Money

More signs Kanye West is not long for Wyoming ... his fleet of cars from the ranch is on the auction block.

Ye's used vehicles are open for bidding at Musser Bros. Auctions ... and the owner of the auction house, Harold Musser, tells us Ye recently sold 6 cars back to his local Ford dealer in Cody, WY.

We're told the Ford dealership turned around and enlisted Musser Bros. to auction off Ye's fleet ... the listings went up this month, and there's already a ton of interest.

Seems Kanye was a Ford truck man ... the haul includes 4 of 'em -- a 2016 F-350, a 2017 F-250, a 2018 F-150 Raptor and a 2019 F-150 Raptor.

Rounding out the fleet is a pair of 2020 Ford Expeditions, including one XLT Max edition and one Limited Stealth edition.

As you can see, Ye's cars all have matte black wraps ... but we're told the winning bidders can plop down another $250 to have the wraps removed. They're all 4-wheel drive too, for all you off-roading customers.

It makes sense his fleet is up for sale -- remember, he's also listed his sprawling Monster Lake Ranch for $11 million. Owning multiple heavy-duty trucks makes sense on 4500 acres of ranch land, but not so much for his new beachfront Malibu property.

The Univ. of Tennessee has just barred 16 students -- and 9 other fans -- from attending games the rest of this season ... after the school says they were all involved in throwing trash at the Ole Miss game.

If you missed it ... UT football fans heaved things onto the field at Neyland Stadium on Oct. 16 after losing to Ole Miss -- infamously hitting head coach Lane Kiffin with objects, and making a massive mess.

Two days later, the SEC fined the university $250,000 for the chaos ... and this week, UT announced after an investigation, it found 16 UT students and 9 non-students had been involved in the trash throwing.

The school said, as a result, all of the above are banned from all university sporting events for the rest of this academic and athletic year.

School officials said more punishment could be on the way.

UT's Athletics Director Danny White says the university is also taking extra measures to ensure a similar scene never happens again ... promising changes in a letter to the SEC this week.

Some of the plans, White explained, are effective immediately ... including prohibiting student guest tickets, increasing law enforcement at games, and removing bottle caps from concession stands.

Ice Cube is saying no to a $9 million payday, because he's not saying yes to getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

The rapper and actor is passing on his role in the upcoming movie, "Oh Hell No," because he refused a request from producers to get the jab ... according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Ice Cube's not only giving up a starring role alongside Jack Black and a chance to film on location in Hawaii -- but he's also giving up the reported $9 mil he would have earned for the flick.

Cube and Jack signed on to the Sony project back in June, and at some point after, producers reportedly put in a request for all cast to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

There's been nary a peep from Ice Cube on the vaccine, at least publicly, but he seems to be taking the pandemic seriously ... he donated face coverings to a college in Oklahoma in August, and raised money for frontline healthcare workers at the beginning of the outbreak by selling shirts picturing him with a mask.

With Ice Cube out, Sony is reportedly looking to find someone to fill his shoes.

Drake just earned himself a new nickname ... Certified Watch Lover, and not just any watch -- he went all out, dropping 7-figures to hook himself up on his birthday.

As you know by now, Drake turned 35 last Sunday, and while we've seen him throw himself a few parties to mark the occasion, we just got deets on the biggest (or most expensive) gift he got himself. It's a $5,500,000 watch that even the richest man in the world, Elon Musk can't buy!!!

That's because Drizzy threw down for an ultra-rare, 1-of-1 Richard Mille ... which the iconic watch designer dropped in 2019. Our Drake sources tell us the rapper went to NYC diamond district kings Pristine Jewelers, and tasked them with securing the piece.

He and Pristine founder and owner Ofir Ben Shimon posed with the loot.

You'll notice ... no flashy diamonds caked on this watch, but it is encased in sapphire crystal, and employs the incredibly complex tourbillon movement (watch people know that's a big deal).

This isn't just lavish spending on Drake's part ... it's a big-time investment. We're told when the watch was originally released it was worth $2.8 million -- now, just 2 years later, it's nearly doubled in value.

Yasiel Puig has settled his sexual battery case after cutting a check to his accuser, TMZ Sports has learned.

We broke the story, a woman -- ID'd as Jane Roe in court docs -- alleged the former L.A. Dodgers star forced her into a bathroom while at a Lakers game at Staples Center in 2018 and was sexually inappropriate with her.

The woman claimed she did not know Puig before the incident ... and eventually sued him in 2020 over it all, asking for more than $50,000.

At the time, Puig denied any wrongdoing ... saying in a statement, "The fact is that I had consensual sex with a woman I met at a Lakers game after she propositioned me."

He continued, "Afterward, we talked about going out together, but she said she did not want her fiancé to find out. We messaged each other afterward and planned to get together again, but we never did. She's now suing me based on completely made-up allegations."

