Money

Kanye West is gettin' sued for assault and battery ... this after allegedly striking an autograph seeker back in 2022.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Ye is being taken to court by an autograph dealer who says it all went down in DTLA almost 2 years ago -- as you'll recall, video from just after the alleged attack showed the man on the ground.

He claims Ye went ballistic on him, allegedly shouting ... "I'm going to make a f***ing example of you," while referencing his divorce from Kim Kardashian -- before hitting him.

He says he asked Ye for an apology, only for the rapper to reply, "Apology for what?" ... before allegedly striking him again multiple times and "severely injuring him."

He claims one of the people with Kanye told him to stop the attack, but Ye started shouting at them, and demanded they "go to the f***ing house and get my f***ing kids."

The man is suing for damages, claiming he's a victim of assault and battery and has suffered emotional distress.

His wife is also suing for a loss of consortium -- essentially saying she lost the companionship of her husband as a result of the incident with Ye.

As we reported, a separate vid from that night showed Kanye enraged leaving a recording studio in Hollywood, shouting about 2 women who may have been with him during the downtown incident.

Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic reached his boiling point after his team lost to the Lakers on Tuesday ... teeing off on referees for giving L.A. 23 free throws in the fourth quarter.

Rajakovic -- who's in his first season with the Dinos -- didn't hold back in his rant to media members after the 132-131 loss ... calling it "outrageous" the Purple and Gold continued to get calls in their favor ... and suggesting officials were helping LeBron James and Co. win the contest.

"What happened tonight, this is completely B.S.," Rajakovic told reporters. "This is shame. Shame for the referees, shame for the league to allow this. Twenty-three free throws for them, and we get two free throws in the fourth quarter. Like, how to play the game? I understand -- respect for All-Stars and all that, but we have star players on our team as well."

Rajakovic points out his star player Scottie Barnes was worthy of getting calls as he drove to the rim throughout the game ... but finished with just two attempts from the charity stripe.

"How is that possible? How are you going to explain that to me?"

Lakers star Anthony Davis had 41 points in the matchup ... with 11 coming from free throws in the final period. Toronto only had 13 free-throw attempts throughout the game.

"They had to win tonight?" Rajakovic added. "If that's the case, just let us know, so we don't show up for the game. Just give them a win. But, that was not fair tonight. And this is not happening first time for us. Scottie Barnes is going to be All-Star. He's going to be the face of this league, and what's happening over here during whole season, I've been holding it back, it's complete crap."

LeBron got wind of Rajakovic's comments ... and his response was simple -- "I feel like they fouled and we didn't."

Ex-NBAer Evan Turner also weighed in on the Serbian coach's gripe ... with many calling him out for what is being considered a xenophobic take on the matter.

"You gotta let your assistant coaches do the rant when 'you have accent,'" Turner said on Instagram.

German hooper Dennis Schroder was quick to check him ... replying, "Bro chill."

The Los Angeles Lakers weren't the only ones who won in Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night ... a fan did too -- after he took home $100K by sinking a half-court shot!!

It all happened during a break in the action of L.A.'s game against the Toronto Raptors ... when Fidel Olmos stepped onto the hardwood to compete in a shooting contest.

The game was simple ... if Olmos hit the bucket from 47 feet out, he'd take home some serious coin. If he didn't, well, at least he got to grace the same floor as LeBron James for a moment.

But, Olmos was able to drain the basket ... and when he hit it -- the crowd went wild. Even Lakers star D'Angelo Russell -- who was right near the basket when the ball went through -- had to give it up for the guy.

The 34-year-old California native told ESPN's Dave McMenamin after he made the shot that it was super improbable ... considering he's only made two in his whole life previously.

Olmos said he's going to use the money to pay off his debt, help a couple of folks out, and treat himself.

"I would've been OK with 20 bucks," he said, "but this feels good!"

Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon definitely don't see eye to eye on a lot of stuff, but that didn't stop the former Fox News anchor from congratulating Don on joining him on Team X.

As you know, Don entered a partnership with X -- formerly Twitter -- on Tuesday, where he'll have a new 30-minute show airing on the platform 3 times a week, and which comes after his firing from CNN last year.

