New York Attorney General Letitia James Indicted For Bank Fraud
New York Attorney General Letitia James has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Virginia.
James has been charged with two felony counts -- bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution, according to CNN.
The allegations against James began circulating in April, when Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte referred her to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi for prosecution.
Bondi later appointed a "special attorney" to investigate the allegations against James.
James led a successful civil fraud case against President Donald Trump before he started his second presidential term.
The case against James stalled in September when federal prosecutors concluded they didn't have enough evidence to land a conviction if they went to trial, reports NBC News.
Trump subsequently appointed Lindsey Halligan, who joined his legal team in 2022, to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, even though her background is primarily in insurance law.
Halligan is overseeing the case against former FBI Director James Comey. Many observers view the cases as examples of political retribution on the part of Trump
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Demi Lovato's Ex-Fiancé Max Ehrich Poses For Stone-Faced Mug Shot ... After Allegedly Roughing Up Mom
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Crazy new details in the arrest of Demi Lovato's ex-fiancé Max Ehrich have surfaced ... and the dude is being accused of roughing up his mom while abusing nitrous oxide, according to a police report.
The report says cops received a domestic violence call Tuesday night from someone who claimed Ehrich was live streaming himself beating on his mother. Police say they responded to the Florida home Ehrich shares with his mom, who officers found at a neighbor's residence after an altercation with Max.
Wendy Williams Judge Tosses Ex-Hubby's Lawsuit
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Wendy Williams' ex-husband needs to go back to the drawing board if he wants to take legal action over her guardianship ... because a judge just tossed a lawsuit he tried to file on her behalf.
According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the judge just denied Kevin Hunter's motion to proceed with the suit as a so-called "friend" of Wendy's ... but he did leave Kevin an opening to refile the case.
Wendy called in during Thursday's "TMZ Live Stream" ... sharing her thoughts about the suit being thrown out, and also how she's got no clue how much money she has in the bank.
Death Row Inmate Robert Roberson Has His Planned Execution Blocked
Robert Roberson just scored a major victory -- because his planned execution was just blocked by the highest criminal court in Texas.
Roberson was facing execution on October 16 after being convicted of capital murder in 2002 for the death of his 2-year-old daughter, Nikki, according to NBC News.
The case became notable because Nikki's death was partially attributed to "Shaken Baby Syndrome." Prosecutors believed Roberson had violently shaken his child to the point of causing severe injuries prior to her death.
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals granted an emergency motion for a stay of execution on Thursday. Roberson's original sentence was challenged under the state's 2013 "junk science" law, "which provides for a second look when the science driving a conviction has since been debunked," according to The Texas Tribune.
His legal team had filed several appeals on his behalf, arguing the medical and scientific methods used to convict him in the past have been mostly discredited. Experts have determined the toddler died of natural and accidental causes, according to the Tribune.
Roberson would have been the first man to be executed in Texas for a case involving Shaken Baby Syndrome.
Roberson was supposed to be executed last year ... his execution was stopped just hours before it was set to take place.
The detective who arrested Roberson in 2002 has since claimed he believes Roberson is innocent, and has said he was unaware of Nikki's underlying health issues ... which apparently contributed to her death.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has rejected Roberson's innoncence, declaring he believes Roberson is guilty, and he's still pushing for an execution.
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How Jonathan Rinderknecht Was Accused Of Starting A Deadly Inferno
The Palisades Fire devastated a huge swath of Los Angeles when it broke out in January 2025, and its effects are still being felt in the region.
Authorities announced the arrest of a suspect named Jonathan Rinderknecht on Wednesday, accused of starting the deadly inferno.
We're going to take a look into the background of the accused individual and see what's been alleged about his actions before the fire started -- and after it took place.
Staten Island Man Hospitalized After Allegedly Decapitating His Mom's Boyfriend
A 19-year-old man in Staten Island, New York was hospitalized after he allegedly decapitated his mother's boyfriend, which kept him out of court.
Damien Hurstel is accused of bludgeoning to death his mother's boyfriend, then severing the dead man's head at home on Monday, according to the New York Post.
Sources alleged Hurstel was planning to get rid of the body by cutting it up and pounding it out with a hammer before liquefying the remains in a blender, starting with his brain, the Post reports. The victim's head was found in a bathtub with a spoon sticking out of an eye socket.
Hurstel's 16-year-old sister reportedly came home to the grisly scene, and called the siblings' mother ... the woman apparently had an emotional reaction to the discovery in the street in front of her family's home, according to The Independent.
Hurstel since been hit with several charges, including second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon. He reportedly has a history with mental health issues, including schizophrenia.
Hurstel was heading to court on Tuesday when he reportedly suffered a seizure, and the appearance was delayed until Wednesday, when he appeared in front of a judge by video ... he was placed on suicide watch.
Officials told the New York Post the accused murderer won't be arraigned until his doctors approve.
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Judge To Diddy Do Your Time Close To Home!!!
Diddy should serve the remainder of his 50-month sentence in a federal prison as close to the New York metropolitan area as possible ... at least according to the judge who imposed the sentence.
According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Judge Arun Subramanian stops short of naming a specific prison where Diddy should do hard time and instead says Diddy should stay close to home.
Besides geography, the judge says Diddy should be shipped off to a prison with "any available substance abuse program, including the Bureau of Prisons' Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP), for which he qualifies."
James Comey I Won't Back Down!!! Pleads Not Guilty to Criminal Charges
Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty to criminal charges many have viewed as an act of retribution by President Donald Trump's administration on Wednesday.
The government figure was charged with making false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding, according to The New York Times.
Comey entered his plea at a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday. The judge who's overseeing the case has set a trial date for January 5, 2026.
