Money

NASCAR legend Tony Stewart is selling his massive Indiana ranch -- and once you see how ridiculously awesome this house is, you'll see why it's got a $30 million price tag!

This 20,000 square foot estate sits on 415 acres in Columbus, IN -- less than an hour from Indianapolis -- and is built out of luxurious lodgepole pine.

The place is awesome. It has a two-story waterfall, a trout stream and an 8,700-gallon aquarium right in the entry.

There's also 6 bedrooms, 11 baths (8 full, 3 half), a gigantic kitchen with fancy appliances, a 4-car garage (of course) and a guesthouse.

For entertainment, you've got lots to pick from ... including a 2-lane bowling alley, full golf simulator, an onyx bar and a game room that looks like a Vegas casino.

You can also dive in the 9-acre stocked lake in the backyard or if you're a fan of hunting, this land is a licensed hunting preserve that has a bunch of elk, deer and more.

The two-story mansion, that was built in 2011, was just listed with Carrie Holle of Compass Indiana and can be yours for $30 million.

Why would Stewart sell such a beautiful place? We're told it's because the 3x NASCAR Cup Series winner is never home and always on the road.

Melinda French Gates has left no doubt ... she was appalled at Bill Gates' friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, whom she described as "evil personified."

Melinda told Gayle King Thursday on "CBS Mornings" ... Bill's relationship with Epstein was definitely a factor in their divorce. You gotta hear the way she describes that relationship -- the disgust in her voice is loud and clear.

Melinda said, "I did not like that he had meetings with Jeffrey Epstein, no. I made that clear to him."

She also tells King she met him a grand total of one time, and it creeped her out ... "I wanted to see who this man was and I regretted it from the second I stepped in the door ... he was evil personified. I had nightmares about it afterward."

She says her heart breaks for the young women who suffered at the hands of Epstein ...  and she says she made her feelings very clear to Bill.

Melinda makes it clear there are still hard feelings between her and Bill ... she says they have a working relationship but are not "friends."

TMZ broke the story ... when they initially planned on announcing the divorce in March 2021, Melinda and their kids went to a private island, anticipating a media onslaught -- and Bill was not invited. The family was furious at him ... we're told largely because of his alleged relationships with other women.

Russian billionaire Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich has announced he's selling his beloved soccer team ... and, in a surprising move, he said he'll donate all of the proceeds to victims of the war in Ukraine.

The soccer club's boss explained his decision in a statement Wednesday ... saying he believes unloading the team is in "the best interest of the Club, the fans, the employees, as well as the Club's sponsors and partners."

In his statement, Abramovich said the net dollars from the sale will go to Ukrainian relief efforts ... adding he hopes the funds will help war victims as well as "the long-term work of recovery."

The news comes on the heels of Abramovich -- an oligarch --  reportedly being pressured to sell the team due to his rumored ties to Vladimir Putin.

The oligarch has been friendly with the Russian leader for years ... and with many pushing for sanctions for those who might have the ear of Putin, some believed Abramovich's soccer club was on the verge of being seized.

Experts expect Chelsea FC to sell for around $3 billion ... and given that Abramovich bought the team in 2003 for around $200 million, hundreds of millions of dollars could soon be on the way to Ukraine.

This is amazing.

The college hoops community is stepping up and helping Tennessee Volunteers guard Zakai Zeigler's family in a big way ... by raising more than $200,000 after his family home was destroyed in a fire.

The unfortunate incident happened last month -- Zeigler's family apartment home, in Queens NY, was left dismantled after a fire started on the second floor of the 3-story building.

Thankfully, his family escaped safely ... but Zeigler's mother, Charmane, and his special-needs 4-year-old nephew, Nori, lost all of their belongings -- including his nephew's wheelchair, splints and other equipment.

The Vols sprang into action to help out -- starting a GoFundMe with a goal of $50k for "relief and recovery" for the freshman guard's family and Nori's care.

"Our administration did a terrific job. Once they got the news they jumped on it and got after it," Vols head coach Rick Barnes said of the gesture.

"Been doing what they have to do to get things in order so that we can help."

But, what's even better?? Within just a few hours after the fund went up, thousands of people donated -- raising over $200k!!

"The outpouring of support has been unbelievable!" Zeigler said Wednesday on Twitter, "We’ll get through this. All love, #VolNation!!"

