Mark Cuban Sells Majority Stake In NBA Team ... Keeps Control of Mavs' Basketball Ops

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Big news out of Big D ... Mark Cuban is selling his majority stake in the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, while still holding onto the reigns in basketball operations.

The billionaire is selling his majority stake to Miriam Adelson ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.

While Mark is selling a stake reportedly valued at $3.5 billion, he will retain some shares in the team and be the lead decision-maker when it comes to basketball ops.

Cuban bought the team in 2000 for $285 million, so he’s getting a huge return on investment!

Miriam is the billionaire widow and heiress of Sheldon Adelson and his Las Vegas casino empire ... Forbes has her net worth at $32.3 billion, making her the fifth richest woman in the world.

Our sources say Adelson has plans to build a new arena for the Mavs, and, if a gambling bill passes in Texas, we’re told she might also build a casino in Dallas.

Miriam is reportedly selling $2 billion of her shares in Las Vegas Sands Group to make the Mavs purchase.

Under Cuban, the Mavericks have been perennial contenders in the NBA's Western Conference, winning the franchise's first and only NBA championship in 2011, defeating LeBron James and the Miami Heat.

Earlier this week, Cuban revealed he's leaving ABC's "Shark Tank" after the upcoming 16th season.

Lots going on in Mark’s world … including cohosting “TMZ’s Merry Elfin’ Christmas” special, premiering Dec. 5 in primetime on Fox!

We covered it all on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Mark Cuban Vende su participación mayoritaria en equipo de la NBA

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Grandes noticias de Big D... Mark Cuban está vendiendo su participación mayoritaria en los Dallas Mavericks de la NBA, aunque todavía se aferra a las operaciones de baloncesto.

El multimillonario está vendiendo su participación mayoritaria a Miriam Adelson, según ha confirmado TMZ Sports.

Aunque Mark está vendiendo su participación supuestamente valorada en $3,5 mil millones, conservará algunas acciones en el equipo y será el principal responsable de la toma de decisiones cuando se trate de las operaciones relacionadas al baloncesto.

Cuban compró el equipo en 2000 por 285 millones de dólares, ¡así que está obteniendo grandes ganancias de su inversión!

Miriam es la multimillonaria viuda de Sheldon Adelson y heredera de su imperio de casinos en Las Vegas. Según Forbes, su patrimonio neto asciende a 32.300 millones de dólares, lo que la convierte en la quinta mujer más rica del mundo.

Según nuestras fuentes, Adelson planea construir un nuevo estadio para los Mavs y, si se aprueba una ley sobre el juego en Texas, también podría construir un casino en Dallas.

Al parecer, Miriam está vendiendo 2.000 millones de dólares de sus acciones en Las Vegas Sands Group para realizar la compra de los Mavs.

Bajo Cuban, los Mavericks han sido contendientes perennes en la Conferencia Oeste de la NBA, ganando el primer y único campeonato de la NBA de la franquicia en 2011, derrotando a LeBron James y los Miami Heat.

A principios de esta semana, Cuban reveló que dejará "Shark Tank" de ABC después de la próxima temporada 16.

Muchas cosas están pasando en el mundo de Mark, incluyendo el hecho de que será co-anfitrión del especial "TMZ's Merry Elfin' Christmas", que se estrena el 5 de diciembre en horario estelar en Fox.

Mark Cuban I Missed Out on Billions from Uber Passed On Early Investment

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"Shark Tank" star Mark Cuban has a ton of money, but his wealth could've actually grown by a couple more BILLION if he would've taken an early opportunity to invest in Uber ... a move he's regretting to this day.

The billionaire investor and entrepreneur talked about the deal that got away on an episode last month of Kevin Hart's "Hart to Heart," saying he was offered the opportunity to put some dough into the company in 2009 -- years before the ridesharing game took off.

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TMZ INVESTIGATES

Mark says it was a $250k investment at a $10M valuation -- for the "Shark Tank" fans doing the math, that would've given him 2.5 percent of the company. While the other sharks might've laughed that valuation off, Mark's $250k would've been $2.25 BILLION today.

Mark says he offered to give the cash if the company was valued at $5 million, but he claims he never heard anything back ... and they eventually got someone else to fill his spot. As you can guess, he's vowing to never make a mistake like that again.

