'Ray Donovan' Octavius Johnson Arrested Over Alleged Fire Extinguisher Attack
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Octavius Johnson, famous for his work in "Ray Donovan," got busted for assault with a deadly weapon ... after cops say he threw a fire extinguisher at a female jogger.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... officers in Burbank responded to a call that a man had allegedly thrown a fire extinguisher at a jogger when they encountered Octavius, whom cops say fit the description of the suspect. We're told cops tried to detain him, but he refused to comply and led police on a brief foot chase.
Cops caught Octavius and arrested him after the alleged victim ID'd him as the culprit. We're told officers recovered a fire extinguisher, and Octavius was booked for assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest.
Octavius allegedly continued his rampage inside a Burbank Police Department holding cell ... we're told he vandalized the phone inside the cell, violently striking the phone box with the handheld receiver.
Our sources say the assault case was presented to the L.A. County District Attorney's Office but the DA referred the case to the Burbank City Attorney's Office, which rejected the case due to insufficient evidence and a witness who would not cooperate.
We're told the Burbank City Attorney will now review the vandalism allegation for possible misdemeanor prosecution.
Octavius’s manager, Danny Estrada, tells TMZ ... "Octavius has been dealing with mental health issues and is currently getting the help he needs."
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Lisa Vanderpump Shuttered Restaurants Sued ... Gotta Pay for Fruits & Veggies!!!
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Lisa Vanderpump's struggled, like all restaurant owners, due to the pandemic, and now she has another headache ... a lawsuit for unpaid produce.
As you know, Lisa and Ken Todd own and operate PUMP and Villa Blanca -- 2 L.A. hotspots ... pre-COVID, of course. Both joints shut down last year during quarantine, but used to get fruit and veggie shipments from a company called West Central Produce.
Now, West Central Produce is suing the restaurants, not Lisa, for past deliveries. In the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, WCP says it got its last payment from Villa Blanca in March 2020 for $8,890.10 ... while PUMP forked over $9,144.70. That's a ton o' veggies!
But, that's right around the time quarantine started, forcing restaurants to close for several months -- and WCP claims the money also stopped coming in from Vanderpump's restaurants.
All told, the company claims it's owed just under $100k from both eateries. It's suing for that amount, plus some interest.
What's interesting is Lisa and Ken announced last summer that Villa Blanca was shutting down for good. Like so many restaurants, the pandemic closures were just too much to overcome -- but the good news is Lisa says PUMP will eventually reopen.
Ken tells us, while he wasn't aware of the lawsuit, if he owes money to anyone, he'll make sure his accountants get WCP paid. He says COVID has been a tough time for everyone in the restaurant biz. PUMP has been closed since the pandemic started.
One more thing ... your mom would like us to remind you to eat your veggies! 😉
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Talib Kweli's Wife DJ Eque Files for Divorce
Talib Kweli and his wife, DJ Eque, are calling it quits -- or at least she is, because she's filed for divorce.
According to court records ... Eque filed docs Friday in L.A. She and the rapper/activist got married back in May 2009 at a private mansion in Bel-Air. Queen Latifah and Questlove were some of the guests.
Things didn't always go swimmingly for the couple. Back in December 2010 ... Talib and Eque were reportedly kicked out of an NYC club after they got into an ugly fight. At the time, Eque sources said she'd lost her cool after she saw him in a friendly convo with another female inside the club -- and it turned into an all-out brawl, complete with table and glass smashing.
Let's hope the divorce goes smoother. The couple doesn't have any minor children together.
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Billie Eilish Claims Man Sending Death Threats ... Staking Out Her House for Months
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5:12 PM PT -- According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the order was granted.
Billie Eilish is seeking court-ordered protection from a man she claims is harassing her and is potentially dangerous.
The singer filed docs seeking a restraining order against a man named John Hearle, who she claims has been harassing and threatening her from outside her Los Angeles home.
