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The employee found dead in a freezer at an Arby's restaurant got trapped inside, and beat her hands bloody trying to escape ... according to a new lawsuit from her family.

The manager was Nguyet Le and now her family members are suing Arby's and the company that owns the franchise location in Louisiana.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Nguyet was temporarily managing the Arby's in New Iberia ... and it was her own son who discovered her lifeless body in the walk-in freezer.

The family claims Nguyet was dropped off for work the morning of May 11 to open the restaurant alone when she got trapped in the freezer.

The suit says the latch on the freezer door had been broken since August and the restaurant operators neglected to fix the issue even though they knew about it, leaving employees to resort to using a screwdriver to open and close the door, which was often propped open with a box of oil.

The family claims company policy called for the freezer to be kept to at least -10 degrees if not colder ... and police investigators found the inside of the freezer door bloodied, leading them to conclude Nguyet panicked once she realized she was locked inside and beat her hands bloody trying to escape or get someone's attention.

Ultimately, the suit says the widow and mother of 4 collapsed into the fetal position face down on the frozen floor and died from hypothermia.

It's tragic ... the suit says her body was discovered by her son, Nguyen, who also worked at the restaurant and was coming in to work his shift.

The family is going after Arby's and the franchise owner for damages.

Jake Paul's giving us a firsthand look at his brand-new, massive $15.7 MILLION mansion in Puerto Rico ... loaded with just about everything you could want in a Caribbean compound, including the "biggest TV" on the island!

The 26-year-old boxing star shared the video tour with his over 20 million YouTube subscribers on Wednesday, revealing he's already living in the house with some of his best friends.

Paul starts off in the backyard, which he calls his "favorite part of the house" ... and with the huge pool, lounge area, palm trees, and guest house, it's not hard to understand why.

"Very good vibes," Paul said. "Very amazing. Wake up in the morning, meditate, get some sun, play some football."

The Problem Child also explains he has TVs all over his new pad, including an insane 120-inch flat screen in the "hangout room" of the guest house.

"This is the biggest TV in Puerto Rico. It's like a special edition. 120 inch. It's the only one that Sony ever shipped to the island," Paul said.

The cruiserweight boxer continues throughout the mansion ... showing off his huge sneaker closet, man cave in the basement, outdoor shower, red elevator, and a music studio where brother Logan, a WWE Superstar and podcaster can belt out a tune on the mic.

Jake also shows the master suite ... complete with a housewarming gift from GF, Olympic speed skater Jutta Leerdam.

"Jutta, if you're watching this, I love you," Paul said.

Jake -- who originally rose to fame on social media and on the Disney series Bizaardvark -- says he wants everyone watching the clip to view it as inspiration, and not him bragging or showing off.

"Go! Chase your dreams! Start today!" Paul passionately said. "We had a vision of what we wanted to do which was to be entertainers. We went for it and didn't ever stop!"

"You will be far more fulfilled chasing your passions and doing something you love than if you just sit around and maybe work that 9 to 5 job."

Kevin Federline never paid up on a bill from his kids' private school, and now the school says he owes over $15,000 ... this according to a new lawsuit.

Britney Spears' ex-husband is being sued by the West Valley Christian School, where K-Fed and his current wife, Victoria, send their 2 daughters.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, the prep school claims Kevin and Victoria signed a payment contract back in August 2018 when their kids' started going to West Valley Christian ... but the institution claims the parents haven't paid since May 2019, and are running up a huge balance.

The Christian school claims K-Fed and Victoria now owe $15,593 for daughters Jordan and Peyton's tuition ... claiming the couple "breached the agreement by failing to pay for services which had been provided on credit at their special instance and request."

In the docs, the school says it already demanded the money, but Kevin and Victoria are refusing to pay all or any part of the remaining balance.

The private school wants more than just the $15,593 it says the parents owe -- the school is also seeking 10% interest per year, dating back to May 2019.

Remember, Kevin has 4 other kids ... a daughter and son with ex-fiancée Shar Jackson, plus his 2 boys with Britney.

