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Kid Cudi is testifying about his infamous car fire-bombing ... and he says he knows Diddy had something to do with it, even though Diddy denied it to his face during a meeting where Diddy came off like a Marvel supervillain.

The rapper testified Thursday in Diddy's criminal ... telling the jury his Porsche went up in flames outside his house in January 2012, shortly after he broke things off with Cassie.

Kid Cudi says he wasn't at home when he got a call from his dog's babysitter, informing him his car was on fire. He says he rushed home and found his car damaged.

Kid Cudi says Diddy broke into his Los Angeles home after finding out he was dating Cassie ... and he says Diddy screwed with his pooch.

The rapper took the stand Thursday in Diddy's federal criminal trial in NYC and told the jury about some of the drama that unfolded between him, Diddy and Cassie back in 2011 ... when she was on a break from Diddy and they started dating.

Kid Cudi testified there was a break-in at his home in December 2011 after Cassie called him early in the morning and told him Diddy found out about them. He says cops were called, too.

Jon Taffer is once again suing a man allegedly running around Florida bars pretending to be him and harassing people, according to a new lawsuit filed by the "Bar Rescue" star and his lawyer, Bradford Cohen.

Here's what we know ... in court docs obtained by TMZ, Jon claims Vic Caroleo has been impersonating him since 2017 -- continuing to do so even after filing a lawsuit against him in 2024.

JT says VC is not just trying to pass himself off as him as a form of flattery -- he alleges he's committing "sexually inappropriate and abusive acts against women" while using his name.

Kid Cudi will testify today at Diddy's federal sex trafficking trial ... and, it looks like he's taking a few nicotine hits to steady himself before he does.

We recorded the rapper getting out of his car and walking into the Manhattan courthouse Thursday ... a serious expression on his face. He didn't say anything to the gathered crowd -- using his mouth to puff on a cigarette instead.

Cudi quickly turns the corner out of view in the clip -- before resurfacing inside the courthouse, where he can be seen through a window ... taking off his jacket to go through a security checkpoint, speaking to a guard.

Sherri Papini is shrugging off the lies she told in her alleged kidnapping ... she says she can't be the only person who has ever fibbed, and her case is deeper than most folks realize.

TMZ obtained a clip from the upcoming documentary "Sherri Papini: Caught In The Lie" ... and she asks the audience, "Haven't you ever lied? Have you ever lied in your history of existence? And then has that lie been blown up and broadcast around the world?"

Sherri went missing for three weeks back in 2016 ... resurfacing on the side of a road in California after claiming her captors let her go.

Two Israeli Embassy workers were shot to death Wednesday by a gunman at the Jewish Museum in Washington D.C. — and the arrest of the suspect was caught on dramatic video.

Check it out ... The alleged shooter — identified as Elias Rodriguez from Chicago, Illinois — is grabbed by a couple of cops inside a building on Wednesday night.

One of the officers slaps the cuffs on Elias, who starts screaming, "Free free Palestine." Both officers then escort him through an exit door as witnesses stare in shock, with one horrified woman seen covering her mouth.

The 8th day of testimony in the Diddy trial is in the books and prosecutors are still trying to gain headway on the racketeering charges against the mogul ... and one of their witnesses even thinks he helped Diddy's defense.

Wednesday opened with Homeland Security Investigations agent Gerard Gannon detailing more about a raid on Diddy's home on Star Island ... a search that turned up guns, ammo, drugs, lube, baby oil, sex toys and lingerie.

Interesting stuff ... and maybe the guns help prosecutors prove a RICO case against Diddy ... 'cause some of the serial numbers on the magazines were scratched off.

Universal Music Group is being sued by a man who claims he worked with huge acts like Johnny Cash, Twisted Sister and Shania Twain and is owed over $72 million for unpaid services.

In the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, a man named Gary Douglas Peabody claims Johnny Cash called him up in 1970 and asked him to come to New York to get signed as a singer or backup singer and writer. He says Cash was working for UMG.

He claims Johnny called him up again in 1974 and told him UMG owed him $25 million ... asking him to come to NY to collect the funds.

Kim Kardashian can officially fling her graduation cap into the air and her law books into the trash ... 'cause she just completed her law program.

