Money

Alex Rodriguez struck a pose in front of a red Porsche that looks just like the one he gifted Jennifer Lopez for her 50th birthday, which raises so many questions.

A-Rod posed for, and posted, the pic Wednesday with the caption, "I'm super down to earth," which ya know ... is a joke because along with the Porsche there are 2 more luxury cars behind it.

But, nobody cares about his caption, and instead, everyone's focused on the red sports car ... which appears to be the same 2019 Porsche 911 GT3 he gifted J Lo for her birthday 2 years ago.

So, does this mean A-Rod took the ride back when they broke off their engagement ... or did J Lo give it back?

If you're thinking of freaking out on a plane, hope you're flush with cash, because freak-outs don't come cheap. Some off-the-rails passengers have been fined and the total is now more than a million bucks.

The FAA just hit a milestone (a bad one) in the total amount of penalties they've dished out thus far in 2021 ... there have been 3,889 reports of unruly behavior this year, and many of these ridiculous passengers have been socked with huge fines.

Most of the in-flight eruptions involve disputes over mask-wearing. There are also a bunch of alcohol-related disturbances. For example ...

-- A JetBlue passenger was fined $45,000 for throwing objects, including his carry-on at other passengers, lying on the aisle floor, and then grabbing a flight attendant by the ankles and putting his head up her skirt.

-- A Frontier Airlines passenger was socked with a $30,000 fine after trying to gain entry to the cockpit by assaulting 2 flight attendants, threatening to kill one of them, and demanding they open the door.

-- A JetBlue passenger was fined $17,530 for failing to comply with the mask mandate, vaping on the plane and drinking alcohol not served by the airline.

-- An Allegiant Airlines passenger was fined $10,500 for refusing to wear a face mask and then urinating on the bathroom floor, which leaked into the galley.

Turns out a lot of these passengers got dinged for bringing alcohol on board -- which is a no-no -- and then getting belligerent.

The fines we were provided are all hefty -- starting at $7,500. On top of that, some passengers have been charged with crimes.

It's gotten so bad, flight attendants are now duct-taping out-of-control passengers to their seats.

The people who allegedly swiped jewelry from Swae Lee's hotel room -- along with the 4 suspects who smashed up Lil Pump's rides -- are going to get off scot-free ... unless police get some new info.

A spokesperson for the Miami Beach PD tells TMZ ... in both cases, all investigative leads were exhausted, and in the end, no arrests were made.

We're told the 2 separate cases are now considered closed ... unless cops receive additional leads which would then be reviewed.

We broke the story ... Swae Lee claims he had $300,000 worth of jewelry jacked from his room at the Mondrian Hotel in South Beach back in June, and he was suspicious of the cleaning staff.

About a month before that -- not too far from Swae's hotel -- Lil Pump had 3 of his luxury vehicles broken into and vandalized. According to the police report, 4 suspects were caught in the act on surveillance footage ... but it still apparently didn't lead to any arrests.

Sylvester Stallone has just learned the connection between comedy and real estate -- timing is everything.

Sly's 8-bedroom, 9-bath Beverly Hills mansion is back on the market with the same sticker price he slapped on it a few months ago -- he's asking $85 mil for the sweet pad ... one he's long called home since snapping it up in the '90s.

He'd initially listed it in February at $110 mil ... but we're told no one was biting at the time, so he slashed the price by a lot -- some $25 mil or so to get it at its current price. Sly didn't have any takers at the time -- so he yanked it off the market.

But, things have changed. The real estate market in SoCal is hotter than ever, and houses in gated communities are going at a premium. So, this time around ... it's a very good bet someone's gonna scoop it up.

Whoever buys this puppy is gonna have a whole lot of room to spread out -- the house sits on over 3 acres of land. It's quite literally a palace ... a custom one at that which SS himself made to his liking, and which is essentially a shrine to his 'Rocky' legacy.

We don't think any of that stuff is gonna stay, but whatever is studs-in certainly will ... including every awesome thing the property offers. For example, there's an 8-car garage, an art studio, a sauna and steam room, an infinity pool, a private theater, a gym ... and a cigar room, just to name a few of the perks of shelling out. Plus ... Sylvester himself lived there!

Sly, Jennifer and the kids have left La La Land for good. They're now ensconced in Florida -- like a lot of other celebs -- and he's just trying to shed the last of his compounds here. Step right up ... come and take on the champ, if you can afford it.

Christina Haack just dropped more than $10 million on a brand new mansion in Orange County ... and the place is palatial.

Ya gotta see Christina's new digs in Dana Point ... it's 6,084-square-feet of luxury, decked out with a movie theater, game room and backyard with panoramic views of the Pacific. If scenery's not your thing, there's also a pool, spa and fire pit back there.

