Money

As if losing the election wasn't enough, folks can stick it to Donald Trump again by pushing the button to blow up one of his old casinos.

Here's the deal ... the former Trump Plaza casino in Atlantic City is scheduled for demolition next month -- pretty close to when Trump leaves the White House -- and for the right price, someone gets to bring down the joint.

The auction is doubling as a fundraiser benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City, and the mayor's hoping the big prize hauls in over $1 million.

Yeah, politicians think people hate Trump that much -- and there are roughly 80 million people who'd agree with that.

Trump's former casino opened its doors way back in 1984, when AC was actually popping, but it shuttered in 2014 and the property has descended into such a bad state that demolition work is already underway.

The rest of the crumbling structure will be demolished Jan. 29 -- 9 days after Trump's Presidential run comes to an end. Boy, January's gonna suck for him.

Atlantic City's got a love-hate relationship with Trump ... the mayor remembers some of the city's iconic moments happening at the Trump Plaza casino, including tons of big boxing matches, but he also didn't forget Trump mocking AC on his way out of town ... so the auction makes sense.

Finally, THE ROCK has come back to the football card world -- because a super rare Dwayne Johnson card just sold for $14,000!!!

Remember, before Dwayne Johnson became "The Rock" -- he was a college football player at the University of Miami.

And, during his 1994 season, Bumble Bee -- the tuna company -- produced a set of cards featuring some of the team's best players ... including Ray Lewis and Warren Sapp!

Bob Marley's son Rohan Marley was also included (he was a linebacker at The U).

Legend has it ... the 24-card sheets were handed out at the Orange Bowl during a game that season, but it was a rainy day and most people didn't save the cards.

In fact, there are reportedly less than 50 of the Dwayne Johnson cards from that set in existence today!

So, when the folks at PWCC auctions got their hands on a mint condition (PSA 10) card of the future WWE superstar ... they knew they had a banger.

Final gavel price on the online auction which closed Wednesday night -- $13,988!!

It's a huge jump from the price in 2014 when a similar Dwayne Johnson PSA 10 sold for $4,228.

The husband of one of the victims in the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash is suing the L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. for invasion of privacy over crash scene cellphone pics, TMZ Sports has learned.

Matthew Mauser -- who lost his wife, Christina Mauser, in the Jan. 26 crash -- claims Sheriff Alex Villanueva did a poor job securing the area in the wake of the crash, which led to emergency responders taking unauthorized photos of the tragic scene.

In fact, Matthew claims he has reason to believe members of the L.A. County Fire Dept. photographed the remains of his wife -- and then shared them with people who had no involvement in the investigation.

"These facts show that Sheriff Villanueva had a special duty to ensure that the scene of the crash was given the highest caliber security his department could employ," Mauser claims in his suit.

Matthew claims he -- along with the couple's 3 daughters -- now suffer severe emotional distress, humiliation and anxiety "from the realization that photographs of their mother and wife were wrongfully taken, shown and discussed."

Mauser is suing for invasion of privacy, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress and more. He's seeking unspecified damages in excess of $25,000.

Christina Mauser was only 38.

The mystery buyer who dropped $3.7 MILLION on a rare Honus Wagner card is revealing himself ... and it's real estate mogul Kurt Rappaport!

The card is the legendary 1909-11 T206, which Rappaport describes as "the HOLY GRAIL -- the rarest and most desired of all sports cards."

The purchase -- handled by Heritage Auctions -- makes Rap's Wagner card the 2nd most expensive baseball card ever purchased ... behind a rare Mike Trout card that sold for $3.9 million back in August.

There are less than 60 Wagner cards in existence -- but what makes Rap's card extra special is the fact it's in such great condition.

Professional Sports Authenticator (known in the industry as PSA) graded Rap's card as a 3 -- which is pretty good for a card that's more than 100 years old.

"Just to put it into perspective, 3 means very good condition," Rappaport told the guys on "TMZ Live."

"The 50 or 60 that exist in the world, this is one of the Top 5. There's only 4 other cards that have graded any higher than this. These don't come up to sale and I had the opportunity to buy it and I did."

Rappaport doesn't consider himself a hardcore card collector -- just a guy who appreciates rare cards ... comparing them to classic art pieces.

Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony will be covered by a security company, that Uncle Sam is paying handsomely, to keep the President-elect safe -- and by the looks of everything they're equipped to do, he'll be in good hands.

TMZ obtained federal procurement docs that show the Secret Service has hired a company called Showcall Security Services to help out with the inauguration in January. The company scored a $7.5 million contract for the job ... and it sounds like they'll be worth every dime of taxpayer money.

