Kevin Costner Divorce Christine Testifies ... That Wasn't My BF in Hawaii!!!
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Christine Baumgartner says Kevin Costner's got it all wrong, the man who gave her $20k -- who also happens to be friends with Kevin -- is not her boyfriend.
Christine testified during Thursday's divorce hearing in Santa Barbara and got into her July trip to Hawaii, where she was photographed with Josh Connor.
As we reported, Josh is a longtime friend of both Kevin and Christine, and sources close to Josh and Christine told us they were not dating.
She backed that up on the stand, saying point blank Josh is not her BF -- and added that while in Hawaii, she shared a room with a longtime female best friend.
TMZ broke the story ... Kevin referenced Christine getting $20,000 from "her boyfriend" ... and Christine did testify that Josh gave her that sum because she was worried about money. She tearfully said she gave $10k to her mother, and eventually returned the other $10k back to Josh.
She also discussed the $40k/month Montecito rental she's moving into Friday. Her attorney asked how close it is to the water, and Christine said, "You can't walk there with a surfboard."
As we first reported, Christine groused in documents, that the rental home is on the mountain side of the freeway with no scenic view or beachfront access. She testified she's only renting it for 6 months because she doesn't know what the outcome will be of the divorce.
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Kevin Costner Christine Has Committed 'Relentless Jihad' in Divorce
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Kevin Costner has come out swinging in his divorce from Christine Baumgartner, claiming she has become so unreasonable she has engaged in a "relentless jihad" against him ... and he threw in that her "boyfriend" gave her thousands in cash.
Costner is in court right now, along with Christine, fighting it out over how much child support he must pay her.
The actor claims Christine is bubbling over with animosity, accusing him of being a cheapskate when in fact he has shelled out way more than a million dollars since she filed for divorce.
The most interesting nugget in the docs ... Kevin says Christine has been deceptive in terms of how much money she has, referencing $20,000 "her boyfriend recently gave her." The docs don't identify the boyfriend, but sources familiar with the case say Kevin believes the man is Josh Connor, one of Kevin's good friends who recently took a trip to Hawaii with Christine.
Sources connected to both Christine and Josh have denied the 2 are in a romantic relationship.
Kevin claims Christine has secretly taken $105,000 from him to pay her lawyers. He's also re-alleged she has padded her child support bills by including hundreds of thousands of dollars for her plastic surgery, private trainers and "unallocated credit card expenses" which were for her, not their kids. In fact, Kevin claims her plastic surgery bills alone total $188,500 a year.
Costner says Christine -- who originally asked for $248,000 a month in child support -- has padded the bill simply because Kevin can afford it, and it has no relationship to their kids' needs.
Kevin has claimed the actual amount she needs is around $63,000 a month.
Costner, who says Christine has been engaged in "baseless character attacks" on him, says she's more than capable of getting a job, saying, "She has no plans to seek employment or engage in any income-generating activity." He accuses his 49-year-old estranged wife of demanding enough child support so she doesn't have to work again.
A judge has temporarily ordered Kevin to pay $129,000 a month. The hearing, which will go through tomorrow, will end with the judge establishing the exact amount the actor must pay.
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Kevin Costner Christine se ha embarcado en una yihad implacable por el divorcio
Kevin Costner ha salido a la palestra por su divorcio con Christine Baumgartner, alegando que su ex esposa se ha vuelto tan poco razonable que se ha comprometido en una "yihad implacable" contra él. Y añadió que su "novio" le dio miles de dólares en efectivo.
Costner se encuentra ahora mismo peleando en los tribunales con Christine por la pensión alimenticia que debe pagarle.
El actor afirma que ella está llena de rencor y lo acusa de ser un tacaño, cuando en realidad ha desembolsado más de un millón de dólares desde que esta solicitó el divorcio.
La primicia más interesante en los documentos es que Kevin dice que Christine ha sido insidiosa en términos de cuánto dinero tiene, haciendo referencia a unos 20.000 dólares que "su novio le dio recientemente". Los documentos no identifican al novio, pero fuentes familiarizadas con el caso dicen que Kevin piensa que el hombre detrás es Josh Connor, uno de los buenos amigos del actor que recientemente hizo un viaje a Hawai con Christine.