Billie says the guy has been camped out at a school across the street from her crib since the summer, and he's been bombarding her with threatening and disturbing letters.
According to the docs, Billie says she got a note from Hearle saying ... "You can't get what you want, unless what you want is to die for me ... You will know that soon the water will rise, and you might very well die ... You will die."
Billie claims Hearle watches her enter and exit her home, and she says he always says something to her or makes gestures -- including a throat-slitting move -- whenever he sees her.
In the docs, Billie says this is making her anxious every time she comes home and she fears for her safety and her family's too.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the LAPD is investigating, but hasn't made an arrest yet. Billie wants a judge to force Hearle to stay at least 200 yards away from her and her parents at all times.
Originally Published -- 2:15 PM PT
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Marilyn Manson Cops Digging Into Abuse Allegations ... Meeting W/ Alleged Victim
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Marilyn Manson's in the crosshairs of federal and local law enforcement after a bunch of women accused the rocker of abuse ... and cops are set to talk with one of his alleged victims.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... detectives from the L.A. County Sheriff's Department plan to meet with one of Manson's alleged victims in the coming days, and we're told the meeting was the result of a wave of online allegations made by Manson's exes.
Our sources say Sheriff's deputies want to determine if a crime was committed, if it falls under their jurisdiction and if it warrants further investigation.
As you know ... one of Manson's accusers is "Westworld" star Evan Rachel Wood, who claims MM abused her over the course of their relationship. She claims he brainwashed and manipulated her into submission and started grooming her when she was a teenager.
The FBI actually was the first agency to get complaints against Manson after Wood's allegations, and the agency passed some of the information on to L.A. law enforcement. No word on whether or not the feds will get involved in investigating any of the various new allegations.
2/3/2021
As we reported ... cops swarmed Marilyn's Hollywood Hills home earlier this month for a welfare check after someone called police. Manson was home and was fine, but he never came out to talk to the officers.
Marilyn says his "intimate relationships have always been entirely consensual with like-minded partners" ... but it sounds like cops are still taking a closer look.
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Nicole Young Hey Dre, Who's Been in My Closet??!!
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Dr. Dre's estranged wife is demanding access to their marital home because she's pretty sure someone's been wearing her expensive shoes ... and it ain't Goldilocks.
Nicole Young just filed docs in their nasty divorce war, asking the court to allow her access to the Brentwood home, where she used to live with Dre, because she's left a bunch of personal belongings there.
In the docs, Nicole says she left back in April 2020 with a "bare minimum" of her stuff. Nicole claims she had to get out in a hurry because Dre was drunk and yelling, "F**k you. Get the f**k out. Go to Malibu."
She left a ton behind ... according to Nicole, her loot includes designer and vintage handbags, couture clothing and 20 fur coats in a "cedar and temperature-controlled" closet. BTW, she says her regular closet and "boutique room" at the home is about 1,000 sq. feet!!!
Since she's left, Nicole says she's observed several different women posting photos and videos inside the house -- and she claims some of Dre's visitors might be wearing her stuff.
For instance, Nicole claims one of Dre's playmates posted a photo in his bathroom while wearing what appear to be her Chanel slides. She's also upset Dre throws huge parties -- like one he had in October for the NBA Playoffs -- because she thinks with all the drinking, it's just a matter of time before someone damages or takes her belongings.
Oh, and one more thing ... Nicole's worried Dre might pack up her remaining property and just send it to storage. She says that would be catastrophic for her furs, which must remain in that temperature-controlled closet.
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Chris Cornell's Widow, Vicky I'm Not Getting Outshined, I'm Getting Screwed!!! Sues Soundgarden Again
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5:58 AM PT -- Cornell's attorney, Marty Singer, tells us, "The band’s contention that this dispute is somehow not about the money for them is absurd and hypocritical. Of course this is about money and their greed. They received a third party offer to buy just a portion of their interests for 16 million dollars, and yet subsequently offered to buy out Chris’ interest for a mere $278,000."
