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Mariah Carey's estranged brother says she's falsely accusing him of being a violent person ... so now he's suing her over the claims she made in her memoir.

Morgan Carey claims in new legal docs obtained by TMZ ... Mariah damaged his reputation when she wrote about an allegedly violent struggle he had with their father, and an alleged attack against their mother, in her 2020 book, "The Meaning of Mariah Carey."

According to the suit, Mariah's book includes a passage that reads ... "It took twelve cops to pull my brother and father apart. The big bodies of men, all entangled like a swirling hurricane, crashed loudly into the living room. I was a little girl with very few memories of a big brother who protected me. More often, I felt I had to protect myself from him, and sometimes I would find myself protecting my mother from him too."

Morgan says her description of the struggle paints him as a violent man ... he claims actual fights with his father never happened when Mariah was a child. In any event, he says there's no way 12 cops would respond to a domestic violence report.

According to the docs, Mariah's book also alleges ... "Suddenly there was a loud, sharp noise, like an actual gunshot. My brother had pushed my mother with such force that her body slammed into the wall, making a loud cracking sound."

Morgan claims this is another lie ... he claims tons of folks witnessed the "deep affection" between him and his mother -- and he adds, Mariah contradicted herself later in the book when she recounted her mother once saying, "Morgan is the only one I love."

He's suing his baby sis for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress, and it looks like he wants big damages.

Sofia Vergara just won a huge victory in her years-long battle with an ex over their frozen embryos -- a judge permanently blocked Nick Loeb from using them with a surrogate.

The 'Modern Family' star won big in L.A. County Superior Court, where Nick Loeb had been fighting tooth and nail for permission to bring the embryos to term, even going so far as trying to take custody of them through a trust ... and giving the fertilized eggs names in a lawsuit.

Welp, the judge said that ain't gonna happen ... at least not without Sofia's consent. The judge granted a permanent injunction -- saying the contract they both signed with a fertility clinic back in 2013 remains valid.

Because of that, the court said Nick can't try to use the embryos for his own purposes and give them rights -- which he tried to do in a Louisiana court, essentially arguing the embryos should be recognized as people with rights.

He recently got shot down there as well -- and now, he's lost again in L.A., where this whole mess started not too long after he and Sofia split in 2014. With the order in place and the original contract upheld, Nick will have to get Sofia's consent for anything having to do with the embryos.

Joe Exotic is getting the best revenge he can against Carole Baskin -- hiring the attorney who recently repped the family of her missing husband ... who's now working to free him.

John M. Phillips of the Phillips & Hunt firm broke the news Tuesday, saying he'd been retained by the 'Tiger King' himself in a bid to get a new trial arranged so Joe can plead his case in front of a new set of 12 jurors.

Phillips writes, "Work has already begun on @joe_exotic's New Trial Motion. We are proud to be leading his team. I was sworn into the Western District of Oklahoma this morning. This isn't about tigers, television or tomfoolery, it's about justice and evidence. More soon."

He also posted a video ... which took some shots at Joe's former legal team, who Phillips characterized as engaging in "buffoonery" in their bid to get JE pardoned by Prez Trump.

Doesn't sound like Joe disagrees -- at least that's how Phillips makes it sound. He says shortly after the failed attempt, the man himself reached out and asked about his services. One thing led to another, and now Phillips is on the case -- and he ain't looking to Joe Biden for a bail-out either.

Remember, Phillips was also brought on by Don Lewis' surviving family members -- who seem to believe Carole knows more about his mysterious vanishing than she's let on. They even bought air time during her debut appearance on 'DWTS' which aired mid-broadcast.

Chris D'Elia had sex with a 17-year-old high school student and she says when she told him her age, he said it was "hot" ... this according to a new lawsuit and Chris denies the allegations.

The comedian is being sued by a Jane Doe for allegedly violating federal child sexual exploitation and child pornography laws. She is not suing because the two allegedly had sex when they met in Connecticut. The age of consent in CT is 16.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Chris' alleged victim claims she started communicating with him over social media in 2014 when she was just 17 and he quickly started demanding nudes. She says two months later he invited her to his hotel room before one of his shows, where they had sex.

The woman claims Chris D'Elia demanded eye contact when they had sex and says when she told him she was 17 and still in high school, Chris responded by saying it was "hot."

As you know ... Chris recently got emotional addressing allegations he was grooming underage girls online and allegedly exposing himself to several women, saying sex controlled his life.

A spokesperson for Chris, in addressing the new lawsuit, tells us, "Chris denies these allegations and will vigorously defend himself against them in court."