The whole thing was similar to Tucker's situation, as he's already got a show on X. Remember, the 2 of them got canned on the same day, and Tucker extended an olive branch to the guy, despite their long-standing beef ... telling him, "Congratulations. It’s a new world.”

Doesn't mean the dust has settled in their drama, though -- Don replied in the most polite, yet unenthusiastic way possible ... "Thanks Tucker."

Tucker and Don would often butt heads while they were doing their cable news shows ... with Tucker insulting Don and mispronouncing his name on purpose, and Don calling Tucker for what he saw as wild takes.

Dennis Schroder is finally explaining one of the most puzzling contract moves in NBA history ... revealing exactly why he REJECTED an $80+ million offer from the Lakers, only to sign a deal worth less than $6 mil!

His (old) agent told him to pass on the incredibly lucrative offer!!!

Remember, the star PG said no to a 4-year deal worth $84M from the Purple and Gold back in 2021 ... thinking he could get more elsewhere.

Unfortunately, that didn't happen ... and instead, Dennis ended up signing a $5.9 million deal with the Celtics.

The NBA vet is finally explaining what happened, telling Yahoo Sports, "I would've signed it."

"I would never just leave money on the table. My mom didn’t raise me that way."

Of course, fans incessantly trolled the German athlete for what's considered to be one of the biggest fumblings of the bag in NBA history.

Schroder admitted going from $84 to $6 mil was a tough pill to swallow, but he understands he still got paid a crapload of money, and life with his wife Ellen and their family is awesome.

"I had two healthy kids, my mom, my siblings. I can buy anything I want," Schroder said.

"I had a $70 million contract before. A guy from Germany? From Braunschweig? I’m more than blessed. I’m with the people who love me and was there through the darkest days."

Schroder -- who's averaging nearly 15 points and 7 assists per game this season for the Raptors (he's playing on a 2-year, $25.4M deal) -- also said he plans to play into his 40s, believing he's got a lot left in the tank.

Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre claims she was sex trafficked to billionaire Les Wexner on multiple occasions ... according to newly unsealed court documents.

The explosive claim is from Giuffre's deposition from a 2015 lawsuit that involved allegations against Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell ... in the deposition transcript, obtained by TMZ, Giuffre claims she had sex with Wexner several times and estimates it possibly happened more than 5 times.

Wexner is the former CEO of Victoria's Secret and in 1987 he hired Epstein to work as his financial manager, with Wexner granting JE power of attorney over his massive fortune.

Also in the deposition, Giuffre says she wore different types of lingerie for Wexner, adding it was Maxwell who set it up and it wasn't Wexner's request.

Asked specifically if it was Victoria's Secret, Giuffre said she didn't recall the exact brand.

Giuffre also claims she met Bill Clinton twice and Al Gore once via Epstein ... but doesn't say she had sex with them.

Wexner has not been charged with any crimes relating to Epstein and Maxwell. After Epstein's 2019 arrest, Wexner claimed he severed ties with JE in 2007 and denied knowledge of Epstein's crimes.

La demandante de Jeffrey Epstein, Virginia Giuffre, afirma que fue víctima de tráfico sexual con el multimillonario Les Wexner en múltiples ocasiones, según documentos judiciales recientemente desvelados.

La explosiva afirmación es de la deposición de Giuffre de una demanda de 2015 que involucró acusaciones contra el asociado de Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell. En la transcripción de la deposición obtenida por TMZ, Giuffre afirma que tuvo relaciones sexuales con Wexner varias veces, estima que posiblemente sucedió cinco veces.

Wexner es el ex CEO de Victoria's Secret y en 1987 contrató a Epstein para trabajar como su gerente financiero, con Wexner otorgandole a Epstein el poder notarial sobre su enorme fortuna.

En la declaración, Giuffre dice que usó diferentes tipos de lencería para Wexner, agregando que fue Maxwell quien lo organizó y no fue una petición de Wexner.

Preguntado específicamente si se trataba de Victoria's Secret, Giuffre dijo que no recordaba la marca exacta.

Giuffre también afirma que se reunió con Bill Clinton dos veces y Al Gore una vez a través de Epstein, pero no dice que tuvo relaciones sexuales con ellos.

Wexner no ha sido acusado de ningún delito relacionado con Epstein y Maxwell. Tras la detención de Epstein en 2019, Wexner afirmó que cortó lazos con JE en 2007 y negó tener conocimiento de los crímenes de Epstein.