Diddy's booze company claims a British alcoholic beverage company he's partnered with left him and his tequila for dead ... a move he alleges is steeped in racism.

The music and business mogul's alcohol LLC, Combs Wine and Spirits, just filed a lawsuit against Diageo ... the UK-based booze behemoth behind brands like Ciroc, which Diddy has backed for quite a long time -- and very successfully, too.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Diddy's team claims he's been in a partnership with Diageo to lead all marketing and innovation. Diddy says, after he sparked booming sales for Ciroc, the companies decided to go in together on DeLeon Tequila.

Unfortunately, per Diddy, Diageo has allegedly turned its back on both him and DeLeon ... to the point that Diddy says it's stifled growth and, more importantly, his bottom line.

Diddy claims, over the years, Diageo has refused to properly market/invest in DeLeon -- while going on to give most of its attention and resources to its other tequila lines like Don Julio or Casamigos. He believes this is racist.

For starters, Diddy alleges Diageo's neglect has risen to startling levels -- he claims his tequila has repeatedly been out of stock at retailers across the country, including huge markets in states like California and New York.

Diddy and co. say they suspect the reason for this is due to the color of his skin ... claiming "Diageo has typecasted Ciroc and DeLeon, apparently deciding they are 'Black brands' that should be targeted only to 'urban' consumers."

Not just that, but he even alleges he's been told by a Diageo exec that he might be getting the support he's wanted if he was Martha Stewart -- again, suggesting they didn't view him as anything more than a megaphone for one specific community.

Bottom line ... Diddy says he's been on his own trying to get DeLeon Tequila off the ground, and now Diageo should have to pay up for failing to live up to its contractual obligations to support his brands, and is asking the Court to order his company gets the same treatment as Diageo's other brands.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Malibu rental home comes at a price that is eye-popping for even their fabulously wealthy neighbors -- we're talkin' $600,000 a month!!!

As we reported, Sanchezos signed a lease for Kenny G's spectacular Malibu compound ... a place they've called their temp home since March. It's a place they'll call home while they await completion of their massive Bev Hills compound.

Multiple sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the $600,000 price tag does not include furniture. All of Kenny G's stuff is in storage, replaced by Lauren and Jeff's own furnishings. So yeah, it's $600k unfurnished.

As for what they're getting .... the 5,500-square-foot house sits on 2 1/2 acres, with an enormous backyard, the obligatory pool, a screening room, recording studio, a 3,500-square-foot guesthouse, and a key to Little Dume Beach, one of the most exclusive beaches in the Bu.

It's unclear when their Bev Hills home will be ready, but if you do the math, they'll be shelling out more than $7 MILLION a year for Kenny's pad.

For context, Bezos is currently worth somewhere north of $140 BILLION, so yes, the rental is pocket change.

Sandy Koufax took the mound in Los Angeles for the first time as a Dodgers pitcher in 1958, after the team moved across the country from Brooklyn ... and now the Hall of Famer's historic, game-worn baseball mitt is on the auction block!

Of course, the Brooklyn Dodgers moved following the '57 Major League Baseball season after the organization was unable to strike a deal for a new ballpark with politicians in BK ... relocating to the West Coast

Dodgers Stadium didn't yet exist (it was built quickly and opened in 1962), so the team played four seasons at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum, beginning with their first game against the San Francisco Giants on April 18, 1958.

Heading into '58 season, the Dodgers were transitioning Koufax, their young 22-year-old relief pitcher, into a starter. The Hall of Famer flashed some of the incredible abilities that would go on to define his amazing career, appearing in 40 games (26 as a starter), going 11-11 with a 4.48 ERA.

Now, the actual Rawlings mitt worn by the MLB legend for some, if not all, of those appearances according to the auction house is on the auction block at The Memorabilia Network.

The glove was also signed by the 7x All-Star and 4x World Series champion ... a signature that's been preserved over the years. The mitt is also adorned with "32," Sandy's jersey number, in black marker.

