Benjamin Kickz Strong Arm Robbery Charges For Celeb Sneaker Dealer
Benjamin Kickz, famous for selling rare sneakers to a laundry list of celeb clients, just got arrested in Florida and charged with felony robbery.
Benjamin allegedly swiped an iPhone from another man at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach on New Year’s Eve, walking away with the device as his entourage beat the crap out of the guy ... according to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.
Authorities say Benjamin believed the man had taken a photo of him without his permission, and when the guy denied snapping a pic, BK allegedly grabbed the phone out of his hands.
The alleged beatdown sounds pretty savage ... authorities claim Benjamin's entourage beat, punched and kicked the guy in the head, causing serious injuries and sending him to the hospital.
Benjamin's known for his sneaker hookups ... and he's sold pairs and rubbed elbows with celebs like Drake, Bad Bunny, Lil Pump, Kodak Black and the late Nipsey Hussle.
Benjamin was booked into Dade County Jail Thursday morning and has been charged with one count of felony strong-arm robbery.
It sounds like there's video of the alleged incident because Benjamin's lawyer, Bradford Cohen, tells TMZ it's his understanding there were "significant events" between the 2 sides before what's seen in the video that will impact his defense of the case.
related articles
Dr. Dre to Estranged Wife Here's $2 Mil in Temporary Support ... But You Have to Pay Your Lawyers
-
Exclusive Details
- 1.3K shares
1:22 PM PT -- According to docs, obtained by TMZ, Dre has also just agreed to pay Nicole $500k for her attorney fees.
As if Dr. Dre's week wasn't rough enough ... he's agreed to pay his estranged wife $2 million in temporary spousal support -- but he's not coughing up the $5 mil she wants for her divorce attorneys.
The music mogul and Nicole Young struck the deal that calls for Dre to write a one-time check for the $2 mil. That's all he'll pay ... at least until the next divorce hearing in April. Now it will be up to Nicole to decide how much of that amount she forks over to her lawyers.
As we reported, Nicole was demanding $2 mil per month, PLUS another $5 million in attorney's fees.
Our sources say Dre will continue to cover Nicole's living expenses at her Malibu pad, as well as her mother's Pacific Palisades home for the next several months. However, Dre will NOT cover Nicole's security costs ... she'll have to pay that from the $2 mil.
Dre and Young's lawyers struck the deal in court, but we're told Dre had to sign the agreement from his bed at Cedars Sinai Hospital.
Remember ... he's been dishing out $293,306 a month in temporary support. Now, he can focus on his recovery.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
TMZ broke the story ... Dre suffered a brain aneurysm earlier this week and he was rushed by ambulance to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A. He was taken directly to ICU. Dre later thanked his fans for their support and said he's doing great and getting excellent care.
Originally Published -- 1/7 7:55 AM PT
related articles
Johnny Depp Crib Hit by Alleged Burglar ... Cops Arrest Suspect
-
Exclusive
- 1.1K shares
Johnny Depp's crib was hit by a would-be burglar ... but fortunately for him and his neighbors, cops nabbed a suspect before she could get away.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... a woman -- possibly homeless -- broke into Depp's Hollywood Hills home over the weekend. We're told the break-in triggered the home's security system and cops were called.
Our sources say the woman may have been spooked by the alarm system because she took off before cops arrived. But, get this ... cops say they found her nearby and also connected her to another recent burglary.
It's unclear if the woman took anything from Depp's home. The investigation's ongoing.
It wasn't all bad news ... Depp wasn't home at the time, and it sounds like he and his neighbors can breathe easier knowing cops arrested a suspect on suspicion of burglary.
related articles
Dr. Dre Home Hit By Would-Be Burglars ... Apparently Saw Story He's Hospitalized with Aneurysm
-
Exclusive Details
- 40.6K shares
Some alleged criminals apparently saw Dr. Dre was in the hospital because they tried breaking into his home ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.
Our sources say 4 men were on Dre's Pacific Palisades property Wednesday around 2 AM. Security spotted them as they were casing the house. Before they could get to the main structure, security confronted them and quickly called police. The men fled, but cops arrived almost immediately and chased the 4 would-be burglars, catching and arresting them.
Law enforcement believes the men saw our story -- that Dre was in the hospital after suffering a brain aneurysm -- and saw a window of opportunity.
The 4 men were arrested for attempted burglary and are currently in custody.
