Money

Demand for Kobe Bryant memorabilia is surging like crazy in the wake of his death -- with collectors paying INSANE prices to scoop up valuable items, TMZ Sports has learned.

But, with the high demand comes scam artists looking to push fakes ... and the market is already on high alert.

We spoke with multiple high-end collectible dealers who are all saying the same thing ... people are clamoring for anything Kobe ... and they're paying anywhere from 2x to 20x the price Kobe stuff was fetching before his death.

For example, a game-worn and signed Kobe jersey from the 2004-2005 season was expected to hit $6,000 before his death ... but pre-bidders have already bumped the price to a starting $6,500 and the auction still runs for another month!

Another high-end dealer who didn't want to be mentioned by name says an extremely rare Kobe basketball card (which was originally expected to sell around the $2,500 range) has sold in the private market after Kobe's death for nearly $50,000.

Other dealers have told us straight-up they're pressing pause on selling Kobe items because it doesn't feel right to capitalize on emotional fans.

As for the fakes, multiple dealers have told us it's not uncommon for forgers to push out fake items and fake signatures on eBay and other platforms.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry aren't going to be left penniless -- FAR from it actually, according to Ryan Seacrest and Mark Cuban ... so long as they follow this advice.

The two titans of industry -- who've successfully forged their own paths in entertainment and sports, and branded themselves masterfully -- sat down for the new, TMZ/FOX special, "Harry & Meghan: The Royals In Crisis," to share their thoughts on PH and MM's financial future in entertainment.

As you might've heard, the former Royals are kinda on their own now. And, life ain't free!!!

The question ... can they make an honest buck, and if so, how? Seacrest says it all depends on what they have to offer, which may come as a surprise to both the public and maybe even themselves, especially Harry. Bottom line, RS thinks there's untapped potential there.

Mark Cuban is right there with him ... saying, if Har and Meg play their cards right, they could be just as successful and wealthy as the Obamas, if not more so.

FOX's one-hour special gets into more than just what lies ahead for them though ... it's also a deep dive into what got them here to begin with. Piers Morgan has thoughts on that.

Check it out ... he makes no bones about how he believes Meghan manipulated her way to the top, only to strip his country's Prince away from his people and family. Oof, harsh!

Renowned writer Afua Hirsch has a different take, however, with which many others agree.

Blac Chyna's gotta write a fat check to her former landlord for allegedly bailing on her lease and not paying rent ... because she didn't even bother to fight the lawsuit against her.

According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ ... BC's been ordered to fork over nearly $72,000 to Michael Kremerman, who sued her for unpaid rent and damages to the rental home.

It's a default judgment, meaning the judge ruled for Kremerman because Chyna never responded to the suit.

As we first reported ... the landlord filed suit against Blac Chyna back in April, claiming she bolted on her lease 5 months early, didn't pay a dime after leaving and removed fixtures and equipment from the pad.

The landlord said BC was $48,546 in the red, and he sued for that amount plus interest and attorney's fees ... hence the $72k judgment.

One of the most popular faces on the Internet -- you know him as the "Success Kid" meme -- is shaking his famous little fist at Rep. Steve King for screwing up his brand.

Sam Griner is the little guy who became known as "Success Kid" nearly 10 years ago when people started attaching his determined little face to memes. Sam's mother, Laney Griner, has fired off a cease and desist letter to Congressman King.

In the letter, Lainey accuses King of implying his re-election campaign is associated with "Success Kid." She says King is using the Kid's photo with the caption, "FUND OUR MEMES," in large red letters on a crowdsourcing site.

The Kid's mom says she owns the copyright on Sam's image and has licensed it over the years to huge companies like Coca-Cola, General Mills, Microsoft and Marriott. She has not, and it sounds like never will, struck any such deal with Rep. King.

Mama Success says of King, "You have a record of vitriolic criticism of individuals who belong to protected classes or disadvantaged groups, or who support legal rights that you condemn."

The letter goes on, but you get the point -- she's not a fan of King or his politics.

She's giving the Iowa Rep. until Wednesday morning to take down his Success Kid imagery, post a retraction and apology, and hand over an accounting of how much his campaign's made off Success Kid. If he doesn't meet the deadline, she strongly suggests a lawsuit is in the offing.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry should have no problem becoming self-sufficient ... because there are huge sums to be made for speaking engagements and book deals.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex would easily command upwards of $500,000 each to speak in front of crowds ... according to folks who help celebs get such deals.

Lots of famous folks get paid huge sums to speak, and Meghan and Harry are obviously in demand. GDA Speakers, whose clients include Nicole Kidman and Diane Keaton, predicts baby Archie's parents could do a lot of business speaking in front of non-profit and volunteer-based organizations, and they'd get more than the standard $200,000 to $300,000 going to most celebs.

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro's baby mama, Jen Harley, is turning her passion into a full-time gig ... because she's officially licensed to sell houses!!!

Jen just got her real estate license in Nevada, according to legal docs obtained by TMZ, and she's joining the team at Realty One Group in Las Vegas.

