Money

Jeffrey Epstein's private islands are up for sale for $125 million ... but is the land's dark past worth the price of paradise?

The 5.8-mile property, spanning 2 islands with 6 beaches, was put up by Bespoke Real Estate ... complete with a library, movie theater, and even a Japanese bathhouse.

Epstein bought the smaller of the two -- Little St. James -- in 1998 for $7.95 million. He added to his portfolio by snagging the neighboring Great St. James for $17.5 mil. He developed the properties until he was arrested in 2019 on sex trafficking charges.

Prosecutors claim Epstein would take girls -- some as young as 11 -- to the islands, where he and his cronies would sexually assault them.

As you know, Epstein was found hanging in his jail cell in August 2019, which authorities say was a suicide. Since his death, the properties went up for sale, along with his waterfront compound in Palm Beach for $18.5 million, which was later demolished and his townhouse in New York City for $51M.

Money from the sale of the islands will go to his estate, which is still facing huge lawsuits.

So the question ...

Colby Covington told police the watch that was damaged when Jorge Masvidal attacked him earlier this week was a $90,000 Rolex.

The detail was revealed in new police documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, in which cops say the UFC star told them Masvidal caused $15,000 worth of damage to the pricey piece of jewelry when he attacked him outside of Papi Steak in Miami on Monday night.

In the docs, cops say Covington told them his watch "had scratches and a bent/broken wristband" following the altercation.

The new docs also revealed Covington did go to the Miami Beach Police Criminal Investigations Division to press charges on Masvidal.

Cops in the docs also say Masvidal had an injury to his right hand/knuckles "where he had stitches that occurred prior to police contact" when he turned himself in on Wednesday night.

Christina Haack is getting ready to bolt from her California home ... she's preparing to sell it for a million bucks more than she bought it for less than a year ago!!!

Real estate sources tell TMZ ... Christina will be unloading her 5-bed, 7-bath Dana Point home in the next two weeks. She bought the pad -- which is in an exclusive guard-gated community -- last July for $10.3 million and is looking to sell it for $11.5 million.

The 6,084 square foot house comes with a game room, movie theater and its own spa. Not to mention, the panoramic Pacific Ocean views that are perfection.

We broke the story that Christina sold her Newport Beach home in June of last year for $5.35 million. The sale followed her split from ex-husband Ant Anstead after less than two years of marriage. A month later, she bought the current home that she's now about to get rid of.

Sarma Melngailis, known as the "Bad Vegan" from the popular Netflix docuseries, is open to starting a new restaurant after she was convicted of stealing millions from her last one ... and her ex thinks she should go for it!

Chef Matthew Kenney wasn't just dating Sarma back in the early 2000s, they went into biz together, opening Pure Food and Wine. As "Bad Vegan" viewers know ... their relationship went south, and Matthew got bumped out of their restaurant venture.

Despite that, a rep for Matthew tells TMZ … he believes in second chances and wishes Sarma the best. If opening another restaurant is what she wants, he thinks she should pursue it.

Matthew hasn't seen the new series yet, despite being featured on it -- but it doesn't appear there's any bad blood between Sarma and her ex.

We're told Matthew spoke to her a few years ago, and actually wrote a letter in support of her.

ICYMI ... Sarma and Matthew opened Pure Food and Wine in 2004, but when they split up the next year, they asked investor Jeffrey Chodorow to choose which one to stay on board, and Sarma was picked.

SPOILER ALERT ... 'cause this is where "Bad Vegan" takes a real bizarre turn!!!

Sarma met Anthony Strangis through mutual friend Alec Baldwin in 2011, then tied the knot a year later. Anthony allegedly promised Sarma immortality for herself and her dog, but required large sums of money from her to prove she was worthy.

In the end, both were convicted for stealing nearly $2 million from the restaurant.

Restaurant employees protested outside the joint over unpaid wages, and the couple went on the run.

Gotta love how they got caught, though -- police got tipped off after Sarma and Anthony ordered chicken wings and pizza from Domino's in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Sarma served 4 months at Rikers Island, and was released in October 2017 with an additional 5 years of probation. In 2018, she filed for divorce from Anthony shortly after her release.

Drake is once again subscribing to God's plan -- throwing down big on roulette and giving back to the community just as much as he won ... with none other than LeBron James!