As we first reported, Dre suffered the aneurysm Monday and was rushed by ambulance to the hospital where he remains in the ICU. Doctors are trying to determine what is causing the bleeding. He's in stable condition and is lucid.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
Dre sent a message Tuesday night saying he's doing well and thanked everyone for the prayers and well wishes.
related articles
Joe Exotic Father Dies from COVID-19 Legal Team in D.C. Today Pleading for Pardon
-
Exclusive
- 8.6K shares
Joe Exotic's father has died ... and Joe's loss is now dovetailing with a trip to D.C. for a pardon that would allow Joe to attend his dad's funeral.
We've learned Joe's father, Francis Schreibvogel, recently died following complications from COVID ... The funeral is set for Saturday in Oklahoma, and Joe desperately wants to go.
TMZ broke the story ... Joe's legal team will be flying to Washington D.C. today pushing for that pardon, but now there's an added urgency since the clock is ticking for the funeral.
As we reported, Joe's legal team, headed up by Eric Love, hopped on a friend's jet with a Joe/'Tiger King' wrap that they're flying to D.C. ... making it a show. Love has told TMZ he has a big meeting with someone White House/pardon-related, but he's not saying who.
If Trump doesn't grant the pardon, they have a plan B ... going to a judge and asking for a day pass -- essentially a temporary release -- so Joe can attend his dad's funeral.
As we previously reported ... the 'Tiger King' star's legal team hit the road for D.C. back in May with a bus wrapped in a plea to get Joe sprung from prison. They believe the pardon is in play.
related articles
Jacob Blake No Charges for Kenosha Cop in Shooting ... D.A. Cites Self-Defense
-
Breaking News
- 10K shares
The white police officer who shot Jacob Blake -- an unarmed Black man -- at point-blank range seven times won't be criminally charged ... and neither will any of the other cops involved.
Kenosha County District Attorney Michael D. Graveley announced his decision Tuesday, saying Kenosha PD officer Rusten Sheskey would NOT be charged for shooting Blake in August during an attempted arrest.
8/23/20
Graveley explained his decision, saying that after careful review and investigation ... officials simply couldn't find a law he'd broken under the circumstances. D.A. Graveley basically chalked his decision up to self-defense, and it was necessary for Officer Sheskey to use lethal force to stop Jacob from potentially harming him (Sheskey) or others.
According to Wisconsin law, that decision is based on a reasonable belief that Jacob might've done any of that if Sheskey hadn't acted ... and Graveley explains that in their state, that belief falls under the discretion of said officer, who has to make a snap decision.
Graveley goes on to explain that if prosecutors were to go after Sheskey, the burden would be on them in court to disprove a need for self-defense ... which he suggests would've been a losing battle in this case.
9/5/20
He also mentioned this ... Jacob Blake won't face any new criminal charges stemming from this incident either.
Remember, Sheskey, a 7-year vet, chased Blake down as he walked away from him and refused to obey orders to halt. The officer pursued around the other side of his SUV, and when Blake tried opening the door ... Sheskey opened fire into his back from around two feet away. He unloaded seven shots, and somehow Blake survived.
He wasn't unscathed though ... Blake is now paralyzed from the waist down, and spent a good amount of time recovering in the hospital. He's now undergoing spinal cord rehab and has since gained some upper body strength as he navigates his painful new life situation.
8/25/20
Blake's shooting sparked renewed racial justice protests across the country, and it seems like authorities are ramping up for the second wave of unrest. Just this week, Wisconsin's governor, Tony Evers, mobilized 500 National Guard troops to help local law enforcement.
Kenosha's Common Council passed a resolution to enforce a pre-emptive curfew for up to 8 days after Graveley's announcement. There are other measures going into effect too ... reduced bus service, road closures, designated spaces for demonstrations, concrete barricades and fences going up to protect certain buildings ... and, of course, businesses are boarding up.
Although many have called for Sheskey's firing, he hasn't been terminated but remains on administrative leave.
related articles
Dr. Dre's Estranged Wife He's Loaded with Cash & Apple Stock ... Plenty to Pay Me!!!
-
Exclusive
- 4K shares
Dr. Dre's full of it if he says he doesn't have the cash to keep supporting his estranged wife's lifestyle ... at least that's what her accountant says in new legal docs.
Nicole Young filed docs detailing how much she claims the couple spent over a 3-year period and how much dough Dre has on hand right now ... and it's impressive.
According to the docs ... Young's CPA says Dre has a whopping $262 MILLION available right now in cash and Apple stock. The accountant says selling Apple stock was the primary source of funding their lifestyle from 2017-19, and believes that will continue to be the case.
So, just how much were they spending during that time? The CPA claims their marital living expenses were $2.3 mil PER MONTH -- and despite spending about $245 mil over that 3-year period ... their available cash still increased by $26 million. Hey, Apple's been a good investment.
