Playboi Carti Sued You Owe Me $97k for Unpaid Jewelry!!!

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Playboi Carti has no problem flossin' his chains but the rapper's got problems paying for his shiny ice in full ... at least according to a new lawsuit.

Eliantte & Co. filed legal docs in New York claiming the "Magnolia" rapper owes $97,063.75, which the company says is the balance for 2 custom chains the rapper ordered back in September 2020.

In docs, obtained by TMZ, Eliantte, who has done jaw-dropping work for the likes of Swizz Beatz and many other celeb clients, says he quickly went to work on a 14-carat white gold diamond rosary chain and a custom diamond tennis chain.

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The jeweler says PC was billed $197,063.75 for the pieces. Eliantte claims the rapper made a $100k payment on January 25, but then failed to pay off the rest of the balance despite repeated demands.

So now, Eliantte is suing to get what he's owed.

We reached out to the rapper, so far, no word back.

'RHONJ' Star Melissa Gorga Lists NJ Mansion ... Waterfront Living for $2.9 Million!!!

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Melissa and Joe Gorga are saying goodbye to some of the best views NJ has to offer ... 'cause they've put their crib on the market.

The 'RHONJ' stars are selling their 7-bedroom, 5-bathroom mansion in Toms River, NJ for $2.9 million. Helluva deal considering the traditional, 2-story home offers picturesque panoramic views of the Barnegat Bay and 165 feet on the Bayfront.

The home, sandwiched between 2 mega-mansions, sits in a cul-de-sac ... so it offers decent privacy. But, the best part, the 17,424-square-foot lot offers room for the new owner's boat! Yep, boat lift and dock included.

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Not in the mood for a boat ride or saltwater swimming? Enjoy the backyard with a huge pool.

The place oozes luxury thanks to a spectacular chandelier and ritzy light fixtures throughout.

There's also a majestic fireplace in the living room and a 2-car garage.

Joseph Cassese of Cassese Realtors has the listing.

'Hide Yo Kids, Hide Yo Wife' Viral Star Antoine Dodson's Mom Dies ... Asks Internet for Help

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Antoine Dodson -- known for going viral in 2010 for his "Hide yo kids, hide yo wife" interview -- is reeling after the death of his mother ... and asking for help to cover her funeral costs.

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DEALING WITH DIFFICULTIES
TMZ.com

Antoine tells TMZ ... his mom, Jennifer, died Sunday at a hospital in Decatur, Alabama, which came as a shock to him because he thought she was over some of her recent health issues.

Dodson says his mom began having problems with her leg back around the time he became famous, and had to have it amputated a few months ago. This led to an infection and some time in the ICU, but Antoine says she was getting better.

Sadly, she took a turn for the worse and Antoine got a call Sept. 12 that his mom had passed. He tells us doctors believe she died of heart failure.

Antoine says because of the pandemic, he's strapped for funds and really needs help covering his mom's funeral costs -- especially because there was no warning. So, he's launched a GoFundMe page for those who can chip in to help put her to rest.

Skrillex I Just Sold the Most Spectacular Malibu Estate ... And Made a King's Ransom!!!

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Skrillex has unloaded one of the best houses in L.A. -- spectacular, dare we say -- and he made a fortune in the process.

The EDM star has sold his ultra-modern Malibu beach house for $17.5 million. That's gotta be music to Skrillex's ears ... considering he bought a plot of land nearly 5 years ago and paid $6 million for it, and then built a jaw-dropping home.

The end result was a palatial 1.11-acre custom-built estate ... a 12,000-square-foot home with 6 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms. It's an open floor plan with sweeping views of the Pacific. It comes with all the bells and whistles, including a movie theater, gym, sauna and game room.

There's a good mix of modern and classic ... thanks to a mix of stone and wood. Walls of glass provide a sick indoor/outdoor flow.

The new owners are going to enjoy some of the best views Malibu has to offer. And, the house is designed around the views, which is the smart way to go but often not followed.

The home sits inside an exclusive, gated community with 17 other mansions.

Speaking of the new owners ... they hail from Australia. According to The Dirt, they made their fortune in bathroom and plumbing supplies. So, this is what some good toilets will get ya!!!