Champagne Papi made a massive donation over the weekend, offering up a cool mil in Bitcoin to the LeBron James Family Foundation -- which focuses on charitable efforts for underprivileged students, among other initiatives -- and did so in partnership with Stake.com ... an online gambling house that Drizzy uses early and often, and which facilitated this dough.

You see ... Drake actually placed a massive bet recently on one of their online roulette tables -- wagering a hefty sum on black 11 -- and when it hit ... the dude got paid out big time.

Part of that money is what was donated to the LBJ Foundation -- and Bron Bron was actually on hand in Toronto Friday to usher in the gracious gesture, hitting up a fancy restaurant in the area called Harbour 60.

It wasn't just these 2 patting each other on the back though -- Drake had a huge surprise for a local high school basketball player named Michael (of Royal Crown Academy) who's on his way to a college career. To send him off properly, Drake donated $100k to him and his mom.

Drake and co. actually captured that sweet moment on camera as well ... and it was very reminiscent of when he was handing out cash to strangers a few years back -- and just as emotional.

NBA star Dejounte Murray is a candidate for best brother ever -- the Spurs guard just gifted his sister a new car for her 18th birthday!!

DM broke it down on Tuesday via Instagram ... saying he promised his sis if she did well in school, got a job and passed her driver's test, he'd get her a new whip for her special day.

As it turns out, she did just that -- earning a 3.7 GPA, finding a job and getting her driver's license!!

"She did that so I had to stand on my words with actions," Murray said.

The 25-year-old All-Star showed off the big surprise for his sister on video ... poppin' up in Seattle to gift Jacaiyah, a brand new Honda ... saying "no more Uber!"

"I thank God for allowing me to do things like this," Murray said, "because I swear this type of stuff brings a smile to my face more than doing anything for MYSELF!!!"

Murray -- whose made over $35 million since 2016 -- says he didn't wanna just hand over a new car, but make her earn it with hard work ... just like he did to get into the NBA.

"I wanna use my hard working earning to help change the cycle I grew up on," Murray said, "and start a whole new cycle to where the kids know if they work hard and be good people good things will happen."

Murray did the exact same thing for his brother, Nate, who graduated with honors in 2019 ... surprising him with his first car -- a purple Dodge Challenger.

Vladimir Putin likes to claim relative poverty in public, but behind the scenes he's allegedly rolling in it ... as evidenced by a super yacht some people believe he owns.

The massive vessel -- dubbed the Scheherazade, and valued at around $700 million -- has been docked at an Italian port off the Tuscan coast since September ... and amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, investigative groups have claimed Putin owns it.

The reason they believe that ... documents detailing the crew members allegedly show the majority of the guys aren't just Russian, but work for Russia's Federal Protective Service.

Of course, it might not be Putin's -- it could easily belong to another Russian oligarch -- but if this is Vlad's palace on the sea, it would fly in the face of what he says he's worth.

The Russian Prez has alleged he makes a salary of no more than $140k/year -- and that he lives in an apartment that's about 800 square feet. No one really buys that, and if this yacht is, indeed, his ... that characterization is almost certainly BS. His net worth has been speculated to be in the high billions, despite what he chooses to disclose to the world.

As for the yacht itself ... it's certainly fit for a king, or dictator. It's more than 400 feet in length, and features 6 decks -- not to mention 2 helipads, 3 saunas, a pool and a lot of other perks. It also accommodates 18 guests and 40 crew members.

Independent watchdog groups -- the same ones alleging the yacht is Putin's -- are calling for the Italian government to seize the boat and cut off Putin.

Jennifer Hudson's 10-year engagement to WWE wrestler David Otunga is a thing of the past with lots of hard feelings ... and now the bling is hitting the auction block.

David had Neil Lane design the 5-carat cushion cut diamond ring for Jennifer back in 2008, which has an estimated retail value of $45K.

When they broke up in 2017, Jennifer returned the ring to David. FYI ... in legalese, an engagement ring is a "gift in contemplation of marriage." If the marriage doesn't go through, in most states the person who gave the ring -- in this case David -- gets it back.

So David has now teamed up with IDoNowIDont.com to unload it. We're told David plans to give a portion of the proceeds to a fathers' rights org.

The ring has a pretty cool history ... the pop singer wore it when she snagged a Grammy in 2009 ... a Grammy presented to her by none other than Whitney Houston. And yes, it's the real deal ... meaning it's GIA certified and comes with official certification docs signed by Lane.