Fuentes relacionadas tanto con Christine como con Josh han negado que ambos mantengan una relación sentimental.
Kevin asegura que Christine le ha quitado 105.000 dólares en secreto para pagar a sus abogados. También ha vuelto a alegar que entre las facturas de manutención incluyó cientos de miles de dólares para cirugías plásticas, entrenadores privados y "gastos de tarjetas de crédito no asignados" para ella y no para sus hijos. De hecho, Kevin afirma que sólo las facturas de cirugía plástica ascienden a 188.500 dólares al año.
Costner dice que Christine, que originalmente pidió $248.000 al mes para sus hijos, ha aumentado la factura simplemente porque Kevin puede permitírselo, y no tiene ninguna relación con las necesidades de sus hijos.
Según el actor, el monto real que necesita debiese ser de unos 63.000 dólares al mes.
Costner, quien piensa que Christine se ha embarcado en una serie de "ataques sin fundamentos hacia su persona", dice que ella está más que capacitada para encontrar un trabajo. Su alegato: "Ella no tiene planes de buscar empleo o participar en cualquier actividad que genere ingresos". Acusa a su esposa, de 49 años y separada de él, de exigir una pensión alimenticia suficiente para no tener que volver a trabajar.
Un juez le ha ordenado temporalmente ha Kevin que pague 129.000 dólares al mes. La audiencia, que se celebrará mañana, terminará con el juez estableciendo la cantidad exacta que debe pagar el actor.
The Rock, Oprah Donate $10 Million For Maui Relief ... Launch Fund
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Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Oprah Winfrey are stepping up to help those affected by the recent wildfires in Maui ... launching a $10 million fund to financially support thousands of residents.
Johnson and Winfrey announced the initiative Thursday morning ... saying after brainstorming a bit on how they could offer assistance, they decided to kick-start the People's Fund of Maui.
The initiative is designed to put money directly in the pockets of those impacted by the devastating fires in Lahaina and Kula, which includes the many who lost their homes and were forced to evacuate.
Johnson says people can apply to receive $1,200 a month as they recover ... and he's hoping more donations pour in overtime to add to their own massive contribution.
"We are honored to start this campaign with $10 million dollars and ask for your help in donating to those who have lost their homes," Johnson said. "We thank you in advance for your contribution. "
8/10/23
Oprah -- a part-time resident in Maui -- has also been doing her part by visiting evacuation shelters and handing out supplies over the past few weeks.
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Floyd Mayweather, Alix Earle VIP Treatment At Lionel Messi Game
Lionel Messi was back on the pitch in Florida for the first time in nearly a month Wednesday night ... and, as has become tradition, celebs flocked to see him -- including Floyd Mayweather and Alix Earle, who got VIP treatment at the game.
The new MLS superstar had maybe his quietest night since joining Inter Miami -- scoring zero goals in a 0-0 tie against Nashville SC -- but A-listers were spotted throughout DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale enjoying the GOAT in action nonetheless.
Waiting for your permission to load TikTok Post.
Mayweather and Earle, flanked by NFL superstar Jaylen Waddle, got prime seats and field access as guests of Miami mogul David Grutman.
Ken Griffey Jr. even showed up too ... though he chose to grab a media credential instead of suite seats -- opting to shoot the game with his camera instead of rubbin' elbows in the stands with the stars.
Floyd Mayweather and Ken Griffey Jr. link up to watch Messi tonight 🙏
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 30, 2023 @BleacherReport
(via @MLS)pic.twitter.com/jmHcvrBtAd
At one point, however, the MLB legend was able to link up with Mayweather -- who was also with friend Lionel Khoury -- sharing an embrace with the boxer and getting in a pic.
Unclear how much facetime all of the celebrities got with Messi -- the soccer player was, after all, busy trying to scrape out another win for his squad -- but everyone was grinning ear-to-ear throughout the night nonetheless.
They'll all have to wait a bit to do it again -- Messi's not set to play in Ft. Lauderdale 'til Sept. 9 now -- unless, of course, they want to fly out to Los Angeles this weekend to see him vs. LAFC.