Sources close to Jen tell TMZ ... she caught the real estate bug after making some extra cash helping agents flip her own homes, and decided she wanted to take real estate classes and pursue a career in the biz.

Jen's been around the game for a while ... we're told she's owned 6 homes in her life and got a thrill out of buying and selling each property. Now she can pocket some commissions!!!

In addition to being licensed in Nevada, we're told Jen wants to eventually get a license in Cali, and she has a house in escrow in Florida she's hoping to turn into an Airbnb.

As you know ... Ronnie and Jen are selling their Las Vegas home after listing it 3 months ago. Jen only got her real estate license in January, so she didn't land that listing.

Probably for the best, considering their track record.

Lee Harvey Oswald -- the man some believe acted alone in assassinating President John F. Kennedy -- never cashed his final paycheck ... on account of being dead, we're assuming.

Oswald's check from the Texas School Book Depository is now up for auction ... and it's likely to fetch a lot more money than what it was originally worth to him.

It was issued to Oswald on December 3, 1963 -- 11 days after he killed JFK, and 9 days after he was shot and killed by Jack Ruby.

As you can see, it's handwritten other than the stamped amount of "$43 and 37 cts" and includes a note at the bottom left that reads, "4 Days. Lee Harvey Oswald for Nov '63."

This implies he was paid for 4 days that week, but not a fifth day ... possibly Friday, November 22, the date of the assassination. Of course, Oswald was seen working at the book depository that morning ... before climbing into a 6th-floor window, and taking aim at Kennedy's motorcade in Daley Plaza.

Oswald fired 3 shots at 12:30 PM.

The check ended up in the possession of Marina Oswald's lawyer, John Thorne. He apparently paid Lee's wife the cash in order to keep the check, which he obviously realized would become historic memorabilia.

When Thorne died, it was transferred to his widow ... who's passed it along to Heritage Auctions to put it on the block. We're told it could haul in thousands, as it's comparable to checks signed by John Wilkes Booth ... which can sell for up to $10k.

Lance Armstrong is going on a trip to Spain ... and he's lookin' for some friends to go with him -- as long as they got an extra $30k lying around.

Here's the deal ... the disgraced cycling superstar is putting on a trip called "The Move Mallorca 2020" ... where he and 12 lucky (and rich) guests will ride through the island together for almost a week.

So, what does the hefty price tag come with??? According to the tour company's website, "accommodations, meals, bikes and more” for the 6 day/5 night trip.

Despite the bad taste Armstrong might leave in cycling enthusiasts' mouths, we're told the company has has “been inundated” with inquiries since it was announced on January 20.

By the way, Lance's ex-teammate (and fellow drug cheater) George Hincapie will also be part of the ride.

Ricky Martin is getting to work to help the people of Puerto Rico who have been devastated by recent earthquakes ... sitting with local politicians to come up with effective solutions.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ the singer met with Mayors representing districts hit by the quakes Friday to formulate plans to fast track help to those in need. We're told the meeting took place at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan.

As you probably know by now ... Puerto Rico's been battered with powerful earthquakes since late last month. The most powerful quake -- a 6.4 magnitude on Jan. 7 -- wreaked havoc in several villages and damaged homes, attractions and hotels along the southwest coast.

It's pretty simple -- you win the natty, they back up the Brinks trucks to your driveway ... and that's exactly what happened for LSU head coach Ed Orgeron!!

Coach O and the Tigers are still basking in their glory following the 42-25 win over Clemson in the College Football Playoff championship game ... and as a result, LSU's beloved leader got a MAJOR pay raise.

How good of a raise?? O just agreed to a 6-year deal exceeding $42 MILLION.

It's not the lifetime contract Joe Burrow called for in his Heisman acceptance speech ... but THINK OF ALL THE CRAWFISH YOU CAN BUY WITH THAT KINDA MONEY!!!!

LSU athletic director Scott Woodward spoke about the decision, saying "Coach O has set a new standard at LSU."

"He has proven that he is not only a championship coach, but also a leader of a program committed to doing things the right way. He has represented our institution and our state with great pride, on and off the field of play."

"He is well-deserving of this new contract, which should make clear our commitment to Coach O and the direction of our football program."

O's initial salary when he got the gig was $3.5 million a year ... and he eventually got bumped up to $4 million earlier this year. Orgeron was tied for the 28th highest-paid coach in college ball.

Now, Orgeron will be one of the highest-paid football coaches in the NCAA ... right behind names like Dabo Swinney, Jimbo Fisher, Nick Saban and Jim Harbaugh.

Looks like O won't have to do any local Hummer commercials anymore.

Try not to choke on the irony, but the real-life 'Wolf of Wall Street' -- who infamously fleeced investors for roughly $200 million -- is now suing the film's producers, claiming they lied and screwed HIM over.

Jordan Belfort is going after Red Granite Pictures and its CEO, Riza Aziz, for fraud ... claiming he had no idea they financed the film with stolen money from the Malaysian government. In the suit, Belfort says the political scandal Aziz is wrapped up in, is tainting the rights to his story ... which he sold to Red Granite.