Jennifer and David share a 12-year-old son, David Daniel Otunga Jr., together. Their custody war was brutal, but they both seemed to have moved on separately.

Taylor Lautner is one step closer to unloading his multi-million dollar estate ... because he's found a buyer.

According to real estate records, there is a pending sale on Taylor's $5 million home in the Agoura Hills area of Los Angeles.

Taylor's custom mansion is 5 bedrooms and 5,647 square feet ... and it's decked out with a 45-foot long infinity pool and spa, plus firepits, a BBQ area and a bocce ball court ... all with panoramic views of picturesque Lobo Canyon.

The place was built in 2020 and is super secluded ... the home sits on 9 acres in a small gated community, where there are only 11 properties. He bought it in 2020 for $3.8 million.

The primary suite is on the first floor, along with 2 other bedrooms and an office. There's a floating staircase leading to the second floor, which is home to a sports room, bedroom and a speakeasy lounge.

Taylor's pad also features a modern kitchen with imported Italian cabinets, French oak floors, and 12-foot ceilings ... not to mention a 6-car garage, security system and smart home technology.

Amanda Bynes can now make personal and financial decisions on her own ... after a judge just officially put an end to her 9 year conservatorship.

As we reported, the judge issued a tentative ruling on Monday, saying that the conservatorship was "no longer required" ... and now it has been made official, at today's hearing.

Amanda's attorney, David A. Esquibias, tells us, “Amanda appreciates the love and support of her fans during this time. She thanks her family for never giving up. Now that the conservatorship has ended, she looks forward to completing her bachelor’s degree and living her life.”

The former child star filed the docs in L.A. in February ... asking for her mother to no longer serve as Amanda's conservator.

Amanda was placed under conservatorship back in 2013, when it became clear that she was struggling with her mental health. She had a string of bizarre episodes, including one when she set her neighbor's driveway on fire. AB attributed the episodes to bipolar disorder and also opened up about her addiction to Adderall ... but has since gotten help.

Amanda says, she's been sober for several years now, and she surely seems to be doing a whole lot better. She's gotten a degree from Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising and has also gotten engaged to her fiancé, Paul Michael.

On top of all her progress ... Amanda's petition for personal freedom was supported by her mom and dad ... so, this result comes as no huge surprise but is still a big win for AB.

Now, she's free to live her life and we know she has some big plans are in the near future ... like getting a place with her soon-to-be hubby.

Amanda's didn't appear in court, but her "All That" costars Leon Frierson and Christy Knowings showed up to support.

Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkić's wallet is now significantly lighter ... the NBA just fined him $40,000 for tossing a fan's phone in a confrontation after a game on Sunday.

The league announced the punishment Tuesday morning ... reprimanding the 27-year-old for his actions in a postgame spat with a Pacers supporter.

If you missed it, following Portland's 129-98 loss to Indiana at Gainbridge Fieldhouse ... Nurkić walked up to a fan, stared him down and then grabbed his phone and threw it.

Nurkić appeared to mutter some words to the guy -- before security ultimately separated them.

It's unclear what the fan said to piss off Nurkić -- but the NBA clearly didn't care either way, slapping him with the big fine.

Nurkić, who's been sidelined for several weeks while battling plantar fasciitis, has yet to address the incident publicly.

The Association, meanwhile, has been doling out a lot of fines like this one recently -- as NBA players have consistently fired back at fans throughout this season.

In fact, just days ago, Kevin Durant was hit with a $25,000 fine for cussing out a fan who was sitting courtside at a game earlier this month.

Mike Tyson is down to fight Jake Paul ... in what'd be one of the most talked-about boxing matches of all time.

There's just one catch -- Iron Mike wants a BILLION dollars.

55-year-old Tyson made the comments on his "Hotboxin'" podcast this week ... when his convo with boxer Jermell Charlo and Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce turned to a rumored fight against Jake.

Pierce said he heard Mike was going to fight Jake, but Tyson seemed to be unaware of the rumor.

"Nobody told me that," Tyson said. "Hey, I ain't got no f***ing money. So, where's the f***ing contract?"

"I've never heard this from nobody, I've just heard this from you guys."

Now, Tyson and Paul are buddies.

In fact, you could argue Jake owes at least some of his boxing success to Mike. The Problem Child's career exploded after he flatlined Nate Robinson on the Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. undercard in November 2020.