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Ricky Martin Strikes Divorce Settlement With Jwan Yosef
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Ricky Martin and Jwan Yosef have reached a divorce settlement.
According to court documents, obtained by TMZ, the former couple entered into an uncontested written agreement. Details have not yet been disclosed, but at the very least, we know they'll both be declared single once the judge signs off on their agreement.
Last month, Martin and Yosef jointly announced they were calling it quits after 6 years of marriage.
In a statement, they wrote, "We have decided to end our marriage with love, respect and dignity for our children and honoring what we have experienced as a couple all these wonderful years."
They went on ... "Our greatest desire now is to continue having a healthy family dynamic and a relationship centered on peace and friendship to continue the joint upbringing of our children, preserving the respect and love we have for each other."
The pop star shares two young children with Yosef - daughter Lucia and son Renn. Martin also has twin sons, Matteo and Valentino, both of whom he's raising as a single parent. All four kids were born via surrogates.
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LeVar Burton 'Jeopardy!' Didn't Want Me But CW Does for 'Trivial Pursuit'!!!
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LeVar Burton's TV days are far from over, and ditto for expanding people's minds -- 'cause the dude is about to venture out on a Trivial Pursuit ... one that's almost a sealed deal.
Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... LeVar and his team are close to locking in terms on a new job he's been teeing up for a couple years now -- namely, as executive producer and host of the new Trivial Pursuit game show ... which is going to be aired on the CW.
We're told things are almost finalized between LeVar and the network, and that the series already has a 12-episode order. So, yes ... we're gonna see LeVar on the tube again in due time.
As for how all this came together ... well, our sources tell us that's actually all due to Hasbro -- the toy company that owns the rights to Trivial Pursuit, who initially brought him in.
We're told Hasbro honchos thought of LB after he got snubbed by Sony execs for the highly-coveted "Jeopardy!" hosting job -- which was a whole saga in and of itself. Remember, Sony never even approached him for the gig -- nor did they seriously consider him.
Obviously, Hasbro thought differently ... and the conversations kicked into high gear after the CW became attached to developing Trivial Pursuit into a game show. If you're unfamiliar, TP sees players answering a variety of trivia questions, touching on a bunch of categories.
It's kind of the perfect next chapter for the dude who hosted "Reading Rainbow."
Congrats!
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Burger King Whopper Size Lawsuit to Proceed ... On a Few Conditions
Burger King's taking a partial 'L' in court ... a judge says they'll have to go to trial over a lawsuit alleging their Whopper ads are misleading -- AKA, size matters here, folks.
This has been cooking for about a year now -- a class action lawsuit was filed in 2022 taking aim at BK's signature hamburger and how it's been portrayed ... specifically its size, which the class action plaintiffs believe amounts to false advertising.
The suit alleges Burger King's been showing off massive Whoppers in just about all of their promotional material -- from TV spots to online pages and other forms of advertisement -- and that they've been duping customers by giving them itty-bitty Whoppers IRL, which pale in comparison to the ads.
As a result of this alleged deception ... the lawsuit claims Burger King has been getting rich off the backs of their patrons for a long time, which they say violates a ton of laws and regulations that food joints have to abide by.
Now, as far as the judge's ruling on how this is gonna shake out ... he signed off on parts of the lawsuit proceeding, but not others. Hizzoner says Burger King will NOT have to answer to the claims pertaining to their online/TV ads -- which the plaintiffs claimed were a big part of their alleged scheme ... nor will BK have to combat the consumer-protection law claims.
Those specific parts of the suit were tossed, at Burger King's request, but other parts of the lawsuit -- which BK also wanted dismissed -- have been given the green light to proceed ... which is bad news for His Royal Fry-ness.
The remaining claims that'll be brought before a jury are big ones ... breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation and unjust enrichment. Now, if you're wondering how that works (since the judge nixed the TV/online ads as part of the equation) ... remember, there's still print ads in the mix -- specifically, Burger King's in-restaurant menu photos of the Whopper, which these folks claim were also super-sized and a major part of BK's campaign.