Kevin says he also had the chance to put $50k down on the brand years ago ... but thought the idea of strangers driving each other around sounded like "Murderville."

BTW, Cuban had previously invested in Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick's startup, Red Swoosh, but the stars didn't align on this one ... and it sounds like he's kicking himself over it pretty hard!

Barbara Corcoran Nice S.I. Cover, Martha ... I Can Be A Swimsuit Model, Too!!!

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Anything Martha Stewart can do, Barbara Corcoran can do just as well ... 'cause the "Shark Tank" star just had her own makeshift Sports Illustrated swimsuit photo shoot -- and she looks fantastic!!

The 74-year-old real estate mogul and businesswoman threw on a white one-piece suit and orange cover-up to recreate her friend's new S.I. cover that was revealed this week ... captioning the pic, "I can’t cook, but I sure can swim. @si_swimsuit @marthastewart48."

The responses have been nothing but positive ... with huge names like Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Chrishell Stause and Martha herself all showing love in the comments.

"Looking great barbara Corcoran!!!!!" Stewart, 81, said.

There was one troll, however ... and anyone who's familiar with the Sharks will not be surprised one bit that "Mr. Wonderful" had something to say.

"I've reported this to Instagram," Kevin O'Leary said ... to which Barb responded, "Ok hater."

Barb's post was all for fun -- earlier this week, she even joked with us that she wouldn't buy the mag if Martha looked too good.

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I'M OUT ON MARTHA!!!

The magazine is now on sale ... and unfortunately for Barb fans, she won't be in it -- but at least they can enjoy her own take on the cover!!

Jimmie Allen Ice Cream Collab Seemingly Dropped ... After Rape Allegations

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Jimmie Allen's sweet deal with a "Shark Tank" powered ice cream company is apparently out the window ... this following recent rape allegations made against him.

Here's the deal -- it was announced back in March that the country singer was partnering up with The Frozen Farmer, a farm-fresh ice cream company backed by Lori Greiner and featured on the deal-making series.

Jimmie collabed with the biz and came up with Miss Angie's Peach Cobbler Frobert, inspired by a recipe from his mom of the same name ... but if you check out the company's page, the dessert is nowhere to be found and the social media posts promoting it have been deleted.

The pints were jam-packed with references to Jimmie's background, like a pic of him and his mom on the cover or the number 15 on the lid -- the number his dad wore when he played baseball. However, it looks like it's simply in his rearview mirror at this point.

As we reported, Jimmie's being sued by his alleged former business manager, who claims he raped her while she was working for him.

She says he continued to amp up the sexual harassment during her 18 months on the job ... before ultimately being fired from the company that employed her.

Jimmie told us the woman's claims have "no truth to them whatsoever" and alleges she hired a lawyer to ask him for money only after their 2-year consensual sexual relationship ended.

We've reached out to The Frozen Farmer and Jimmie's rep for comment ... so far, no word back.

Daymond John Private 'Avatar 2' Screening for Holiday Party Ice T, CoCo & Others Attend

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Daymond John knows how to throw a holiday party ... treating his employees, fellow sharks and even celeb friends to a private screening of the biggest movie on the planet.

The "Shark Tank" star hosted his annual Shark Group holiday party this week in the Big Apple  ... complete with a private screening of "Avatar: The Way of Water."

We're told Daymond wanted to make sure everyone on his team had a good night, inviting their family and friends as well.

Daymond's celeb pals, including Ice-T, Coco and Molly Burnett were all in attendance. Daymond's fellow sharks Kevin O’Leary and Barbara Corcoran also made it to the screening.

Also super noticeable in the pics is Daymond's weight loss -- he's lost 40 lbs since the summer and is clearly having a fun time showing it off.

Commanders' Brian Robinson 'Big Hat' Sales Skyrocket 2,000 Percent Increase!!!

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Washington Commanders star Brian Robinson's big hat resulted in some BIG sales for the company behind the massive lid ... 'cause TMZ Sports is told their business saw a whopping 2,000% increase in orders!!

Robinson's hat quickly went viral after Sunday's 19-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons ... and the running back hilariously told reporters -- "If you want a big hat, let me know."

Noggin Boss -- the company that sells big hats starting at $75 -- tells us the impact was immediate ... with Monday being one of the biggest days in the brand's history.

