Money

Kanye West seems to be saying goodbye to Wyoming -- or at least a big part of it -- because he's listed his monster-sized Monster Lake Ranch ... and it has folks wondering if he's coming home to Kim Kardashian.

The rapper's property -- a huge chunk of land outside the city of Cody -- is back on the market for $11 million ... which is surprisingly $3 mil less than the asking price when Ye scooped it up in September 2019.

As we reported ... it wasn't clear if Kanye paid the full $14 mil back then, but whatever he paid bought him 4,500 acres and a lot more than a mule.

The Ranch comes with 8 lodging units and is known for "monster trout" fishing. There are also 2 freshwater lakes, a restaurant, an event center, meeting facilities, and of course ... a whole lotta horse barns and corrals.

You may recall ... not long after Kanye bought Monster Lake, he dropped another $14 mil for another Wyoming property -- Bighorn Mountain Ranch.

While it's not for certain, many believe that his infatuation with Wyoming and spending a lot of time living and working there caused a major rift in his marriage. Kim even broke down crying there during a tense meeting in the summer of 2020.

Even after retirement, Michael Jordan still finds ways to break records ... 'cause a game-worn patch card he signed just sold for $2.7 MILLION, an all-time high price for a piece of His Airness' memorabilia.

The rare card is a 1997-98 Upper Deck -- and it's considered one of the greatest hoops cards ever made.

It features M.J.'s autograph, a swatch of the jersey that he wore during the 1992 NBA All-Star Game, and it's limited to just 23 copies.

But, more importantly, it's believed to be the first card to ever feature both a piece of a game-worn jersey and a signature -- which experts say make it truly historic.

"It makes sense that this card -- and the innovative new designs and card styles that it spawned in the industry -- is one of the most pivotal in our hobby," said Ken Goldin, president of Goldin Auctions, which auctioned off the piece Monday.

"Owning this card is like owning a sliver of MJ's legacy and we were very proud that we were trusted with this record-breaking transaction."

The card is also an important piece because the '92 All-Star was the one where Magic Johnson made his return to the NBA after retiring before the 1991-92 season.

The previous record for Jordan memorabilia was held by a different version of the card -- numbered 21/23 -- which sold for $2.1 million at Goldin Auctions earlier this year.

Lamar Odom might have his next boxing opponent ... 'cause O.T. Genasis tells TMZ Sports he'd consider stepping in the ring with the NBA champ -- if the money's right.

41-year-old Lamar is fresh off whooping J.Lo's ex-hubby, Ojani Noa, in his second-ever Celebrity Boxing bout ... and has already been called out by Benzino.

When we spoke with O.T. at Rajon Rondo's Tacos AF event earlier this week, we had to ask if he would be putting his name on the list of Lamar's future opponents ... and hey, he didn't say no.

In fact, he tells us he's been training privately for years ... and hints he might be too skilled for the hooper.

Genasis wouldn't give us a guarantee on the fight ... but if you can read between the lines, you can tell he's highly confident in the hypothetical bout.

Genasis -- who would be a LOT shorter and lighter than LO -- says he'd take the fight very seriously ... and would need to spend countless hours in the gym in order to be ready to compete.

Brian Laundrie's street is home to a media circus and tons of drama ... but people aren't afraid to be his new neighbor, because some folks are moving in just a few doors down.

Alisha Colligan and Tony Gustitus, who represent one of the top real estate teams in North Port, FL, tell TMZ ... despite the media frenzy outside Brian's house, people are still swooping up houses on his street.

In fact, the real estate agents say they just closed on a new home Monday that was purchased for $379k ... just a stone's throw away from the Laundrie house.

We're told the buyers were from out of state and expressed interest in the home prior to the Laundrie and Gabby Petito media madness, which apparently didn't turn them off.

Brian's new neighbors even got a first-hand look at what it's like right now on the block, where tensions are running high between neighbors and protestors, even leading to a fight.