Turns out, a division of Showcall, named Checkmate, is what'll be deployed here -- and a glance at their specialties shows why they cost a pretty penny. Checkmate boasts "temporary deployable security assets" that create "hardened perimeters," which can stop vehicle-borne threats and attempted weapons hand-offs of people who get past checkpoints

Checkmate also notes they design and provide "robust access control programs and cutting edge surveillance and threat detection systems" that use data analytics -- so top-notch stuff.

But, wait ... there's more.

Other services Checkmate offers for large-scale events include (but aren't limited to) ... anti-scale fencing, a mobile command post, all types of tactical barriers, golf carts and gators, light towers, traffic control, mobile power generation, tenting and perhaps most useful of all ... portable bathrooms!!!

Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo are celebrating a partnership with Ferrari that raised 6-figures for Save the Children, and raised Adam's heart rate with a thrilling test-drive.

The Maroon 5 frontman recently took a spin in Ferrari's new coupe, the Roma, and posted a series of videos showing just how psyched he was behind the wheel ... as he should be, and not just because of the car.

Adam and his supermodel wife teamed up to bring one of the first Romas to the United States for a charity auction. The stunning whip has a price tag around $220,000, but it went for $750,000 in the Sotheby's auction!!! All proceeds went to Save the Children.

Adam owns a bunch of classic and exotic cars, but was NOT the lucky buyer at auction. However, Ferrari did let him and Behati experience the Roma during what looks like a ride around SoCal.

The Roma has 611 horsepower and a top speed of about 200 mph, and Adam put those ponies to work ... getting up to 182 km/h, or about 110 mph.

As for the charity auction, Save the Children has worked tirelessly during COVID-19 to make sure underprivileged kids have books, supplies and virtual learning tools -- so the money is certainly going to a great place.

Struggling to make plans for New Year's Eve? Mariah Carey's got ya covered with this SICK dome up for grabs through Airbnb.

The vacation rental company is offering this unbelievable 1-night stay under the New Year's Eve Ball at Times Square. The lucky person who books this, along with their guest, will stay on Nasdaq's outdoor terrace ... where they'll sleep and chill inside their very own geodesic dome, with panoramic views of the crystal ball and the Big Apple for that matter.

But, wait ... there's more!!!

Mariah's virtual hosting duties include her serenading the lucky guests. Plus, there's also a $5,000 shopping credit for shops along Fifth Avenue or local Times Square shops.

And, while the world counts down to the end of an awful 2020, guests will enjoy access to an indoor lounge where they can relax, drink some bubbly and watch the world celebrate on TV. Dinner will be provided by a private chef. And, how's this for a cool memento ... a sparkly piece of the crystal featured in this year's Waterford Crystal Times Square NYE Ball design.

This all sounds incredible, for sure. The 1-night booking's just $21 ... but there's a catch.

It's on a first-come, first-serve basis but only open to guests who can prove they're NYC residents. They must also currently live in the same household and must meet COVID health and safety criteria ... like documentation proving they're COVID free.

Jerome Bettis is putting on his Superman cape this Christmas ... 'cause the NFL legend is rushing to the rescue after someone allegedly stole a bunch of goods intended for kids in need from a charity.

A rep from Family Resources -- an org. Bettis is helping fundraise for this year -- tells TMZ Sports that at around 9:30 AM Tuesday morning, they realized a TON of gifts had been taken from their headquarters in Pittsburgh.

The rep says everything, from toys to coats to clothes, intended for around 400 victims of child abuse were all gone when officials checked in a conference room.

In total, the rep claims around $1,900 worth of items were taken in the heist.

But, after Bettis learned of the problem Tuesday ... he raced in to help -- offering up some cool gifts to fans on social media in exchange for donations to the charity.

"We can't let the Grinch steal Christmas," Bettis tweeted out on Tuesday -- adding he's now giving away some signed Steelers jerseys to help raise funds for the kids.

A rep for Family Resources says Bettis' shoutout has already yielded tremendous results ... with $2,000 worth of contributions already pouring in Tuesday.

The rep also says Pittsburgh Steelers star Stephon Tuitt is expected to hand over a large check to the org. soon as well.

Dave Chappelle's flex on the entertainment industry is paying off again -- HBO Max says it will follow Netflix's lead and stop streaming "Chappelle's Show."

Casey Bloys, chief content officer of HBO and HBO Max, made the announcement Tuesday during a Q&A at Variety's Virtual FYCFest saying the network spoke with Dave, and that conversation led to the decision to remove the show at the end of the year.

She said, "We had a conversation with Dave. I won't get into it, but it's very clear that it's a very unique and specific and emotional issue he's got." She added, "So, at the end of the year, December 31st, we're going to honor his request and take the show down."

It was just last month when Chappelle revealed in a stand-up segment that he called Netflix honchos and told them about his displeasure with them streaming his show.