In short, BK couldn't totally have it their way in court -- and the people will decide.
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George Washington Can't Tell a Lie ... Presidential Letter Should Fetch $1M!!!
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An important piece of American history is hitting the auction block ... George Washington's letter setting the stage for future presidents and the country, and it's expected to fetch 7 figures!!!
Washington wrote and signed the letter in March 1789 at his Mount Vernon estate, just a few weeks before he took the oath of office to become America's first President. In the correspondence with a Naval officer in Philadelphia, GW vows to "make justice and public good my sole objects" during his presidency.
This literal national treasure is going up for sale through the good folks over at Gotta Have Rock and Roll ... and the auction house tells us it's expecting the winning bid to be at least $1 million.
The auction goes live today and ends September 22 ... and someone's gonna drop a lot of dead presidents on this artifact.
As we first reported, George has had a couple items hit the auction block over the years ... like locks of his hair and his proclamation making Thanksgiving an official holiday ... and this letter is right up there in terms of significance.
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Nick Carter DENIES NEW SEXUAL ASSAULT Allegation ... Claims Lawsuit Full of Lies!!!
Nick Carter is pushing back against a woman who claims he sexually assaulted her on his yacht when she was 15 years old ... he says her lawsuit is full of false allegations.
The Backstreet Boys singer is being sued by a woman who says Nick sexually assaulted her multiple times back in 2003, when she was 15 and he was 23 -- she claims Nick forced himself on her aboard a yacht, and on a bus after plying her with alcohol.
But Nick is vehemently denying it happened, claiming the lawsuit is full of BS.
This accuser has filed her lawsuit anonymously, and she's now the third woman suing Carter for sexual assault.
Carter's lawyer, Dale Hayes Jr., tells TMZ ... when the woman made her allegations against Nick 2 decades ago, authorities investigated her claims and found no merit to move forward with charges.
Nick's lawyer says the accuser is simply "repeating the same false allegations in a new legal complaint" but he says that "doesn’t make them any more true."
As we first reported, Nick is also being sued by a woman named Shannon Ruth, who filed a lawsuit in December claiming he sexually assaulted her after a concert in 2001, when she was underage ... but he says he has witnesses who will testify Ruth is lying.
Singer Melissa Schuman is also suing Nick over an alleged 2002 sexual assault. He denies her allegations, as well.
With the latest lawsuit being filed, Nick's legal team says he's "looking forward to the evidence being presented and the truth about these malicious schemes coming to light."
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Nebraska TE Arik Gilbert Video Shows Alleged Liquor Store Burglary ... Caught In The Act
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Nebraska football player Arik Gilbert was arrested early Tuesday morning after cops say he forced his way into a liquor store and burglarized the place for over $1,600 worth of merchandise, before being caught red-handed ... and the entire crime appears to have been captured on video.
21-year-old Gilbert, a former 5-star recruit who previously played for LSU and Georgia, was arrested outside SJ’s Liquor & Vape in Lincoln, NE around 2 AM this morning ... before being booked into the county jail on a burglary charge.
Gilbert was allegedly carrying various vape materials, lighters, and other stolen merch totaling $1,672, according to law enforcement.
TMZ Sports has obtained a photo of the alleged stolen items … showing an array of vapes and other materials.
Surveillance video captured the crime ... and a man said to be the 6'5", 275 lb. football star was seen throwing a chunk of cement through a door to gain access to the building. Once inside, he kicked a second door down, gaining access to SJ's shop.
The shirtless man, who covered his face, was then seen rummaging through the shop for several minutes.
While inside, police received a call for a possible break-in, and they rushed to the scene.
To his surprise, at least 8 police officers were waiting outside when he began exiting the shop. Gilbert threw down his bags, and jumped back with his hands up, startled, before being arrested without incident.
We spoke to the people at SJ's who tell us they've reopened the shop and are operating business as usual.
Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule addressed the arrest, calling it sad and disappointing.
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Jay-Z Back On IG 🤳🏽 ... Hey, I Got a Movie to Promote!!!