Damon Dash says he can't afford what his baby mama is owed in monthly child support -- and he's asking a judge to significantly lower it ... claiming he's got an alarmingly low annual income.

The Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder just filed new legal docs in his custody case with Rachel Roy -- with whom he shares a daughter -- and he's yet again asking the court to lower his payments to her by quite a bit ... according to Dame, all he can afford is $428/month.

The reason he says he can cough up just that ... per the docs, Dame says he isn't making much cheddar lately -- this as a result of some struggling business ventures, many of which he says simply haven't panned out.

Then, he mentions a somewhat startling figure when discussing his total income for the whole year of 2022 -- according to DD, he says he only hauled in about $5,000. Specifically, he says he made $5,140 ... nothing more. Dame says his cash flow has reduced significantly since 2020, insisting he never really recovered from the pandemic when there was no work for him.

Mind you, Dame is currently paying around $3,000/month to Rachel to help out with their kid.

Now, Rachel has already filed a response to this ... and she's calling BS on Dame's claim of abject poverty. In her own paperwork, obtained by TMZ, she claims Dame continues to own a major stake in Roc-A-Fella that should be lining his pockets ... and she alleges he has other lines of revenue that he's simply not disclosing to the court.

An iconic piece of Paul Reubens' past is heading home to a lucky bidder -- the bicycle he rode as Pee-wee Herman was sitting outside an auction house after it sold for 6-figures.

We spotted the 1953 Schwinn DX Cruiser in the back of a truck Monday afternoon while the TMZ Celebrity Tour was taking some lucky guests around Hollywood. Normally, we spot celebs, but this time we found this memorable celeb ride outside Bonhams auction house on Sunset Blvd.

Bonhams is known for its unique auctions, with sales of everything from Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol art to Rush drummer Neil Peart's drumkit -- and everything in between.

The auction house had its Pop Culture: Then & Now auction last month, with the whimsical bicycle from "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" fetching $140,000 ... so it seems the sweet ride was about to be shipped to the winning bidder.

As we reported, Paul died back in July after a private battle with cancer.

Legendary NY sports radio host Mike Francesa blasted the NFL this week ... accusing the league of putting profit over loyal fans, opting to exclusively stream the Chiefs vs. Dolphins playoff game on a paid streaming platform, and NOT free TV.

"The NFL, which has the biggest, the best, and the most loyal fanbase anywhere, decides to basically thumb its nose at its fanbase and just make another greedy reach for another bundle of money, like they need it," Francesa said on his BetRivers show, ripping the NFL for the decision which reportedly netted the league around $110 million.

Mike added, "How many people in America don't even know what streaming is?" ... referencing the scores of fans who don't have access to the streaming platform.

Of course, the Chiefs vs. Dolphins playoff game is one of the weekend's most anticipated (and likely would've brought in 30+ million viewers on broadcast TV) ... but unless you live in Miami or K.C., the game won't be on television.

Instead, fans will have to shell out at least $5.99 for a monthly subscription.

The remaining five Wild Card games will air for free on CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX.

“People wait all year for these playoff games. They love these playoff games and you’re gonna now charge them extra for a playoff game? They don’t give enough, you don’t make enough?” Francesa asked.

Mike isn't the only one ticked off ... loads of fans have blasted the league for the Peacock decision. Chiefs DE Charles Omenihu, who will be playing in the game called the move "insane."

Before moving on with his show, Francesa took a parting shot at the decision-makers inside the league offices.

“They show up and are there religiously every Sunday, and now you’re gonna charge them for a playoff game? It is the ultimate slap in the face to the best and most ardent and most dramatically important fanbase in America."

"Nobody gets the ratings even close to what the NFL gets. It’s never enough. Anytime they can find another pile of money to grab, they grab it with both hands, and it never stops.”

The man cops say is responsible for Tupac Shakur's death can walk out of jail today as he waits for his criminal trial to get going -- but only if he can come up with a helluva lot of cash.

Duane Davis -- AKA, Keffe D-- was in court out in Vegas Tuesday for a hearing on his potential release on bail pending his criminal trial ... where his legal team was arguing before a judge that their client wasn't a danger to society, nor was he a flight risk if they'd agree to cut him loose from lockup until the trial.