Kurt Rappaport and Kevin Booker of Westside Estate Agency had the listing. Tony Mariotti and Judy Lin Young of Ruby Home repped the buyers.

'BACHELOR' STAR HANNAH ANN Sues Procter & Gamble ... Stop Using My Pic to Sell Detergent!!!

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'Bachelor' star Hannah Ann Sluss is not down with seeing her face on Downy laundry products, and she's fed up enough to raise a legal "stink" with a slew of huge companies.

Hannah just filed suit against Procter & Gamble, CVS Pharmacy, Target and Walmart ... claiming P&G is still using a pic of her to sell products on those store shelves, even though its license to do so has expired.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Hannah claims she licensed one of her modeling photos to be used on a single product from October 1, 2017, to October 1, 2019 ... but she says P&G continued using it on multiple products after she got way more famous following her stint on 'The Bachelor.'

In her suit, Hannah claims her image is still being used to hawk at least 6 Downy products ... nearly 2 years after the licensing deal ended.

She's particularly upset one of the products is associated with P&G's "Life Gets Stinky" campaign ... calling it "especially egregious because it associated [her] with the word 'stinky.'"

Hannah's going after P&G, CVS, Target and Walmart for money ... and she's asking the judge to order them to stop selling the products featuring her picture.

We reached out to reps for the companies ... so far, no word back.

Soccer Star Reece James My Home Was Burglarized ... And I Caught The Cowards On Video!!!

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THE ALLEGED BURGLARY

Reece James -- a Chelsea soccer star and member of England's national team -- claims his home was burglarized Tuesday ... and he says it was all captured by security cameras.

James says the incident went down while he was away from his house playing in a game for Chelsea ... claiming the footage shows clear as day how thieves stole a giant safe from his home.

In the video, you can see what appears to be four men pushing their way through a gate on James' property to get access to his house.

The men then appear to look into James' windows ... before breaking in using a giant sledgehammer.

James says you can see in the video the guys stole a safe from his place ... and then hauled it all the way outside and into a getaway car.

"They managed to collectively lift a heavy safe containing some personal items of mine into their car," James said.

The 21-year-old footballer says some of his priceless soccer awards were in the safe ... adding that law enforcement has been notified and is investigating.

"I am appealing to all my Chelsea and England fans to help identify and turn in these low life individuals who will never be able to rest easy as the evidence is mounting against them," James said.

"The police, my advisers and Chelsea FC (and many others) are all behind me as we have firm leads on who the perpetrators are. We are closing in on them."

James said, thankfully, nobody was home or injured during the incident.

"I want to let all of you know I am safe and well," James said. "I really do appreciate having the platform to tell you all about my misfortune and I hope together we can catch these individuals and deliver justice where it is due."

Jessica Alba Honest Co. Sued for Alleged COVID-Related Fraud ... Your Diaper Sales Claims Were Really Sh**ty

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Jessica Alba's Honest Co. is being sued by shareholders who claim the company misled them by failing to disclose so many parents stocked up on diapers and other Honest products at the beginning of the pandemic that sales in subsequent quarters tanked.

The shareholders claim in a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, they bought Honest stock after the company went public in May, 2021 because the financial reports from 2020 showed gangbuster sales. They figured, hey, this company is on the rise so let's get in now.

Just 2 months later, Honest released a report saying they lost $20 million in the second quarter of 2021, and stock prices plummeted nearly 43% from the public offering price.

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The shareholders claim Honest hid an essential fact ... that consumers had stockpiled diapers, wipes and other wellness products because of the pandemic, and by the time the company went public Honest knew sales were falling in a big way.

Now the shareholders do concede ... Honest disclosed that COVID was a driver of high sales and there was no assurance that would continue. But, the shareholders says Honest actually KNEW sales were declining but didn't ante up the info.

We reached out to reps for Jessica and the Honest Co. ... so far, no word back.

SpaceX Civilians Blast Off Into Space ... No Astronauts Required!!!

