Scandals

Internal discussions in the Los Angeles Mayor's Office and the California Attorney General's Office were told Paramount would announce it was leaving California, but there's a twist ... sources tell TMZ.

We're told the Mayor and the A.G. were told the announcement would come yesterday, but it did not happen. We do not know if circumstances changed or if there was just a delay.

As you probably know, the California Attorney General -- other with 11 other state attorneys general -- have filed an anti-trust lawsuit against Paramount, trying to block the Warner Bros merger.

Olivia Jade Giannulli's leaning into the embarrassing college admissions scandal that changed her life ... posing for several academic-themed pics -- including a couple of scandalous ones -- for a good cause.

One photo showed the star wearing a sweater that reads, "College" across the front ... while another showed her stripped of the sweater and covering herself with a large clutch she's holding.

The influencer and social media star's partner company -- Reformation -- wrote in their Instagram caption that Olivia "is back on campus in a crew that suits her better than the other kind."

Lexi Kramer's family says she believed car influencer James Wehr truly loved her and his divorce was nearly finalized when he flew her to California for their first date ... TMZ has learned.

The family member tells TMZ ... Lexi and James met through Instagram direct messages and had been talking for about a month before he paid for her flight to California. They spent the day together before the crash that claimed both their lives.

According to Lexi's family, James told her he and his wife were almost finished finalizing their divorce. But after James and Lexi died, the family member says James' wife contacted them and they spoke about James and Lexi's relationship.

Amanda Knox wants people to leave Lindsay Clancy's husband, Patrick, alone ... saying she can relate to being blamed for something based on "vibes."

Amanda came to Patrick's defense from social media sleuths who believe he was involved with the murders of his 3 children in a new piece for The Free Press.

She writes that seeing the internet turn on Patrick because they didn't like how he grieved triggered her.

Alix Earle's stepmom is opening up about her involvement in the scandal surrounding former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer's resignation.

Ashley Earle -- who went by Ashley Dupre -- got into the nitty-gritty of her escort days in a new piece for Elle.

She wrote ... "At 19, while working as a cocktail waitress, a man approached me and told me I could make $1,000 an hour going on dates with high-profile men. My first answer was no, but I kept his card."

Ashley says she eventually gave the man a call, explaining she wanted money and independence.

Charlie Kirk's statue outside Turning Point USA's headquarters was defaced overnight ... and his widow Erika Kirk is firing back, vowing the vandalism won't erase his legacy.

Photos shared Sunday by TPUSA show red spray paint smeared across the statue's face and neck ... with a frowning face painted on the front of the figure.

TPUSA says it's reviewing surveillance footage and working with law enforcement to identify whoever did it.

Federal prosecutors have reportedly launched a criminal investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers over allegations the team skirted the NBA’s salary-cap rules in connection with Kawhi Leonard.

Aaron Rodgers is still pissed at ESPN for not doggedly reporting on Dianna Russini's relationship with Mike Vrabel ... especially after he says they blew up the Jed York prostitution scandal.

The NFL QB -- who is entering his final season -- dove into the criticism on his teammate Cam Heyward's "Not Just Football" podcast ... explaining he's pissed because he thinks ESPN is overlooking the implications from the Russini-Vrabel relationship.

Aaron says ESPN spends a ton of time on certain issues, but not the ones he thinks are important ... specifically going off on the company for its wall-to-wall coverage of York's no-contest plea to disorderly conduct and possessing criminal tools after allegedly agreeing to pay a woman $140 for sex.

The owner of a Florida doggy daycare has been arrested after employees found a hidden camera in the bathroom.

Dog Dayz Inn owner Donald Hemphill was charged after the camera was found inside an electrical outlet on Saturday.

During the Volusia Sheriff's Office Child Exploitation Unit's investigation, Hemphill allegedly copped to installing the camera about 4 or 5 months ago.

Jim Thornton is being scrubbed from more than just "Wheel of Fortune" ... his alma mater appears to be distancing itself from him as well ... in the wake of his pedo chatroom scandal.

Marshall University appears to have removed multiple references to Thornton from its website ... including webpages celebrating him as its 2026 Spring Commencement speaker and 2025 Homecoming Grand Marshal ... with links now leading to 404 error pages.

A Marshall University spokesperson tells TMZ ... "At this time, Marshall University is aware of the media reports regarding Jim Thornton and is actively monitoring the situation."

The American Airlines passenger who was duct-taped to a chair couldn't get up from his seat, but he could run his mouth ... so he fired off an insult about a dude's junk while immobilized ... and it's all on video.

A new angle from 67-year-old Arthur Layne Lundeen's epic meltdown features him reportedly telling someone else in first class, "You have a little tiny d***."

Not super creative ... but this insult is tried and true.

A former "Wheel of Fortune" contestant is defending Jim Thornton from the online pile-on ... saying people are rushing to brand him a pedophile before all the facts are known.

In a lengthy Facebook post, the former contestant -- Joshua Beach -- who calls Thornton one of his heroes -- said he's seen the photos and read what was reportedly on the chatroom, admitting some of it is "disturbing."

But he added ... "I'm also not comfortable watching the internet take a series of photographs and immediately turn them into a complete judgment of another human being."

Corey Lewandowski tried to sell government services for financial profit when he was a "shadow secretary" at the Department of Homeland Security, according to a new report.

The Wall Street Journal published an article Monday night, claiming that Lewandowski approached Qatari officials to offer them "help" with any visa or other issues that fell under the umbrella of DHS.

Lewandowski also reportedly made a similar offer to United Arab Emirates officials.
The Journal said Lewandowski's motive was purely to enrich himself by selling government services.

The guy who helped turn an unruly American Airlines passenger into a human duct-tape roll has been identified ... and he's a New Jersey gun range owner who says stepping in was a no-brainer.

Richard O'Lenick -- owner of Gun for Hire in Woodland Park -- was one of the passengers who restrained Arthur "Layne" Lundeen during his alleged midair meltdown last week, according to the The Daily Voice.

The 53-year-old was traveling with his employee Juan Mejia, a retired cop, when Lundeen allegedly started hurling slurs and getting physical with people aboard the plane.

Ex-"Wheel of Fortune" announcer Jim Thornton worried someone saw him in an online chat for pedophiles ... at least according to a photo taken moments after a flight attendant confronted him.

TMZ obtained the pic taken back in May by a passenger seated near Thornton on an American Airlines flight. The passenger grew concerned after seeing chatroom messages on Thornton's laptop about "cute boys" and a "hot little girl" at a restaurant ... so she reported it to a flight attendant.

In the new photo, Jim is on his phone reading the results of a Google A.I. search shortly after the flight attendant -- who'd spoken to the concerned passenger -- forced him to close his laptop.

The Tucson real estate agent who allegedly went on a wild tirade aboard an American Airlines flight -- ending with him duct-taped to his seat -- has now lost his job.

The 67-year-old man, identified as Arthur “Layne” Lundeen, was fired by Long Realty following the September 3 incident aboard American Airlines Flight 618 from Dallas-Fort Worth to Newark, according to KVOA.

As TMZ previously reported, Lundeen allegedly became belligerent during the flight, directing racial and anti-gay slurs at passengers and crew before the situation turned physical.