Jay-Z is back on his social media grind, but he's sticking to his pattern of only returning when he's got product to push ... this time it's his new feature film.
The elusive rap legend rebooted his account on Tuesday, revealing the official trailer for "The Book of Clarence" ... the upcoming theatrical release he produced, starring LaKeith Stanfield, Benedict Cumberbatch, Teyana Taylor and others.
Jay made a blip on IG back in November 2021 to promote the movie "The Harder They Fall" ... and then promptly fell back into social media obscurity. But, there's a chance he might stick around this time.
The 'BoC' trailer promises new music from Jay and director Jeymes Samuel ... which could range from a couple of tracks like he supplied for the 'THTF' soundtrack, or even a full-blown album like he did with the 2007 Denzel Washington film "American Gangster."
If he really wants the film to sell, he'll do a TikTok. C'mon, you know Jay on TikTok would be a vibe!!!
Just sayin' ...
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ERIKA JAYNE SUED YOU CONSPIRED WITH SECRET SERVICE, AMEX TO RUIN ME!!!
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7:54 PM PT -- Erika's attorney, Evan Borges, tells TMZ, "It seems calculated that Plaintiff timed this lawsuit to coincide with the rave reviews of Erika's Las Vegas residency opening. Plaintiff's claims against Erika are entirely without merit. Independent federal prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney's Office made the decision to charge plaintiff with crimes, no one else. The notion that Erika controlled the U.S. Government, or for that matter a Fortune 100 company such as American Express, is fantasy."
2:59 PM PT -- When reached for comment on the lawsuit, Robert Savage told us, "I am restricted by a non-disclosure when I retired from the U.S. Secret Service to discuss casework during my tenure without their approval, so I would respectfully redirect your questions pertaining to the lawsuit to the USSS Office of Chief Counsel and U.S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of California."
He also pointed us to an interview he gave the L.A. Times months ago -- and provided us with his Q&A -- when he had USSS approval to answer questions. We've included several of those responses.
Erika Jayne used Secret Service agents and American Express to extort money from a Hollywood designer, ruining his life and career in the process ... so says a new lawsuit.
The 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' star and two Secret Service agents are among those being sued by Chris Psaila, who claims Erika corrupted the agents and had them prosecute him over her claims that his costume company fraudulently charged her over $800,000.
According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Psaila claims Erika gave him and his store, Marco Marco, permission to charge her card for costumes and services he designed, created and provided for her performances ... and he says Erika's estranged husband, Tom Girardi, was the account holder and she was an authorized user.
Psaila claims he started working with Erika in 2014 and everything was kosher until she falsely claimed Psaila had racked up $800k to $900k in fraudulent charges on her credit card from 2015 to 2016.
Psaila insists Erika got every piece of clothing and services from these charges.
In the docs, he claims Erika and Tom weaponized the Secret Service to maliciously prosecute him ... believing the former couple bribed agent Robert Savage, then the head of Secret Service's Los Angeles office, to criminally investigate Psaila and ultimately charge him with crimes.
Psaila also claims AMEX accepted Erika's false statements of unauthorized charges and refunded Erika and Tom over $787k without giving the designer an opportunity to dispute her claims ... and he says AMEX told the Secret Service Erika was a victim of his fraud.
In his suit, Psaila claims Tom and Savage had a cushy relationship ... and he says Savage had his own "history of falsely billing for advance Presidential location scouting trips" that eventually forced him out of the Secret Service.
Psaila claims Tom bribed Savage to investigate him by agreeing to represent Savage in a lawsuit against Volkswagen, while also promising to pay Savage $100k when the investigation in Psaila started.
The designer says Tom and Savage's relationship was not disclosed when he was facing prosecution and says the criminal case against him was ultimately dismissed nearly 5 years after it started ... but he says he suffered extreme emotional distress, financial harm to his business, plus extreme emotional, psychological, and physical injuries as a result of the ordeal.
Psaila is going after Erika, AMEX, Savage and others for at least $18.2 million.