The estate is tucked away in a gated community and it's got 5 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms with indoor and outdoor dining areas and a chef's kitchen.

The "Flip or Flop" star closed the deal on her new pad July 7, throwing down a cool $10.3 million.

Our sources tell us Christina is making updates to the house to personalize it to her aesthetic ... and we're told she's mostly focusing on the kitchen and bathrooms.

TMZ broke the story ... Christina recently unloaded the Newport Beach home she shared with her ex-husband, Ant Anstead, for $5.35 million, and at the time, our sources told us she wanted to move closer to the coast and find a place with an ocean view.

Erika Jayne's estranged husband's unloading a bunch of his stuff -- including some of her "collectibles" -- to pay off creditors, but 2 items on the auction block stand out because they're more scandalous ... and a mystery even to Erika!!!

Sources close to "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star tell TMZ ... among Tom Girardi's auction items are 2 separate pieces of lingerie that never belonged to her, and she has no idea what the deal is.

We're told the items in question -- a red "Agent Provocateur" set in size 3, and a medium black lace top -- are both smaller than what Erika wears.

Both items are brand new with the tags and the red lingerie comes with a receipt to Tom, but their inclusion among the auction items has the rumor mill spinning.

Basically, we're told people close to Erika are wondering if these items were intended for her, and if not ... exactly who WERE they meant for?

Tom's law firm -- which was sued for allegedly embezzling funds from families who lost loved ones in the 2018 Lion Air Flight 610 crash in Indonesia -- isn't just auctioning off the mystery lingerie, of course. The auction also features office supplies, artwork, memorabilia and a ton of other stuff to pay legal costs.

Lionel Messi is worth so much money, even his boogers come with a hefty price tag -- 'cause a tissue he allegedly used earlier this month is on sale for a staggering $1 MILLION!!!

According to multiple reports, the person who snagged the handkerchief that Messi used during his Barcelona farewell press conference back on Aug. 8 has now listed it on an international auction site for a small fortune.

In the listing, per Rojak Daily, the seller claimed the tissue contained Messi's "genetic material" ... and therefore could potentially be used to someday clone the soccer superstar.

Ethics aside, the seller seemed to believe that potential was worth the massive asking price.

Of course, unclear if there are any serious potential buyers ... 'cause, after all, the item -- while certainly historic -- is super gross.

At Messi's newser, he wiped his nose and his eyes multiple times with the tissue ... and yeah, probably not something worth sinking $1 million into.

Then again, can you put a price tag on creating multiple Messi's ...

Kayla Harrison says she'll be the biggest free agent in MMA history in mere months ... and the current PFL star tells us she's looking for big fights and "life-changing money" wherever she signs next.

With only a few fights left on her Professional Fighters League deal, we talked to 31-year-old, undefeated (10-0) Harrison about her future in the sport.

"I worked hard my whole life to hopefully become one of the biggest free agents in the history of the sport," Harrison says.

"Obviously, if PFL comes to the table and, you know, has a good game plan, talks about life-changing money, or has a ton of new talent in the pool, then that’s something that, you know, we’re going to talk about."

Harrison clearly wants big fights against top competition ... namely Cris Cyborg and Amanda Nunes.

"I’m not here to be second best," Kayla says, later continuing ... "And, right now I feel like those two females who are my weight, are ahead of me. So, you know, when the time is right, and hopefully the stars align and everything works out, I get to fight, you know, Cyborg preferably."

We also asked Kayla -- who'll presumably have every organization from PFL, Bellator, ONE and UFC recruiting her -- whether she thinks she'll be the most coveted free agent in the history of the sport.

"Thus far in the history of the sport, I think I will be. But, again, I have to go do my job, you know, I have to go out, I have to dominate, I have to put on a hell of a show and make it so that everyone wants to tune in and see what Kayla Harrison is up to on Thursday nights."

FYI, PFL fights typically go down on Thursdays.

Lil Wayne's never forgotten "Uncle Bob" -- the former New Orleans police officer who saved his life when he attempted suicide at age 12 -- and he's told him he's got his back for life if he ever needs anything.

"Uncle Bob," whose real name is Robert Hoobler, tells TMZ ... he saw Lil Wayne in 2019 when the rapper was in NOLA for a radio show, and that's when Wayne offered to provide Bob with financial support if he ever needed it, telling Bob all he has to do is say the word.

Bob says he hasn't taken up Weezy on the generous offer, but there have been talks about him joining Weezy's team in some sort of administrative capacity ... it's still TBD.

If you don't know ... Lil Wayne recently opened up about his mental health struggles as a kid and the incident with "Uncle Bob" when he was 12.