The former FBI Director wasn't taken into custody after he entered his plea, and there won't be any conditions for his release. His lawyer, Patrick Fitzgerald, stated he'll be filing a motion to dismiss the case prior to its scheduled start date.
Comey was indicted in September, and the charges both stem from his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2020. He's been accused of lying about leaking confidential information to the media.
The prosecution will be led by Lindsey Halligan, who was selected by Trump to replace the former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia ... who had resigned in protest over being pressured to prosecute Comey.
Halligan's background is mostly in insurance law ... she joined Trump's personal legal team in 2022 after the FBI raided his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. Halligan later started working in the White House as an aide in January 2025.
The Comey trial is estimated to take two to three days to complete. Fitzgerald said he's confident the case will be dismissed on motions he plans to file regarding vindictive prosecution, and Halligan's appointment, which he sees as wrongful.
It's also worth noting James' daughter, Maurene, sued the Trump administration back in September, alleging she'd been unlawfully fired from her position as the Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
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Palisades Fire Feds Arrest Man They Claim Started Wildfire
Huge update in the investigation into the devastating Palisades Fire in California ... the feds say they've arrested a suspect who they say ignited the inferno.
Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli just announced the arrest of a 29-year-old man named Jonathan Rinderknecht ... charging him with maliciously starting what became January's Palisades Fire.
Essayli says the criminal complaint alleges Rinderknecht started a fire in the Pacific Palisades on New Year's Day ... which morphed into the devastating wildfire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses.
'RHOM' Todd Nepola Sues NBC/Bravo for Defamation
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"Real Housewives of Miami" star Todd Nepola is taking Bravo and NBCUniversal to court, claiming the network straight-up lied about his finances to juice up storylines around his ex-wife, Alexia Nepola, for Seasons 6 and 7.
TMZ has obtained the lawsuit ... Todd -- who claims he's worth $100 million -- is saying he's never bounced a check, never missed a payment, and never had any financial trouble. Meanwhile, 'RHOM' allegedly painted him as broke and struggling ... just to make Alexia’s story more "juicy" for viewers.
The suit calls out multiple episodes, in which castmate Adriana de Moura supposedly spread false claims ... from saying Todd’s business was tanking, to suggesting he might have to break his lease and downgrade his apartment.
Melissa Rycroft Struggling But Marching Forward ... Following DWI Arrest
Melissa Rycroft admits she's been struggling in the wake of her DWI arrest.
The former "Bachelor" star broke her silence in the comments of her own Instagram Monday, telling a fan ... "Life really sucks right now and I'm struggling, but I'm trying to march forward."
Her last previous Instagram post was over a month ago, but fans have been flooding the comments since news of her arrest broke last week. One fan shared an emotional message about making similar mistakes, writing ... "Don’t ever forget that you are beautiful, loved and blessed. But most of all, you are human. Things happen. Life happens. Be grateful that it wasn’t worse and move forward with grace."
President Trump 'Puff Daddy' Asked Me for a Pardon
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Sean "Diddy" Combs is already going straight to the top for a get out of jail free card ... because President Trump says Diddy has asked for a presidential pardon.
Trump was talking to reporters Monday at the White House when he revealed he'd gotten a special request for Diddy.
POTUS said, "I call him Puff Daddy; he has asked me for a pardon."
Dr. Drew Diddy's Got So Much Work Ahead ... If He Truly Wants to Be a Changed Man
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Prior to his prison sentence, Diddy claimed to be a changed man ... but the true test won't occur until he is out ... 'cause he must say RIP to his party life, Dr. Drew tells TMZ.
As you know ... Diddy got four years behind bars for his transportation for prostitution convictions -- and while pleading his case for his immediate freedom, the mogul swore he was a new man.
Dr. Drew tells TMZ … he truly believes Diddy meant what he said -- he is a changed man who's learned some hard lessons -- but he's facing a major uphill battle if he wants the change to be permanent.
Ghislaine Maxwell Supreme Court Slams The Door!!!
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8:06 AM PT -- Maxwell's attorney David Markus tells TMZ ... “We’re, of course, deeply disappointed that the Supreme Court declined to hear Ghislaine Maxwell’s case. But this fight isn’t over. Serious legal and factual issues remain, and we will continue to pursue every avenue available to ensure that justice is done.”
Ghislaine Maxwell just hit a legal brick wall ... the U.S. Supreme Court flat-out rejected her bid Monday to overturn her conviction for conspiring to sexually abuse minors.
The Supreme Court wasted no time on its first day back with the decision -- killing any shot at a retrial for Maxwell -- who was convicted back in 2021 ... all while the Trump administration continues to catch heat for keeping the Epstein Files still under wraps.
The justices didn’t explain why they turned away the appeal.
Bryan Kohberger Traded In His Sharp Knife For a Very Dull Prison Life
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Bryan Kohberger must be ready to slit his wrists over his small, pathetic existence in the Idaho prison where he's spending the rest of his natural born life.
TMZ obtained official records from the Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) detailing Kohberger's concerns and day-to-day life behind bars — and it all just feels terribly mundane.
Case in point ... Kohberger — who pleaded guilty to fatally stabbing 4 University of Idaho students — filled out and submitted 3 "Resident Concern Forms" to staff at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution in July and August 2025.
'Southern Charm' Kathryn Dennis Sentenced to 30 Days in Jail for DUI
Kathryn Dennis will have to do some jail time in connection to her DUI arrest last year ... 'cause a judge sentenced her to serve 30 days.
According to online booking records, Dennis was taken into custody aropund 7 PM ET on Friday night in Berkeley County, South Carolina to begin her 30-day incarceration.
We broke the story ... Dennis was arrested last year after cops said she got into a three-car collision in Goose Creek, South Carolina.