A rep for AMEX tells TMZ ... "In late 2016, federal law enforcement contacted American Express regarding its investigation into fraud by Mr. Psaila. While it is our policy to not comment on the specific activity on an individual Card Member’s accounts, we followed our regular processes and procedures throughout this investigation as we dealt with law enforcement. We did not initiate the investigation, nor did we proactively contact law enforcement, and the information law enforcement requested from us was typical in fraud investigations. We did not play any role in the criminal investigation of Mr. Psaila or his business other than responding to inquiries from law enforcement."
We reached out to Erika ... so far no word back.
Originally Published -- 1:01 PM PT
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Kim Zolciak Still Wearing Ring Despite Divorce Getting Back with Kroy???
Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann might be in the middle of yet ANOTHER divorce, but you wouldn't know it by looking at her hand and listening to what she's got to say.
The ex-'RHOA' star and her daughter, Brielle Biermann landed at LAX Monday and were asked all about Kim's pending case -- after Kroy recently re-filed divorce docs.
Check this out, 'cause it's interesting -- when KZ is asked if she and Kroy are truly dunzo -- she makes sure to flash her wedding band, which Brielle explicitly points out as still "on."
Kim says she already knew Kroy was going to file again, but indicates she's not really worried about it ... and that, perhaps, he'll pull the docs.
The photog presses Kim on some underlying issues that seem to be affecting her marriage -- like finances, for instance -- and the matriarch says those sorts of weigh on all matrimonies.
Brielle's also got some financial issues of her own -- TMZ was first to report she's on the wrong end of a lawsuit from a credit card company -- but she says that's been handled.
One last thing that stands out in the chat ... Brielle pitches a potential new Bravo show that she thinks could benefit all the 'Real Housewives' kids -- and if Andy Cohen was receptive to it in a recent meeting Kim says they had ... she could be back on reality TV one day.
Lots to digest with this one -- we'll see how it all shakes out, but Kim sounds optimistic.
We covered the messy divorce on a recent episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.
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Bob Barker Watched 'Two & a Half Men' in Final Days ... Bulk of Estate to Be Donated to 40+ Nonprofits
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Bob Barker was still a big TV man during his final chapter, and now that he's gone -- his legacy lives on in a massive donation to 501(c)(3)s ... TMZ has learned.
The "Price is Right" host's longtime rep, Roger Neal, tells us Bob spent quite a bit of time checking out the tube in his last days of life ... including a lot of reruns of "Two and a Half Men" -- which, to people around him, reminded them Bob still had his sense of humor.
We're told Bob would also check out new episodes of his old show every now and then, and always thought Drew Carey had done well to carry on the torch after his retirement.
Now, as for what's going to happen to Bob's estate in the wake of his passing ... we're told a majority of it is going to be divvied up and donated to a number of causes he was passionate about, especially as it pertains to animals and vets.
Neal says a bulk of Bob's assets will be dispersed among over 40 different animal rights orgs and military nonprofits -- including the DonkeyLand Rescue in Riverside, CA, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ... as well as a bird conservatory.
Some of the estate's assets are also going toward the United Activists for Animal Rights charity -- which BB's girlfriend, Nancy, leads as President. We're told she did well taking care of him over the past year ... making sure he was attended to round-the-clock.
Neal says Bob left Nancy in charge of pretty much everything -- noting he enjoyed life and lived in the moment. Bob was 99.
RIP
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Elvis Presley Revolver Sells At Auction For $200K
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Elvis Presley's gun collection is in demand ... 'cause someone dropped six figures on one of his revolvers, with the final bid more than doubling what it was expected to fetch at auction.
The late singer's Smith & Wesson Model 53 double-action revolver was up for sale through Rock Island Auction Company, and they tell us the winning bid came in at $199,750.
Elvis received the gun as a gift in November 1976, just 9 months before he died, and it's loaded with custom features marking the Bicentennial.
The revolver is customized with five-pointed stars and a bald eagle holding a Betsy Ross American flag, plus the Liberty Bell ... and "1776-1976" is inscribed in gold near the muzzle.
As we first reported, Elvis' gun was expected to fetch at least $60,000 at auction ... but a bidding war broke out.
The King of Rock and Roll reportedly owned 37 firearms and a machine gun ... and interest appears sky-high.