Tekashi 6ix9ine House Arrest Ends in Weeks ... Vows to be Safe, All Biz

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6ix9ine's time on home confinement is almost up, and while fans are probably expecting some of his classic antics ... he claims he'll be cautious and motivated by one thing -- making music.

The rapper will be a relatively free man on or about August 1, when his house arrest ends, after getting out of prison back in April due to the pandemic.

He'll still be on supervised release for 5 years, but free to go out and about on his own, which raises the obvious concern ... whether or not he can stay out of trouble.

Tekashi's attorney, Lance Lazzaro, tells TMZ ... his client's not thinking like that -- he's focused on work, security and elevating his music career. The "Trollz" rapper will need permission from the judge to leave the Southern and Eastern Districts of NY, but Lazzaro says that shouldn't be an issue as long as 6ix9ine proves he's leaving for legit work ... which is his plan.

Of course, going back out in public also means heightened concern about revenge for snitching. Lazzaro says 69's going to be consulting with his security team on every move and will be extra careful, even when conducting business.

Keeping a low-profile's never been Tekashi's thing, but his lawyer says that's what he intends to do. We're told he's not planning to attend any events, at least for a while. Not that there's a hell of a lot happening thanks to COVID-19.

The biggest perk of 6ix9ine's house arrest ending, according to Lazzaro, will be access to artists and execs interested in working with him ... as well as better studios for recording tracks and music vids.

Tekashi's been forced to do all of that out of his residence for the past few months -- though it's worked out very well for him.

Of course, he'll have to keep his nose clean and stay away from people with gang ties. It's a no-brainer he'll want to avoid them, but he's gotta hope they're not looking for him.

Sip Mask Threatens Zipper Mask Competitor ... 'Knockoff' is Dangerous!!!

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The coronavirus pandemic has two companies who make face masks tailored for eating and drinking on the verge of an all-out legal war ... and their beef just got real!!!

Sip Mask USA is threatening its zipper mask competitor Shut Your Mouth with a $1 million lawsuit ... firing off a cease and desist letter claiming SYM is violating its intellectual property by hawking an "unsafe knockoff" for $26.99.

In the threatening legal letter, obtained by TMZ, Sip Mask claims it started selling face coverings with zippers that allow users to safely sip beverages through a "straw port" back in March, and says Shut Your Mouth never got its permission to start selling unsafe knockoffs.

Sip Mask says its masks feature medical-grade fabric to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and claims they are fireproof. The company says the alleged knockoffs have several design flaws -- non-medical grade materials, exposing the mouth when unzipped, and fire risk if users decide to light up while using the mask.

In the legal threat, Sip Mask claims Shut Your Mouth is exposing itself to at least $1 million in liabilities ... and the company wants its competitor to stop selling its masks or face further legal action.

We reached out to Shut Your Mouth ... so far, the company is keeping its mouth shut.

Cardi B Files for Trademark ... Smells Like Baby Fever, Okurrr!!!

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Cardi B's got babies on her mind ... and she's also seeing green, 'cause it appears she's about to dive into the baby clothing biz!!!

According to docs, obtained by TMZ ... the rapper wants to trademark her name for a new children's clothing line to make just about everything for little ones ... from bottoms, shirts and sweaters to bibs, onesies and headwear.

All would be embroidered with her name. We can see it now -- "Get these Cardi Bibs on your kid before every meal!!!"

It only makes sense for Cardi to get in the baby clothing biz. She's already proven to be a dominant player in the fashion world. You'll recall her Fashion Nova line was an instant hit. She's also, in the past, teamed up with Tom Ford and Reebok, to name a few.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

But, with Cardi getting more business savvy and her daughter, Kulture, growing up so fast -- it was only a matter of time before Mama Cardi launched her own baby clothing line.

Need a clue this was coming? Just peep her Instagram Stories. It seems lately Cardi's been incredibly sentimental about Kulture turning 2 ... while adopting some of her mom's fashion sense. The kid's got class.

Kim Kardashian West I Want Justice For Stephon Clark ... Shot And Killed By Cops

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Kim Kardashian West is leading a renewed call for justice in the death of Stephon Clark, who was shot and killed by police officers in Sacramento, after being contacted by his sister.

Kim is calling on her 179 million Instagram followers to sign a petition pressuring Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert to bring charges against the officers who fatally shot Clark back in 2018 in his grandparent's backyard.

KKW sprung into action after getting a series of Instagram DMs from Clark's sister, Tiana Parker, a model for KKW Beauty who approached Kim with her brother's story and her family's failed quest for justice.