Dave was pissed because he says he has no say in where the show airs, or rights to any revenue from it airing ... because it belongs to Comedy Central and its parent company, Viacom. He admits he signed a deal years ago -- before his current success and power -- allowing Viacom to do what it wants, but he's now asking ... is that right?

In that same segment ... Chappelle recounted a story about pitching his show to HBO years ago, and they essentially laughed him out of the room.

Chappelle recalled, "They said, literally, 'What do we need you for? That's what they told me as they kicked me out of the office, What do we need you for?' And here we are all these years later and they're streaming the very show I was pitching to them. So I'm asking them, what do you need me for?"

The Great One now owes a great deal of gratitude toward cops in Canada ... 'cause police in Ontario say they've recovered a bunch of Wayne Gretzky's memorabilia after it was stolen from his dad's home in the summer.

Cops say back in August 2020 ... Gretzky family members reported a bunch of Wayne's game-worn items and awards had been jacked from the home of his 82-year-old father, Walter Gretzky.

Police say memorabilia that was taken included game-used sticks, jerseys, gloves, pants and even a Player of the Year award.

But, good news ... cops say after a 3-month investigation -- they were able to recover a bunch of the items AND arrest some suspects.

The Brantford Police Service announced Tuesday they executed search warrants this month and recovered Gretzky gear that was estimated to be worth over $500,000.

The BPS also revealed it arrested and charged two 58-year-old suspects, one female and one male, in connection with the theft.

"On behalf of our family, I would like to thank the Brantford Police Service, the Ontario Provincial Police, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for everything they have done regarding this investigation," Glen Gretzky, Wayne's brother, said in a statement.

"I would like to sincerely thank every member of the team; the professionalism, dedication and support they have shown has been greatly appreciated."

Washington's NFL team, Cleveland's MLB team ... and now the Vancouver Canucks?

The NHL squad is now feeling pressure to change ... this after an Indigenous Studies expert claims the main logo featured on the team's uniforms is cultural appropriation.

Sean Carleton -- a University of Manitoba history professor -- spelled out his concerns in a lengthy social media thread this week ... explaining why he feels the team's orca logo should be replaced.

Carleton says the whale -- which was created nearly 3 decades ago and has elements of artwork designed by Haida in it -- is hurting indigenous people.

Carleton explains he essentially believes the Canucks took the design and now are making money hand over fist with it -- all while diminishing indigenous people's art.

"How can you continue to develop meaningful relations with Coast Salish nations when you continue to profit from branding that is appropriating their art style," Carleton wrote on Twitter on Monday.

"People will say, but Sean the imagery is a 'a sign of respect.' How respectful is continuing to make piles of money from a business you operate on stolen land all the while branding that business with stolen imagery. That's the logic of colonial capitalism for you."

Carleton says the Canucks should do a better job of working with indigenous people and allowing them to be part of the team's design processes going forward.

"[The Canucks should] work with Indigenous peoples to develop iconography in appropriate ways, giving Indigenous artists a platform and a way to participate and benefit."

We've reached out to the Canucks for comment ... but so far, no word back.

Previously, back in 2019, Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini had said the team isn't considering a logo change ... telling reporters at the time, "It’s indigenous to the region. We’re going to keep it."

It should be noted the Canucks have worn alternate uniforms -- throwback-inspired threads -- over the past few seasons that do NOT have the orca design on them.

J Lo claims love don't cost a thing, but Cardi B's proving otherwise by handing Offset keys to a very rare Lamborghini for his 29th birthday.

The "WAP" rapper blindfolded her hubby Monday night and slowly walked him over to his birthday gift ... a Lambo Aventador SVJ 63 Roadster. The sticker price is a whopping $600k. Keep in mind, Offset just gifted Cardi a new Rolls-Royce for her bday -- so, sorry J Lo.

One look at the bronze-ish Lambo and Offset was stunned -- and even speechless for a sec -- but it didn't take long for him to erupt in celebration once he got a closer look at the SVJ.

The initials stand for Super Veloce Jota -- Italian for super-fast, and the 63 is for the number of them Lambo made. Cool car facts that Offset definitely knew.

Anyway ... the birthday celebration continued in what appears to be a nightclub, presumably in the Atlanta area, and the joint was packed. There seemed to be very few people wearing masks, and social distancing was non-existent.

A source close to the couple tells us COVID tests were taken and the party followed CDC guidelines in place for Atlanta.

Prior to kicking off the festivities ... Cardi B took to Instagram to honor her hubby saying, "Happy birthday Hubs ❤️ I wish you many more."

She added, "Thank you soo much for helping me these past months getting my business in line (somebbody gotta be the mean 1 😅 ) I ❤️ u. Let's turn it up tonight!!"

Well, that they did, as you can see in the video.

It's unclear if any testing went down prior to Offset's shindig, but it's interesting coming on the heels of the convo we had with him over the weekend about COVID-19 and the vaccine.