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ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND
Space X
UPDATE

6:15 AM PT -- 9/16 -- We've obtained video from the ground in the Bahamas of the launch, you can see the incredible light as stunned onlookers filmed the crew mid-flight.

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LIGHTING UP THE SKY
Karen Murphy

Elon Musk's space company just made history ... the first ever, all-civilian spaceflight is way up above our planet ... and they blasted off without any astronauts.

Billionaire Jared Isaacman, a pilot himself, is leading the mission dubbed Inspiration4 ... and it looks like he's already having a blast up there in space with the rest of his lucky space tourists.

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Chris Sembroski, Dr. Sian Proctor and Hayley Arceneaux took off with Jared in a SpaceX Dragon capsule Wednesday night ... blasting into space using a Falcon 9 rocket, which launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

As you can see ... the space tourists were clapping and celebrating as they took off into space, breaking the speed of sound on the way up, while those in mission control back home were hyped too.

Now that they're in orbit, Jared and co. will be in space for the next 3 days, zipping around Earth about once every 90 minutes and enjoying the views.

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REPORTING FOR DUTY
TMZ.com

As we first told you ... Jared told us back in February he was most looking forward to overriding the automatic pilot and taking Dragon for a spin up in space.

BTW ... the civilian crew will be sleeping in the same reclining seats you saw them in on the launch ... and they've got to share a toilet and forego showers.

Originally Published -- 9/15 6:17 PM PT

'Love & Hip Hop' Star Mo Fayne Gets 17 Years in Prison in PPP Loan Fraud Case Gotta Pay Back $4.4M!!!

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Rapper Mo Fayne's going away for a long, long time for his role in a PPP loan fraud case ... he's just been sentenced to 210 months in prison -- that's 17.5 years.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the "Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta" star was hit with the prison sentence after pleading guilty to 6 counts, including bank and wire fraud.

Remember ... prosecutors alleged he funded a lavish lifestyle during the pandemic with money from the Paycheck Protection Program. The money was intended to help employees and small businesses hit hard by COVID.

Fayne had cut a plea deal with prosecutors ... who agreed to drop 14 other charges and recommend Fayne get a 151-month sentence. Instead ... the judge hit him with nearly 5 more years behind bars. The silver lining ... he was staring down a possible 30-year sentence if he didn't cut that deal, so take that for what it's worth.

According to the Dept. of Justice ... Fayne submitted a $3.7 million PPP loan application, falsely claiming his trucking business had 107 employees and an average monthly payroll of $1,490,200.

The feds say Fayne promised to use the PPP loan to retain workers and maintain payroll but instead used it for improper purposes ... including $40k for past-due child support, $85k for for jewelry, $136k for a Rolls-Royce, and $907k to start a new business in Arkansas.

After he's released from prison ... Fayne will be on 5 years of supervised release. He also has to pay a huge restitution bill ... a whopping $4,465,865.55.

USWNT Players Union Identical Deal Proposal ... Sounds Like a 'PR Stunt' To Us!!!

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The player union representing the U.S. Women's national soccer team is speaking out AGAINST the U.S. Soccer Federation's "identical deals" proposal ... saying the whole thing is nothing but a publicity stunt.

The USSF recently announced its plans to unite the men's and women's squads under the same collective bargaining agreement by offering identical contracts.

"U.S. Soccer firmly believes that the best path forward for all involved, and for the future of the sport in the United States, is a single pay structure for both senior national teams,' the USSF said Tuesday.

"This proposal will ensure that USWNT and USMNT players remain among the highest-paid senior national team players in the world, while providing a revenue sharing structure that would allow all parties to begin anew and share collectively in the opportunity that combined investment in the future of U.S. Soccer will deliver over the course of a new CBA."

The women's team is now breaking its silence on the matter ... calling BS on the deal, claiming it's anything but fair.

One of the issues ... World Cup prize money. The women -- who won the WC in 2019 -- receive about $40 million for winning the world's biggest soccer tourney.

Meanwhile, the men make around 10 times more ... raking in over $400 million.

So, you see why the women are calling the fairness offer nothing more than a publicity stunt.

Now, it's important to note that it's not the U.S. Soccer Federation entity that sets the World Cup prize money.