A father of two, Clark was killed when he was just 22 years old after cops fired 20 rounds at him while responding to a call about someone breaking car windows in the night. Police said they believed he was armed, but investigators later discovered he was only holding a cellphone.

Kim responded to Tiana's cry for help ... telling her she was in contact with folks on the ground in Sacramento and promising to bring attention to Clark's death at the hands of police.

The petition Kim spotlighted is seeking 15,000 signatures ... and it's gotten 14,716 and counting.

Near-Fatal Lynching Victim Feds Opening Case is Insincere ... No Arrests, Despite Video!!!

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Vauhxx Booker Altercation
THE ALTERCATION
Friends of Vauhxx / Vimeo / Vauhxx Rush Booker / Facebook

The Black man who says he was nearly lynched on the 4th of July has mixed feelings about the feds taking up his case -- because he doubts they truly care.

We spoke to Vauhxx Booker -- the alleged victim of a hate crime, who was pinned to a tree by white men, one of whom he claims threatened to "get a noose" -- and he says the FBI deciding to investigate is probably more about public pressure than wanting justice.

The reason he feels that way ... Vauhxx says the guys who allegedly attacked him last weekend are still not in custody, despite some pretty damn compelling video evidence.

ICYMI ... Vauhxx was at Lake Monroe near Bloomington, Indiana with 5 of his white friends, crossing a trail in the woods to catch an eclipse.

They came across this group of white guys on ATVs -- one of whom Vauhxx says was wearing a Confederate flag hat, while another allegedly cried out "white power." Vauhxx says they told him and his friends to scram because they were on private property.

When they refused to leave, it escalated into what you see here. Vauhxx sincerely believes he would've been hanged if his friends didn't intervene, but he's less thankful about how local cops dealt with the situation.

He tells us the officer ended up lecturing him about property rights, instead of arresting the men for allegedly trying to murder him. As a result, he says he's lost faith in the system ... but still wants his day in court.

Watch what Vauhxx has to say about the larger issue of cops and racism. It's compelling.

'Trump Supporter Gathering' Denied Permit at Selena Statue ... Organizer Pushing Forward

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The organizer of a "Trump Supporter Gathering" at the site of slain singer Selena's statue in Corpus Christi, TX is getting shut down by the city, but he's vowing to do it anyway.

We broke the story ... Joe Michael Perez already got threatened with a lawsuit from Selena's dad, Abraham Quintanilla, Jr., for allegedly infringing on her name, image and likeness for the July 11 event. Now, he's also running the risk of becoming a criminal.

Shelly Rios, Corpus Christi's Interim Program Manager for Cultural Services & Special Events tells us ... Perez would normally be issued a "spontaneous demonstration permit" for his planned public event, but it got rejected ... and not because of his politics.

Instead, the problem is the coronavirus. Texas currently doesn't allow for groups of more than 10 people to congregate in a space, so Rios says if Perez and other Trump supporters show up at the statue ... law enforcement will instruct them to leave.

Perez says his group of at least 150 people is defiant, and still planning to go. He says if police arrive, he'll tell them they are there peacefully and won't leave.

As we told you ... Perez has been using a photo of him taken last month -- when he put a Trump hat on the Selena statue -- to promote his Trump-stumping event on Facebook.

Selena's father warned Perez to delete the Facebook event page and stop producing Selena-related merchandise ... or he'd sue him.

Perez has been undeterred on that front, too.

R. Kelly Case Feds Want Jurors Protected They're in Danger of Kelly's Tactics!!!

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The feds in R. Kelly's case want to keep potential jurors protected -- even by armed guards, at times, because they feel Kelly's legal team poses a threat to jurors, but the singer's team's not having it.

The feds filed legal docs in the Eastern District of NY requesting the jurors remain anonymous and partially sequestered because they fear Kelly's team could mess with the jurors.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, the feds say they want the jurors' identities, addresses and places of employment to be kept under wraps from the defense and prosecutors. They also want the U.S. Marshals to escort the jury in and out of the courthouse, and make the jurors eat lunch together so they're not bombarded by intense media coverage.

The feds insist the jurors' identities are not crucial to the jury selection process and argue "these measures are necessary to safeguard the jurors and the fair administration of process."

The prosecution claims Kelly and his associates have previously attempted to obstruct justice ... calling Kelly "the leader of a racketeering enterprise he created and used for decades to sexually abuse and exploit women and girls for his own sexual gratification, including through the use of bribery, kidnapping and forced labor." The judge has yet to sign off on the government's request.