According to the docs, the girl says she was a virgin before having sex with Chris, who also asked her to send him pornographic videos of her having sex with other boys her age. She also claims he asked her to meet and have sex with his friends.

Years after the alleged hotel encounter, the woman claims she was disturbed to see Chris' character in the Netflix series, "You," as he plays a comic who preys on underaged girls.

Tamar Braxton no longer has to keep her distance from her ex-boyfriend ... because we’ve learned his restraining order's been dissolved after neither one of them showed up in court.

Neither Tamar nor the singer's ex, David Adefeso, appeared for their court hearing on the matter Tuesday, so the judge dismissed the case and dissolved the restraining order.

We broke the story ... Adefeso filed for a domestic violence restraining order against Tamar in September and was temporarily granted one. David claimed Tamar attacked him while he was driving his car and threatened to have him killed.

Tamar denied the allegations the following month on "The Tamron Hall Show."

As you'll recall ... David was the one who called 911 last summer when he was dating Tamar and reported her alleged suicide attempt. He claimed at the time, her WeTV beef was the reason she wanted to kill herself.

Kodak Black is on the move -- or he's about to be anyway, because a judge just signed off on him being able to pack up and hit the road ... with limitations, of course.

A federal judge just approved Kodak's motion to travel for work purposes only -- giving him the green light to go out of state ... so long as he lets 'em know exactly where he's going.

According to the legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the judge says KB has to provide a full itinerary to his probation officer, including where he'll be staying during the travel. Naturally, he'll also have to keep his nose clean while out and about.

In his original filing seeking the OK for this, Kodak's attorneys said his plans were to continue the charitable work he's been engaged in lately -- specifically citing the scholarship he set up in the name of one of the Parkland victims, Meadow Pollack, which he recently commemorated with a public service.

Bay Area rapper Laney Keyz's home got riddled with bullets and it wasn't a drive-by ... it was a walk-up, and it was all captured on some wild video.

TMZ has obtained surveillance footage that shows three men walk up to what we're told was Laney's L.A. home in the wee hours of Feb. 18 ... and you see them fire off several rounds at the property before they turn around and make a run for it.

One of the guys seems to linger to shoot a bit more ... and eventually scrams with his cohorts. It doesn't appear anyone returned fire -- even though they react like that happened.

Anyway, law enforcement sources tell us LAPD officers located a number of shell casings on the ground where the shooting was reported, but they’ve come up empty thus far on possible suspects. Fortunately, we're told no one was injured in the gunfire ... an investigation's underway.

As for Laney ... sources familiar with the situation tell us he WAS inside during the shooting, but walked away unscathed. Our sources say no one can think of a motive as to why anyone shot at him, so the whole thing remains a mystery.

Tekashi 6ix9ine had a forcefield of protection around him in late 2018 -- shortly before he was locked up -- but forgot to pay the people guarding him ... so claims a security company in a new lawsuit.

69 is being sued by Metropolitan Patrol, which claims it provided protection for the guy ... including 11 days in November 2018. Part of that time Tekashi was in L.A. rolling deep with bodyguards, as seen in pics.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Metropolitan Patrol says Tekashi signed a contract with them in which they agreed to provide round-the-clock armed security. The lawsuit even includes a detailed schedule of shifts they claim to have worked work.

It looks like the rate was $85/hour during the day, while the late-night shifts cost $127.50/hour.

MP also claims it provided him armored vehicles ... namely, a fully-loaded Yukon with ballistic panels and 2 police-style Ford Explorers complete with lights, sirens, everything.

All in all, Metropolitan says Tekashi's tab came to a little over $75k for the job -- but when it came time to pay up, they claim he simply refused to fork over the money. Now, they want a judge to step in.

Metropolitan wants what they say they’re owed on the contract plus late fees and legal fees that have added up ... in total, they're asking for north of $88k.

The woman alleging T.I. put a gun to her head and threatened to kill her is now claiming she's getting harassed because the rapper and his wife are smearing her name.

Sabrina Peterson's suing T.I. and Tiny for defamation, because according to new legal docs obtained by TMZ ... she says the couple's public statements and social media posts have smeared her good name ever since she made her allegation against T.I.

Peterson claims she got into an altercation with T.I.'s assistant, and T.I. responded by pointing a gun at her head and saying, "Bitch I'll kill you."

According to the docs ... shortly after making her allegation in January, Tiny retaliated by insulting her and posting a photo of Peterson's 8-year-old son to her millions of followers. Peterson says this exposed her son to "vitriol and danger."

T.I. and Tiny subsequently released statements denying a variety of sexual abuse allegations and other claims against them ... including specifically denying the claims made by Peterson.