FYI, the women's team filed a $66 million lawsuit against the governing body in 2019 for gender discrimination ... but the suit was dismissed. The women are currently appealing the decision.

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THE TIME IS NOW

Star player, Megan Rapinoe, also spoke out demanding for equal pay at the White House back in March.

The USWNT's collective bargaining agreement ends at the end of this year.

Julianne Hough Says She Regrets Using Blackface Amid Backlash Over 'Activist' Show

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Julianne Hough's blackface scandal is resurfacing ... some 8 years later as she faces new criticism over her role on a new CBS reality show that has her judging real activists.

The dancer and actress addressed the backlash Tuesday, saying many people are just now becoming aware she wore blackface in 2013 when she dressed up as Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren from "Orange is the New Black" for Halloween.

She said, "Wearing black face was a poor choice based on my own white privilege and my own white body bias that hurt people and is something I regret doing to this day."

The renewed backlash stems from Julianne's role -- alongside Usher and Priyanka Chopra Jonas -- for a new reality competition series, "The Activist" premiering next month, where she judges 6 activists competing to bring attention to their causes.

The show was slammed as tone-deaf ... and Julianne addressed the concerns head on. She said, "I heard you say that the show was performative, promoted pseudo-activism over real activism, felt tone-deaf, like Black Mirror, The Hunger Games, and that the hosts weren’t qualified to assess activism because we are celebrities and not activists."

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Julianne said that with some people only now finding out about her blackface scandal ... it "only further added insult to injury."

She admits she's NOT an activist, and agrees she's not qualified to act as a judge ... but said she was excited to do the show because she wanted "to be part of something that highlights, and is centered around sharing activists' work on a larger platform."

Calvin Johnson WR Still Furious With Lions ... Wants Team To Fork Over $1.6 Million

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Calvin Johnson still has big beef with the Detroit Lions ... saying things will remain icey with his former team until they give him back $1.6 MILLION.

The Hall of Famer broke down his feud with his ex-squad while speaking with Graham Bensinger recently ... explaining he's still furious with the Lions over the way they took back some of his signing bonus following his abrupt 2016 retirement.

"I put it like this," Johnson said on "In Depth With Graham Bensinger." "Imagine you had a friend -- well, maybe not even a friend, just somebody. They gave you something and then they take it back. And, then are y'all gonna still really hang out?"

"Are y'all still cool?" Calvin added. "And, imagine you did a whole bunch of work for it, too. It's the principle. It's the principle of it. Like, no, you cannot have me back unless you put that money back in my pocket."

The Lions reportedly recently made an attempt to give Johnson back the cash -- offering him, according to the Detroit Free Press, $500K a year for three years of work with the team, plus a $100K charity donation.

But, Johnson told Bensinger he declined that deal ... calling the offer a "joke."

"I'm not saying they got to repay me the $1.6 all up-front, but they need to figure out a way to do it, and not have me work for it," Johnson said. "Because I already did the work for it."

Calvin -- who played for the Lions from 2007 through 2015 -- said he is hopeful, however, that someday he and the org. can ultimately come to a positive resolution.

Fat Joe 'Verzuz' Battle w/ Ja Rule a Lovefest ... I Brought Gifts!!!

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BIRKINS FOR BEAUTIES
TMZ.com

Fat Joe and Ja Rule went head-to-head at their highly anticipated "Verzuz," but the women they brought on stage might have come out on top of what turned out to be more of a love-in than a battle.

The 2 rappers squared off for 20 rounds at Madison Square Garden Tuesday night, playing almost all of their major hits, but at one point Joe stopped the show to present gifts to a couple of their special guests -- Ashanti and Remy Ma.

The ladies guested on both of the guys' tracks, and are credited with elevating the show beyond the back-and-forth barbs and posturing ... and Joe rewarded them with Hermes handbags.

Other big names who joined in on the "Verzuz" fun included Nelly, Lil Mo, Vita, and Dre from Cool & Dre ... but, there was also one notable absence -- 50 Cent.

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IT'S IN THE BAG
TMZ.com

As you know ... Ja and Fiddy have had beef for decades, so fans were hoping for a surprise showdown, but it didn't happen -- much like Ja Rule suggested it wouldn't.