He continues, "And then Vicky offered $21 million for their shares, which they turned down – not because they wanted to preserve their life’s work but because they know that they will make even more off of future exploitation of the music that Chris wrote and the legacy that he created (which has lined their pockets for years)."
Chris Cornell's widow claims she's getting absurdly lowballed by Soundgarden as far as her stake in the band ... so she wants a judge to set things straight.
Vicky Cornell is suing the rock band yet again in the wake of Chris' death in 2017 ... this time because she claims they can't reach a deal over a buyout price.
According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Vicky says the 3 remaining band members offered her just $300k for Chris' share ... an amount she claims is less than what she got for her cut of just the 2018 royalties for Soundgarden's masters.
Vicky also alleges the lowball is obvious because the guys in the band got an offer of $16 MILLION from an outside investor for Soundgarden's masters -- that would mean $4 mill each, for the band members and Vicky.
That offer put a value on the band, of at least that amount, as far as Vicky's concerned ... which is why she's offended by their $300k offer, and says she has no choice but to file the suit asking the judge to value the band's assets.
A rep for Soundgarden tells TMZ ... "As requested by the Estate of Chris Cornell and as required by the laws of the State of Washington, the surviving members of Soundgarden submitted to the Cornell Estate four months ago a buy-out offer of the Estate’s interests in Soundgarden calculated by respected music industry valuation expert Gary Cohen."
The rep continues, "Since then, the band members have continued to try to settle all disputes with the Cornell Estate and in their several attempts to settle, the band members have elected to offer multiple times more than the amount calculated by Cohen."
The rep finishes by saying, "This dispute has never been about money for the band. This is their life's work and their legacy."
As we've reported ... Vicky and Soundgarden have been engaged in a separate legal battle since she sued them in late 2019 over royalties and the rights to 7 unreleased recordings.
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'Dance Moms' Dancer Arrested for Sexual Battery On Underage Students
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A dancer who once appeared on "Dance Moms" has been arrested for sexual battery on 2 of his underage students.
25-year-old Kevin Cosculluela was arrested on multiple counts of sexual misconduct last week in Orange County, FL ... including sexual activity with a 16 or 17-year-old child. He's also facing charges of solicitation of a minor and lewd and lascivious conduct.
According to the arrest warrant, the guy allegedly abused 2 underage dance students in 2020, one of whom he's accused of engaging in oral sex ... and allegedly exchanging nude photos with the other.
In the docs, obtained by TMZ, cops say the alleged victims met Cosculluela at a dance studio called Peaches Dance and Music in Orlando -- where they claim he took them under his wing for private lessons.
Police say one of the girls claims things escalated between them -- they started talking more, and eventually moved things over to Snapchat. The girl claims he got her to his apartment and talked her into performing oral sex. She claims that happened twice.
The other alleged victim says things never got physically sexual with Cosculluela -- but does allege he solicited nudes from her, and that one time ... he got on top of her while they were clothed on his bed.
Both alleged victims claim he would become angry and verbally abusive whenever they refused his demands, and they were afraid of him.
Cosculluela was booked and processed Friday and entered not guilty pleas.
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Larry King Widow Contests Handwritten Will ... We Could've Made Up!!!
The battle over Larry King's estate is getting nasty ... his widow's contesting his handwritten will, which left everything to his kids and nothing to her.
Larry's seventh wife, Shawn Southwick King, claims in new legal docs ... the late talk show host was no longer pushing their divorce case and reconciliation was possible before he died.
In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Shawn claims Larry's handwritten will does not change her position as executor under his 2015 will, and also violates 2 post-nuptial agreements between Larry and her regarding his ability to give gifts to his children. So, in her book the new will has no legal effect.
As we first told you ... Larry scribbled his most recent will on October 17, 2019, about 2 months after filing for divorce from Shawn, saying he wanted his funds equally divided among his children.