Peterson claims being singled out -- along with allegedly being referenced in T.I.'s 8-minute video where he denies allegations and talks about "evil at play" -- has led to her receiving harassing and threatening messages on Instagram.

She's suing the couple for defamation and infliction of emotional distress. We reached out to T.I. ... no word back yet.

Lady Gaga's dog walker -- who was shot in the streets before a couple of her pooches were kidnapped in plain sight -- is on the mend and has kind words for his supporters.

Ryan Fischer posted an update on his health Monday, uploading two photos himself from his hospital bed ... one where he's got a breathing tube in his mouth. The second shot is much more reassuring -- it looks like he took the photo himself, and the tube is gone.

Ryan started his posts with a recounting of his near-death experience ... recalling the fact he felt guilty over not being able to protect Gaga's 2 French bulldogs ... while a third, their sister Miss Asia, trotted over to him as he laid on the ground bleeding -- whom he calls his angel.

He remembers calling out for help as calmly as he could, and a wave of people pouring out to attend to him.

RF goes on to say this about his recovery ... "I will write and say more later, but the gratitude for all the love I feel from around this planet is immense and intense. I felt your healing support! Thank you." He adds that he's grateful the police were able to recover the 2 stolen dogs, Koji and Gustav, and prays his would-be murders are brought to justice.

Fischer also had a message for his boss, Lady Gaga, writing ... "And to Elisha, my family at Haüs and @ladygaga: your babies are back and the family is whole… we did it!" He continued, "You have shown so much support throughout this whole crisis to both me and my family. But your support as a friend, despite your own traumatic loss from your kids, was unwavering. I love you and thank you."

It's a miracle he's doing as well as he is -- remember, Ryan was shot at almost point-blank range ... which was captured on surveillance video from a nearby property.

The courthouse where Derek Chauvin will be tried for murdering George Floyd looks like the same fortress that's around The U.S. Capitol right now ... heavily reinforced to block out the general public.

Construction crews have been hard at work over the past week fortifying downtown Minneapolis with de facto forcefields, including areas where protests and unrest are expected as Chauvin's murder trial gets underway in the coming weeks.

The blockade's going up around the Hennepin County Courthouse, the Minneapolis City Hall building and the Hennepin County Jail -- and it includes concrete barriers, non-scalable fencing and barbed wire down below.

The precautions aren't too surprising considering the City Council just carved out a piece of their budget to hire 6 social media influencers to help spread their message during the trial as well.

City Council members say it's only meant to help spread information more readily and to as many people as possible, but many see it as a PR tactic to help control the narrative.

As for the new exterior look -- we know that's not the only thing that'll be different in this case. The inside of the courthouse got a COVID-safety facelift that includes lots of plexiglass installments.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has admitted he has, at times, made inappropriate jokes with staffers that might've crossed the line in others' minds ... this as an independent investigation ramps up to probe sexual harassment claims against him.

Cuomo issued a new statement Sunday, in which he said he never intended to cause harm or to offend anyone in the way he carried himself at the office or among subordinates.

With that in mind, he did say this ... "At work sometimes I think I am being playful and make jokes that I think are funny. I do, on occasion, tease people in what I think is a good natured way. I do it in public and in private."

He adds, "You have seen me do it at briefings hundreds of times. I have teased people about their personal lives, their relationships, about getting married or not getting married. I mean no offense and only attempt to add some levity and banter to what is a very serious business."

Cuomo went on to say that some of his interactions in the past may have been insensitive or too personal ... and considering his position of power, might've made others feel uncomfortable. He goes on to explain, "I acknowledge some of the things I have said have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation. To the extent anyone felt that way, I am truly sorry about that."

He does make this clear from his POV ... he asserts he never inappropriately touched anyone, and never propositioned anyone either. In light of that, he says he has asked for an independent investigation to be undertaken, by someone the NY AG's Office picks.

The remarks come after two ex-staffers -- Charlotte Bennett and Lindsey Boylan -- alleged misconduct ranging from an unwanted kiss to remarks about their appearance or about their sex life -- including Cuomo allegedly asking if Bennett had slept with older men.

George Floyd's murder case is bound to be the new trial of the century -- and it seems Minneapolis wants to get ahead of any bad publicity ... 'cause they're bringing on "influencers" to peddle their narrative as it unfolds.

The City Council made the announcement this week, saying they're rolling out a new initiative ahead of jury selection/opening arguments next month ... namely, to partner with influential social media users to share public information with underserved communities -- some of which, they say, might not tune in or have access to traditional news mediums.

The Council described the effort, in part, this way ... "The goal is to increase access to information to communities that do not typically follow mainstream news sources or City communications channels and/or who do not consume information in English."

