TMZ.com

2:09 PM PT -- Russell Brand is seemingly addressing the new charges against him in a video he just uploaded on social media.

In the selfie video, Russell says ... "This is a time of great darkness, a time of confusion and dispute and conflict, but I have learned in my own life that attack can bring about grace."

He adds ... "I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to atone for the many things over the years I did wrong, and the opportunity for the people to understand the truth of my situation."

10:27 AM PT -- A rep for Kevin Spacey tells TMZ ... “The 2002 trip to Africa with President Clinton to support AIDS causes and meet Nelson Mandela remains a genuine highlight in Kevin’s life. The fact that the plane was owned by Jeffrey Epstein is immaterial considering it was three years before Epstein was ever investigated. Whatever wrongdoing may have been taking place in the background has nothing to do with Kevin, any more than a hotel guest is responsible for actions occurring in a neighboring room. Kevin never saw or spoke to Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell ever again.”

Kevin Spacey -- who vehemently called for the release of the Epstein Files this summer -- has been included in the trove of pics just released today.

In the image released by the U.S. Department of Justice ... the "American Beauty" star leans on the back of a chair alongside Bill Clinton, appearing to be in mid-conversation. They're standing in a room before a conference table littered with pads and writing utensils, suggesting they're preparing for a meeting of some sort.

According to CNN, the pic was taken inside the Cabinet Room of the Churchill War Rooms -- which is an underground bunker in London.

Clinton reportedly took Epstein's private jet on a humanitarian trip to Africa with Spacey in 2002.

Tory Lanez revealed in his first interview from prison last week that he had new evidence favorable to his appeal after his conviction for shooting Megan The Stallion, and it turns out, the rapper wasn't BS-ing, and he's now going after the former Los Angeles D.A. ... TMZ has learned.

Here's the deal ... Tory's team submitted an official report to the court with testimony from a software expert who reviewed Megan's medical records after Meg was shot by Tory that fateful night in 2020.

After the review, the expert signed the report claiming there were 60 fraudulent errors in the medical findings presented at Tory's 2022 trial by then-L.A. County District Attorney, George Gascon. As you know, Tory was convicted of shooting Megan and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Tory, though, has always maintained his innocence.

LAPD searched the hotel room where Nick Reiner checked in around the time his parents were murdered, and TMZ has been told the police did not have a search warrant.

Harvey explains during the latest episode of the "2 Angry Men" podcast what happened at around 1 AM Monday ... when an LAPD detective showed up at the Pierside Santa Monica hotel.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the detective told the front desk clerk he was looking for a guest named Nick Reiner. The detective told the clerk he was there for a "welfare check." But he also told the clerk he was concerned Reiner "disposed of a weapon and used the room to clean and dispose of evidence in a violent crime."

Luigi Mangione says he now knows the real reason why Attorney General Pam Bondi is seeking the death penalty against him ... she allegedly has deep ties to the murder victim's health care company.

Mangione's defense attorneys filed court docs Friday night outlining their new claims against Bondi to get the death penalty tossed from the federal case. Federal prosecutors charged Mangione with stalking and murder through use of firearm in connection with the 2024 fatal shooting of UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson.

Bondi then issued a statement directing prosecutors to seek the death penalty. State prosecutors have also charged Mangione with murder and possession of a weapon in a separate case.

In the latest defense filing, Luigi's lawyers claim Bondi was a partner at the lobbying firm Ballard Partners before she became attorney general, and the company lists UnitedHealth Group (UHG) as a client.

As a result, Bondi derives and continues to receive personal and financial benefits from Ballard "in the form of a profit-sharing plan from Ballard's professional association with UHG," according to the court docs.

Walter Cronkite, who was once regarded as "the most trusted man in America" when he was anchoring the evening news on CBS, is pictured with Jeffrey Epstein in new photos released by the feds.

The photos show the legendary newsman -- who anchored such historical events as the JFK assassination and moon landing -- sitting in a room with Epstein and an unidentified man. Walter is leaning forward in an armchair, talking with Epstein and the other guy, who is seated on a couch.

In between the men is a tray of food and drink and a bunch of magazines spread out across some ottomans.

There is nothing risqué or questionable going on ... and no one else is in the photos.

Bombshells will likely be cropping up for days after a massive dump of Epstein Files began to be released Friday ... and now we have some high-profile names never-before associated with the disgraced financier.