Lil Wayne now admits he intentionally shot himself in the chest -- for years, it was believed to be an accidental shooting -- and Bob was the cop who came to his rescue, refusing to let him die.

Now, all these years later, Wayne's still trying to pay back Bob. It's not the first time he's tried either -- you may recall his 2015 track "London Roads" in which he rapped about Bob saving him, and suggested the ex-cop had died.

But, Bob was still alive ... and says he got in touch with Wayne to let him know all reports or rumors of his death were greatly exaggerated.

NFL. UFC. WWE.

Those are three of the lucrative options U.S. Olympian Gable Steveson reportedly has on the table after winning a gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the 2020 Games.

TMZ Sports ran into Seth Rollins at LAX ... and we asked the WWE Superstar if pro wrestling would be a good career move for 21-year-old Steveson.

"I mean, we’d love to have him. He seems like an incredible athlete, and decent dude. And, you know, we've had some luck with Olympic gold medalists before, so why not?" Rollins said.

Seth is referring to Kurt Angle ... who won a gold medal in wrestling at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta before ultimately joining WWF (now WWE) in 1998 -- where he became a legend in the squared circle.

But, freestyle wrestling and pro wrestling are VERY different sports ... which is why Rollins is offering Gable some assistance.

"I do have a wrestling school, Black and Brave Wrestling Academy, so if he wants to move to Davenport, Iowa for three months, we'll get him ready."

Of course, since defeating the #1 seed in the gold medal match in Tokyo with fractions of a second remaining, 6'1", 260+ lb. Steveson says he's received interest from the NFL (Ravens, Bills), UFC, Bellator, and WWE ... to name a few.

Gable hasn't ruled out signing with any of the organizations ... making it clear if they write a big enough check, he's interested in football -or- wrestling -or- fighting.

Halle Berry is getting dragged into the legal ring by a former UFC fighter ... Cat Zingano is suing, claiming Halle offered her a movie role but was ultimately snubbed.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Cat claims she met with Halle back in July, 2019 to talk about a movie HB was directing, "Bruised," and says Halle told her she was perfect for the project.

Cat claims Halle told her to keep her schedule clear because film production was on the horizon, but she says the UFC came calling soon thereafter with a big fight offer.

In the docs, Cat claims she talked to Halle about the fight offer and claims Halle advised she pass on the fight if she wanted to be in the film, citing liability concerns from the movie's insurer.

Cat claims she agonized over the decision -- the movie versus the big fight -- and says she ultimately turned down the fight.  She says the UFC then released her from her contract.

According to the suit, Cat claims she looped Halle in on her decision not to fight and her subsequent release from the UFC, and says she was shocked and dismayed when Halle told her she could no longer be involved in the movie because she was no longer fighting in the UFC. She claims she was told the movie could only work with UFC fighters.

Cat -- who's currently a Bellator fighter -- claims Halle has cut off all communications from her. She's suing for damages, claiming she relied on Halle’s promise and ended up getting screwed.

Lady Gaga's dog walker is trekking across the country to try and heal his emotional wounds from the horrifying shooting ... and he says he's fallen on hard times.

Ryan Fischer says he's 2 months into a 6-month journey across America, which he's calling a sabbatical, but now he's crowdfunding ... because he says his van broke down and he needs money for travel expenses.

He says he's been relying on donations after blowing through his savings, and he's not just looking for money ... he's also asking folks to recommend retreats for trauma, plus queer spiritual leaders and healers.

Ryan says he's felt scared, lonely, abandoned and unsupported during his first 2 months on the road ... adding that he's had long bouts of depression, doubt and self-pity.

TMZ broke the story ... Ryan was shot back in February as robbers made off with Lady Gaga's French bulldogs, Koji and Gustav ... leaving Ryan bleeding on the sidewalk and screaming for help.

The dogs were ultimately found unharmed, and the LAPD later arrested 5 suspects for the attempted murder and dog heist.

Ryan says he had to get out of Hollywood, where he "fought for my life and mobility" after getting shot, and now he's devoted to strengthening his emotional and mental health.

Ex-NFL star James Harrison says there's no need for a stunt double on the set of his new wrestling TV show ... revealing he does his ALL his own moves -- and it hurts!!!

As we previously reported, the former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker is taking his talents from the gridiron to the screen ... kickstarting a career in acting after 15 years in the NFL.

Harrison plays a journeyman wrestler named Apocalypse in the new Starz show, "Heels" ... which is about 2 brothers going to war with their rivals over their father's wrestling promotion in a small Georgia town.

Harrison joined "TMZ Live" to talk about his new gig ... and he says he's really doing all the complex moves himself!!

"The pain is real but the actual competition of it is not," Harrison said.

