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Doc Antle -- the ponytailed big-cat handler from "Tiger King" -- just got slapped with a 12-month prison sentence ... after pleading guilty in a wild case involving dirty money and illegal wildlife dealings.

The Myrtle Beach Safari owner admitted to laundering more than $500K in what he thought was part of a human smuggling op, and also copped to violating the Lacey Act -- which bans illegal wildlife trafficking.

Now, he’s not only doing time, but also has to fork over $55K, give up three chimps, nearly $200K in assets, and serve three years of supervised release once he's out of prison.

D.L. Hughley says justice was served in the Diddy criminal trial, but he's ripping folks for celebrating the verdict ... telling us it's a morally bankrupt response.

The comedian joined us on "TMZ Live" Tuesday, and we asked him about some of the favorable reactions to Diddy being acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges.

Folks outside the courthouse danced in the streets and poured baby oil on themselves when the verdict came back last week ... and D.L. says that's a horrible look.

Diddy is on a roll, legally speaking ... because he keeps racking up wins in court ... after outfoxing federal prosecutors, he's now dealing a major blow to one of his sexual assault accusers.

Here's the deal ... a woman named April Lampros sued Diddy last year, claiming he raped her multiple times in the 1990s -- but those allegations are no longer part of her lawsuit.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the woman's claims for battery, sexual assault and negligent infliction of emotional distress have been dismissed.

Whitney Purvis has been placed on suicide watch at the Georgia jail where she's being held for involuntary manslaughter ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us the "16 and Pregnant" star was medically designated and committed within the jail system after making suicidal comments behind bars. Our sources say she's also undergoing a detox as she withdraws from drug use.

We broke the story ... Purvis was arrested Monday, accused of distributing a dangerous street drug known as "Tranq" -- a lethal mix of fentanyl and xylazine.

Here's the verdict sheet returned by jurors in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal criminal trial ... and you can see the check marks for "Not Guilty" on the sex trafficking and racketeering charges.

Jurors reached their verdict Wednesday morning last week after a couple days of deliberations ... and they acquitted Diddy on one count of racketeering conspiracy, one count of sex trafficking of Casandra Ventura and one count of sex trafficking of "Jane."

The 12-member jury -- 8 men and 4 women -- only checked "Guilty" on counts 3 and 5 ... which are both transportation for the purpose of prostitution, AKA the Mann Act.

Diddy masturbated into a shirt from the late Notorious B.I.G.'s wardrobe, ejaculated on the garment, and then threw it on another man's lap and arm ... getting semen all over the guy ... at least according to a new lawsuit.

The music mogul is being sued by a John Doe who alleges a bunch of sexually deviant dealings with Diddy over the years.

In the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, the guy claims around September 2020 he was in a listening session with Diddy for a Biggie Smalls project when he says Diddy pressured him to take ketamine. He claims they went to a warehouse in Los Angeles where Biggie's clothes were in storage and Diddy provided drugs to everyone present. He says folks were running around the warehouse tripping on drugs.

Blake Lively is ready for a major development in her ongoing legal war with Justin Baldoni ... 'cause she'll be sitting for a deposition soon ... TMZ has confirmed.

A source with direct knowledge tells TMZ ... Baldoni's legal team will depose Blake next Thursday in New York. The exact location, we're told, has not been determined.

Our source tells us it'll just be Blake and her legal team in the room ... husband Ryan Reynolds isn't expected to be in the deposition proceedings.

Denise Richards and her husband Aaron Phypers are getting a divorce ... TMZ has learned.

According to court documents, obtained by TMZ, Aaron filed for divorce on Monday in Los Angeles. He lists the usual "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split and says the date of separation is July 4.

The now former couple had been married for over 6 years. They share no minor children together.

Proponents of theories building for months over which rich and famous pals might appear on Jeffrey Epstein's alleged "client list" were met with an underwhelming fed announcement -- and now a lawyer for the convicted sex offender is shaming the financier's friends who he says initially ran for the hills.