Koufax gloves are very rare. In fact, TMN says only a handful (now 7 total) of Koufax game-used gloves have ever sold ... and Memorabilia Network believes this glove, the first in the City of Angels, could be the most valuable ever.

The auction closes the night of June 14th ... and the glove won't go cheap!

Elizabeth Holmes has traded in her customary black turtlenecks for prison fatigues ... 'cause she just surrendered to authorities at a federal lockup.

The disgraced former Theranos CEO arrived Tuesday at the Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas, where she will serve her 11-year sentence after her 2022 conviction on four counts of wire fraud and conspiracy resulting from her phony blood testing scheme. She made several requests to stay free while appealing her conviction, but the judge denied her each time.

During her incarceration, Holmes will be far apart from her family ... making the prison experience that much harder.

Her husband, William Evans, lives in California with their 1-year-old son and 3-month-old daughter, which could make visiting Holmes a challenge.

On the flip side, Holmes will be in close proximity to another familiar face ... "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star Jen Shah is serving her 6.5-year sentence at the same facility for running a fraudulent telemarketing enterprise. The two will have plenty of time to get to know each other.

As we reported, Holmes was indicted for telling investors her company -- Theranos -- created a one-of-a-kind machine to streamline a full range of clinical tests using blood samples. But, her promise of conducting cheaper and easier blood testing was all just a ruse to get her investors to hand over hundreds of millions of dollars. A judge has ordered Holmes to pay $452 million in restitution to the victims of her scam.

Pee-wee Herman is going on another big adventure -- only this time it's going to be in court ... 'cause the guy just filed a lawsuit claiming his priceless belongings have been jacked.

Paul Reubens -- who played Pee-wee on TV and on the big screen for years -- is suing James Comisar and his memorabilia company, The Comisar Collection, for what he says is straight-up theft of some of the old, iconic props that he walked away from the show with way back when.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Reubens claims that he loaned certain items from "Pee-wee's Playhouse" to Comisar -- with the understanding that this stuff would make its way into a "Museum of Television" for display to the public and based on the promise he could get the stuff back upon his request ... but Reubens said he later discovered there was no museum at all and Comisar was keeping the items for their private collection.

Reubens said when he demanded return of the stuff, the dude held onto the items and claimed they'd been "gifted" to them -- and ultimately started hocking them at auction ... keeping the profits for himself.

Reubens says the collection includes some notable props that fans would certainly recognize ... like the Dog Chair, the Floory puppets, and Mr. Window -- plus, Reubens says, cue cards and signed photos from the set that are all worth a pretty penny to any TV enthusiast.

Reubens now wants the court to sort it all out and is asking the judge for an order stating he's entitled to immediate possession of the items or, if they can't be recovered from folks who already bought the stuff at auction, for at least $1 million

He also wants an injunction to stop the sale of whatever else may be left. We've reached out to Comisar ... so far, no word back.

Tom Sandoval may want to choose his words more wisely, because some of the folks who run the City of Pittsburgh are not happy he trashed their fair city ... something Tom denies.

TMZ broke the story ... Tom was on a plane over Memorial Day Weekend heading for Pittsburgh, when a fellow passenger overheard him on the phone with Raquel Leviss, telling her he was headed for "f***ing Pittsburgh." There is no version of that which is complimentary.

Pittsburgh City Councilman Anthony Coghill tells TMZ, "He clearly doesn't know what he's talking about," adding, "Has he ever set foot in Pittsburgh?"

Coghill took a shot at Tom, saying, "I never heard of the guy, never heard of his show."

Another Councilman -- Bobby Wilson -- has indeed heard of the show, and says "It's unfortunate somebody who is having relationship problems is trying to take a swing at Pittsburgh," adding, "Why bring us down. Work on yourself."

Tom flew there because his band had a gig in the area, and speaking of the area, Councilman Coghill sings the virtues of his city, bragging about the beautiful cultural district, wonderful parks, a great downtown area, the best universities and hospitals, and on and on.

Despite Tom's slight, Coghill says Tom is still welcome there ... "We are welcoming, polite and help strangers with directions to get them where they're going."