The two battled it out in court over the last year ... but sources tell us the sides settled this week after Puig paid the accuser an undisclosed amount.

Court documents confirmed the settlement.

We've reached out to Puig's attorneys for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

As for the accuser, her attorney, Vince Finaldi, tells us the case "has been resolved to the satisfaction of all parties."

Puig, meanwhile, has been out of the MLB since 2019 ... when he last played for the Cleveland Indians.

Britney Spears' fiance Sam Asghari certainly has a sense of humor when it comes to his bank account compared to his bride-to-be's ... saying his new movie role might help him get out of the financial dumps.

We got Sam leaving Bristol Farms Thursday in West Hollywood, and congratulated him on his new gig -- a movie called "Hot Seat," starring Mel Gibson. Asghari, obviously excited about the opportunity, tells us he loves working, and cracked a pretty good joke about just scratching by with pandemic stimulus checks.

Of course, Britney's worth an estimated $60 million, and from what we're told, Sam spends most of his time at her Thousand Oaks mansion.

Not to mention, he's always by her side in private jets and on elaborate vacations ... so the guy isn't really hurting that much.

It's not the first time Asghari has made light of his financial situation, when the couple first announced they were getting hitched, Britney fans flooded Spears' social media advising her to get a prenup.

Sam clearly saw all of the comments, because he joked the couple was getting an iron clad prenup to protect his Jeep and shoe collection.

Jokes or not, TMZ broke the story ... shortly after their engagement, Britney and team did start to take the necessary steps to draft a prenup.

Can you imagine being the youngest athlete ever to sign with Puma??

Just ask 17-year-old basketball prodigy Mikey Williams about it … ‘cause the five-star recruit just inked a historic multi-year deal with the athletic brand!!

Terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed, but the agreement makes Williams the youngest athlete to sign with Puma Hoops ... joining an already star-studded roster featuring LaMelo Ball, Deandre Ayton, Breanna Stewart and RJ Barrett, and Katie Lou Samuelson.

"Mikey joining our Puma family is exciting news for our brand," Puma global brand director Adam Petrick said in a statement.

"His talent on the court and his ability to connect with young athletes and fans alike, will help drive hoops culture forward and inspire the next generation of athletes. He has a bright future ahead of him and we are proud to be a part of his journey."

Puma will be getting more than just a basketball sensation ... 'cause the rising star is also a social media force with more than 3.3 million followers on Instagram.

The 6'2" guard will be rocking various Puma styles, including the Court Rider Line … and will be featured in an upcoming “Not Yet Rated” marketing promotion, 'cause "his ceiling hasn't yet been determined" the company explained.

Williams spoke about the historic deal ... saying, "I am excited to join the Puma family this early in my basketball journey."

"Puma really understands how to mix hoops and culture, two things I am passionate about."

It'll be interesting to see what happens if Williams decides to take his talents to a college program that is NOT sponsored by Puma ... 'cause those deals normally force every player to rock the same brand.

Barry Bonds' historic 500th home run ball -- launched into McCovey Cove during the 2001 MLB season -- is on the auction block ... and is expected to bring in around a quarter-million bucks!

Of course, the 500 Home Run club is one of the most prestigious groups in all of Major League Baseball ... consisting of just 28 legendary sluggers like Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and the home run king himself, Bonds.

The ball Barry crushed off Dodgers pitcher Terry Adams on April 17, 2001 is now available for bidding at SCP Auctions (the same people who sold Ruth's 500th home run bat for $1 million!)

FYI, Bonds '01 season is arguably the greatest in the history of the sport. Barry slugged 73 home runs, had 137 RBI (even though he was walked 177 times, many intentional), had a batting average of .328, an on-base percentage of .515, and an astronomically high OPS (On-base + Slugging %) of 1.379.

Ridiculous, absurd ... there are no words for Bonds' domination.

Barry ultimately hit 762 home runs ... making him the all-time leader.

Regardless of the fact BB launched hundreds of more long balls after that night in April ... his 500th shot is still monumental because the mark represents admittance into an ultra-exclusive club.

If you wanna own the ball -- which is being consigned by the actual fan who scooped the ball out of the water in the San Francisco Bay -- you only have a few days left to bid.

BTW, speaking of exclusive clubs ... SCP is also auctioning off Affirmed's Triple Crown trophy from 1978 -- when the thoroughbred won the Kentucky Derby, The Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes.

Not a horse racing fan -- but also very wealthy? The Holy Grail of baseball cards, the Honus Wagner T206 card is also on the block ... and is expected to bring in OVER $2 million.

All of the auctions close on Saturday.