Remember, the government in the past has contended Kelly "has a history of coercing women to write letters containing false and embarrassing allegations" so he can later use them as blackmail.

R. Kelly's lawyer, Steven Greenberg, tells TMZ ... he's all for the Marshals walking the jury in and out of the courthouse saying, "They don't have to put up with [the] circus of outside influences and agitators like the Weinstein jurors."

But, he also says, "It's absurd not to know where people are from or what kind of employment they are engaging in. Those are essential things to understand -- how people think and view things. Imagine if there's an FBI agent on the jury or a district attorney or someone who works for a battered woman's shelter. The stuff about Kelly tampering and being dangerous is just a regurgitation of their same argument which we disagreed with all along."

Dan Bilzerian Sued I Blew the Whistle On Ignite Spending ... And You Fired Me!!!

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UPDATE

6:08 AM PT -- Dan tells TMZ, "He (Heffernan) was fired for incompetence and negligence and Ignite will be bringing suit against him. His claim is not only frivolous; it is ridiculous."

Dan Bilzerian fired a whistleblower who sounded the alarm on strange spending patterns at Dan's cannabis and CBD company ... at least according to a new lawsuit.

The popular playboy poker player and cannabis sector CEO is being sued by Curtis Heffernan, who claims he was fired from his job at Dan's weed company, Ignite, after noticing some company funds were being spent on things that seemed personal ... and then blowing the whistle.

According to the lawsuit obtained by TMZ ... Heffernan, who was Ignite's Executive VP, claims he flagged tons of purchases to the company board, such as lavish spending on a $75,000 paintball field, $40k on a rock climbing wall, $60k on a 'Star Wars' gun set, $31k on pool renovations, $50k on a bed frame, $15k on a ping pong table and $88k on a vault.

In the docs, Heffernan claims Dan's company was also burning tons of money on luxury yacht rentals, plus transportation for hot models ... and he says he found other "business expenses" that turned out to be charges for groceries and various household items.

According to the suit, Heffernan claims he told the board at Ignite the company could not afford to keep spending money in the same manner during the pandemic, and in response, Dan falsely accused him of doing drugs and he got canned.

Heffernan is going after Bilzerian for damages.

We reached out to Dan ... no word back, so far.

Originally Published -- 7/7 4:53 PM PT 

Breonna Taylor Family Claims Her Home Targeted ... As Part of Gentrification Plan

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Breonna Taylor's shooting death stemmed from a city operation to clear her neighborhood undergoing gentrification ... so claims the family in new legal docs.

The Taylor family attorneys filed docs to amend the wrongful death lawsuit against the 3 cops involved in Breonna's death. According to docs, the family claims Breonna's home was raided by police because there was "a political need to clear out a street for a large real estate development project" ... adding Breonna’s death was the result of “a newly formed, rogue police unit violating all levels of policy, protocol and policing standards.”

In docs, the family says that this year alone, over a 3-week span -- and less than a month before Breonna's death -- 8 homes in her neighborhood were demolished in an effort to speed up a multi-million dollar development plan.

The family wants to make one thing clear ... that while there is no doubt gentrification of the West Louisville neighborhood could be a good thing, "the methods employed to do so have been unlawful and unconscionable."

The family says Breonna's death could have been avoided had cops surveilling her home simply ran the tags on Breonna’s and her boyfriend's cars. They say "it would have been clear that neither of these vehicles belonged" to the suspects cops were looking for that night.

But, by focusing on Breonna's home -- some 10 miles away from the redevelopment site -- cops thought they were targeting some of Louisville's violent crime and drug rings. The reality is, according to docs, the occupants "were not anywhere close to Louisville’s versions of Pablo Escobar or Scarface. And they were not violent criminals. They were simply a setback to a large real estate development deal and thus the issue needed to be cleaned up.”

The family points out in the suit, the first 5 no-knock warrants of the ENTIRE YEAR were executed for this project alone -- including the home of Breonna ... a woman with no criminal history and no drugs in her home.

Ben Crump, one of the family's lawyers, tells TMZ ... "Connecting the dots, it's clear that these officers should never have been at Breonna Taylor's home in the first place, and that they invaded the residence with no probable cause." He goes on to say, "The officers who robbed Breonna of her life -- and Tamika Palmer of her daughter -- exhibited outrageous, reckless, willful, wanton and unlawful conduct."