BTW ... the fact that Tom was yakking on the phone with Raquel suggests the rumors they have broken up are bogus.

Tom tells TMZ he did not say "f***ing Pittsburgh," adding, "The show we played in Pittsburgh was sold out and the people were incredible."

"Succession" fans have created their own memorabilia, now that the series has come to an end ... flocking to Walmart to buy the same T-shirt actor Kieran Culkin wore in the finale.

Here's the deal ... the final episode of the hit drama dropped Sunday, and in the show, Roman Roy, played by Kieran, rocks a baby blue tee with stripes on the sleeve ... a complete switch-up from his usual look, and it started to go viral.

Lo and behold, fans quickly found the same $13 shirt in the kid's section at Walmart and began to buy them like crazy! They are now practically sold out in all sizes ... so, good luck getting one now.

Of course, fans all over are talking about the HBO series. You'll recall, Sarah Snook -- who played Shiv -- gave fans a glimpse of her new bundle of joy while posting the top of her baby's head and thanking fans, as the finale aired in the background.

It was a sweet moment for "Succession" fans, who hopped in the comments to congratulate her on the show and giving birth ... especially since her pregnancy was worked into the script.

It's definitely the end of an era, but at least some folks got their hands on something that will last forever!

T.J. Newman is on a journey from flight attendant to Hollywood scriptwriter -- she wrote a book that became a bestseller, and now her second novel is getting turned into a screenplay, creating a bidding war in the process.

T.J. joined us on "TMZ Live" and told us all about her new book, "Drowning," which comes out today ... telling us why her story is so coveted by movie studios and big-shot Hollywood producers.

Like her best-selling debut "Falling," T.J.'s new novel takes place on an airplane ... with the jetliner crashing into the ocean after taking off from Hawaii, trapping passengers in a cabin as it sinks beneath the waves. It's aviation's version of the famous "Poseidon Adventure."

T.J. says she wanted to write about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances ... and there was a bidding war for the movie rights, pitting Nicole Kidman against the likes of Steven Spielberg and Jerry Bruckheimer, plus the usual movie studio suspects.

In the end, Warner Bros. emerged victorious ... shelling out $3 million and bringing T.J. along for the ride as an executive producer.

This makes T.J. 2-for-2 in Hollywood -- her first novel, "Falling," is also being turned into a movie after flying off the shelves ... Universal Pictures paid $1.5 million for the movie rights to her best-selling debut novel, also winning a bidding war.

T.J. says she's actually writing the screenplay for "Falling" ... an honor she says is "bonkers" and a process that brings new challenges.

Now under center for the Las Vegas Raiders ... Tom Brady?!?

Troy Aikman tells TMZ Sports he could imagine a scenario in 2023 where that situation is a very real thing ... saying he wouldn't put it past Brady to suit up for the team he's about to be a part owner of.

"I don't want speak for Tom," the Dallas Cowboys legend told Babcock, but "I wouldn't rule anything out."

Aikman's reasoning is simple ... he says because of the way Brady keeps himself in shape -- and his great relationship with head coach Josh McDaniels -- he could see it all happening.

Plus, Brady owning a piece of the team wouldn't hurt the chances, either.

"I would bet that just nothing is off the table," Aikman said, "as far as what may occur during the season or what Tom's role may be."

Of course, the Raiders already have Jimmy Garoppolo signed to a big contract ... and Aikman said he strongly believes Brady is "done playing."

"But," the Hall of Famer added, "you just never know."

Aikman also spoke with us about Aaron Rodgers' move to New York ... and he said he thinks the change of scenery from Green Bay could really impact the quarterback positively.

He also said he's stoked to be able to broadcast Rodgers' first-ever game as a Jet when NY takes on Buffalo during the NFL's season-opening "Monday Night Football" matchup in September.

Jeff Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sanchez have apparently plopped down on a massive rental while their Beverly Hills pad gets the multimillion-dollar treatment ... and the new home away from home is reportedly none other than Kenny G's humble abode.