Dorit Kemsley was the victim of a terrifying home invasion, after 3 men stormed her bedroom, threatened her life and fled with a ton of very expensive possessions.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star was asleep around 11 PM Wednesday when the men broke into her L.A. area home. We're told Dorit begged for her life, shouting, "Don't Kill Me!"

Our sources say Dorit gave up everything, including expensive purses and jewelry -- once the men took off, she called the police.

As for the value of the things taken, our sources say it was at least $100k.

At this time, there have not been any arrests and there are no suspects ... it's unknown if the men were captured on camera. Daily Mail was the first to publish the story.

A source close to Dorit says she and her kids are all safe. Her husband, Paul, was out of town on a business trip, but he's traveling home now. We're told "RHOBH" is currently in production, so the incident will likely play out, to some degree, on the show.

The LAPD Robbery Homicide division is now handling the investigation.

P.J. Tucker's insane shoe collection ain't just for show ... 'cause the NBA forward sported some ultra-rare kicks during pregame warm-ups this week -- and they're worth $25k!!!

Sneaker fanatics went CRAZY when they noticed Tucker rocking the Jordan 4 retro Eminem Carhartts before going up against the Brooklyn Nets in the Barclays Center ... and it's for good reason.

These specific shoes are NOT easy to get -- when the Black Chromes were released in 2015, they were made exclusively for Eminem's family and friends.

And, according to top sneaker sites, Stock X, GOAT and Flight Club, these limited kicks have a price tag of $25,000!

One fan even joked about it ... saying, "Mans is warming up in shoes worth college tuition."

BTW -- that $25k price is for a size 7 and 8 in men ... Tucker wears a size 14, so he might've put up more $$ for his pair. That, or he has the best hookup in the game.

Jordan brand did make an additional 10 that were auctioned to the public via eBay -- and Em donated one pair in 2020 to raise money for a COVID-19 relief fund.

Britney Spears has a new ally ... a Prince -- son of the late King of Pop.

Prince Jackson says he knows his dad Michael would have "wholeheartedly" supported Britney's move to end her 13-year-long conservatorship.

Prince appeared on Good Morning Britain Thursday and made it clear ... he believes his dad would have advocated freedom for his fellow pop star, saying he would want Britney to maintain control over her life.

As you may know -- but maybe not -- Michael and Britney were buds. They also had a professional intersection as well ... the 2 appeared together in a Madison Square Garden concert back in 2001 and sang "The Way You Make Me Feel."

And Brit introed MJ at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, saying, "So, he's my idol, the best guy in the whole world. I'm really kind of excited. I'm really nervous."

Prince hedged a bit on the #FreeBritney movement, saying, "That is a very tough question just because I don't like to put words in my father's mouth. But, knowing my father and the compassion that he had for individuals who wanted to remain in control of their own life - as it was his goal to be in control of his own life - I would think that he would be very supportive of her cause."

Halyna Hutchins is being honored in more ways than one by her Hollywood peers -- including financial help for her family, with a major A-list actress and a ton of fellow cinematographers donating.

Sarah Paulson is among the many high-profile people who've donated to a GoFundMe page set up on behalf of Hutchins' loved ones ... which is well on its way to hitting a quarter of a million dollars at this point, with a mere $10k goal to begin with.

The 'American Horror Story'/'Crime Story' star plunked down $1,000 of her own cash toward the cause a few days ago, but she's far from the only notable figure chipping in for the director of photography.

Big-name DPs have also contributed to the GFM account -- including Larry Fong ("Super 8," "Sucker Punch"), Niels Alpert ("Sleepy Hollow," "Iron Fist") and Reed Morano ("The Handmaid's Tale," "I Think We're Alone Now") ... just to name a few.

They donated $2,500, $2,500 and $1,500, respectively.

There's more these folks are doing behind the scenes too, BTW, including Sarah ... who signed and shared a Change.org petition that seeks to ban the use of real firearms on sets -- not to mention demanding better working conditions for crew members.

Gene Simmons is out with the old, and in with the VERY new after plunking down $10.5 million on a stunning modern mansion in the Hills of Beverly.

We've learned the KISS star actually got something of a deal for the 4-bed, 5-bath crib with close to 8,000 square feet of living space. The deal closed today, so Gene's personal belongings probably haven't even made it through the front door yet.

As for the home ... it's about as modern-looking as they come, with a pool complete with LED lighting, a home theater, built-in art installation and wine cellar fit to hold enough booze to get a small village wasted.

Simmons has been quite the real estate aficionado as of late ... he recently sold his long-time Beverly Hills home for $16 million and just listed his Vegas crib for $15 million.

Gene scored big on his most recent purchase, the home was first listed at $11.5 million ... so the $10.5 million Simmons paid to the former owner -- a billionaire Swiss steel magnate -- ain't too bad.