Based on these figures, Nicole's accountant insists Dre's got plenty of funds to contribute to Nicole's attorney fees, and "maintain the status quo" of their lifestyle.
Of course, that's a big part of the spousal support battle in their divorce. We broke the story ... Dre has warned Nicole she needs to learn to start spending less and claims he's giving her more than enough to live on for now.
As we reported ... he says he's been dishing out $293,306 a month to her while their divorce plays out, but she's filed docs seeking $2 million a month in temporary spousal support.
Nicole also says it appears Dre may have underreported his income by running it through various companies. She also claims Dre is funding the lifestyles of multiple girlfriends.
related articles
Ernie Serrano Mother Sues for Wrongful Death ... He Pleaded, 'I Can't Breathe Man'
-
Exclusive
- 6.4K shares
12/15/20
The family of the Southern California man who died after being arrested at a grocery store is following through with a lawsuit that describes the incident in eerily similar detail to George Floyd's death.
Ernie Serrano's mother, Maria Lowrie, has filed a wrongful death suit against the County of Riverside and its Sheriff's Dept -- along with the Stater Bros. Market where the incident occurred -- claiming they killed her son.
According to the legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Lowrie claims Serrano was shopping on December 15 when store security began to pester him and then physically confronted him.
Serrano's mom says the security contacted the sheriff's office and falsely accused him of assault with a deadly weapon -- she claims he was unarmed. The store claims he had reached for the security guard's weapon.
According to the suit ... when deputies showed up they immediately were hostile toward Serrano and "escalated a very minor situation, into a fatal situation."
Lowrie claims her son was not aggressive toward the officers, but they responded with unreasonable brute force -- including beating him and using a Taser.
According to the suit ... the deputies were not satisfied with tasing and beating Serrano with a baton, so they took him down and pummeled him with their fists. Lowrie claims they continued to torture him for nearly 7 minutes, including slamming him on his stomach on a checkout stand and cutting off his air supply.
Lowrie says while her son was pinned down, he screamed out "I can't breathe man" and pleaded for help. Instead, a spit mask was placed on him, which allegedly restricted his breathing even more ... and Serrano's mom claims he was spitting blood into it as he begged them to take it off.
According to the suit ... after 6 minutes and 40 seconds of being pinned down forcefully, a deputy realized he wasn't breathing and had lost consciousness. Lowrie believes he was likely already dead by the time of this discovery.
Serrano's mom's accusing the deputies of ignoring all of the factors that can lead to death by asphyxia, denying him proper medical care, and assault and battery leading to his death. She wants the Stater Bros. held accountable for negligence as well.
We reached out to the Riverside County Sheriffs Office and got no comment. No word back yet from Stater Bros.
related articles
Justin Combs Jet Skiing After Dark ... Gets Him in Hot Water
-
Exclusive
- 525 shares
Justin Combs just wanted to party, but he didn't obey Miami's rules of the water -- so instead, he ended up getting ticketed and towed away from the party. Bad form.
Miami Beach PD tells TMZ ... Diddy's son got busted for operating a jet ski more than 30 minutes after sunset Monday night on Biscayne Bay, and to make matters worse -- we're told neither he nor 2 passengers riding with him were wearing life jackets.
Both things are against the law, so police tell us Justin was issued multiple citations and the Miami Beach PD Marine Patrol towed him back to land to ensure his safety.
We're told this went down around 8 PM, and a witness on the scene tells us Justin was on the jet ski with 2 women heading to a yacht off Star Island to hang out.
We're told cops got to them before they could board the boat, though. It's unclear if they found another way to the yacht later on ... or if they had to settle for partying on land.
We reached out to Justin ... no comment.
related articles
SoHo 'Karen' 2nd DUI Arrest While on Probation ... Could Do Real Time
-
Exclusive
- 7.9K shares
Miya Ponsetto, the SoHo Karen who attacked a Black teen after falsely accusing him of stealing her iPhone, had a second DUI arrest last year ... and that means a jailhouse jumpsuit could be in her future.
12/26/20
TMZ obtained court records of Ponsetto's DUI arrest from October 3 in Ventura County -- she was charged with DUI, resisting arrest and obstructing or delaying a peace officer or EMT.
She's entered a not guilty plea for that arrest, but the details sound eerily similar to her previous DUI bust. As we first reported, Ponsetto was stopped on May 28 in Malibu and law enforcement sources told us she went wild on cops during the arrest.
