Diddy Trial Highlights The Punisher, Obama X Pills, Cassie's Mom ... Feds Hone in on RICO
Prosecutors seemed to be getting more testimony geared towards the racketeering charge against Diddy in the seventh day of witnesses on the stand ... but there were still some outlandish stories told in court too.
The wildest testimony came courtesy of a male exotic dancer nicknamed "The Punisher" ... he told the jury about his first meetings with Cassie and Diddy and talked about a book he wrote about erectile dysfunction, "In Search of Freezer Meat."
The 'Punisher' had a lot to say about kinky sex ... but there wasn't a whole lot of meat on the bone when it came to the criminal charges ... even though we'll give him his due as a very entertaining character.
Fertility Clinic Bombing Palm Springs Explosion Caught on Camera ... In Saturday's 'Act of Terrorism'
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Frightening video shows the bomb going off outside a Palm Springs, California fertility clinic Saturday morning ... sending a fiery plume of smoke into the air.
TMZ obtained video ... nothing seems out of the ordinary on the sunshine-filled day, when all of a sudden a muffled blast goes off, followed by a tall puff of dark smoke aggressively shooting upward.
One person, the suspect, was killed in the explosion outside American Reproductive Centers fertility clinic, with 4 injured.
Exotic Male Dancer 'The Punisher' Read Erotic Tales About Cassie, Diddy ... I Had E.D. Half the Time
Sharay Hayes, an exotic male dancer known as "The Punisher," included his sexual experiences with Cassie and Diddy in his memoir about erectile dysfunction ... and it's very graphic.
Hayes took the stand Tuesday in Diddy's federal criminal trial in NYC and he told the jury he wrote about Diddy and Cassie in his book, "In Search of Freezer Meat."
He testified he did not name Cassie or Diddy in the book, instead referring to them as a married wealthy couple ... and we found the six pages where he talks about their sexual encounters -- and it's vivid, to put it mildly.
Erik and Lyle Menendez Will They Ever Be Released From Prison??? Next Hearing Postponed
Erik and Lyle Menendez will have to bite their nails a little longer before finding out whether they'll get released from prison ... because the parole board has kicked their hearing date down the road.
The Menendez brothers were slated to go before the California parole board on June 13 after a judge resentenced them earlier this month to 50 years to life for the infamous 1989 shotgun murders of their parents, Kitty and Jose Menendez.
After two trials, Erik and Lyle were finally convicted in 1996 and originally sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Kid Cudi Set To Testify In Diddy Trial
Kid Cudi's been name-dropped several times in witness testimony in the Diddy trial in NYC ... and the rapper will soon take the witness stand himself.
Federal prosecutors said Tuesday they plan to call Kid Cudi as a witness, possibly as early as Wednesday ... though based on the witness list for Wednesday, there's a chance Cudi's testimony may be pushed back to Thursday.
Cassie mentioned Kid Cudi a few times during her four days on the stand ... telling the jury Diddy freaked out when he found out she was seeing Kid Cudi.
Diddy Trial Feds Found AR-15s, Sex Toys, Lube ... In Raid at Star Island Home
Homeland Security Investigations Agent Gerard Gannon is detailing the March 2024 raid on Diddy's Miami estate ... and he testified the feds found assault rifles, loaded magazines, sex toys and some brand-name lubricant.
Gannon told the NYC jury he was the special agent in charge on the ground for the raid ... and the operation was assigned to his unit because the investigation featured human trafficking allegations.
He said about 80 to 90 agents were involved in the search of Diddy's 20,000-square-foot property on Star Island ... with the feds using an armored vehicle to break through the front gate, and deploying boats to make sure nobody tried to flee the waterfront home.
Blake Lively v. Justin Baldoni Ryan Reynolds Wants Baldoni Team $anctioned for 'Frivolous' Suit ... JB's Attorney Returns Fire
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Ryan Reynolds has had enough of the "utterly frivolous claims" from Justin Baldoni's team in their ongoing legal war ... and now RR is asking the judge to ding them financially -- but JB is pointing the finger back at them.
According to court docs obtained by TMZ ... lawyers for the "Deadpool" star on Tuesday hit JB and his team with a request for monetary sanctions -- which they say is a reaction to the "preposterous" defamation lawsuit that makes a mockery of the legal system.
As we previously reported, RR claimed Baldoni took his "thin-skinned outrage over a movie character" and decided to go after Ryan in court ... a reference to the satirical, "woke" Nicepool character from the new "Deadpool" movie, which JB thought was an obvious shot at him.
Exotic Male Dancer 'The Punisher' Recalls First Night With Diddy, Cassie ... Baby Oil, Astroglide, Wigs!!!
Sharay Hayes, an exotic male dancer known as "The Punisher," is testifying for the prosecution in the Diddy trial ... telling the jury about the first encounter he had with Diddy and Cassie ... saying the couple hired him to create a sexy erotic scene for them.
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Hayes says he was first hired in 2012, when a woman called and booked him for a midnight gig at the Trump International Hotel in New York City. He says he was hired to perform a striptease for a group of people but when he got to the room, he says it was just Cassie in a bathrobe and a wig.
He told the jury Cassie told him that she and Diddy -- neither of whom he recognized at the time -- didn't want him to dance and instead wanted him to create a sexual scene with baby oil.
Diddy Trial Cassie's Mom Sent $20K to Diddy ... To 'Recoup' Investment in Singer's Career
Regina Ventura, Cassie's mother, appeared in a Manhattan courtroom Tuesday to testify in Diddy's federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial in NYC ... and she revealed some shocking details about her daughter's relationship with the incarcerated defendant.