As it turns out, NB says a bunch of major television networks hit them up to get Noggins for their on-air talent following Robinson's appearance ... but ESPN's Scott Van Pelt was one of the lucky ones who got one "years ago" -- and he wore it on "SportsCenter" Monday night!!

If the look seems familiar, Noggin Boss co-founders Gabe Cooper and Sean Starner appeared on "Shark Tank" earlier this year. The guys were seeking $50k for 25% of the company ... and ended up sealing the deal with Daymond John for 30%!!

Robinson's hat -- customized with the Commanders' logo -- was a gift from a family friend ... and the dude almost certainly started a trend in the sports world, with teams even photoshopping big hats onto their players.

NB tells us there's no official partnership with Brian ... but there are some "pretty huge" endorsement deals in the works.

Daymond John Offers Financial Help For Family of Slain Buffalo Security Guard

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Daymond John is offering financial aid to the family of the security guard killed in the Buffalo shooting ... reaching out after discovering the guy was a big fan of his.

The son of Aaron Salter Jr., the retired police officer who was working security at the supermarket where the tragic shooting happened, tells TMZ ... Daymond recently called him and struck up a conversation, getting emotional and offering to help with funeral expenses and other bills.

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A GIFT FROM THE SHARK

Daymond told Aaron Salter III he saw some photos online of the guy's dad posing with cardboard cutouts of the "Shark Tank" star ... and it turns out watching "Shark Tank" was a family affair in the Salter house.

Aaron, who is being hailed a hero for likely saving the lives of others in the attack, was also an inventor like Daymond ... and his son says DJ told the family his heart goes out to them and he wants to help in any way possible.

When Aaron's son relayed funeral details, Daymond offered to help cover the cost and told the family someone from his camp would be in touch.

We're told Daymond got emotional as the conversation continued ... Aaron's son could hear the pain in Daymond's voice, and towards the end of their talk Daymond offered to help the family with anything they need in the future, urging them not to hesitate.

Aaron's son says his dad was a huge fan of Daymond's and is looking down now, super proud.

Daymond's offer to the family is in addition to a visit from President Biden ... we're told POTUS spoke individually with 9 family members, shaking hands and expressing condolences.

The family is also crowdfunding to set up a non-profit dedicated to Aaron ... with their GoFundMe reaching over $30,000 and counting.

Daymond John Biden Exec Order Means Crypto here to stay!!!

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President Biden's latest executive order is a big "W" for those in the crypto world, and a clear indicator everyone should, if nothing else, start learning what it's all about ... according to Daymond John.

The "Shark Tank" star joined us Friday on "TMZ Live" for his "Follow the Money" segment ... giving us his take on Biden's greenlight for feds to study risks and benefits of cryptocurrency. Daymond says the bottom line is ... it's really good news.

He says the news legitimizes crypto, and should get more people to invest. Even further, he believes Biden's interest in creating a digital U.S. dollar will protect all Americans.

Although, the prez did not announce any regulations of cryptocurrency ... Daymond says they'll be necessary to prevent investors from getting hurt or scammed.

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IT'S A DOGE-EAT-DOGE WORLD

Already, 16% of Americans have invested in crypto, and he says that number will increase greatly in the next 10 years.

BTW ... some crypto coins, like Bitcoin, soared 5-8% after Biden's order.

Kevin O'Leary Off the Hook in Fraud Lawsuit

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Kevin O’Leary is off the hook in a fraud lawsuit -- and his lawyers are saying he should never have been sued in the first place.

A judge just granted O'Leary's motion to toss the suit filed against him last year ... alleging he helped promote a massive scam that duped a bunch of people trying to start businesses.

20 entrepreneurs sued Kevin and others for allegedly encouraging them to use crowdfunding companies to kickstart their business ideas. The problem is they claim it was a total bunk, and they all ended up losing money.

Here’s the thing though ... Kev’s attorneys, Paul Sorrell and Andrew Brettler, tell us the reason the judge agreed to dismiss O'Leary from the case is because -- put simply -- the court didn't buy that O’Leary's general statements about crowdfunding were enough to hold him accountable when people pursued those paths.

In other words -- just because the crowdfunding plan didn't pan out, it's not Kevin's fault

In any case, all’s well that ends well for Mr. Wonderful ... who previously told us the suit was bogus, and that he’d defend himself in court.