Now, on September 28, she ended up pleading no contest, and a judge gave her 3 years probation ... the terms of which call for her to stay out of further legal trouble. So, getting arrested just 5 days later for a 2nd DUI is a serious problem for her.
According to court records, a letter of a possible probation violation has already been sent to L.A. County where she's on probation. It'll be up to the D.A.'s Office and a judge, but Ponsetto's now looking at the possibility of doing time for the violation.
12/26/20
She's due back in court Jan. 28, for the 2nd DUI. She also has a pretrial hearing that same day for a drunk in public arrest from last February in Bev Hills -- and of course, NYPD still wants to talk to her about the iPhone incident.
Point is, Ponsetto and her lawyers are gonna be busy this month.
related articles
Tyrese to Samantha I Didn't Lock You Out of House ... Ease Up On Child Support!!!
-
Exclusive
- 1.5K shares
Tyrese's estranged wife filed for divorce more than 3 months before he announced their split, and she claims he changed the locks at their home ... something Tyrese denies.
Samantha Lee Gibson filed divorce docs back in September, and in the petition she alleges Tyrese had, just a few weeks earlier, cut her off financially, and locked her and their 2-year-old daughter, Soraya, out of the family's Georgia home.
Tyrese is calling BS, though ... in docs he filed, he denies leaving them out in the cold. On the other hand, he admits having major issues with Samantha's demand for $20,000 per month in child support. He calls that number "unreasonably high."
As for what led up to their split -- Tyrese says when he flew home from a movie set in late August, Samantha confronted him ... kicking off a tense, 3-hour conversation where she threatened to call cops.
Tyrese says he left the house in an Uber because he wanted no part of a police interaction due to "multiple public incidents involving police brutality and racially motivated killings of unarmed African American people."
You'll recall, when Tyrese announced their divorce last week he made a broader statement about Black families being under attack, and said his divorce was an example of a vicious cycle in the community.
related articles
Bobby Shmurda Possible Prison Release Next Month ... IF He Keeps His Nose Clean
-
Exclusive Details
- 3.8K shares
Bobby Shmurda's 2021 is off to a good start, because the incarcerated rapper could get sprung early -- as soon as next month -- if he can stay out of trouble.
The Department of Corrections just updated the Miami rapper's conditional release date to February 23, 2021 ... which is about 10 months earlier than when his sentence was expected to end at New York's Clinton Correctional Facility.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... this decision was made by the Time Allowance Committee, which consists of prison staff, but not the parole board. We’re told the Committee reviewed Shmurda's behavior and participation in prison programs and decided to bump up his conditional release date.
If he is released, he'll be under parole supervision, but we're told any mess-ups or bad behavior between now and Feb. 23 could nullify the earlier conditional release date ... and he'd likely have to serve out his full sentence until December 11, 2021.
As we first told you ... Shmurda was denied parole in September due to multiple violations while in prison -- including allegedly having a shank, fighting and drug possession. The possibility of a February release would seem to indicate he's turned things around since the parole board's rejection.
As we reported ... the rapper copped a plea deal back in September 2016 to conspiracy to possess weapons and possession of a weapon.
He was ultimately sentenced to a max of 7 years in prison, but he was given credit for time served since December 2014.
related articles
Nicki Minaj $200 Mil 'Rich Sex' Lawsuit ... From Credited Song Writer
-
Exclusive
- 1.8K shares
9:21 AM PT -- Interestingly enough, Jawara is already credited as a writer of "Rich Sex" according to the ASCAP database.
Nicki Minaj's being sued for more than $200 million over her song "Rich Sex" ... which a Queens rapper claims she ripped off after he played it for her.
Jawara Headley -- a Queens rapper who goes by Brinx Billions -- is suing Nicki, claiming he let her hear his version of "Rich Sex" sometime before 2016. In docs, obtained by TMZ, Brinx claims Nicki told him it would be extremely marketable and become a global hit.
But, Brinx -- who calls himself a songwriter, artist, music producer, composer and rapper -- claims Nicki jacked his song and put it on her "Queen" album. Although, he's not credited as such ... Brinx insists he's the sole author/creator/composer/writer/producer of "Rich Sex."
Brinx says he's known Nicki since 2007, when they met on MySpace, but he's still pissed his pal allegedly ripped specific lyrics, such as ... "It ain't such a thing as broke and handsome." Beyond lyrics, he says her song also has similar music, musical notes, musical arrangement, musical beats and musical rhythm.
Brinx is suing Minaj, along with Universal Music Group, Young Money, and Cash Money, for more than $200 million in damages. We've reached out for comment, so far no word back.