The reality television star celebrated the achievement in a backyard -- the only student in her law school class -- as two of her mentors lauded her with praise in videos posted by her sister Khloé.

One of them calls it "one of the most inspiring legal journeys we've ever seen" ... swearing Kim pulled herself up by her high heel straps -- no ivory tower shortcuts for her.

Diddy's former employee George Kaplan says part of his work as an executive assistant at Combs Enterprises called for him to set up hotel rooms for his boss ... complete with some staples for a "freak-off" -- like lube, baby oil and candles.

Kaplan testified Wednesday in Diddy's federal criminal trial in NYC, telling the jury he booked rooms for Diddy at hotels in New York, Miami and Los Angeles -- including at the InterContinental Hotel, where Diddy was later seen on video beating Cassie in March 2016 -- although Kaplan said he only worked for Diddy from 2013 to 2015.

He told jurors he would book rooms for Diddy using the alias Frank Black ... which he says was derived from one of The Notorious B.I.G.'s nicknames, Frank White.

Sharay Hayes, an exotic male dancer known as "The Punisher," tells us he's unsure why federal prosecutors called him as a witness in the Diddy trial ... because he says he never saw Diddy do anything that seemed illegal and thinks his testimony may have actually helped the defense.

"The Punisher" joined us on "TMZ Live" Wednesday and we asked him if prosecutors gave him any indication why they wanted to get him on the stand, because his testimony Tuesday left many people wondering how prosecutors thought it related to any of the charges against Diddy.

Hayes says he is still confused as to why his testimony was necessary ... telling us he let prosecutors know from the jump he didn't see anything that looked criminal during his sexual interactions with Diddy and Cassie.

Prosecutors are calling an expert witness in the Diddy trial, a clinical and forensic psychologist who is telling the jury about why victims stay in abusive relationships, how they cope, the obstacles they face in leaving, and how their memories are affected by trauma.

Dawn Hughes took the stand Wednesday morning as the 11th witness called by the feds.  Prosecutors are presenting her as an expert witness who specializes in trauma and traumatic stress.

Hughes told jurors it's quite common for victims to remain in abusive relationships ... explaining there's all sorts of mechanisms that make victims feel trapped, and it's not just reserved to physical violence.

Testimony continues Wednesday in Diddy's federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial in NYC, where Homeland Security Investigations Agent Gerard Gannon has taken the stand to continue Tuesday afternoon's questioning.

After some back-and-forth between attorneys regarding proceedings, prosecutors announced Mr. Mescudi -- AKA Kid Cudi -- will not testify Wednesday ... he's expected to take the stand Thursday.

As the hearing got underway, Gannon was asked on the stand by the prosecution about details of the 2024 raid on Diddy's mansion on Star Island in Miami -- pictures from the raid were released into evidence overnight depicting drugs, guns and bedroom items.

Diddy's federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial is well into its second week in NYC ... and, more photos detailing Cassie's injuries have been entered into evidence -- capturing the brutal bruising she alleges Diddy caused.

The photos show Cassie sporting black, blue and yellow-green markings ... some on her thighs and upper arm.

In one pic, Cassie's rolling up her shorts ... showing an angry purple welt on the top of her thigh.

Chris Brown can breathe a sigh of relief because he was just granted bail after his arrest for assault in the United Kingdom, TMZ has confirmed.

The R&B singer did not appear for a hearing in London's Southwark Crown Court Wednesday ... but a judge signed off on releasing him from jail, paving the way for him to begin his world tour in a few weeks.

The judge ordered Chris — who has not yet entered a plea -- to pay 5 million in British pounds as a security fee to the court, which translates to roughly $6.7 million in American dollars. We don't know the details of his bail conditions, but we'll update you once we get word.

Jimmy Clabots says he and other escorts were well aware of what went on in Diddy's bedroom for a long time ... and he's not surprised some of his ex-costars are now wrapped up in the trial.

Clabots, who appeared on "Gigolos" Seasons 1 and 2 as Jimmy Dior, tells us he was on hold a few times for Diddy, but was never ultimately booked.

He did, however, know other escorts at the agency who were ... and some of the guys told him they did see "chemicals" -- or drug use -- while others did not.