The tables have turned on 'Tinder Swindler' Simon Leviev ... he was bamboozled himself in an Instagram scam.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ … Simon was hit up last Thursday by a verified female on Instagram. She claimed she'd help Simon and GF Kate Konlin get verified on the app through her BF -- saying he worked at Meta, Mark Zuckerberg's tech company that owns IG.

The alleged swindlers went to great lengths to pull this off ... Simon Facetimed the BF, who was in a busy office -- appearing like he was at Meta, with employees walking around behind him.

The fake "Metamate" said the only way he could give him the blue check on his profile -- as well as delete the fake accounts under his name -- would be to offer up a big chunk of change ... $6,664. The payments were sent via PayPal through 2 separate transactions -- one for him and one for his GF.

Shortly after, Simon's manager found the deal suspicious and reached out to an actual team member at Meta, who told them they don't charge for verifications. Before anyone could call out the swindlers, they completely scrubbed themselves from the Internet -- including removal of their IG accounts ... letting the swindlers walk away with the cash.

Simon allegedly swindled countless women out of more than $10 million through Tinder ... ghosting them once he got what he wanted. Since then, he's had "enemies" after him -- most recently a criminal court complaint against him from the true Leviev family, which he has no real part in.

While Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is desperately hoping the European Union will accept his country, British TV's already welcoming him with open arms by buying his sitcom ... about becoming prez.

Zelensky's comedy, "Servant of the People," is going to be airing on the UK's Channel 4, which purchased the series ... clearly seizing on the Ukrainian leader's worldwide popularity as he stands up to Vladimir Putin's Russian forces.

Channel 4's not wasting any time either -- 'Servant' will reportedly start airing this Sunday night.

The show, which ran for 3 seasons in Ukraine, is about an everyday guy who's elected president and grows into his role as a beloved and heroic leader. Think "Veep" ... minus the heroism.

One scene from the show's already gone viral because it's kinda spot on with real-world events. It shows Zelensky getting a call from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who informs him he's been accepted into the EU. The prez starts celebrating -- even drops an f-bomb -- but then Merkel says she dialed the wrong number.

Playmate Victoria Fuller is creating a virtual community in the world of NFTs -- using her own artwork -- and she's bringing a bunch of other Playboy models along for the digital ride.

Victoria was Miss January 1996 back in Playboy's heyday, but she tells TMZ there's one thing she wants to make clear now -- "I'm an artist first and foremost," and that's why she's diving into non-fungible tokens ... to take control of her work.

With the Playboy brand shifting its focus and the Mansion's doors closed, Victoria says former Playmates can't connect with fans, or make money the way they did back in the day. She's aiming to change that with her new Rogue Playmate series.

Here's how it works ... every NFT buyer will be airdropped a members-only "golden key" ... which grants them access to the virtual Rogue Mansion -- a digital space to hang out and interact in real-time with the models in the Metaverse.

The images for the NFTs are designed by Victoria and renowned multimedia artist Dutch Bihary. VF says she's most excited about carving out a niche for herself in the male-dominated world of digital art.

The first drop, on March 30, will feature 9,600 generative NFTs, each based on one of the 12 founding members of Rogue Playmates -- among them Lisa Dergan, Renee Tenison, Karen McDougal and Victoria.

Dua Lipa might be on Cloud 9 over her success with her smash hit song, "Levitating," but there's one band that wants to kick in the gravity ... because they're suing her over it.

A band called Artikal Sound System just filed suit against the British pop star -- who's absolutely blown up over the past couple years of the pandemic with the help of her new album, and this track by extension ... one that's dominated the charts and streaming game.

Unfortunately for DL ... these guys are claiming she ripped off the catchy tune from their own reggae song, "Live Your Life," which they dropped in 2017 ... to some notable success.

This is a simple allegation of copyright infringement. According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Artikal simply states ... Dua and her team heard their earworm pre-2020 (when they started writing "Levitating") and trotted out a carbon copy.

There's nothing laid out in their claim to explain *why* they believe that to be the case ... but presumably, that'll get hashed out in court as this thing plays out.

We'll say this ... the two songs do sound awfully similar, especially the chorus. Different lyrics, obviously, but the beat comes across as damn near the same -- and Artikal obviously felt strong enough about this to sue.

In addition to Dua herself, Artikal has named Warner Records (her label) and others as defendants -- and they're asking for any profits they may have made off of "Levitating," plus damages.