Case closed ... for Kevin, anyway. The case continues with the other defendants.

Bruce Springsteen Huge Tax Savings with $500 Mil Sale ... Daymond John Breaks Down Deal

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Bruce Springsteen's the Boss alright ... of the IRS, because the rock legend is gonna end up saving millions in taxes every year, courtesy of his record-setting sale of his music catalog ... according to Daymond John.

The "Shark Tank" star gave us some insight into why Springsteen and several other huge music stars are unloading their master recordings and publishing rights to corporations -- and turns out taxes are one major motivation.

Even before Sony bucked up big time for Bruce's songs we've seen Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks, Neil Young, Shakira, Imagine Dragons and others sell their tunes in 9-digit deals ... although, only Dylan's at $300 mil comes close to Springsteen's half a BILLION.

As Daymond explains on Friday's "TMZ Live" ... obviously these celebs are already in the highest tax bracket, which means they'd be paying around 40% in federal taxes on their income from annual royalties.

Now those royalties go to whoever buys the catalog, and that's the true brilliance of these deals. You've gotta see Daymond's explanation, but basically, Bruce is about to cut his tax rate in half!!!

There are other motivators too -- such as worldwide pandemics shutting down concerts and traditional revenue streams -- but at the end of the day, Daymond says the name of the game, for Bruce and others, is securing steady income for generations to come.

Doing that while lowering your taxes ... always a bonus!

Whoopi Goldberg No Hard Feelings Over Barb's Joke ... Known Her Too Long!!!

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Barbara Corcoran is NOT persona non grata at 'The View' -- because Whoopi Goldberg is already past the fat joke BC cracked at her expense ... saying it's water under the bridge.

We got the comic and talk show host Monday leaving ABC Studios in NYC, and just had to ask where things stood between her and her old 'Shark Tank' pal ... who got a little out of pocket last week in taking a crack a Whoopi's weight.

Watch Whoopi's reaction when he asked her about the incident ... she legit looks like she doesn't even remember it, which reflects how she feels about it -- literally, NBD.

Now, for the why ... Whoopi explains to us that Barbara has a unique sense of humor as it is -- see her funeral birthday thing as exhibit A -- and that she really didn't take offense to it all.

There's also the history between them, which WG also touches on -- saying their friendship of 20-plus years isn't going to crumble over a little quip like that ... especially since Barbara fully apologized for it right afterward. And, yes -- that means Barb isn't banned by any stretch.

Sounds like people made a bigger issue out of it than it actually was to Whoopi herself -- who, BTW, tells us she's feeling pretty good these days. Well enough to be "up," anyway.

Great attitude ... and the definition of (needed) thick skin in 2021.

Barbara Corcoran Cracks Fat Joke at Whoopi's Expense ... Issues Apology

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11:54 AM PT -- Barbara's already issued a mea culpa for her joke at the expense of her "old friend, Whoopi," saying she now realizes it wasn't funny.

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The "Shark Tank" star also says she's truly sorry to those she may have offended.

Barbara Corcoran and Whoopi Goldberg together provided a cringe moment on "The View" ... the result of a fat joke Barbara lobbed at Whoopi.

Ya gotta see the video ... the roundtable discussion starts innocently enough, with the hosts and some 'Shark Tank' stars talking about new jeans, but it gets super awkward when Barbara chimes in and tries to get a laugh.

Whoopi's asking if the jeans in question will fit her COVID butt, and that's when Barbara says ... "and when you get finished with those jeans and decide you don't like them, give them to me, I'm going to make 2 pairs." 😲

Barbara did NOT stick the landing, and the joke fell totally flat. Whoopi immediately looked pretty pissed, and the rest of her 'View' co-hosts weren't too happy either.

It's a super awkward interaction ... but Ana Navarro had Whoopi's back, and clapped back at Barbara with a major fashion diss.

Ooohh, the backstage convos that must've gone down!!!

Originally Published -- 10:11 AM PT

'Shark Tank' Star Kevin O'Leary Wife Not Guilty In Fatal Boat Crash

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1:05 PM PT -- Patrick Brown -- the attorney for the victims' families -- tells TMZ ... "The families will continue to fight for justice, civilly. O’Leary was charged under the Canadian Shipping Act following the collision. The acquittal in this matter has no bearing on the victims’ civil lawsuit.  A different standard of fault applies, and additional evidence will be heard by a different court."