Mind you, Keefe's been in the Clark County jail since late September -- when he was first indicted for the murder of Tupac and taken into custody by cops ... the first big break in the cold case for a long, long time.

Remember ... Keefe's been out there publicly claiming to have been in the car that night way back in 1996, when Tupac was shot and killed while riding passenger with Suge Knight.

Keefe has suggested he wasn't the trigger man himself, but he's also the only one left alive to prosecute over the long-unsolved crime -- and Vegas officials finally brought him in.

Keefe's legal team pointed out that the proof was in the pudding in terms of Keefe not being a risk -- openly asking the court, if he was so dangerous, why did it take so long for cops to haul him in, even though his affiliation with the Tupac murder was well-known for a while.

They also doubled down on his not guilty plea -- saying he only said all that stuff about Pac's murder for entertainment/monetary gain ... but prosecutors pushed back, arguing this guy was a cold-blooded killer and absolutely should not be out on the streets.

In the end, the judge agreed to let him out pending trial ... but set his bail pretty high at $750,000. He also said even if Keefe could cough up the dough, he'll be confined to house arrest with electronic monitoring while he waits for his trial.

Kroy Biermann y Kim Zolciak están discutiendo sobre las finanzas de nuevo y esta vez es sobre el dinero que él piensa que ella está haciendo de la venta de su ropa de diseño.

De acuerdo con los nuevos documentos legales obtenidos por TMZ, Kroy dice que su esposa separada ha estado vendiendo su amplia colección de bolsos de diseño, zapatos y ropa, pero él dice que no está claro lo que está haciendo con los beneficios y si alguna de las cosas que se venden es propiedad conyugal a diferencia de sus cosas por separado.

Kroy está seguro de una cosa, afirma que nada del dinero va a apoyar a su patrimonio conyugal y que dice que está "agobiado por la deuda significativa".

En los documentos, Kroy estima que la colección de diseñadores de Kim vale cientos de miles de dólares y él cree que ella adquirió la mayor parte de mientras estaban casados.

Kroy dice que él y Kim están en una "grave situación financiera", que consta de una deuda de $1.1 millones que le deben al IRS y quiere que el tribunal para identificar y dividir equitativamente sus bienes conyugales, incluyendo su mansión de Georgia y bienes personales.

Sin embargo, fuentes cercanas a Kim le dicen a TMZ que está vendiendo ropa de diseño que adquirió antes de casarse y utilizó parte del dinero para comprarle a sus hijos regalos de Navidad.

Nuestras fuentes también dicen que Kim ha pagado durante años los gastos de la casa y las facturas en solitario.

Recordemos que Kim y Kroy tienen mucho que hacer a medida que navegan su divorcio, sus deudas siguen aumentando y también están tratando de vender su enorme mansión.

Kroy Biermann and Kim Zolciak are bickering over finances again ... and this time it's all about the money he thinks she's making from selling her designer gear.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Kroy says his estranged wife's been selling off her expansive collection of designer purses, shoes and clothes ... but he says it's unclear what she's doing with the profits and whether any of the stuff being sold is marital property, as opposed to her separate stuff.

Kroy is confident in one thing ... he claims none of the money is going to support their marital estate, which he says is "weighed down by significant debt."

In the docs, Kroy estimates Kim's designer collection is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars ... and he believes she acquired most of it while they were married.

Kroy says he and Kim are in a "dire financial situation" -- including the $1.1 million debt they owe to the IRS -- and he wants the court to identify and equitably divide their marital assets, including their Georgia mansion and personal property.

However, sources close to Kim tell TMZ ... she's selling designer gear she acquired before they were married and used some of the money to buy their kids Christmas presents.

Our sources also say Kim has for years paid house expenses and bills solo.

Remember, Kim and Kroy got a lot going on right now -- as they navigate their divorce, their debts continue to mount ... and they're also trying to unload their massive GA mansion.

The *used* Cheez-It's Hot Tub from the 2024 Citrus Bowl has a proud new owner ... and it didn't even cost 'em $4k!!

What👏 a👏 bargain👏!

The infamous Cheez-It jacuzzi sold Monday on eBay for $3,575 ... after receiving 36 bids between January 2nd, when the auction started, and yesterday afternoon, when it closed.