Bethenny Frankel is commanding an army of her own -- hundreds of people tasked with saving Ukrainians as Russia invades their homeland, and how she does it is a remarkable lesson in efficiency.

The philanthropist and entrepreneur joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday to talk more about her Bstrong initiative, which is raising millions and sending aid to the war-torn country. Bethenny had announced her partnership with Global Empowerment Mission, pledging $10 mil in food, medical aid and other supplies.

All of that aid's being boxed up in her South Florida warehouse ... but on top of that, Bstrong continues to raise even more cash -- more than $5 million -- to help fleeing Ukrainians at the Poland border relocate. As for how she's pulling off this extraordinary humanitarian effort -- Bethenny tells us it's all about being "efficient and lean," and knowing where help is most needed.

She adds, for anyone looking to donate their cash to her initiative, your money certainly won't go to waste 'cause her team is on the ground working.

It's no surprise Bethenny's among those leading the charge ... she says she's gotten lots of training in relief efforts for natural disasters, like tropical storms in Texas, the Caribbean and the Australian wildfires. She says her history of putting on big productions, with many moving parts, has helped hone her get-it-done mindset.

Colby Covington got himself a sweet pre-fight treat this week ... coppin' a $50,000 diamond chain featuring his nickname, "Chaos," before his massive scrap with Jorge Masvidal.

TMZ Sports has learned ... the MMA star hit up Boodaddy Diamonds to get the piece made prior to his headline fight at UFC 272 -- and the celeb jeweler delivered big time.

We're told the pendant features 14k solid gold, over 15 carats of VVS diamonds, and comes with a crown bale just over the "A" in CHAOS.

We're also told the tennis chain that supports the pendant has 28 carats of VVS diamonds. And, based on the pics of Colby with the chain, it's clear the dude loves it.

The drip is pretty and will look great in the pre-fight leadup ... but one thing seems for sure, his feud with his former friend-turned bitter rival is the exact opposite.

The two mixed martial artists hate each other ... and Covington told us just a few days ago the tension between him and 37-year-old Masvidal is VERY real.

In fact, Covington called it "a blood feud."

Kobe Bryant was one of the most clutch players in the NBA, but he REALLY came through for Chandler Parsons during his rookie year -- 'cause the newly retired hooper says the Black Mamba once paid a $22,000 bill for him at a famous L.A. nightclub!!

Parsons joined former NBA players Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes on their "All The Smoke" podcast this week ... where he shared how the encounter with Bryant went down.

Chandler says Kobe approached him in the fourth quarter of their game against the Lakers in 2012 ... telling the rookie he'd take care of him later that night if his team was spending more time in L.A.

Parsons says he got a text from none other than Kobe himself later that night ... confirming he arranged reservations for Chandler and his teammates at The Supper Club L.A.

When it was time to pay the bill at the spot, Parsons says the waitress walked up and gave him the check ... which came with a hefty price tag at the time.

Parsons admitted on the show he was worried that Bryant stuck him with the bill ... thinking it could have been some sort of rookie hazing into the NBA fraternity.

But, much to his surprise, the waitress told Parsons to "sign for Mr. Bryant" ... 'cause Kobe already took care of the tab.

The coolest part of the story is Parsons says he still has the text messages from Bryant ... proving that Kobe, indeed, did lookout for him after all.

Kim Kardashian's divorce case will be front and center Wednesday as she asks a judge to formally restore her single status, and the wild card is Kanye West, whose lawyers have raised a weird issue about their prenup.

TMZ broke the story ... Kanye's lawyers filed legal docs claiming prenups in California after 2002 are presumed invalid. It's weird because Kanye himself has NEVER suggested their prenup -- which kept almost all their property separate during their marriage -- is anything other than valid.

As for prenups being presumed invalid ... that's not exactly true. The law says a prenup is presumed invalid IF one of the parties who signed it challenges its validity ... Kanye has not done that, so it's unclear why the lawyers are suggesting it.

What's more ... even if Kanye challenged the prenup, he'd have to show either it was not entered voluntarily or it was "unconscionable." Kanye had a lawyer represent him when the prenup was signed, so it's hard to imagine it wasn't voluntary. As for it being unconscionable, Kanye made a fortune during the marriage and all that money is his ... so this doesn't make sense either.