Sounds nice, but reading between the lines ... many folks are saying this is actually a move by the City to play spin doctor for itself -- as these influencers won't be able to post freely.

Fact is ... the 6 users they bring on will be paid $2,000 a pop -- so they're temporarily on the City's payroll. Not just that, but the Council made clear the messaging will be "city-approved" ... which made ears perk up and start to question the whole thing. A lot of people are already speculating the content will be fully pro-City/defense.

You'll recall ... Minneapolis experienced unrest in the months after the George Floyd video surfaced. The peaceful protests, at times, spun out of control into violence. Some believe the City wants to avoid that kind of reaction again, and are trying to get ahead of it.

El Chapo's wife is getting the same treatment as any other inmate, according to her lawyer ... which is interesting, considering she's accused of plotting the drug lord's infamous prison breaks.

Emma Coronel Aispuro is being jailed at a Virginia detention center following her drug trafficking arrest, and her attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman, tells us she's just a regular guest of the government ... with no special security measures in place.

Emma's attorney tells us she doesn't qualify for beefed-up security because she wasn't deemed a security risk, even though the feds are now claiming she twice conspired to help El Chapo escape prison, including one successful prison break in Mexico.

As we reported ... El Chapo's wife was arrested Monday at Dulles International Airport and charged with conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, 1 kilogram of heroin, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 1,000 kilos or more of marijuana for importation into the U.S.

Emma's attorney tells us she's at the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center in Alexandria, VA ... and he describes her mood as "miserable," but adds she's strong and will survive this ordeal.

Federal law enforcement sources tell us they are unaware of any special measures in place for Emma. The Alexandria Sheriff's Office, which runs the jail, won't discuss security measures.

Uncle Sam claims Emma aided in her husband's infamous July 11, 2015 prison escape in their native Mexico, and tried to help him escape again after he was recaptured -- but it seems the feds aren't too worried that will happen on U.S. soil.

Nathan Apodaca -- AKA, Doggface, the skateboarder who went viral to "Dreams" -- is having a nightmare West Coast trip after crooks targeted his family.

Sources close to the internet sensation tell TMZ ... Nate and his fam have been in the Bay Area recently on a getaway to celebrate his daughter's 14th birthday ... and all seemed to be going well until Tuesday, when he says their rental vehicles were broken into and ransacked.

We got Nathan out on Hollywood Blvd. talking about the ordeal ... and although he doesn't want to let it ruin the trip, he's clearly rattled by what he calls a scary trend in San Fran right now.

We're told they had pulled up to the Twin Peaks Overlook, and ended up parking and locking their rented Suburban and Pathfinder in a garage down below.

When they came back down, our sources say Nathan and co. found windows to both vehicles smashed ... and a number of items missing inside. He filed a police report, but says cops told him there wasn’t much they could do since there were no cameras in the garage.

According to the report, obtained by TMZ, Nathan says they made off with credit cards and checks, sunglasses, reading glasses and some wallets filled with identifying information ... like Social Security cards and driver's licenses.

All in all ... we're told the estimated loss and damage comes out to about $4,000. The worst part is that Nathan and his family were spooked, and quickly got the hell outta Dodge.

Our sources say Nathan returned the damaged vehicles Wednesday and picked up new ones, with plans to then book it down to Los Angeles -- which was NOT a stop in their OG itinerary. They're also changing their return flights to fly out of L.A. instead of SF.

It's a total bummer for such a nice guy, who's been riding high on good vibes since he blew up from his TikTok video last year -- which has brought so much good fortune and beyond.

Tekashi69's got the wrong idea of what bottle service means in a Miami strip club, according to a dancer who claims he smashed her in the head ... after someone called him out for snitching.

Now Alexis Salaberrios is striking back at the rapper with a lawsuit she filed Friday over what she claims was a bloody incident inside Gold Rush Cabaret on February 20. In the suit, she alleges Tekashi threw a "deadly object with intent to commit serious bodily injury."

Her attorney, David M. Tarlow, tells TMZ the object was a champagne bottle, and he's claiming Tekashi threw it because someone called him a rat. Problem is, the bottle missed his intended target, and Alexis alleges she ended up taking it to the dome.

He tells us her alleged injuries required a trip to the ER where she got several staples to close a head wound.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Alexis is also ripping Gold Rush for its lack of security around Tekashi, considering he's known to have a "propensity for violence."

After she was injured, Alexis alleges club staffers ushered 6ix9ine out of the joint, and immediately pressured her not to call police. Tarlow says Alexis ignored them, and did report the incident to cops.

She's suing the club for gross negligence, and Tekashi for aggravated battery -- but he feels the lawsuit's just a money grab.