to the suit, the family claims Alec's social media behavior was negligent and reckless and he should have known making allegations against them in front of his followers would cause the family harm.

The Marine's sisters and widow are suing Baldwin for defamation, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress and more ... and seeking more than $25 million in damages.

Tanya Roberts home has officially hit the market ... almost a year to the day of the actress' untimely death.

The 4 bedroom 3.5 bath home is listed at $2.999 million and tucked away in Hollywood Hills. The pad has plenty to offer in the views department, with a good look at both the canyon and DTLA.

Tanya used to totally zen-out on the property's 1.15 acres -- complete with a bridge and koi pond -- and there are hiking trails nearby, where she used to take her dogs daily.

Mark Cianciulli from The CREM Group has the listing.

Tanya died unexpectedly on January 4, 2021, after first collapsing at the home. We were told doctors believed a UTI that spread into her bloodstream is what caused the medical complications that eventually killed her.

Bruce Arians will have to pay up for slapping his own player's helmet during last weekend's playoff game ... 'cause the NFL is fining him $50k for the incident.

The moment happened during the Bucs vs. Eagles Wild Card game on Sunday ... after Philly receiver Jalen Reagor fumbled a punt return and Tampa Bay recovered.

During the pileup, Bucs safety Andrew Adams appeared to try to get Philly players out of the way ... which pissed Arians off to the point of striking the 29-year-old in the helmet.

The whole thing was caught on camera during the broadcast ... with Troy Aikman admitting he was puzzled by Arians' actions.

"He takes a wack at Adams," Troy Aikman said at the time. "Not exactly sure what that's about."

The 69-year-old coach explained after the game that he struck Adams to avoid a penalty.

"You can’t pull guys out of a pile," Arians said during postgame interviews.

"We just got a big play, great field position, and he’s trying to pull a guy out of a pile, and I was trying to knock him off of that guy so he didn’t get a penalty."

Cardi B is stepping up to help those rocked by tragedy in her native New York City, paying for the funeral and burial costs of those killed in a building fire that killed 17.

Cardi tells us, "I cannot begin to imagine the pain and anguish that the families of the victims are experiencing, but I hope that not having to worry about the costs associated with burying their loved ones will help as they move forward and heal."

As we reported, the fire ripped through a 120-unit tower in The Bronx on January 9 -- taking the lives of 17 people -- and sending many more to the hospital. Victims ranged in age from just 2 years old to 50.

We're told Cardi will cover both funeral and burial expenses and has teamed up with The Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City to make sure everyone is covered, and the wishes of their families are met.

Cardi says, "I send my prayers and condolences to everyone affected by this horrific tragedy."

Fire officials believe a broken space heater caused the blaze, but two interior doors that were left open allowed smoke to fill the building. Officials say those doors were supposed to have been closed, and are investigating why regulations weren't followed.

Michigan has agreed to a $490 million settlement with more than a thousand accusers who claim former sports doctor Robert Anderson sexually assaulted them at the school ... the university confirmed Wednesday.

Anderson -- who worked at the university from 1966 until his 2003 -- was accused of fondling and raping athletes over his decades-long career under the guise of "medical treatment."

Anderson served as head of University Health Service ... and was the team physician for the UM Athletic Dept. He retired from the university in 2003 and died in 2008.

Over the course of the past 2 years, many athletes and other students have come forward with their stories ... and an independent investigation determined the university failed to act on the claims during Anderson's time at Michigan.

Attorney Parker Stinar -- who represented many accusers -- spoke out on the settlement, saying, "I am proud to announce that a settlement was reached with the 1,050 survivors of Robert Anderson and the University of Michigan."

"It has been a long and challenging journey, and I believe this settlement will provide justice and healing for the many brave men and women who refused to be silenced."

The Betty White Challenge raised tens of thousands of dollars for animals in need -- and probably even more -- and one dog, in particular, is getting the ultimate benefit ... a new lease on life.

We surveyed some of the shelters and animal rescue orgs that participated in Monday’s nationwide fundraising effort -- and the haul from coast to coast was impressive. Even sweeter ... the real-world impact this money is going to have on their four-legged beneficiaries.

That’s perhaps most evident for Golden Retrievers In Need (aka G.R.I.N.) whose president, Lisa Kine, tells us a lot of the dough they raised is gonna help out one of their most beloved pooches, Zilly. Kine says they collected about $7,600 from about 200 people on the #BettyWhiteChallenge Day -- much of which, we’re told, is going toward life-saving surgery Zilly needs to walk properly.

You see ... he suffers from hip dysplasia, and while he already had one procedure for his right side -- he still needs the other one done as well. Luckily for him, this cash will help cover the cost of both surgeries ... and should help him get back to 100%.

There’s also places like K9s for Warriors, Puppy Jake and Days End Farm Horse Rescue ... which raised $4,390, $1,190 and $4,200 for their institutions Monday, respectively. The money will go toward everything from training service dogs for veterans (which we're told can cost thousands of dollars per dog) to rehabbing horses ... not to mention helping pay for equipment, tools and gear all these critters might need along the way.