The men have become good friends ... and Mike even said they were recently together in St. Barts, where they partied.

When Pierce asked Mike if he'd ever fight again, specifically against Jake, Tyson quickly said "a billion bucks" ... setting his price tag to fight Jake.

Tyson previously denied reports he was in "advanced talks" to fight Jake in a $49 million boxing match ... though his latest comments seem to suggest the fight isn't totally off the table.

Jordan Hook, the victim in a viral Tesla stunt, says the crash isn't just taking a toll on himself and his car, it has his neighbors scared too, and it's time for the perp to fess up.

He says whoever was behind the wheel needs to come back and take a look at who they've affected ... grousing someone shouldn't just walk away from a wreck that bad.

Check out the vid ... the Tesla launches in the air as it approaches the street ... straight out of an action film. On its descent, the car hits a couple of trash cans and a car, before crashing into the back of Jordan's Subaru.

Jordan started a GoFundMe to help get a new car ... and he's already raised thousands ... but it hasn't all been roses -- internet trolls are now taking aim at him.

Jordan says he's been viciously attacked online ever since the fundraiser began ... people have been sending him direct messages claiming he's a horrible person for taking money from donors when insurance is going to cover the loss. Fact is, Jordan has no idea if insurance is going to cover any of the damages.

The largest donation he's received so far comes from YouTuber Alex Choi ... who ironically filmed the Tesla crashing into Jordan's Subaru. The video now has over 1 million views ... and Jordan's not happy about it, saying Alex misrepresented a lot about what went down.

One of the most famous Marilyn Monroe images, painted by the late great Andy Warhol, is going up on the auction block, and it's expected to set a pretty amazing record ... as in $200 million worth of amazing!!!

You heard that right ... Christie's auction house in London is putting the painting up for auction in May, and the expected 9-figure price tag would make it the most expensive piece of 20th-century art ever sold.

If things go the way Christie’s thinks it will ... the sale would top the value of Picasso's piece, "Women of Algiers," which fetched $179.4 mil about 7 years ago.

This particular Warhol is known as "Shot Sage Blue Marilyn" -- there are 5 other versions in this Monroe series, each in a different color.

It comes from a collection owned by Swiss siblings, and all the proceeds will go to their Thomas and Doris Ammann Foundation, which benefits children causes.

If the painting goes for $200 mil ... it will nearly double Warhol's previous auction record -- $105 million for a painting called "Silver Car Crash (Double Disaster)."

Already, the buzz about the Marilyn auction has brought back interest in all things Warhol, and his Netflix doc is trending again.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are already taking steps to make their new mid-$50M house a home ... visiting the property with family and snapping pics inside the massive estate.

We're told the two spent more than 2 hours at the Bel-Air estate over the weekend, but they didn't go alone -- J Lo's daughter, Emme, tagged along -- as did the couple's security team.

Ben was spotted snapping pics inside the 20,000 sq ft pad, just before heading out again with the fam. Unclear if Ben wanted the pics for some design ideas, or just to show friends ... but either way, the home is spectacular.

The sale is significant in more ways than one for the couple ... you gotta assume there's an engagement on the horizon followed by an over-the-top wedding.

Of course, $50M can get you a lot -- even in Bel-Air -- the house is decked out with a home theatre, a gym, multiple kitchens, an infinity-edge pool with a view ... just to name a few.

Kim Kardashian played dinner host in Miami over the weekend for some of her hottest and most famous friends to celebrate the launch of her SKIMS Swim line ... and you can bet Hulu cameras were there, too.

The whole thing went down Saturday at Swan -- David Grutman and Pharrell's restaurant -- where guests dined on pizza, prawns, artichokes, brussels sprouts and more.

As for the guestlist, Khloe Kardashian, Naomi Osaka, Karolina Kournikova, Amanda Anisimova, Malika Haqq,  Candice Swanepoel, Lourdes Leon, and Emma Grede -- to name a few.

We're told Kim opened the dinner with a toast to thank everyone for attending the big launch ... something she and her team have put a ton of work into. Hulu cameras were on hand to capture Kim's entire trip.

TMZ broke the story -- lines for the SKIMS Swim popup in South Beach were INSANE over the weekend ... Kim, Khloe and friends Olivia Pierson, Natalie Halcro, Stephanie Shepherd and Tracy Romulus all stopped by the shop before the celebratory dinner.