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He adds, "We will continue to move forward with our cases, seeking accountability against those who caused this fatal and preventable boat crash. We are confident that once all the evidence is presented, justice will be obtained for the families of Susanne Brito and Gary Poltash." Brown says the families keeping up the fight is all about getting justice to prevent another tragedy like this from ever happening again.

Linda O'Leary -- wife of "Shark Tank" star Kevin O'Leary -- has been found not guilty in her criminal trial for a 2019 fatal boat crash on a Canadian lake.

As we reported ... Linda had been charged with careless operation of a vessel, and was accused of drinking alcohol before the boat she was driving struck another, killing 2 passengers.

The verdict was just read in court -- not guilty -- and the judge rejected any suggestion O’Leary was impaired by alcohol at the time of the boat crash ... concluding that alcohol played no part in the accident.

An acquittal will be entered in the case, and Linda's off the hook for any criminal charges.

However, the O'Learys are still facing a wrongful death suit for the fatal crash. They were sued in late 2019 by the family of one of the victims, alleging Kevin and Linda were incapable of safely operating the boat because their judgment was impaired by alcohol, drugs or fatigue.

As we first told you ... photos of both damaged boats were revealed during the criminal trial, showing the impact's brutal aftermath.

Kevin O'Leary and Kevin Harrington 'Shark Tank' Stars Sued For Fraud

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8:51 AM PT -- 9/2 -- O'Leary is denying any involvement in the alleged scam.

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KO, through his attorney Andrew Brettler, tells TMZ ... "It appears that someone has been using my name and likeness without my knowledge, permission, or consent. I've never heard of any of these purported companies and have never conducted business with any of the plaintiffs who filed this suit."

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He adds ... "Obviously, I want to get to the bottom of it too, as my rights have been violated. We will make sure that the bad actors are held accountable."

Kevin O'Leary and Kevin Harrington allegedly scammed tons of entrepreneurs out of hundreds of thousands of dollars ... according to claims in a new lawsuit.

The "Shark Tank" stars are being sued by 20 people who claim O'Leary and Harrington each played roles in what they say was a brazen scam to defraud hard-working entrepreneurs.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, O'Leary and Harrington steered investors and entrepreneurs to hire one of two companies, InventureX or Ideazon, to handle crowdfunding for their startups.

In the suit, the folks who claim they got scammed say they were promised help raising funds for the businesses and some say the prospect of appearing on "Shark Tank" was dangled in front of them ... but they say once they paid money to the companies endorsed by "Shark Tank" stars, they got little to nothing in return, aside from a bill.

What's more, the suit claims the crowdfunding companies O'Leary allegedly endorsed might not even exist at all and suspect it may be a big "predatory fraud scheme.”

While 20 people are suing O'Leary and Harrington, those folks claim they are just one small faction of hundreds, if not thousands, of folks who fell victim to the scam.

We reached out to reps for "Shark Tank" ... so far, no word back.

Originally Published -- 9/1 5:06 PM PT

'Shark Tank' Star Robert Herjavec Rescues Ex-Hockey Pro's Fam ... During Lake Boat Trip

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Usually, the last thing you wanna see while stranded in the water is a shark ... but this time, it was a GOOD thing -- 'cause "Shark Tank" star Robert Herjavec saved the day by rescuing an ex-hockey player and his family during a boat trip on the lake!!

Here's the deal ... 41-year-old Tom Lawson -- who played 10 years in several different leagues -- was out with his wife and kids on Lake Joseph in Ontario, Canada ... when their boat ran out of gas.

To make matters worse, the sun was going down and Lawson's boat was not meant to be out at night ... so the whole family started flailing their arms and calling for help.

As it turns out, the businessman was out on his jet ski at the same time ... and noticed the family trying to get his attention.

"My first thought was they must love 'Shark Tank,' but then I realized they were out of gas and stranded," Herjavec told People.

The Shark says he immediately sprang into action and found a rope to tie to Lawson's boat ... and towed them back to land with his jet ski!!!

"Did my good deed for the day," Herjavec said on Instagram.

The group was extremely thankful for the rescue ... and even posed for a pic with their hero.

Awesome stuff ... but we're sure Tom will be sure to fill that tank up next time!!