One of the biggest winners of the #BettyWhiteChallenge, it seems, is the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association ... a rep for which tells us they pulled in over $70k on Monday ... accounting for 1,731 donations from 49 different states and 11 countries.

All told, GLAZA says it’s banked a little over $94,000 in Betty White-inspired funds ... which means the donations were coming early and often these past two weeks.

Britney Spears has already taken the gloves off when it comes to her dad, but she's now ready for war as Wednesday's hearing approaches because she's saying Jamie Spears lined his pockets with millions of dollars she earned and claims it was all blatant self-interest ... and that's just a small fraction of what Britney paid members of the conservatorship.

Britney's lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, has filed legal docs, claiming Jamie "engaged in self-dealing, financial and business mismanagement ... engaged in abusive and bullying conduct toward his daughter, deprived his daughter of fundamental civil liberties ..." and that's just for starters.

He claims Jamie got $6 million over the 13-plus years of the conservatorship.

And the legal docs go on to claim Jamie had engaged in "chronic alcohol abuse impairing his ability to serve faithfully."

And there's this ... Rosengart claims some of $6 million was used by Jamie to pitch a show called, "Cookin' Cruzin' & Chaos." The docs also claim to sell the show Jamie converted one of the tour busses into a food truck.

Rosengart says in addition to Jamie's $6 million, millions and millions more were spent on lawyers to keep the conservatorship going.

Rosengart says the legal fees amounted to more than $30 million. So with what Jamie made, that would bring the total to more than $36 million.

Jamie has said all of the money he made during the conservatorship was court-approved.

The hearing is a petition by Jamie for more attorney's fees. Rosengart's filing is in opposition to that.

Abby Lee Miller endured a painful nightmare when a hotel door fell over on her, crushing her for nearly a dozen minutes ... according to the lawsuit she just filed.

The "Dance Moms" maven says she was staying at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Santa Monica back in August 2020 when she wheeled herself into the bathroom of her room. Remember, Abby's been in a wheelchair since 2018 due to her lymphoma battle.

In docs obtained by TMZ, Abby says she was leaving the bathroom when her back left wheel got caught under the sliding bathroom door -- and when she attempted to free herself, the more than 300-pound door came crashing down. She says she was pinned in her wheelchair and trapped in the doorway for 6 to 12 minutes.

According to the suit, Abby screamed for help until 2 hotel staffers came to lift the door off of her. She was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital, and Abby says she's still going through physical therapy for the injuries she suffered to her head and shoulder.

The alleged falling door would've been more than enough trauma, but in the docs, Abby says she endured other hardships during an extended stay from March to October 2020. For instance, she claims the laundry room was not accessible to wheelchairs, her hallway was often blocked by housekeeping carts ... and she was unable to open doors to the pool or gym areas, presumably due to her disability.

Abby is suing the hotel's parent corporation for negligence, emotional distress, discrimination and false imprisonment ... and she's seeking compensation of at least $8.5 million.

Kyle Richards and her hubby Mauricio Umansky have sold their Bel-Air mansion and are now $6.1 million richer ... TMZ has learned.

The 7 bedroom, 9 bath estate is all about luxury ... it's 6,229 square ft. and comes with a theater, office, pool and spa, multi-purpose sports court and much more.

Kyle and Mauricio bought the home in 2011, for $3 mil ... over the years, they have made lots of renovations. The house has been a backdrop over the years on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."

The asking price was $6,495 mil, so they got somewhat close to asking. It's actually been on and off the market since 2017.

Kyle's 'RHOBH' co-star Sutton Stracke rented it from Kyle and Mauricio last year when they couldn't find a buyer. The home almost caught fire because of a fireplace mishap.

Snoop Dogg is a man of his word -- the rap legend just held up his birthday promise and delivered a "Death Row" chain to Eli Manning for his birthday ... and the QB is stoked!!

Remember, the hip-hop legend appeared on ESPN 2's "Manning Cast" with Peyton and Eli earlier this month ... and revealed the gift to the ex-Giants QB for his 41st birthday.

But, Snoop wasn't just blowing smoke -- the 2-time Super Bowl champ had it delivered to him on Monday ... and commemorated the gift with an unboxing of sorts on social media.

"Oh yeah! There she is!" Manning said picking up the gold and diamond chain, "This is what we're talking about!"

During the clip, Manning hilariously struggles to get it on over his head ... admitting he's "never had a chain like this before".

Once he was able to put it on, Eli thanked the rapper for the gesture.

"Snoop, thank you pal," he said. "Now I'll finally fit in with all my neighbors."

Eli says the b-day gift might also get some screen time on Monday night's "Manning Cast" ... saying, "I'm definitely gonna be wearing it in the playoff game on Monday Night Football. Thanks a lot!"

Maybe the hip-hop bling will give the Manning bros. the urge to spit a couple of bars again ... remember their "Football On Your Phone" ad??