As for the argument Kanye's lawyers are making -- that his social media posts blasting Pete Davidson and Kim are hearsay -- Kanye himself has never denied posting. In fact, he's said the opposite -- that his account was not hacked. Besides, it's kinda irrelevant whether he posted or not ... Kim simply wants the divorce to become official and then work out custody and any property issues that remain.

Our sources say Kanye has not been working with his lawyers, other than to make his position clear he doesn't want a divorce, but the lawyers haven't really produced any evidence that would carry weight in tomorrow's hearing. And, we're told it's highly unlikely he'll show up for the hearing.

Mickey Mantle's last Yankees jersey just netted a small fortune at auction ... raking in a staggering $2.2 MILLION!!!

Officials at Heritage Auctions tell TMZ Sports ... the sale just closed over the weekend, and it was an historic one, because it's now the highest price ever paid for a Mick jersey.

In fact, the price tag was so high, it was hundreds of thousands of dollars more than what experts initially thought it could fetch.

As for why it sold for so much ... well, the 1968 NYY gear is that historic. It not only was the last jersey Mantle wore in his final baseball season -- it was also autographed, and featured a personalized message from the Yankees legend.

The previous record for the Mick jersey was $1.3 million in August 2018.

Adidas has suspended its uniform deal with the Russian National Football (soccer) team ... in direct response to Vladimir Putin's unprovoked attack in Ukraine, resulting in innocent lives being lost.

A spokesperson for the company issued a brief statement addressing the suspension, saying, "Adidas is suspending its partnership with the Russian Football Federation (RFS) with immediate effect."

Adidas -- the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe -- has been a partner with Russia's soccer team since 2008 ... providing the club's official sportswear.

The soccer world has responded to the Ukraine tragedy in a big way ... leveling their own kind of "sanctions" against Russia's soccer program.

The Champions League Final -- originally scheduled to take place in Russia -- moved to France after the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) stripped Saint Petersburg, Russia of its hosting rights.

FIFA then banned Russia from playing in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar ... the biggest sporting event in the world.

Joe Perry doesn't have to dream on when it comes to unloading a prime piece of real estate -- 'cause the dude's got himself a buyer ... and the sale's about to make him a bundle.

The Aerosmith rocker's Massachusetts estate in Duxbury -- consisting of more than 7 acres of land and a 7,181 sq. foot palace of a home -- is currently under contract with someone who's ready to make a deal and claim the property for themselves very soon, we're told.

The price Joe was asking -- a cool $4.5 million. And you can bet JP and his wife, Billie, are cleaning up on profit -- they reportedly snapped up this place back in the late '80s, and have done quite a bit of work to turn it into the paradise you see here.

The 5-bed, 8-bath home is as picturesque as you can imagine a countryside retreat could be -- in addition to the massive number of rooms, there are a ton of amenities too.

For starters, there's a whole detached stone front carriage house that stands alone from the main house, and there's also a 3-stall barn with a tack room ... plus a marsh and pond nearby. So, yeah ... we're talking serious "Green Acres" vibes here.

On top of that, there's a pool, a rooftop garden, 3 fireplaces, a game room, a media room, a state-of-the-art kitchen and incredible vaulted ceilings -- not to mention the fact this place is totally gated and offers the utmost privacy.

And did we bring up the gorgeous nature all around???

"Million Dollar Wheels" star RD Whittington makes tough decisions when celebs are vying for the same car ... and, apologies to Spider-Man, but Kim Kardashian might get first dibs.

RD's the guy who hooks up celebs -- like Kim, Jamie Foxx, Travis Barker, Ye and Tom Holland -- when they want a rare or luxury ride, and he was hit with a doozy of a hypothetical when he joined us Monday on "TMZ Live."

So, suppose Kim K and Holland -- who, BTW, are both featured on his new Discovery+ show -- want the same car, and there's only one available. Well, hypothetically, RD didn't even break a sweat, and quickly explained why -- in that case, specifically -- he'd give Kim the nod.

Of course, if Tom were buying the car as a gift for his GF, Zendaya, well ... that would throw a wrench in RD's plans, but he still had a solution.

"Million Dollar Wheels" shows RD wheeling and dealing with, and for, famous clients -- a job that's gotten way more challenging because now there's a lot more demand than supply.

As we've shown you, tons of celebs are tricking out cars these days -- Kanye West got a $400k custom minivan from RD -- but after 20 years as a luxury car broker, RD says Jamie is the celeb with the best feel for custom whips.