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Cardi B has something to celebrate tonight ... she just kicked ass in a defamation case ... legally, that is.

TMZ broke the story ... Cardi and her sister, Hennessy Carolina, were sued by 3 people in NYC over a squabble in the Hamptons back in September, 2020.

Hennessy and her friends showed up a Smith Point Beach and ran into 3 other beachgoers, one of whom was wearing a MAGA hat. The 3 people claim Hennessy spit on one of them and engaged in insulting and threatening behavior. The lawsuit claims Hennessy called the group "racist, MAGA supporters."  They say the term "racist' hurled at them was defamatory.

Cardi, who was not there, tweeted a video of the altercation, claiming her sister and her friends were being targeted because they are Afro-Hispanic and gay. The video included Hennessy calling the 3 people racist.

The 3 beachgoers sued for defamation as well as assault and battery.

A New York trial judge just dismissed the case, and it's a solid win for Cardi and Hennessy. As for defamation, the judge said these were all just general insults that do not rise to the level of defamation.

As for spitting -- the basis for the assault and battery claim -- the judge said even if spit shot out from Hennessy's mouth -- there was no proof whatsoever she intended to target any of the plaintiffs. In fact, the judge noted the plaintiffs never even alleged that was Hennessy's intent.

Players from the New Orleans Pelicans and Saints are helping their city after powerful tornados slammed the community this week ... by delivering tons of supplies to a relief fund.

The Orleans area was hit hard on Tuesday night with storms that produced horrifying tornadoes -- some with wind speeds of 136 to 165 mph.

The dangerous tornadoes left one person dead, several injured and extensive damage in its path.

The Pelicans and Saints announced they would come together and host a donation drive at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center for the victims of the devastating storms.

You can see Tanoh Kpassagnon -- defensive end of the Saints -- and Trey Murphy, Naji Marshall and Herbert Jones of the Pelicans carry huge bins of supplies to the event.

Former Saints QB Drew Brees -- who has donated millions to the state of Louisiana -- was heartbroken over the destruction ... and asked everyone for their prayers.

"Praying for everyone affected by last night’s tornado through Texas and Louisiana," the 43-year-old said on Wednesday via IG.

"May God watch over our city, first responders, and those suffering. May we all come together to support each other during this time."

Master P is joining the recovery effort in his hometown -- after a deadly tornado tore through New Orleans, he's put together a team to, literally in some cases, pick up the pieces for victims.

The rapper tells TMZ ... his "Team Hope" currently has 25 people in the area, and it's comprised of his friends, family and other community members. So far, they've helped more than 100 families in NOLA's 9th Ward by handing out essential supplies, and helping the elderly fill out damage claim forms.

Most importantly, the crew is already starting the rebuilding process by cleaning up the damage and salvaging what they can from wrecked homes.

The tornado cut through several parts of the city late Tuesday night, injuring multiple people and killing at least one person. As it passed through, it flipped cars and ripped roofs off of houses.

Sadly, the city and its residents aren't strangers to mother nature's wrath, but Master P tells us, "New Orleans is stronger together ... it's time to clean up and rebuild. We have done this so many times we have to be thankful for life."

P is feeling that gratitude because, as his own relatives narrowly dodged disaster this time around -- he says they live 7 blocks away from where the twister touched down.

Back when NOLA was reeling last year from Hurricane Ida ... Master P's provided much-needed relief, distributing clean drinking water through one of his companies.

Brandy Norwood's former housekeeper says the singer gave her the boot because she was too old, and still owes her for work she completed ... so she's filed a lawsuit.

The housekeeper, who says she's over 60, claims she was fired by Brandy's team in February. According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Brandy got rid of the employee because she no longer wanted an "older" housekeeper.

The housekeeper claims she wasn't paid for her last 2 days of work, and now she's suing for back pay and a whole lot more.

Additionally, the housekeeper -- who says she earned $125 a day at Brandy's Calabasas home for the past 20 years -- claims she didn't get her legally required breaks, either.

She's suing for more than $250K in damages, and it's yet another legal headache on Brandy's plate.

She and her stylist were sued back in January by a fashion designer and store owner over a ring Brandy was supposed to wear to the American Music Awards, but allegedly failed to return.

We've reached out to Brandy's rep regarding the housekeeper's lawsuit ... so far, no word back.

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.