It's not a game-worn jersey, sneakers or autographed basketball -- no the most expensive Steph Curry item ever is THIS piece of cardboard ...

You're looking at a 2009/10 Panini National Treasures "Century Gold" Steph Curry signed patch/autograph rookie card ... and it just sold for $616,000 at auction!!!

The guys at Goldin Auctions facilitated the deal this week ... and they say the cash it fetched now makes it the priciest piece of Curry memorabilia ever.

As for why ... the card is insanely rare -- it's 1 of only 25 ever made, and its 9.5 grade gives it nearly a perfect 10 score for its edges, centering and signature.

The card also features a landmark on the patch -- part of Curry's number appears to be visible on the swatch -- which makes the piece even MORE valuable to card enthusiasts.

Of course, the Curry piece is just the latest in the trading card world to explode in value ... the past few months have brought INSANE prices among collectors.

Just a few days ago, Wayne Gretzky's rookie card sold for $1.3 MIL at auction ... making it the most pricey hockey card ever.

And, a few weeks before that, Rob Kardashian himself pulled an ultra-rare Tom Brady card that could land a fortune at auction too!!

Tom Brady license plates are about to be a real thing in Florida -- and it's all for a great cause!!!

Florida officials have confirmed ... a license plate featuring Tom's image will go into production in the next few days/weeks as soon as 3,000 people commit to driving with it on their rides.

So, why??

State officials say it's part of an awesome idea by Tom's favorite charity organization, Best Buddies -- a nonprofit that helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Best Buddies reps say purchases of the specialty plate will lead to cash for the org ... explaining out of the $35 that it costs drivers to buy the plate ... $25 will go straight to the foundation.

And, because Tom has had such lengthy ties to the cause ... they say it's all the perfect win-win-win for all parties now that he's Tampa Bay's starting QB!

"With his recent move to Florida, we are incredibly excited to team up with long-time Global Ambassador Tom Brady for the new Best Buddies specialty license plate," the founder and CEO of Best Buddies International, Anthony K. Shriver, said.

"Since 2003, Tom has proven himself to be a committed advocate for individuals with disabilities, and we’re grateful that his commitment to our mission-driven initiatives will continue to create friendships, jobs, leadership development training, and inclusive living opportunities for people with special abilities here in the sunshine state."

"You win one championship and you don't know how to act!!!"

L.A. Lakers superstar Anthony Davis rolled up to the team facility in a brand new (crazy expensive) Rolls-Royce on Monday ... and Kyle Kuzma came with the jokes!!!

"Yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, big dawg. Look at this car," Kuzma jokingly said to AD ... "This dude. You actin' different!!!!"

The ride is RIDICULOUS -- looks like a tricked out Rolls-Royce Wraith, which reportedly starts at $330,000!!!

And, you know AD ain't gettin' the base model -- so fair to assume this thing is probably closer to $400,000.

Yeah, he can afford it -- dude just signed a 5-year, $190 MILLION extension with the Lakers. So, this is like the equivalent of any normal person dropping a few bucks on a Hot Wheels toy!!!

As for Kuzma, he got a big laugh out of Davis -- so still friends?!

The Lakers superstars sure do love fancy cars -- remember, it was just a week ago LeBron James was spotted zipping around L.A. in a sick Porsche 918 Spyder convertible!

Bron's car ain't just fast, it's also super rare and in high demand -- with similar rides selling for around $1.7 MILLION!!!!

'RHOBH' star Erika Jayne's estranged husband has had his assets frozen and a judge now wants prosecutors to have a look at what he allegedly did.

A federal judge said Tom Girardi conducted himself in an "unconscionable" manner ... finding that he misappropriated at least $2 million in client money. Even more ominous ... the judge is referring the matter to the U.S. Attorney's Office for possible criminal investigation.

The money was intended to compensate the families of victims of the Boing 737 Max, Lion Air crash. Lawyers for Girardi said their client didn't currently have the $2 mil he owes his clients ... shockingly announcing Girardi's firm has a measly $15k in the bank.

And, get this ... Girardi's lawyers said they had concerns about his mental competency, adding they were unsure if he understood the seriousness of the case. One of his lawyers told the judge she wanted Girardi to undergo a mental evaluation ... this according to the L.A. Times, which first reported the news.

As if the legal fallout couldn't get any worse ... Girardi's facing TWO more lawsuits -- one from Robert Keese, the other named partner in Girardi's firm, who claims Girardi owes him $506k for using his name per a deal they struck. Keese says Girardi made some payments but then stopped.

In the second lawsuit ... Girardi's partners in a venture called 1126 Wilshire filed legal docs to dissolve the partnership ... claiming Girardi fraudulently encumbered property the partnership owns worth around $7.5 million.