The Amazon founder and his new bride-to-be have picked the world-famous sax player's Malibu compound as their rental -- according to The Dirt, the happy couple's been shacking up there since March while work is still underway on their 9-figure property.

This temporary space looks pretty sweet, sitting cliffside and overlooking the ocean with a gorgeous backyard and massive pool. Unclear how much the 2 are payin' for a place like this, but it's gotta be a drop in the bucket for the wealthy pair.

The spot -- picked up by Kenny in 1998 -- has been expanded upon over the years, even adding on the smaller mansion next door ... the 2.5-acre property reportedly comes with a screening room, massive recording studio, and a key to Little Dume Beach, AKA one of the most exclusive beaches in Malibu.

As we reported, Jeff and Lauren got engaged during their recent vacay on his brand new $500 mil yacht, dubbed the Koru ... and sources told us the bigwig popped the question somewhere in Spain.

Ariana Madix is making bank off the heartbreak of her ex-bf Tom Sandoval's cheating scandal -- potentially pulling in a strong 6-figures for each brand deal she inks, according to one expert!

Branding expert, Bernt Ullmann, tells TMZ ... The "Vanderpump Rules" star was probably making roughly $15k to $30k for each brand deal before the explosive cheating scandal came to light -- but he says those numbers have drastically changed now.

The fact that she's the victim of the "Scandoval," instantly makes her a fan favorite, and means her asking price instantly goes way up, too.

Ullman says it's highly likely she's making at least $75k per deal with the well-known brand partnerships -- but adds that number could be $200k ... based on all the media buzz, Bravo's record-setting ratings, and Ariana's skyrocketing social media impressions.

We know Ariana's already done partnerships with many different brands -- including Bloomingdales, UberOne, BIC razors, and MyJoyBurst Cocktails -- since it was revealed Tom blew up their 10-year relationship by cheating on her with their costar Raquel Leviss.

You'll recall, Ariana also recently teamed up with Raising Cane's to promote viewership for part one of the 'VPR' reunion.

On Monday, she pretended to move out of the home she still shares with Tom, but that too, wound up being a sponsored gig with financial services company SoFi.

Clever fake-out, for sure.

Ullmann says as nice as the brand deals are, Ariana should also be thinking long-term -- suggesting if she builds her own brand she can generate revenue and rack up her own assets to sell or license later down the line.

Jennifer Hudson's definitely ruffled some feathers with the revelation a luxury bag gifted to her, by a rising Black designer, is now in a thrift store -- but even the designer insists haters should lay off the singer.

Sonique Saturday tells TMZ ... Jennifer is completely good in her book. In fact, she's urging folks to cut her some slack and stop attacking her online.

ICYMI, J Hud came under fire when a video started making the rounds -- it showed a woman who found one of Sonique's bags at a thrift store. It had clearly been gifted to Jennifer because there was a special note to her inside.

Folks on social media were quick to jump down Jennifer's throat ... calling her out for discarding the Black woman-owned brand.

However, Sonique tells us everyone else is taking the viral video out of context. She explains the bag is from 2014, and Hudson's team actually paid for it. They gifted it to her to celebrate one of her many career accomplishments -- so, it wasn't a freebie that Jennifer callously discarded.

She's not even sure Jennifer ever got the bag and has no idea how it ended up in a thrift shop. Regardless, she says she wants to use this opportunity as leverage with the "Spotlight" singer and to highlight Black-owned businesses.

Leo DiCaprio may be as famous for yachting as he is for another, even bigger ship, but these days he's strictly upper deck!

The "Titanic" star was lounging this weekend on the top deck of a super yacht with some buddies ... along the coast of Sardinia.

There he was -- again -- a shirtless Leo lovin' life on the high seas. He was recently seen on another yacht in Cannes, where he was promoting his upcoming flick, "Killers of the Flower Moon."

The movie is a throwback -- an American Western crime drama -- directed by none other than Martin Scorsese.

Leo made an appearance at the Cannes Film Festival but still found the time to jump on a yacht with his pal, Tobey Maguire.