"The things that we're doing, we're actually working with each other to make sure that we do it safely and make it look painful as possible."

The 43-year-old ain't afraid to do anything -- from "jumping off the top rope, landing on someone, someone landing on you, taking a clothesline, taking a bump, when you hit your back on the mat, whatever -- that is real!

"That's real pain!!!"

In fact, 6-foot, 242-lb. Harrison tells us the first time he flipped out of the ring ... injuring his right knee, which required a 2-month break from shooting.

It's obvious Harrison -- who won 2 Super Bowls with the Steelers -- is taking acting very seriously ... and he's coming for The Rock's job!

A 110-year-old Honus Wagner card -- one of the most coveted pieces of sports memorabilia -- just SMASHED the previous record sale price for a card ... selling for $6.6 MILLION!!

As we previously reported, the "holy grail" 1909-1911 T206 Wagner card recently hit the Robert Edwards Auction block ... and was expected to bring in over $6 million.

Well, that's exactly what happened ... after 26 bids, the card sold for a record price of $6.6 million!!

"This is the Mona Lisa of baseball cards," Robert Edwards' President told us, "and it’s a statement piece of epic proportions."

FYI, the previous record price belonged to a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card and a LeBron James rookie card that both sold in 2021 for $5.2 million.

The Wagner card -- graded VG 3 (very good) by graders at SGC -- was made by American Tobacco Company ... and only about 50 to 60 are known to exist.

The identity of the (very wealthy) buyer is not known.

During his 21-year career -- mostly with the Pittsburgh Pirates -- Wagner had 3,430 hits, 101 home runs, 722 stolen bases with a batting average of .329!

Honus also shares the NL record for the most batting titles (8) ever.

Jay-Z's latest hustle is big-time gambling ... he's signed on with some heavy hitters in a bid to open a sportsbook in NY, and the move could make him a pioneer in the billion-dollar industry.

TMZ has learned Jay's name is on one of the applications submitted to the NY Gaming Commission requesting approval for an online sports betting license. Sources with direct knowledge tell us he's partnering with his buddy, Sixers partner Michael Rubin, to form Fanatics Sportsbook, and they've teamed with Kambi ... a company that makes software used for online sports gambling.

Jay and Rubin's group is up against stiff competition ... including companies like FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook and WynnBET.

We're told NY state will approve at least 2 of the 6 groups, and it's possible Jay-Z will be the secret weapon that puts his group over the top. Not only is he the most prominent public figure applying for a license, but he's the only Black applicant. While the other corporations might have Black employees or execs, they aren't the actual licensees ... whereas Jay would be.

You'd think the guy who rapped about his "Empire State of Mind" would at least have a leg up in his home state -- but there's probably a lot of politics at play too. The Gaming Commission has until December to make the call.

Sports gambling pulled in roughly $1.55 BILLION nationally last year, so it's easy to see why Jay and Rubin want in on the action. Our sources say their Fanatics Sportsbook will be headquartered in NYC, and Jay's already planning to hire a diverse staff -- race and gender-wise -- as he's done with Roc Nation.

Usher took major heat earlier this year after being accused of throwing fake money at real strippers -- but when you see this ... his so-called "bucks" are A-OK in context.

Check out these videos taken from one of Usher's Vegas residency shows from this past weekend -- during which an exotic dancer took the stage (and the entire building) by storm after performing a pole routine during Mr. Raymond's "Bad Girl" ... with a club-like set in tow.

The woman's name is Isis (the Goddess) ... and she's half naked on the pole, doing all sorts of flips and tricks in the air, while also twerking and knocking her boots ON BEAT at the same time -- this while Usher and the rest of his fellow performers look on and throw some kinda green her way. Some have speculated that, yes, they might be Ush bucks.

It's all part of the performance for that track, it seems, with the stage design made to be part of a larger set piece highlighting the "Bad Girl" narrative Usher's singing about. So, in this setting -- where the dancing isn't "real," per se -- it's NBD to throw his phony cash. Right???

WRONG!!! Or so it seems, anyway, based on some Twitter users' reaction to the clip -- which has since gone viral -- who *seem* to actually be upset that this gal might've been getting funny money thrown at her instead of real bills ... even though she's in on the show.

Whether the so-called outrage over this is sincere or not -- we can easily weigh in and say, the idea of being mad that this dancer wasn't collecting real greenbacks during the show is utterly outrageous. Because, frankly, she's probably collecting way more for her role BTS.

Of course, it's quite possible people are simply giving Usher a hard time (in jest) because of the brief controversy from a few months ago, where a stripper who wasn't part of his show claimed he'd thrown Ush bucks her way instead of real dough ... which he refuted.