We're told the buyers flew in for a walk-through at the house last week and closed on the home, despite warnings about the media frenzy, easing fears for the real estate agents who worried the Laundrie case might scuttle the deal.

It's interesting ... we're told the Laundrie situation doesn't appear to be having a negative effect on the housing market in North Port, where home sales are still on the rise.

UFC fighter, Alexander Hernandez, told the media he wanted to "party his d*** off" after nearly flatlining Mike Breeden ... and while he says the D is "intact", the 29-year-old fighter did run up a MASSIVE tab in a Sin City club.

TMZ Sports talked to Hernandez following his 1st round knockout at UFC Fight Night ... and asked him about the nights festivities.

"D*** is intact, but the partying was out of control, dude."

"I wanted to just go to old town Vegas and hang out with the locals, and just do simple pleasantries, and just have a good time out there, walk past some shady guy, hand me some s*** in the bathroom, and I'll be like, 'Okay, whatever, in Vegas.'"

But, the Fremont wasn't meant to be, and Alex says he got "coaxed into some goddamn Tiesto club party ..."

Hernandez says they ended up getting a table ... and they dropped an insane amount of cash.

"I got a text message about a $23,000 tab. And, I'm like, 'the AT&T user you're trying to reach is no longer in service.' You're gonna have to speak to somebody else about that."

Odell Beckham Jr.'s wheels off the field now match his wheels on it ... 'cause he just copped a tricked-out Lamborghini Urus that's fast as hell!!!

TMZ Sports has learned the Cleveland Browns wideout went to Dreamwork Motorsports recently for yet another ride to add to his sick collection ... and they delivered him an insane Lambo truck.

The car shop personalized nearly every aspect of the ride ... ripping apart the vehicle head-to-toe and giving Odell a truly one-of-a-kind piece.

The guys put in blue Alcantara and leather all over the interior ... and added a sweet sound system along with a starlight headliner with 2,000 fiber optic stars in it.

On the exterior -- the shop wrapped the car in matte white while giving it black and blue accent pieces. The guys also souped up the engine ... giving the ride a staggering 900 horsepower!!!

The vehicle also has LED lighting in and under the car, Yoda door lights, and a fist symbol in place of the Lambo emblem on the car's front.

And, to top it off, all of it is sitting on customized 24-inch wheels.

Of course, this is far from OBJ's first sick ride ... he's copped a few others from Dream Works recently, including his famous orange Rolls-Royce Cullinan.

The Brooklyn Nets are poised to win an NBA championship with or without Kyrie Irving this season ... so says Charles Oakley, who tells TMZ Sports the star's availability won't derail the team's title hopes.

Of course, Irving -- who is not vaccinated -- could miss more than half of the season due to COVID vaccine mandates in NYC and California ... which has folks like Shaq saying the Nets should get rid of him.

Oakley doesn't think KI's absence will be that big of a deal, though ... after all, it helps they still have Kevin Durant and James Harden.

"I think they can still win it with him playing this way," Oakley said on TMZ Live this week.

"You still have James Harden and KD -- 2 of the top 5 best players in the league."

Oakley -- who's coming out with his own cooking show, "Chopping It Up with Oakley," added, "They wasn't healthy last year, so you think if James Harden comes back healthy this year with KD healthy, they still can win it even if Kyrie play only half of the season."

Besides missing playing time, KI is gonna lose a TON of money -- $380k per game!

So, we asked the NY Knicks legend if he was on the Nets would he talk to the point guard about his decision ... he says he would but at the end of the day -- "he's a grown man."

"He knows he losing 300, 400 thousand a game and it's not about the money. We see that."

"He believe what he believe in."

The Waffle House employee holding a baby while she worked didn't just take heat online, but an online scammer also made up a backstory about the incident for financial gain ... TMZ has learned.

As you may know ... a TikTok of the Waffle House worker went viral last weekend, because she was holding a baby while it appeared she was helping the cooks prepare meals.