A spokeswoman for Mayor Greg Fischer told the Louisville Courier-Journal the allegations are "outrageous" and "without foundation or supporting facts." The spokeswoman added, "They are insulting to the neighborhood members of the Vision Russell initiative and all the people involved in the years of work being done to revitalize the neighborhoods of west Louisville."

As we've reported ... the family's accusing cops and city officials of a cover-up.

Kanye West 'West Day Ever' More Than Hashtag For Presidential Candidate

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Kanye West's been having some very good days lately ... and it looks like he wants to make "West Day Ever" the next extension of his booming brand.

The apparent presidential candidate is much better at filing paperwork with the trademark office than he is with the Federal Election Commission ... because he filed docs last month to slap the 'West Day' slogan on clothing and shoes.

Ye, however, has yet to officially register to run for Prez despite his announcement over the weekend.

As for "West Day Ever" ... Kanye filed trademark docs on June 26 covering more than 100 different types of apparel -- t-shirts, hoodies, tracksuits, bomber jackets, turtlenecks, jumpsuits, g-strings, beanies, blazers, infantwear, footwear and everything in between.

The date is significant because it was the same day news broke that the rapper landed a 10-year deal with Gap to launch a new clothing line called Yeezy Gap.

That was when Kanye first tweeted the slogan, saying ... "YEEZY AND GAP FORM PARTNERSHIP #WESTDAYEVER."

He's since used the hashtag to promote the release of a shoe and new music, as well -- and it will likely be a big part of his 2020 campaign ... whenever that starts.

Of course, Kanye needs to do a lot more than just distribute some hats and shirts. He still needs to register with the FEC, present a campaign platform and collect enough signatures -- not just Elon Musk's -- to get on the November ballot.

Whatever works West for him, though.

40 Glocc Surrenders for Year Behind Bars For Prostitution Ring

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40 Glocc is finally on the path to putting his prostitution ring bust behind him, and the first step is checking into jail to serve his sentence ... nearly 3 years after his arrest.

The rapper turned himself in to Blue Earth County Jail on June 30 in Minnesota where he'll do one year behind bars after pleading guilty to 1 felony count of promoting prostitution of an individual ... according to court docs.

Once he's done his time in jail, 40 Glocc will be on 10 years of supervised release ... and if he messes up during that period, the rapper could get locked up again. As part his supervised release conditions ... he can't use or possess firearms, has to get a GED, and submit to random alcohol and drug testing.

You'll recall the rapper struck a sweet plea deal with prosecutors back in October ... more than 2 years after he was arrested in July 2017. Prosecutors agreed to drop 2 other felony charges -- fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle and engaging in the sex trafficking of an individual.

SoCal 'Karen' Arrested for Battery

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Karen in Torrance 6/10/20
WE DO NOT WANT YOU HERE!!!
UPDATE

4:18 PM PT -- 7/3 -- Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Torrance PD found Lena Hernandez in the city of San Pedro where she was arrested and brought to a station, and will bail out soon.

UPDATE

She was arrested for misdemeanor battery.

The "Karen" who spewed multiple racist tirades in Southern California has just been charged with battery ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the notorious SoCal "Karen" is 56-year-old Lena Hernandez from Long Beach, and on Friday the Torrance City Attorney's Office charged her with misdemeanor battery.

Our sources also tell us a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has issued an arrest warrant for Hernandez, who has not been apprehended yet.

The battery charges are related to an incident that occurred Oct. 11 at a mall in Torrance, and was reported to police later that day.

There's no video of that incident, but as we reported ...  Hernandez was recorded during a racist rant in a Torrance park last month. She was yelling at a young woman who was trying to work out in the park.

Torrance Karen Part 2 6/10/20
KAREN STRIKES AGAIN

Video of another incident involving Hernandez, this time in a parking lot, also surfaced and is believed to be from the same day as the park incident.

Our law enforcement sources say there is not enough evidence for prosecutors to file criminal charges against Hernandez for the incident at the park.

Originally Published -- 7/2 6:51 PM PT

Beverly Hills Surgeon & GF Charged in $52 Mil Insurance Fraud Scheme ... New Mug Shots

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Here are the faces of a Beverly Hills doctor and his girlfriend, who allegedly stole $52 MILLION in an elaborate scheme that preyed on sober living patients to bilk insurance companies.

Dr. Randy Rosen and his GF, Liza Vismanos, were arrested earlier this week and have been charged with a staggering amount of felonies in 2 separate cases connected to the alleged scheme.