The Chicago Blackhawks were just slapped with a massive $2,000,000 fine ... after the NHL said the organization failed to adequately investigate an alleged sexual assault involving a team coach and a young player back in 2010.

The NHL announced the financial penalty on Tuesday ... and it all dates back over a decade ago, when word got back to Hawks team brass that a player on their team -- who hasn't been identified publicly -- claimed he was sexually assaulted by the team's video coach.

The player -- identified as "John Doe" in a civil suit he filed in May 2021 -- claimed the coach, Brad Aldrich, said he wouldn't play in the NHL if he were to turn down the coaches sexual advances ... so, fearing losing his career, the player says he had a sexual encounter with Aldrich.

It's important to note ... Aldrich hasn't denied having a relationship with Doe, however, he's steadfastly said the encounter was consensual.

After the team found out, they assembled all of the bigwigs, including the president, senior VP, general manager, and head coach, among others, to discuss how to handle the situation.

Shockingly, despite the serious allegation, team officials decided to focus their attention on the team's play on the ice ... as they'd just advanced to the Stanley Cup finals.

The "investigation" was kicked to human resources ... though the NHL says it doesn't appear enough was ever done to address it.

FYI, the Blackhawks ended up winning the Stanley Cup that season.

Fast forward to June 2021 ... a Chicago area law firm was hired to look into the organizations handling of the situation, and their investigation determined the organization screwed up, essentially failing to investigate, despite the extremely troubling allegation.

Enter the NHL ... who as a result, levied the multi-million fine against the Blackhawks.

"Today’s fine represents a direct and necessary response to the failure of the Club to follow-up and address the 2010 incident in a timely and appropriate manner,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement.

“And, this response should send a clear message to all NHL Clubs and all NHL personnel that inappropriate acts must be addressed in a timely fashion."

Bettman says the organization knows they screwed up, and they've taken a number of steps to ensure they're better in the future.

“We acknowledge that the Blackhawks have taken responsibility and ownership for what transpired, and have already implemented new preventative measures."

Those changes include hiring outside counsel to dig into the 2010 incident, overhauling the club's policies, and educating staff on how to properly handle similar allegations.

The commissioner also noted that should any of the senior-level staff wish to return to the league (none of them are currently in the NHL), they will require approval directly from Bettman prior to their hiring.

The Blackhawks also released a statement accepting responsibility for the screwup, writing, "It is clear the organization and its executives at that time did not live up to our own standards or values in handling these disturbing incidents."

"We deeply regret the harm caused to John Doe and the other individuals who were affected and the failure to promptly respond. As an organization, we extend our profound apologies to the individuals who suffered from these experiences. We must -- and will -- do better."

As for the alleged victim ... Doe's civil lawsuit remains open.

Ariana Grande buy-eth, and Ariana Grande sell-eth just as fast -- she's unloading her L.A. fortress after a little more than a year of living there ... and turned a small profit.

AG just sold her mansion up in the Hollywood Hills, with a birds-eye view of La La Land below -- scooping a nice and neat $14 million in the sale. No word on where she may be heading next ... but wherever she lands, she'll have more than just one person to think about.

Since snapping the place up back in the summer of 2020 ... Ari's gone through a lot of changes, including her marriage to Dalton Gomez.

Presumably, their next property might become their love nest and permanent home base ... as the possibility of kids and everything else that usually comes after nuptials starts to work its way into the picture.

As for the pad she's leaving behind ... it probably would've worked just fine for a future fam too, as it was NOT lacking in space or luxury. It was a 4-bed, 7-bath modern-day palace -- with a private fitness studio, a 300-bottle wine cellar, a pool and gorgeous views of the city.

Still, maybe they're thinking of a new area ... and perhaps want even more room to spread out than this. Remember ... Ari bought it for a cool $13.7 mil at the time -- so she made about $300k from the sale, and probably broke even after fees and closing costs.

Byron Kennedy's now had three days to stew over returning a $500,000 ball to Tom Brady ... but he tells TMZ Sports he STILL has no regrets about handing over the pigskin.

We got the Tampa Bay Bucs superfan on Wednesday ... and he made it clear, he's not feeling down in the dumps one bit about giving away TB12's 600th TD ball on Sunday -- even after half a week to think about his decision.

"I think I did the right thing," Kennedy said. "I'm happy Tom has it."

As we previously reported, Mike Evans accidentally gave away the Brady ball to Kennedy following his touchdown catch against the Chicago Bears ... and after the Bucs asked for it back, Byron obliged.

The problem ... memorabilia experts say it was worth half a mil!!

Kennedy, though, has since been rewarded for his troubles ... the team hooked him up with tickets and swag, and Brady and Rob Gronkowski have since sent him cryptocurrency as well.

And, Byron tells us the return haul has been more than enough for him, saying, "It's all working out pretty well."