In researching the incident, a person contacted us claiming to be the employee and gave us a tragic backstory explaining why she was holding the child in the video -- claiming the baby was the child of her dead brother.

This person posing as the employee also told us she was suspended for a week by Waffle House ... all of which we now know is NOT TRUE.

Waffle House's VP of Public Relations, Njeri Boss, tells TMZ ... they investigated the TikTok video and "have determined that the media portrayals and social media posts are not accurate."

Boss adds ... "While an employee of ours was recorded holding a baby at work, she is not related to that baby in any manner, never identified herself as the person in the TikTok video, never provided a CashApp account to receive any donations, never gave an interview to any media outlet, and never was suspended from her job."

Fortunately, TMZ did not include any of the scammer's CashApp info in our story, but some people out there did ... and likely donated to a phony cause.

Waffle House further explains that the employee in the TikTok vid held a baby belonging to her co-worker in an attempt to quickly settle the crying child ... and she's been coached and re-trained on proper safety guidelines going forward.

The restaurant chain adds ... "We caution against further dissemination of that false story and the damages that might result, not to mention the help that might give to support an apparent fraud on the public."

A signed photo of "Shoeless" Joe Jackson -- one of the rarest pieces of baseball memorabilia EVER -- just sold for a small fortune at auction ... fetching the seller a staggering $1.47 MILLION.

The picture -- sold by Christie's and Hunt Auctions in New York -- is considered a Holy Grail when it comes to Jackson items ... given the fact that the guy rarely ever signed anything.

Historians say the all-world baseball player was illiterate and struggled to read and write his own name ... so anything with his autograph is considered sublimely valuable.

In fact, his signature is so rare, reps at Christie's say this is the only Jackson autographed photo still known to exist in the world.

The signature has been given a 9 out of 10 grade ... while Christie's officials say the photo -- which features Jackson throwing a ball at spring training in 1911 -- has "minimal surface wear and no mentionable defects."

The picture had previously sold at auction back in 2015, going for just $179K.

Of course, the piece is also super valuable because Jackson is considered arguably the best -- and most infamous -- baseball player of all-time.

He batted .356 in his 13-year career ... but was also banned from baseball in 1921 for his alleged role in fixing the 1919 World Series.

IT'S HAPPENING!!!

Tommy Fury is putting an end to his standoff with Jake Paul ... telling the YouTube superstar to send over a fight contract ASAP -- 'cause he's ready to put him on a stretcher!!

Jake and Tommy have been going back and forth for months ... with the latter recently shutting down a $1 million offer, claiming he was being lowballed.

Just when all hope seemed lost, Tommy has finally agreed to Jake's most recent offer ... and while the total dollar amount has not been revealed, it's clear Fury is happy with it.

"Get that sent over to my lawyers ASAP, right now, we'll get that looked at and sorted because there's not a chance in hell you're winning this fight," Fury said Thursday.

"You're leaving on a stretcher. You’re getting knocked spark out and you know it. Get it over to me now."

Respect isn't the only thing in the line here -- Tommy could literally be fighting for his family name as well.

According to the contract Jake posted, Fury would legally have to change his name to "Tommy Fumbles" if he loses ... which is a nod to the nickname Paul and his fanbase have been calling him after he "fumbled the bag" for turning down the $1 million.

If he wins, Tommy would get an extra $500k in his pocket.

No word on when the fight will happen ... but it can't come soon enough.

The agreement comes right after Tommy's superstar brother, Tyson, told TMZ Sports he wanted to see the fight happen pronto ... telling both sides to "grow some balls" and make it happen.

'RHOBH' producers want to take advantage of a juicy storyline involving Erika Jayne and Tom Girardi -- they're skipping their usual break, and firing up cameras early to shoot a new season.

Production sources tell TMZ … 'RHOBH' producers can't get enough of Erika's various legal and financial problems connected to her estranged husband, so the series is gearing up to go back into production for season 12 on a quick turnaround.

