These are the photos that got "Wheel of Fortune" announcer Jim Thornton suspended by the show and grilled by law enforcement.
Thornton was on an American Airlines flight back in May from Charlotte to L.A. ... when a passenger eyed his laptop and saw him in a disturbing chatroom. The passenger tells TMZ, she saw images and texts that made it appear it was a chatroom for pedophiles.
One of the messages she saw said, "Couple of cute boys and a hot little girl." Another read, "All-you-can-eat Boyfett." referring to a restaurant where they could find underage kids.
Dianna Russini was in "clear violation" of The Athletic's newsroom standards because of her relationship with Mike Vrabel ... an internal investigation found.
The Athletic's editorial director, Mike Semel, published the findings Thursday, saying ... "Russini's relationship with Vrabel was in clear violation of The Athletic's standards. Regardless of whether the relationship was romantic, it was a breach and should have been disclosed."
Semel went through 903 videos, 77 videos, 204 episodes of her "Scoop City" podcast -- he also interviewed her coworkers and listened to her off-platform appearances and interviews -- and says he didn't find "a clear link" that shows Russini used her position to give Vrabel a leg up.
Semel write ... "That said, there are examplesof Russini writing glowingly of Vrabel that in hindsight are awkward or even uncomfortable."
Daejon Love's alleged victims started out receiving sympathy but are now getting crucified online ... and one woman who says she went on a date with him says it's totally unfair.
TMZ's own Charlie Neff sat down with Rachel Anderson for a conversation all about Daejon's long -- or in her case, very short -- con ... discussing a rendezvous she says went down in 2024.
We had to ask Rachel to clear a few things up from an insider's perspective ... including online chatter that Daejon specifically targeted white women like herself.
The NBA just unloaded on the Los Angeles Clippers, snatching five first-round draft picks, fining them $30 million, and suspending owner Steve Ballmer for an entire season!
The stiff punishment was all part of the league's investigation into whether superstar Kawhi Leonard circumvented the NBA's salary cap rules ... as a way to get compensation that wasn't on the books.
"The NBA announced today that the LA Clippers and Kawhi Leonard have been penalized for violating the salary cap circumvention rules contained in the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA)," the league said.
Saylor Hayes wasn't wearing a locator bracelet when her body was discovered -- even though authorities say her parents told them she was ... TMZ has learned.
A rep for the Georgetown Sheriff's Office tells TMZ ... John and Geordyn told investigators Saylor -- who was non-verbal and autistic -- was wearing Project Lifesaver equipment.
If Nolan Wells' so-called friends think Rev. Al Sharpton is going to just roll over, apologize, and dole out retractions, Sharpton says they should think again.
He issued a statement Tuesday, slamming the boys' impending defamation lawsuit as "meritless," explaining he'll "neither be silenced nor retract statements he did not make."
Sharpton said ... "This is not going to distract us from the question that brought us here: 'What happened to Nolan Wells?' His parents buried their 18-year-old son without knowing how or why he died. They asked me to stand with them, and I will continue to stand with them until they get the answers they deserve."
Daejon Love's alleged 49ers fantasy has landed him one very real photo op ... with the accused scammer's mug shot now surfacing following his federal fraud bust.
Love doesn't exactly look thrilled in his new photo ... sporting a long face and an orange jail uniform -- marking the first look at the 35-year-old since he was arrested August 24 in Idaho.
Love is accused of posing as a San Francisco 49ers player and wealthy investor to romance and scam women out of roughly $1.3 million. The California Post was first to obtain the mug shot.
Fake 49er Daejon Love allegedly had his hand out years before his arrest ... with two women suing him over thousands in unpaid loans.
Court records obtained by TMZ show Love was sued twice in small-claims court in Sacramento County -- once in 2020 and again in 2021.
In the first case, Olivia Datu claimed Love borrowed $4,900 from her over the course of several weeks ... including $1,200 for a credit card payment and $3,700 for work on a Dodge vehicle.
Anna Wintour’s Met Gala is no longer going to present an exhibit by the controversial designer John Galliano.
On Monday, Galliano announced the news on social media after backlash grew over the weekend.
He said, “After much reflection and discussion with all those involved, I have decided, with great sadness, that it is best for the exhibition not to take place at this time.”
Fake 49ers player Daejon Love's alleged $1.3 million romance scam could keep him behind bars ... prosecutors say he's a serious flight risk with little tying him to any community.
According to court documents, obtained by TMZ, prosecutors are asking a judge to keep Love detained, arguing the evidence against him is strong and he has "every incentive to flee" if released.
The government alleges Love spent years meeting women on dating apps, convincing them he was a wealthy NFL player or successful investor before allegedly getting them to hand over money for fake investments.
Surrogate McKenna West is asking a Texas judge to issue an order blocking the biological parents from interfering with her caring for their kid ... TMZ has learned.
According to court docs, obtained by TMZ, McKenna opposes Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed's request to be named the conservators of the child they named "Rumi" but who she calls "Gabriel" ... instead, McKenna insists that she be appointed the sole managing conservator of the child.
The newborn is currently being cared for by Nausheen and Omar after a judge granted them temporary custody ... and the baby boy is in critical condition after emergency heart surgery following his August 12 birth.
CoolKicks LA owner Adeel Shams is taking to the internet to clear his name in the stolen sneaker raid at his store last October.
Adeel posted a lengthy video Wednesday, explaining no criminal charges were filed against him or CoolKicks in the incident.
While Adeel and other employees were detained during the bust, he was later released with no charges and he was never arrested ... nor was he named in the indictment.
The biological mother at the center of the McKenna Westsurrogate baby battle broke down in court Tuesday ... accusing West of trying to steal her child.
Nausheen Gilkarsobbed as she testified in Dallas ... saying West is now trying to claim the baby she and her husband hired her to carry.
As TMZ previously reported ... the baby -- whom West calls Gabriel and the biological parents call "Rumi"-- was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and is in critical condition after heart surgery.
McKenna West's baby Gabriel's health is declining days after his complex heart surgery … and he is in critical condition.
According to court docs obtained by TMZ, Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed, the biological parents who are battling McKenna over custody of the boy, claim the newborn they call "Rumi" underwent a complex open-heart surgery called the Norwood Procedure.
They say in the last 24 hours, "Serious medical developments have arisen that impact the health and safety of the child. The child is in critical condition and being closely monitored at the hospital."
Anna Kepner's stepbrother, Timothy Hudson, is asking the court to postpone his murder trial for her death aboard a cruise ship ... TMZ has learned.
According to court docs, obtained by TMZ, Timothy claims his lawyers need more time to get their ducks in a row before the upcoming September trial date.
Timothy's lawyers say they need to do more research, including looking into their client's status as a juvenile and the "different considerations that apply to him and "the unique -- and very unfortunate -- family dynamic that has resulted from the allegations here."