Here's the deal ... the Department of Justice announced Monday there's no evidence Epstein kept a “client list,” or was murdered in his jail cell -- a shocking revelation to some who naturally, immediately, called BS.

David Schoen, one of Epstein's lawyers, tells TMZ ... he never expected some super secret list to be found ... 'cause it made no sense.

"16 and Pregnant" star Whitney Purvis left a lengthy and emotional message on the online obituary page of a man who fatally overdosed on drugs she allegedly supplied ... TMZ has learned.

The heartfelt comment, posted on March 3, was written weeks after the February death of John Mark Harris -- who authorities say was given deadly drugs by Purvis prior to his death.

Purvis wrote ... "John mark, I hate that I found out what happened today and missed your funeral. I wish I could've found out sooner and attended your celebration of life. thank you for being such a great friend to me and always making me feel beautiful and cared for."

An Australian woman has been found guilty of murder and attempted murder after a lengthy trial ... where she was accused of poisoning her estranged husband's family with death cap mushrooms, killing three of the four people who ate it.

Erin Patterson now faces life in prison due to the deadly lunch that occurred in July 2023. At the time, her estranged husband's parents, aunt and uncle came to her home for a meal ... where she served homemade Beef Wellington made with death cap mushrooms, highly toxic fungi.

Soon after, all four guests were hospitalized with serious illness ... three of them died within a week, while one survived after spending weeks receiving medical treatment.

A star-studded gated neighborhood where A-listers like Angelina Jolie and Kristen Bell have homes received an unexpected visitor Sunday ... and, cops arrested him.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... officers arrested an alleged trespasser today in Los Feliz -- a neighborhood in L.A. east of Hollywood.

We're told the individual slipped through the gate and onto the street behind it where Dax Shepard and Bell share a residence. However, our sources say the two stars weren't home at the time.

Diddy was feeling the love when he had to go back to prison after a jury acquitted him on three of his five federal charges ... 'cause the cell block gave him a round of applause, his lawyer swears.

Marc Agnifilo spoke with the Associated Press this weekend ... and, he told the outlet Diddy got a hero's welcome back at the federal prison where he's in custody.

Agnifilo claims the inmates "all said: ‘We never get to see anyone who beats the government" -- but, Diddy landed a win in his case ... and, it seems his fellow inmates reveled in it with him.

Clayton Howard -- the former escort who is suing both Cassie and Diddy for  allegedly drugging, manipulating and traumatizing him -- tells TMZ he believes Cassie reveled in Diddy's power when it came to getting what she wanted.

Take a listen to our interview with Clayton -- who was identified as "Dave" during the music mogul's sex trafficking and racketeering trial. He says there is a "different side" to Cassie that "embraced" Diddy's power to manipulate him into their exotic sexual encounters.

This is why Clayton says he continued seeing Diddy and Cassie for nearly a decade. He says he was nervous the "Last Night" hitmaker could easily use his deep connections to retaliate against him ... plus, he needed the cash.

Diddy's former personal chef says she is "traumatized" and "terrified" after he was acquitted of the most serious charges in his federal sex trafficking trial on Wednesday.

Jourdan Atkinson -- who alleges she was both a victim of and witness to Diddy's abuse over the years -- hopped on Instagram following the stunning verdict, noting ... "I do not feel safe. I am extremely traumatized. I do not know where to go from here."

In the video and accompanying caption, Jourdan alleges she was assaulted by the Bad Boy Records founder in 2008 at his New Jersey estate ... and learned he beat Cassie for the first time in 2009. She says she was intimidated into silence ... worrying both of their lives were on the line.

Clayton Howard, one of the male escorts prosecutors say Diddy hired, is dragging Diddy and Cassie to court ... and he says Cassie gave him a sexually transmitted disease and got an abortion after he got her pregnant.

Howard, who says he went by "Dave" when he was hired for freak-offs with Diddy and Cassie, makes the salacious claims in a new lawsuit obtained by TMZ.

The escort claims he contracted an STD from having sex with Cassie ... and he says he impregnated her and she aborted the pregnancy without telling him  ... and he alleges she then continued having unprotected sex with him.