Aziz allegedly embezzled $248 mil from a Malaysian government-run development fund.

Belfort sold the production company the rights to his memoir and the sequel, "Catching the Wolf of Wall Street," but he claims the scandal is keeping him from cashing in even more.

For example, despite the massive success of the Leonardo DiCaprio movie directed by Martin Scorsese ... Belfort says -- in docs obtained by TMZ -- Red Granite has "since refused to further exploit the goldmine of an asset to the benefit of Belfort, despite its contractual obligations."

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro and Jen Harley are officially moving on ... when it comes to their Vegas home anyway, 'cause TMZ's learned they've listed it for sale.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... the 'Jersey Shore' star and Jen put their home on the market 3 months ago for a cool $869,900 and we're told the reasoning is surprisingly quite simple -- Ron's moving to L.A. and Jen's got no use for it and is game for selling it.

We're told Ronnie plunked down all the cash for the crib back in October 2017, but they'll split the profits, if any. They bought it for $725k. Our sources also say the sale has nothing to do with their drama-filled relationship ... it's just that, logistically, they don't need it.

A source close to Ronnie tells us he footed all the bills for the home as well ... and Jen also had a place of her own in the city.

The house itself is a marvel ... 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms and nearly 3,000 square feet of living space. It's nestled inside a gated community ... so, privacy. It also features a full panoramic view of the strip, city and mountains. There's also a relaxing spa.

Ronnie and Jen, however, did anything but relax in that house -- the site of some of their most volatile fights in their frequently hostile relationship.

Diddy is helping shine a light on a group of children battling cancer ... and now the kids are getting brand new iPads.

Here's the deal ... former celebrity weed dealer Milk Tyson launched a viral campaign to get Diddy to join their crusade to help kids fighting cancer, and get them a segment on the 'Ellen Degeneres Show.'

The children at Miami-based nonprofit Fighting All Monsters appeared in a viral video with Snoop Dogg, dancing to Diddy's hit song "Bad Boys For Life" and asking him to vibe with them.

Diddy caught wind of the initiative, and blasted the video out Thursday to his nearly 16 million Instagram followers, and now the group says tons of folks want to get involved.

Gervonta Davis has nearly $250,000 worth of bling in his closet that he never properly paid for because he wrote a bogus check -- this according to a new lawsuit obtained by TMZ Sports.

Shyne Jewelers in Philadelphia, Penn. claims they reached a deal with Davis last year to make him some sick ice ... but they say the boxing star ultimately ended up stiffing them.

According to court docs, the jewelers say Davis ordered a $130,000 green Richard Millie watch, a $60,000 custom pendant, a $30,000 Rolex and four $12,000 "GTD" pendants.

They also say Davis had another blue Richard Millie watch -- which he had previously bought from them -- repaired for $19,000.

But, they claim when it came time to pay up for the $250K bill ... Davis and his team paid with a counterfeit check.

The jewelers say this was no accident either ... saying, "Davis knew that the cashier's check was counterfeit and he acted intentionally and with malicious intent."

Now, the jewelers are asking for the jewelry to be returned or the $250,000 with interest ... plus damages.

We've reached out to Davis' camp for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West got love for each other -- as they've declared on social media posts like this one -- but now she's got a lawsuit too.

This tender moment between the Wests ended up on Kim's Instagram -- back in October 2018 -- and while more than 2.2 million people liked it, one professional photographer hates it to the point he's suing Kim.

Saeed Bolden says he's the guy who snapped the loving shot, and therefore he owns it. According to the suit, obtained by TMZ, Bolden says he never gave KKW permission to use it, nor did she pay him to use it ... so he wants a little something for his trouble.

For sure, it's a rare pic ... Kanye's smiling, after all. The photo was snapped at Nas' album release party, which Kanye produced.

As for how much the pic is worth? Bolden doesn't name a price -- he's suing for any profits Kim's made off the post, plus punitive damages.

Oddly, he's also suing Kim's shapewear line, Skims Body. because he claims it shares Kim's IG account ... though the solo Skims account never posted the photo.

Kylie Jenner's put up a billboard smack in the middle of WeHo that kills 2 birds with one stone -- celebrating Stormi's birthday and hawks the kiddo's new makeup collection.

The massive bday card -- in a prime location on Santa Monica Blvd -- shows Kylie gently cradling Stormi, who turns 2 on February 1. Obviously NOT coincidentally, Kylie's also adding to her cosmetics empire on that day ...with makeup products inspired by Stormi.

Kylie's dubbed the collection, naturally, the Stormi Collection -- and says it's something she's been waiting for since the moment she found out she was pregnant.

She says it's dedicated to Stormi and inspired by her, but the kiddo also lent a helping hand. There are butterfly-themed packages of lip kits, blushes and mini eye shadow palettes with pastel and glitter shades.

At this rate, Stormi might end up snatching Mom's crown for youngest billionaire in history.