Rosen's facing 88 felony counts in connection with recruiting and hiring numerous body brokers to find and pay patients to have medically unnecessary implant surgeries, cortisone shots and other medical testing and procedures ... according to the Orange County D.A.'s Office.

Vismanos is facing 56 felony counts as Rosen's alleged partner in the scheme. She's also the owner of the Lotus Laboratories in Los Alamitos, CA ... which Rosen allegedly used for unnecessary drug testing for his patients.

Four others have also been charged in connection with identifying and recruiting potential patients for the bogus medical procedures.

According to prosecutors ... several insurance companies were then billed for these unnecessary procedures, but not informed that patients were being trafficked and paid for these procedures. The D.A. claims the insurance companies were fraudulently billed approximately $600 million and paid out approximately $50 million.

OC D.A. Todd Spitzer says of the case ... "Vulnerable sober living patients who were trying desperately to battle their addictions were treated like human guinea pigs just to make a buck."

Both Rosen and Vismanos are still in custody. Rosen's bail's been set at $16 million and his girlfriend's at $3 million.

'Black Ink Crew' Liliana Barrios Busted for Assault Allegedly Scratched, Bit GF

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Liliana Barrios -- who starred in a couple of seasons of "Black Ink Crew: Chicago" -- allegedly went on a violent rage after catching her GF in bed with another woman ... this according to cops who arrested her for assault.

The incident went down June 3 in San Antonio where cops say Barrios and her GF got into a verbal altercation at their apartment before it turned violent ... this according to a police report obtained by TMZ.

Cops say during the argument, Barrios decided to take off for the night. When she returned the next day to pick up clothes, cops say Barrios got heated after catching her 22-year-old GF in bed with another woman ... triggering another argument.

Cops allege Barrios pushed her GF onto the couch and a struggle ensued ... with Barrios allegedly scratching her GF's neck, arm and biting her right leg. The officer claims they observed scratches and abrasions on the GF's right knee. Cops say Barrios was the aggressor and “intentionally and knowingly caused bodily injury."

Barrios -- the ex-GF of a recurring cast member on 'Black Ink' from seasons 2 to 5 -- was arrested for assault/bodily injury on a cohabitant.

We've reached out to Barrios for comment, so far no word back.

Baltimore Restaurant We Aren't Racist!!! Offers Video 'Proof'

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The Atlas Restaurant Group says there was nothing racist about refusing service to a black mother and her child for violating their dress code -- and it's offering what it calls "proof" ... but it's pretty thin.

As TMZ reported, Marcia Grant is taking legal action against the group for an incident last month at Ouzo Bay restaurant in Baltimore. Marcia and her 9-year-old son, Dallas, were turned away because of his athletic shorts, but Marcia spotted a white child who was dressed nearly identically enjoying a meal.

In response to Grant's accusations, Atlas -- the parent company of Ouzo Bay -- claims Dallas' shorts were, in fact, different from the white kid's.

Its explanation is the white kid was wearing "J. Crew 'khaki'” type shorts, with front and back pockets, a zipper, and button closure in front."

Beyond breaking down zippers and pockets ... Atlas is also playing what can best be described as the "I have Black friends" card.

Its released screen grabs from Ouzo's surveillance video showing other Black customers in the restaurant around the time Marcia and Dallas were denied.

As Atlas puts it, "Restaurant surveillance video throughout that same day at Ouzo Bay demonstrates that the customers of Ouzo Bay look exactly like the population of Baltimore City – diverse. Countless African-American patrons were welcomed into the restaurant that day to enjoy its food, atmosphere, and drinks."

That statement, of course, avoids the heart of Marcia's complaint ... that her son was treated differently from a white child in very similar clothing. Her only issue is with the manager's allegedly uneven application of the dress code.

Atlas claims her video of the encounter doesn't tell the whole story of what happened that day.

You'll remember ... Atlas immediately fired 2 employees following the incident, but claims the firings weren't because they discriminated against the family, but instead, "Atlas was not satisfied with the level of sensitivity, discretion, and judgment demonstrated by management on-duty at the time."

We had Marcia, Dallas and their attorney Donte Mills, on 'TMZ Live' this week to explain how Dallas has been affected, and how they're trying to make him understand ... he did nothing wrong.

Atlas says it made multiple attempts to make things right with Marcia but she refused to listen ... they say instead, she was busy interviewing attorneys, hiring a publicist and setting up a GoFundMe -- which has now been taken down -- for Dallas.