As for Fat Joe and him ... despite all the shots they traded Tuesday night in the Garden, they also expressed a ton of love and respect for each other, and the crowd ate it up.

Michael Che TikToker Sues Over Sketch ... I'm the OG HomeGirl!!!

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Michael Che made a bad call when he did a "homegrrl" sketch on his HBO Max show, because he jacked it from a TikToker's "HomeGirl Hotline" bit ... or so she claims in a new lawsuit.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ ... Kelly Manno says she's a popular TikTok creator who came up with the fictional idea of a service where "people unable to cope with certain social situations can call a hotline and order a 'home girl'" to help 'em out.

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Manno says she created and posted a video of her bit in August 2020, and it racked up a couple hundred thousand views on TikTok ... while a second one in September 2020 got more than half a million views.

Fast-forward to April 2021 and the release of "That Damn Michael Che" on HBO Max ... Manno claims the sixth episode of the comedy series included 4 segments about a fictional service where people order a "homegrrl" to show up where they are and help them out of uncomfortable situations.

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THE 'HOMEGRRL" SKETCH
HBO

According to the suit ... Manno says each segment ended with a character saying a variation of "Thank you, homegrrl" ... which she claims infringes on her copyright that includes the phrase "Thank you, HomeGirl Hotline!"

Manno alleges this is willful copyright infringement, and she wants maximum damages and an order blocking Che and HBO Max from using it.

We've reached out to Che and HBO Max ... no word back, so far.

Kid Cudi Made 'SPACE' for $1.6 Mil Accessory Met Gala Look's Next Level

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Kid Cudi boldly went where no man has gone before at the 2021 Met Gala ... with damn near a couple million in bling hanging from his neck!!!

The "Man On the Moon" artist was decked out in a vibrant Louis Vitton getup for the event, but the centerpiece of the look was his not-so-little man on the moon ... an opulent, one-of-a-kind piece designed by Ben Baller and KAWS.

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MINI 'MOON MAN'
If & Co.

We're told the chain and pendant -- museum quality diamond work titled "SPACE" -- is a whopping $1,600,000 piece ... featuring more than 24,000 clarity E color diamonds, and more than a kilo in 18k rose gold.

The celeb jeweler says, "This is the most detailed and intricate piece of jewelry I’ve ever created in my entire career," adding that he had to shut down his entire factory for 3 months to focus on completing it.

The piece is a miniature take on Kaws' famous "Holiday Space" astronaut figure, and Baller says the pendant's backpack has a secret compartment where Cudi can keep weed -- or other small stuff -- in it.

That's one small step for bejeweled man ...

Britney Spears 'The Britney Ring' a Hot Commodity ... But No Rush to Tie the Knot

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Britney Spears won't be walking down the aisle anytime soon -- but in the meantime, her giant diamond ring is all the rage for others looking to say "I do."

A rep for Forever Diamonds NY -- where Brit's fiance, Sam Asghari, had this puppy commissioned -- tells TMZ ... they received 500 inquiries Sunday following news of the proposal, with 95% of those inquiries being from people looking to purchase a version of the "Britney Ring."

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You'll recall ... Forever Diamonds NY said they'd be naming this ring setting after the pop star herself, commemorating the thought they say Sam put in while making the purchase.

Despite everyone clamoring for a Britney ring of their own ... Forever Diamonds says no one will get the exact one she's got on her finger right now -- because that one was specially made for her, and they won't replicate it precisely.

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PICKING IT UP!
Instagram / @britneyspears

That said, the jeweler tells us they're considering a version of the ring on display at a store they're opening soon -- so customers can see it up close. The fanfare makes sense ... Sam himself just spilled the beans on how unique it actually is, and what he had to do to keep it under wraps for so long.

As for the nuptials... sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... BS and SA are in no rush to get hitched. We're told they're going to take their time and enjoy the engagement, and they're not even throwing around the word "wedding" among friends.

Speaking of friends ... there were none around when Sam popped the question this weekend. We're told it was just the two of them at her house, so all the more special.