According to the docs, Shawn claims Larry suffered a stroke around the time he hand-wrote his latest will, and she's arguing he had "questionable mental capacity" at the time.
One of Larry's surviving sons, Larry King Jr., has filed docs asking to be appointed a special administrator of the estate, noting his father was in the middle of divorce proceedings when he died ... but Shawn claims Larry didn't even know about Jr. until his son was well into his 30s.
In the docs, Shawn also claims Larry Jr. received improper gifts from his father's secret account, so he can't be the one to administer the estate ... and besides, she says she's the one with the most knowledge about Larry's businesses, assets and wishes.
As we reported, Shawn was butting heads with Larry's children right around the time he filed for divorce.
According to documents, Larry's estate is worth about $2 million, but a lot more is likely held in separate trusts.
Shawn wants the judge to deny Larry Jr.'s request to admit the handwritten will and deny his request to become special administrator of the estate.
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'Ink Master' Star Daniel Silva Vows to Make Amends for Corey La Barrie's Death
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"Ink Master" star Daniel Silva says he's still struggling to deal with the death of his friend, Corey La Barrie, but wants to do what he can to honor him.
As you know ... Corey was killed last May on his 25th birthday after he and Daniel left a party together. Daniel was driving his McLaren sports car, when he got into the fatal wreck.
Daniel joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday to talk about the painful experience, and what he's doing to try to make up for the tragedy ... including being an advocate for safe driving.
He also says he hopes to one day be able to speak with Corey's family in person to express his contrition, but until then ... he's focused on making amends however possible.
Earlier Tuesday, Daniel shared a lengthy video talking publicly for the first time about Corey's death, and what the loss has meant to him.
Daniel also thanked the La Barrie family for showing him empathy and acknowledging the incident was a tragic accident in a legal letter, which he read.
He ended up pleading no contest to vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and was sentenced to 4 years in state prison, but most of the sentence was suspended and he only got 365 days in county jail with 216 days of credit instead. He was released in October.
The La Barrie family filed a wrongful death suit against Daniel last year, and in January ... Daniel's legal team responded by claiming Corey was partly responsible for his own death.
Daniel immediately clarified an insurance company had filed that legal response, and he disavowed its claim that Corey was to blame.
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Central Park 'Karen' Case Dismissed ... Restorative Justice Program Instead
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May 25, 2020
Amy Cooper -- better known as Central Park "Karen" for making a false report against a Black man -- is off the hook in her criminal case after getting some therapy.
The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has agreed to dismiss Cooper's charge of falsely reporting an incident because she completed a program intended to address racial bias.
According to Assistant D.A. Joan Illuzzi ... due to Cooper's lack of a criminal background, she was offered an "alternative, restorative justice resolution; designed not just to punish but to educate and promote community healing." It's similar to a plea bargain.
Illuzzi says Cooper entered the program and completed 5 sessions, and her therapist reported it was a "moving experience" for Cooper and she learned a lot.
As you'll recall ... Cooper was filmed on May 25, 2020 by a birdwatcher in the park named Christian Cooper (no relation) calling the police on him and falsely claiming ... "There's an African-American man threatening my life."
After their interaction went viral, Amy was fired from her job and briefly lost custody of her dog. Christian decided he did not want to cooperate with prosecutors, saying ... "She's already paid a steep price. That's not enough of a deterrent to others? Bringing her more misery just seems like piling on."
Despite that, the DA continued with the case, as Illuzzi says Amy's offense "wasn’t solely against one individual but was a threat to the community if allowed to go unchecked."
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'Gorilla Glue Girl' Tessica Brown Threatens to Sue Blogger ... I Did Not Make This All Up, Dammit!!!
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A popular blogger has been calling Tessica Brown -- aka, 'Gorilla Glue Girl' -- a bold-faced liar who made the whole saga up and scammed the world ... but Tessica is now saying the blogger better shut it, or risk getting dragged into court.