Originally Published -- 8:24 AM PT
related articles
SoHo Hotel 'Karen' Arrested with Her Mom ... For Another Hotel Disturbance at Peninsula
-
Exclusive
- 21.4K shares
The woman who attacked a black teen after falsely accusing him of stealing her iPhone seems to have a penchant for creating disturbances in hotels, because she was arrested for one back in February.
12/26/20
Miya Ponsetto is now in the crosshairs of authorities for her antics in an NYC hotel, and TMZ has learned she also caused quite a fuss -- allegedly -- at the Peninsula hotel in Bev Hills back in February.
Miya and her mom, Nicole apparently wore out their welcome when Peninsula staff ordered them to leave, but they refused. Law enforcement sources tell us, someone from the hotel called police, told them the women looked drunk and refused to leave ... so Beverly Hills cops showed up to handle the situation.
Our law enforcement sources say when they arrived and tried to get Miya and Nicole to leave, Nicole allegedly pushed and kicked a cop. Both women were arrested ... Nicole for battery on a police officer and being drunk in public. While Miya was arrested for being drunk in public. They have a court hearing later this month.
Now get this ... the L.A. County District Attorney charged both women on May 27, 2020. The very next day, Miya was arrested again, this time for drunk driving. She pled no contest and was sentenced to 3 years probation, 30 hours of community service and she must take a 9-month alcohol/drug counseling program.
As for the phone incident -- in case you don't know turns out she left her phone in an Uber -- seems Miya has a thing for phones -- her Etsy page is littered with custom phone cases she favors. Even if she's obsessed with phones, it's no reason to flip out on 14-year-old Keyon Harrold Jr., New York authorities are considering serious charges against her.
12/26/20
Cops are currently on the hunt for 22-year-old Miya. Like the NYPD, so far we've been unable to contact her, although we do know she's back in SoCal, where she lives.
related articles
Prince IRS Claims Estate Grossly Undervalued ... Demands Millions More in Taxes
Prince's death has been riddled in estate challenges for years, and now the IRS is getting into the act, claiming the folks managing the estate have grossly undervalued it.
Uncle Sam claims the estate is worth double what the money managers claim. The estate set the value at just over $80 million, but the IRS says it's worth more than $160 mil.
Obviously, the taxman wants his cut, and that's why the U.S. Tax Court is now in the picture. The IRS claims the estate shorted the taxes due by $32.4 mil ... that's double what the estate planned to pay.
There have been all sorts of figures thrown around by the various heirs -- some of whom have mounted challenges -- some estimates put the estate's value as high as $300 mil.
The IRS really wants its pound of flesh. It's also asking for a $6.4 million penalty for the undervaluation. The estate filed legal docs this summer claiming the IRS's numbers are way, way off.
TMZ broke the story ... Prince died in 2016 of a fentanyl OD. Death and taxes.
related articles
Ahmaud Arbery Murder Suspects Don't Let Anyone Call Arbery 'Victim' During Trial
-
Exclusive
- 7.6K shares
The men responsible for Ahmaud Arbery's death have a litany of requests for their murder trial -- notably, they don't want the word "victim" uttered in court while referring to him.
Defense attorneys for Travis and Greg McMichael -- the father and son who chased Ahmaud down with their truck and then proceeded to shoot and kill him in a struggle -- have filed new motions ... which include barring the prosecution from ever referring to Ahmaud as a victim in front of the jury, 'cause they say that's a conclusion that can't be reached before a verdict.
According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, the McMichaels argue no crime has been committed -- remember, they've pled not guilty and argued self-defense. As a result ... they say "loaded words" like "victim" might prejudice jurors against them from the jump.
The McMichaels want neutral language used for a fair shake, as they haven't conceded to any wrongdoing on their part.
There's more ... the McMichaels also asked that only one "in life" photograph be permitted at trial to depict Ahmaud -- and that that photo show him alone without any family members or friends. Not just that, but the defense asks that no family member of his be able to identify him in court ... they want that done by an unrelated, third party witness, if necessary.
The reason ... they argue too many photos of the guy will create an ingrained bias in the jury's collective mind, and paint Ahmaud as a sympathetic character. They say they don't want his family involved in ID'ing either because of possible emotional outbursts, which may also affect the jurors. So in other words, the McMichaels want this as sterile as possible.
One last thing ... the McMichaels have asked that BLM face masks not be permitted in court, that any jail calls they've made be stricken as usable evidence, but that Ahmaud's criminal record be admissible.
A judge has yet to weigh in, and a trial date isn't set.