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5/3 5:23 PM PT -- A spokesperson for Chumba Casino tells TMZ it "operates its social casino in strict compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.  This lawsuit has no merit and Chumba will vigorously defend its legal right to operate its business."

The rep adds, "Our brand ambassador Ryan Seacrest is not involved in the operation of Chumba’s business, and it is unfortunate that he has been unfairly targeted as part of this suit."

2:25 PM PT -- A source close to the situation tells TMZ this is just a nuisance lawsuit.

Ryan Seacrest is breaking California law by promoting an illegal online casino ... at least according to a new lawsuit.

The "American Idol" and "Wheel of Fortune" host is being sued by a California resident named Aubrey Carillo, who allegedly lost money on an online casino Ryan often promotes on social media.

In the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Carillo claims ChumbaCasino.com is operating illegally in California and Ryan is serving as the operation's official celebrity endorser.

The federal prosecutors who will be trying to secure a conviction against Diddy in his upcoming trial are all white women ... led by the daughter of former FBI director James Comey.

Maurene Ryan Comey is set to lead the team of U.S. Attorneys from the vaunted Southern District of New York next week in court, when jury selection begins in Diddy's sex trafficking trial.

Maurene's father is the former FBI director who had a controversial role in the 2016 presidential election. James was ultimately fired from his post by President Trump a few months into Trump's first term.

12:48 PM PT -- The creative team behind "Luigi: The Musical" released a statement assuring the public the musical is, "not a celebration of violence of any kind" and they "do not condone violence, sexual assault, or pedophilia in any form."

The legend of Luigi Mangione is growing ... because he's the subject of an upcoming musical, and it's the hottest ticket in San Francisco.

Luigi is the inspiration behind a musical comedy coming to the Taylor Street Theatre in San Francisco, and the play's entire run is already sold out.

"Luigi: The Musical" will also feature Diddy and Sam Bankman-Fried as characters ... with scenes and musical numbers centered around Luigi's time at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where all 3 men are in custody.

Prince Harry won't receive automatic security every time he goes to the UK ... 'cause a court in England just upheld the ruling against the Duke of Sussex and his immediate family receiving publicly funded security in the country.

The Court of Appeal ruled unanimously against Harry ... claiming a committee had not treated him unfairly when it decided to rule on his security on a visit-by-visit basis, rather than providing blanket security.

Prince Harry made a two-day appearance in his home country last month to support his appeal, where his team argued his life may be in danger when he visits the UK ... with security arrangements that were "manifestly inferior."

Blake Lively opened up about her difficult year on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" ... admitting this year's been very difficult for her, but she's doing what she can to make the world safer for women and girls.

The actress sat down with the 'SNL' alum Thursday night ... and, Seth brought up her legal drama with Justin Baldoni -- acknowledging that she probably can't say much while the legal battle drags on in court.

BL agrees with Seth before adding that the year has been "full of the highest highs and the lowest lows" of her life.

The Pennsylvania woman cops say admitted to pooping on someone else's car as part of a road rage incident apparently had a lot to say about the matter ... police say she bragged about a clean poop that didn't need toilet paper.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the alleged 'Delco Pooper' Christina Solometo told police, "It was a clean poop, I didn't even have to wipe".

Cops say Solometo was arrested Thursday ... and we obtained her smiling mug shot.

Diddy was back in court Thursday for one final hearing before his criminal trial ... and he told the judge he rejected a plea deal presented to him by federal prosecutors.

The Bad Boy Records founder strolled into a Manhattan courtroom wearing a tan jail jumpsuit, looking gray and thin ... and he waved to the public and media seated in the gallery before taking a seat at the defense table between two of his attorneys, Teny Geragos and Brian Steel.

Diddy was smiling and in good spirits ... chatting with Teny and Brian ... and he was chummy and seemed unfazed by the upcoming trial.

George Santos says there's a lot of bad hombres behind bars who want to rough him up for one reason or another ... and he's again turning up the pressure on the Federal Bureau of Prisons to keep him safe.