An attorney repping Tessica's management team fired off a cease and desist letter to the person who appears to run the IG and Twitter accounts @gossipofthecity_ -- telling them to stop spreading the claim TB hustled everybody into thinking she sprayed Gorilla Glue into her hair.
The account has been posting about it for several days now, including messages and videos to both accounts -- which have close to 610,000 combined followers -- insisting Tessica is a liar and that she pulled a fast one ... especially on those who donated money to her.
The account even re-posted a 15-minute video from another woman who claimed to have sprayed Gorilla Glue in her own hair, trying to debunk Tessica's account. The post read, "Salute to this sister who actually deserves the money y’all donated to that liar. #girlbye."
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
To that, Tessica's lawyer says her predicament was neither contrived nor a joke, and to suggest otherwise is wrong. Her attorney, Jeffrey Klein, says Gossip of the City is defaming Tessica and warns the account's operator that they're on thin ice.
You can read the letter for yourself ... it's clear that a lawsuit could be filed if the account keeps it up. We're told this letter was sent last Friday -- yet, most of the posts still seem to be live as of now.
@gossipofthecity_ even acknowledged the cease and desist in a separate post, calling it a fake. We've been assured by Tessica's team, though, that it is very much real ... and they mean business.
Now, Tessica herself detailed the pain, embarrassment and agony she was going through with us directly on 'TMZ Live' -- and insisted this was as real (and unfortunate) as one could imagine. Remember, she went to the ER over this, and even flew out to Cali for a procedure to remove the adhesive.
Yeah, something tells us she's telling the truth ... hard to believe anybody would go through all this for a gag.
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President Biden Woman Arrested Near WH ... Loaded Gun in Car, Letter for 46
A woman was arrested near the White House after reportedly telling cops she had a special delivery for President Biden -- a handwritten letter ... but much more ominous is that she had a loaded gun in her car.
The unidentified 66-year-old rolled toward a checkpoint in downtown D.C. Saturday evening ... close to the White House, which has a wide perimeter set for blocks on end. She was apparently with a man, and told cops they were there to meet Biden.
As for why ... cops say she told them she wanted to give him a letter. That prompted a search of the vehicle, where D.C. Metro says they discovered a loaded handgun. They claim the man she was with also had a BB gun -- but the woman was the only one arrested.
She was booked for possession of an unregistered firearm. The case has since been referred to the Secret Service.
The situation is eerily familiar ... there was another arrest like this back in January, when a Virginia man also drove up to a checkpoint, allegedly with fake inauguration credentials and a loaded firearm as well ... plus a ton of ammo, according to cops.
Just a day later, a woman was arrested under similar circumstances ... coming up to a checkpoint and trying to pass herself as a member of Biden's cabinet. She got busted too.
The National Guard's been in town since Jan. 6, and are set to stay there for a few more weeks. Probably a good idea.
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Nicki Minaj Father, Robert Maraj, Dead at 64 Killed in Hit-and-Run
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Nicki Minaj's father, Robert Maraj, has died after being struck in a hit-and-run accident ... TMZ has learned.
Nassau County Police in New York say he was walking on the road between Roslyn Road and Raff Avenue Friday evening around 6 PM ET, when he was hit by a vehicle heading northbound. Cops say the driver then fled the scene without a meaningful description from witnesses.
via Facebook uma tia de Nicki Minaj publicou que Robert Maraj (Pai de Nicki ) veio a Falecer , as informações ainda não foram confirmadas ! esperamos que Deus posso conforta o coração da Nicki e sua FamÃlia nesse momento 🖤💔 pic.twitter.com/UMA1iNproj
— Rick Maraj (@HomoMrs) February 14, 2021 @HomoMrs
Robert was taken to an area hospital in critical condition, where he succumbed to his injuries and passed over the weekend. The Homicide Squad is investigating the case and asking for the public's help in identifying the responsible party. There was not a decent description of the suspect vehicle provided.