It's unclear who bought the item (it's likely someone in the Orlando area), described as ... "Used during the 2024 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. Selling as is, in great working condition as of 1/1/24. Proceeds benefit the Florida Citrus Sports Foundation."

The FCSF is a non-profit that aims to help uplift kids in central Florida by putting on big events ... like the Citrus Bowl.

Of course, Tennessee absolutely smacked Iowa on the field, beating them 35-0 on New Year's Day. Despite the great performance by the Vols, none of their guys were the stars of the show ... that honor belonged to the Cheez-It Hot Tub.

The hot tub, a normal jacuzzi, was wrapped in Cheez-It decor ... and used by fans and players alike during the afternoon.

Congrats to the winner!

Vivica A. Fox tiene toda la empatía del mundo por los problemas que Taraji P. Henson alega haber experimentado en la industria, incluyendo la disparidad salarial, pero también comenta que esa no ha sido su experiencia en lo absoluto.

Conseguimos a la actriz el lunes en Nueva York, donde firmaba autógrafos y respondía preguntas de nuestros fotógrafos… quienes le preguntaron sobre esta creciente conversación acerca de las malas condiciones laborales que aparentemente experimentaron TPH y otros miembros del elenco de ‘Color Purple’.

Como saben, Taraji y un suficiente número de grandes estrellas de la película han expuesto recientemente sus quejas públicamente, a veces incluso rompiendo en llanto al hablar de ello.

Como mencionamos, Vivica tiene empatía por su situación… y dice que es importante que la gente exprese su opinión y diga su verdad, señalando que aprecia cómo las mujeres se apoyaron mutuamente y abogaron por sus derechos fundamentales mientras filmaban la gran producción cinematográfica.

Dicho esto, VAF también deja en claro que lo que está diciendo Taraji es ajeno para ella.

Mira el clip… Vivica mencionó que simplemente no puede relacionarse con lo que ha pasado Taraji en el negocio, y termina diciéndonos, con cierto orgullo…”Estoy bien”. ¡Anotado!

Si suena como si estuviera menospreciando a Taraji… suponemos que depende de la interpretación. El punto es… definitivamente está distanciándose de cualquier tipo de energía que TPH esté soportando. Cabe mencionar que Vivica y Taraji son muy amigas… ambas han tenido éxito en el negocio durante mucho tiempo.

Es por eso que la respuesta directa de Viv parece osada, podría decirse. Y como ella dice… cada uno tiene su experiencia.

Por cierto, Vivica no es la única que ha dado su opinión sobre este tema que va al alza… LaKeith Stanfield también habló al respecto cuando lo entrevistamos en la Gran Manzana, y respalda por completo a Taraji al decir su verdad.

Vivica A. Fox has all the sympathy in the world for the issues Taraji P. Henson says she's experienced in the industry -- including unequal pay -- but says that isn't her experience at all.

We got the actress out Monday in NYC, where she was busy signing autographs in between fielding questions from our photog ... who asked about this growing convo about crappy working conditions that TPH and other 'Color Purple' cast members apparently experienced.

As you know, Taraji and a good handful of big stars from the film have been airing their grievances very publicly lately -- sometimes breaking down while discussing it.

Like we said, Vivica has empathy for their situation ... and says it's important for folks to speak their piece and get their truth out there -- noting she appreciates how the ladies stuck together and advocated for one another (and basic privileges) while filming the big budget film.

With that said, VAF also makes this very clear -- what Taraji's talking about is foreign to her.

Watch the clip ... Vivica says she just can't relate to what Taraji's gone through in the biz -- and ends by telling us, somewhat proudly ..."I'm good." Noted!

If it sounds like she's talking down on Taraji -- eye of the beholder, we suppose. The point is ... she's certainly distancing herself from whatever sort of energy TPH is enduring. Mind you, Vivica and Taraji are pretty friendly ... both have been successful in the biz for a long time.

That's why this matter-of-fact response from Viv here comes across as ... dare we say, cold. Like she says, though -- to each their own.

BTW, Vivica ain't the only one who weighed in on this ever-growing topic ... LaKeith Stanfield spoke on it too when we got him in the Big Apple, and he completely backed Taraji speaking truth to power.