The former New York Congressman joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and we asked him about his warning to the BOP -- that there will be hell to pay if he's brutalized behind bars.

George is set to begin a 7-year sentence this summer and he tells us there's a big target on his back for a number of reasons ... namely, his sexuality and his Congressional activity.

Joaquin Phoenix sure wasn't laughing Monday after his car was stolen from his L.A.-area home ... but "The Joker" star could have the last chuckle 'cause we're told police are now working the case.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... the famous actor was not at his house Monday afternoon when his 2022 Volvo SUV -- parked just outside -- was stolen.

John "LJ" Scott Jr.'s death is sparking outrage ... with new video of his arrest appearing to show police dragging him across the ground in a police station.

If you don't know ... Scott died on April 22, about a week after he was taken into custody by Decatur Police in Alabama on April 15 -- with cops saying he suffered a medical emergency and passed away in the hospital.

Police reportedly arrived at an apartment complex on April 15, where they say they found Scott "sweating heavily and exhibiting erratic behavior."

Kanye West is gearing up to sue his former dentist ... claiming he suffered injuries and financial damages due to alleged reckless administration of nitrous oxide.

The rapper's legal team -- headed by Andrew Cherkasky -- sent a notice of intention to sue to Dr. Thomas P. Connelly, who they say became Ye's dentist in early 2024.

Ye's team claims that while he was under Connelly's care, the dentist "engaged in numerous inappropriate and dangerous practices that were far outside the bounds of any legitimate medical purpose or standard of care."

Sherri Papini's sharing her side of the alleged kidnapping that became national news and ultimately led to her sentencing on federal charges ... claiming it really did happen, in a trailer for a new documentary.

Papini is speaking out for the first time in the upcoming documentary "Sherri Papini: Caught in the Lie" ... shedding more light on her shocking 2016 disappearance and the subsequent aftermath.

In the trailer, released Thursday, Papini admits she kept secrets from the public ... but, insists she really was kidnapped and tortured -- despite the federal government claiming otherwise.

Gwyneth Paltrow says she felt like she was being shaken down during her infamous ski crash trial ... adding the very concept of getting sued by someone who was totally at fault stands out as everything wrong with the American legal system.

The actress and businesswoman sat down for a conversation on "The World's First Podcast with Erin and Sara Foster" ... and, she said she found the trial just so ridiculous -- feeling she needed to fight back instead of letting Dr. Terry Sanderson take advantage of her.

Gwyneth says Sanderson being allowed to sue her -- even though he ran into her -- proves the legal system is broken beyond repair.

The NYPD busted a boobalicious babe accused of trying to swipe a woman's engagement ring -- and the sexy suspect even got on her own wanted poster!

Police officials released the poster this week and it shows buxom brunette Lucie Lora posing for a sizzling selfie, which looks more like an ad for a strip club.

And it apparently worked ... because the NYPD arrested Lora on Wednesday and booked her for attempted robbery.

Diddy gets to spruce up his look for his upcoming criminal trial ... the judge just signed off on letting him go with a business casual look in court, instead of his jail jumpsuits.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Diddy just got a signed order from the judge allowing him to receive non-prison clothing at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to wear at next month's trial.

Diddy's got permission to have up to 5 button-down shirts, 5 pairs of pants, 5 sweaters, 5 pairs of socks and 2 pairs of shoes without laces to wear to court.

Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, the youth soccer coach charged with murdering a California teenager, is so dangerous to young men that he needs to be taken off the streets -- that’s what the alleged victim's lawyer is saying.

Luis Carrillo was at an L.A. courthouse for Mario's arraignment Wednesday, where Luis straight-up told us Mario deserves life behind bars at the very least ... and he thinks the D.A. might even push for the death penalty -- but if they do, that decision would ultimately be up to the jury.

Catch the clip, because Luis doesn't hold back. He calls Mario a cold-blooded killer and breaks it down, saying he had no business being in a job where he was around young boys in the first place.