On the stand, Regina confirmed her daughter dated Sean "Diddy" Combs after the singer had signed with Bad Boy Records -- she recalls meeting Diddy in 2006, and says her daughter and Diddy started dating, then moved to Los Angeles.
Prosecution asked Regina to read a December 2011 message to her from her daughter. Regina related Cassie informed her Diddy had threatened to release a sex tape and intended to go after Cassie and Mr. Mescudi -- AKA Kid Cudi, who Cassie began seeing during a break in her relationship with Diddy.
Diddy Took X Pills Shaped Like Obama's Face?!?
Barack Obama's name is finding its way into the Diddy trial ... because Diddy's former personal assistant says his boss used to take ecstasy pills shaped like Obama's mug.
David James, who worked for Bad Boy from 2007 to 2009, testified for the prosecution Tuesday and told the jury he saw Diddy with a bunch of different pills, including one with a very specific feature.
James said one of the pills was ecstasy in the shape of a former president's face ... and when prosecutor Christy Slavik asked him straight up, "Which former president?," James responded, "Barack Obama."
Diddy's Ex-Assistant He Told Me Keep My Hands Off Women
David James, a former personal assistant to Diddy, says his boss once gave him some ironic advice ... warning him not to get violent with women.
During cross-examination from Diddy defense attorney Marc Agnifilo, James admitted he got into a physical altercation with one of Diddy's former chefs, a woman named Jourdan Atkinson.
James told the jury he got upset with Chef Jourdan at Diddy's home on Star Island in Miami after she tried to tell James how to do his job, offering a suggestion on where to take Diddy. He said he grabbed her by the wrists and told her to "stay in her f****** lane."
Diddy Trial Ex-Assistant Describes Armed Run-In With Suge Knight
David James, a former personal assistant to Diddy, is continuing his testimony in the disgraced rap mogul's federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial in NYC Tuesday, and he told the jury about a harrowing incident in L.A. involving another titan of the music industry.
James was asked about a 2008 incident at a Mel's Diner, a restaurant in L.A., involving former rap mogul Suge Knight (who's currently in prison for an unrelated crime). James described driving a Lincoln Navigator SUV to get cheeseburgers, accompanied by a man named D-Roc.
James testified D-Roc recognized Suge Knight at the location, and went over to talk ... but Knight apparently didn't recognize D-Roc, who said "I'm Biggie's boy," referring to slain rapper Notorious B.I.G. (who was murdered in the city in 1997).
Diddy Sex Worker Appears Banged-Up In Mug Shot After Killing Girlfriend
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The alleged sex worker known as Ash Armand, who was allegedly involved in Diddy's "freak-offs," looks a bit worse for wear in his latest prison mug shot after he was convicted of manslaughter in the murder of his girlfriend years ago.
TMZ exclusively obtained the booking photo in 2021 ... Armand -- who also starred in the reality show "Gigolos" -- has packed on a few extra pounds behind bars and appears disheveled with messy hair.
His days being a hot gigolo seem to be behind him ... no longer will we see him walking red carpets for Showtime’s "Gigolos," which follows the day-to-day lives of five male escorts based in Las Vegas.
Diddy Trial Former Assistant Continues Testimony ... I Was 'Diddy-Bopping' on Drugs
Today is the seventh day of testimony in Diddy's federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial in New York City ... David James, a former personal assistant to the rap mogul, is still on the witness stand -- and he testified to what he described as "Diddy-bopping" ... which he described as taking drugs and drinking Ciroc vodka, Diddy's own brand.
Minutes into the proceeding, David James was asked by the prosecution if he'd ever taken Ecstasy. James replied ... "Yes. I was drinking Ciroc, I took Ecstasy, I was 'Diddy-bopping.'" He then clarifies -- "I was vibing."
James testified he was recorded by a videographer who filmed the parties. James said Diddy asked him ... "Hey Playboy, was that you dancing around at the party?" When James said it was, he testifies Diddy said he was going to keep the video in case he ever needed it ... the prosecutor asked him what that meant -- James said "That I'd be embarrassed."
James was asked by the prosecution if he had ever observed physical violence between Diddy and his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura ... James said he had not.
Cher Get L.A. Elephants Help, Not Tulsa! Urges Mayor Bass to Save Beloved Billy & Tina
Cher is using her starpower for the good of Los Angeles' beloved zoo elephants Tina and Billy again ... signing a letter sent to Mayor Karen Bass to demand the beloved creatures be transferred from the L.A. Zoo to a sanctuary -- and not to the Tulsa, Oklahoma zoo as planned.
Cher appears on the list signed by several celebs -- such as Alicia Silverstone, Diane Warren, Katherine Heigl, Nicola Peltz Beckham and Justin Theroux -- that was delivered to L.A.'s mayor Monday to advocate for the health and well-being of the zoo's longtime resident elephants.
The letter argues the arranged transfer of Billy and Tina to Tulsa to join five other Asian elephants will only worsen their suffering, and that they deserve to be released to a proper elephant sanctuary so they can "live their twilight years with liberty and dignity."
'NYPD Blue' Actor My Daughter Died Suspiciously Points Finger at Ex-Boyfriend
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A Hollywood actor -- who scored roles in 'NYPD Blue' and 'CSI Miami' -- believes his daughter did not commit suicide and died under suspicious circumstances ... and now he's suing her estranged boyfriend for wrongful death.
Dwayne Adway filed his lawsuit Monday in L.A. County Superior Court against Makar Kirikov, accusing him of being involved in the death of his daughter, Daelena Mackay.
In the suit, Adway says Daelena and Kirikov lived together for about a year in an L.A. apartment and, during that time, Daelena "experienced multiple incidents of domestic violence" at the hands of Kirikov.