Nicki hasn't spoken on her dad's death yet. There are shots of them together embracing over the years, so they obviously had a decent relationship and saw each other from time to time. It's unclear what Nicki's relationship with her dad was currently.
A rep for Nicki confirmed her dad's death, but did not have further comment at this time.
Robert was just 64.
RIP
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Phoenix PD Bias Cops Caught Blasting BLM Protesters ... Wishing to 'Stomp' 'Em
Three Phoenix police officers didn't realize they were being recorded while secretly disparaging BLM protesters last year -- openly pining to inflict violence onto them ... seemingly exposing their bias.
The officers are unidentified for now, but on the body-cam footage -- obtained by ABC15 -- they're yammering away in a squad car, referring to a group of protesters in October in vulgar terms.
You hear one cop call them "dickheads" and "ass**** kids," while another wonders why they (the cops) didn't just stomp out the protesters when given the chance ... literally, put boot to body.
https://t.co/pK6LwDDmyC https://t.co/Y6yMsWN0uL
— Dave Biscobing (@DaveBiscobing15) February 13, 2021 @DaveBiscobing15
One male officer suggests they should've just gassed the whole lot of them, adding ... "who gives a s***?" The 3 officers also discuss how they and the public are "sick" of these protests, while going on to lament the fact they have to wear bodycams ... because they force them to be squeaky clean.
For example, the officers' details how once upon a time ... they used to be able to stomp out little baggies of drugs that they might not have made arrests for, but now have to because they're being monitored by the camera. The irony is they're being recorded at that very moment.
Later, as they were driving away, you hear someone on the street yell at them to go home. The officers' joke about it, and one caps off the convo by calling that person a "f**king liberal piece of s**t."
The challenge coin story is now up on @abc15 My fellow investigator
— Dave Biscobing (@DaveBiscobing15) February 7, 2021 @DaveBiscobing15
@MelissaBlasiuswill have the lead story at 10pm.
Phoenix city manager, PD chief call for investigation after ABC15 report on protest shooting trophyhttps://t.co/X8x7fqc2Cp
ABC15 has also documented "challenge coins" that were allegedly being bought, sold and distributed among different Phoenix PD officers ... almost as tokens for who could hurt protesters in certain parts of their bodies, including in their groin areas.
Phoenix PD's Chief issued the following statement: "I know that unprofessional, disrespectful and inappropriate behavior from even one of our officers tarnishes the badge but more importantly, it hurts the community we have sworn to protect." He adds, "I will not allow the actions and speech of a few of the 4,000 men and women of the Phoenix Police Department destroy the trust and credibility of those we serve. When that conduct does not show respect, you can expect that I as the chief will take swift and decisive disciplinary action."
The case is being investigated, and this footage is expected to be cited in the defense of several protesters who were arrested in Phoenix.
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Lori Loughlin Let Me Travel Again, Uncle Sam ... Getting Passport Back!!!
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12:03 PM PT -- 2/12 -- Lori's getting her passport back ... the court just granted her motion to have it returned.
Lori Loughlin's out of prison, and now she wants the right to leave U.S. soil, but there's a hitch.
The "Full House" star's legal team filed new docs, asking the court to order the return of her passport -- which her lawyers say is currently in the possession of the United States Pretrial Services Office.
Lori had to surrender her passport during her criminal case stemming from the college admissions scandal, but now that she's served her 2-month prison sentence she's looking to get that puppy back in her hands.
Remember ... Lori flew back home in a private jet after spending 2 months at California's FCI Dublin ... so she's definitely the jet-setting type.
The docs say Uncle Sam does not object to returning her passport -- so it's just a matter of time before she gets it back. Once she does, Lori will be in the same boat as a lot of us ... wondering where she can safely travel in the middle of the pandemic.
Lori won't be crossing any borders with her husband just yet, though ... Mossimo Giannulli's still behind bars. He's set to complete his 5-month sentence in April.
Originally Published -- 2/11 -- 4:55 PM PT