We're told producers feel Erika's storyline is just too good to miss, so they're beginning production several months earlier than normal -- cameras will roll next week with some of the women.

As we've told you ... there's plenty of Erika drama to dig into for the cast -- she filed for divorce from her attorney husband in November, but shortly afterward she was sued for allegedly hiding assets in a "sham divorce."

Not long after that, Tom's assets were frozen and he's currently under investigation amid accusations he stole money intended for families of those who died in the 2018 Lion Air Flight 610 crash in Indonesia.

It's also alleged Erika’s company, EJ Global, received over $20 million from Tom's law firm ... money meant for his clients.

Erika broke down on camera over the "sham divorce" allegations, denying them in a season 11 episode on 'RHOBH' ... and there's no doubt she's helped carry the ratings.

Bet ya didn't see this coming ... MLB legend Pete Rose -- banned from baseball for life for wagering on the game -- has launched a sports gambling podcast!!

The 17-time All-Star broke the news on Thursday, announcing he's exclusively teaming up with Quake Media to offer betting tips and picks on his show, "Pete Rose Daily Picks."

"It's a show featuring my picks and breakdowns of games, not just baseball," Rose says, "I'll be talking football, basketball, horse racing, golf and a lot of more."

The show debuts tonight ... and will air 6 days a week with sports betting broadcaster Ben Wilson.

“I’ll share how I think about games with Ben and the fans, then we can watch and learn together," the 80-year-old says.

"There are some insights, I believe, that only an old guy like me may think of. I'm excited to share my winning predictions with my fans."

Of course, it's ironic since Charlie Hustle received a lifetime ban from baseball in 1989 for gambling as a player and manager for the Cincinnati Reds.

Rose, who adamantly denied wagering on baseball (a cardinal sin in the game) for many years, ultimately copped to the allegation -- though he remains steadfast that he NEVER bet against his club.

But, Pete says don't call it a gambling podcast, telling USA Today he ain't gambling, saying ... "It's handicapping. I'm a handicapper."

"All I'm doing is lending my expertise to people who want to bet."

Want a little taste of Pete's expertise?? Here are his picks for tonight's action.

-White Sox vs. Astros, OVER 7.5 runs
-Tampa Bay Rays money line against Boston Red Sox in game 1 (-150)
-Los Angeles Rams (-2.5) vs. Seattle Seahawks

Eighteen ex-NBA players -- including Glen "Big Baby" Davis and Sebastian Telfair -- have been charged with fraud ... after officials say they swindled a small fortune out of the Association's healthcare plan.

Federal prosecutors announced the charges against the former hoopers, which also included Shannon Brown and Darius Miles, on Thursday ... accusing the men of ripping off the NBA Players' Health and Welfare Benefit Plan.

The scheme was not terribly complicated, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District Of NY, which is prosecuting the case.

The ex-basketball players allegedly submitted "false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement" to the plan --- which has been set up by the NBA to help current and former players pay medical bills -- and then were wrongly reimbursed.

Officials say it all started in 2017, when the players would ask the plan for money to pay for medical care they didn't actually receive.

The feds say the men submitted fraudulent claims that totaled approximately $3.9 million ... and they received approximately $2.5 million "in fraudulent proceeds" from the scheme.

The prosecutors claim Terrence Williams, the 11th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, was the mastermind behind it all.

In addition to Davis, Telfair, Brown, Miles and Williams ... officials say Tony Allen, Jamario Moon, Tony Wroten, Melvin Ely and Ruben Patterson were also involved in the scheme.

Officials have scheduled have a meeting with reporters to further detail the alleged crimes later Thursday afternoon.

If Ben Simmons wants out of town, it certainly seems mutual with the fans ... 'cause spectators ripped into the NBA star during a taping of AEW Rampage in Philly on Wednesday -- chanting, "F*** Ben Simmons!!"

Of course, Sixers fans ain't happy with the former #1 overall pick amid reports he'd rather lose out on his $33 MILLION salary this season than suit up for Philly ever again.

Considering fans may not get a chance to express their anger towards Simmons at a Sixers game -- assuming he won't show up -- they found an opportunity at the AEW event ... and man, they went at the guy HARD.

Several fans in the audience captured it on video -- you can hear the huge crowd joining together to shout out the NSFW chant as the event goes on.

While the Sixers star's trade demand is still on the table, the team is still trying to make things work ... so it could get really awk with fans if he ends up staying in Philly.

The 76ers' first preseason game at home is Thursday -- let's see if the chants continue.

One of the most wanted fugitives in the world might have been sitting right behind home plate at a Dodgers game in 2016 ... and, yet, authorities say they're still having trouble nabbing him.

U.S. Marshals claim John Ruffo -- who was convicted of swindling $350 MILLION in an elaborate bank fraud scheme in the 1990s -- was possibly the guy in a blue shirt and glasses in a prime seat at a Red Sox vs. Dodgers game in Aug. 2016.

The Marshals say the balding, older man in footage from the broadcast looks a hell of a lot like Ruffo -- a guy they say has evaded them for nearly 24 years.

According to the Marshals, after his conviction, Ruffo was "ordered to report to a federal prison in New Jersey on Nov. 9, 1998" to begin serving a 17-and-a-half year sentence, but he never showed.

Instead, the Marshals claim he rented a car, withdrew cash from an ATM (which they say they captured on video), and headed to JFK Airport -- where he then disappeared.

Authorities say, though, he could have been the man in Section 1 Dugout Club, Row EE, Seat 10 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles over 5 years ago.

The Marshals announced their suspicion in a statement Wednesday ... saying anyone who can help them find the 66-year-old -- who they believe is roughly 5 feet 5, 170 pounds -- could be given a reward of up to $25,000.

His capture would be a big deal ... Marshals have named him one of their "15 Most Wanted" and have described him as "a master manipulator."

Of course, this wouldn't be the first time cameras at Dodger Stadium have helped authorities crack a case ... remember, Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" crew aided in a murder suspect's release from jail back in the early 2000s.

In that case, Juan Catalan had been accused of murdering a 16-year-old ... but the 'Curb' cameras showed he was actually at the Dodgers' ballpark the night of the killing.

Bitcoin prices are jumping again -- and amid all the crypto craze for normies ... one guy's come out to say he's uber-rich, 'cause he's got a physical copy that's now worth tens of millions.

Great Collections -- a renowned coin auction house -- says they have a client in possession of one of only 6 physical BTC gold coins issued years ago, and each is worth 1,000 bitcoins. Do the math, and this dude's lone shekel is worth around $54 million!!!

Here's the story on how this fella -- who's staying anonymous for now -- stumbled across this coin way back in 2011 ... when bitcoin was in its infancy, and he took a major gamble.

Word is, this dude was considering buying either this one gold 1,000 BTC coin ... or two actual gold bars -- with each purchase running nearly the same in price at the time, around $4,000 to $5,000. He opted for the former -- throwing down $4,905 for the mysterious BTC coin ... which has come to be known as the "Gold Cas" in crypto circles.

Great Collections' client then threw the Cas into a desk drawer at home and literally forgot about it ... that is, until a couple years later, when he heard bitcoin was valued at $1,000 a pop and on the rise.

He raced back to said desk, whipped out that 1,000 BTC coin ... realizing he was holding a literal million-dollar item in his hand. It was then he realized what he'd bought, and laid low for all these years as bitcoin's price continued to rise to its current price of about $54k.

Now, that it's reaching astonishing levels ... the guy figured he'd come out to rub it in our faces -- while also noting he's got this puppy well-guarded in an overseas bank vault. We're told he has NO plans to sell it anytime soon -- as he believes bitcoin's going to the moon.