In a new pic released by the U.S. Department of Justice ... Michael Jackson and Diana Ross are pictured on a plane with Bill Clinton and another person whose face is redacted.

It's not known whose plane they were on or where they were going.

While Diana and Bill flash smiles, Michael stares blankly with Bill's hand draped over the King Of Pop's shoulder.

Jeffrey Epstein framed nude photos of Ghislaine Maxwell and other women and displayed them inside his Palm Beach home ... and you see his overly-sexual interior decorating on full display, and new video from inside his pedophile lair.

The video is part of the Epstein Files release, and the grainy, old school footage is a tour through his Florida home ... it's like "MTV Cribs" but with a convicted pedophile.

Epstein's got a framed photo of Ghislaine on a beach, plus other nudes of some females who look like models. There's even a miniature replica of his plane, the Lolita Express.

Strangely, there appears to be a dental chair and equipment in one of the rooms ... similar to what we saw on his private island.

Never-before-seen photos show late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein in his element ... snuggling up to a very young-looking female on a sofa.

The images are from the Epstein Files being released by the U.S. Department of Justice ... and there are several photos showing Epstein cozying up to an unidentified female on a couch ... it's unclear if she's underage.

Epstein has his arms around her, and they are horizontal, side by side on a couch ... wearing clothes. Her face has been redacted to protect her identity, indicating the government considers her a victim.

Death and taxes are unavoidable, but Britney Spears is trying to get out of making a $600,000 payment to the IRS ... and she says the tax man is grossly mistaken.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the IRS sent Britney a Notice of Deficiency for the tax year ending 2021, claiming she owes over $600K.

Britney is disputing the figure ... and she filed her own legal response claiming the IRS miscalculated and that she doesn't actually owe the tax man so much as a dime.

Denise Richards' estranged husband Aaron Phypers appeared in court Friday to face charges of allegedly injuring Denise ... and he made an eyebrow-raising comparison between his situation and recent tragic events.

We got the 53-year-old actor as he exited L.A.'s Van Nuys courthouse for the first time since being arrested ... and he compared Denise to suspected murderer Nick Reiner.

Watch the video ... he tells us, "I never assaulted her ... this is all show ... she's just playing this as a game. It's like the Me Too movement."

Then, when asked what he thinks her motives are, Aaron answered, "What happened to Rob Reiner recently? There's a lot of influence there, guys. And I'm not calling stuff out, but do a drug test."

Social media star Ash Trevino got arrested in Texas on a couple felony charges.

The influencer was busted on Wednesday in Venus and booked into Ellis County Jail ... she's since been released on bond, and we've obtained her mugshot.

Ash -- government name Ashley Lopez-Trevino -- had "active felony warrants" out of the nearby Waxahachie Police Department ... Venus Police Department chief James Groom told PEOPLE.

John Travolta and his late wife, Kelly Preston, had three children together ... but their youngest kid is biologically a Presley ... this according to a bombshell legal document.

Priscilla Presley's former business partner, Brigitte Kruse, is currently suing Priscilla's son, Navarone Garcia, for breach of contract ... but what's way more interesting in new legal docs filed in the case is that Kruse alleges John and Kelly used Riley Keough's eggs to give birth to their son, Ben.

In the papers, Kruse alleges Michael Lockwood -- Lisa Marie Presley's ex-husband -- told her Kelly had been unable to bear her own children. Kruse claims John and Kelly previously used Lisa Marie’s eggs to get pregnant ... but they no longer wanted Lisa's eggs because they did not want “eggs with heroin" on them.

It's unclear whether Lisa Marie's eggs ever produced a child.

However, Kruse claims a deal was orchestrated where Riley -- one of Lisa Marie's daughters -- gave her eggs to Travolta, so that Kelly could give birth to Ben, who is 15 now. Kruse claims Riley was given an old Jaguar and paid between $10,000 - $20,000 for the deal.

Joran van der Sloot -- the man who confessed to killing Natalee Holloway after her 2005 disappearance -- reportedly tried to commit suicide in prison Saturday.

According to Peruvian news outlet La Republica ... Joran -- who is incarcerated at the maximum security Challapalca Prison -- was found hanging from a strip of blanket in his cell while guards were distributing breakfast.

The 38-year-old Dutch national was reportedly taken to the infirmary, where he was nursed back to stable condition.

According to the outlet, officials said the manner in which guards found Joran "suggested a possible suicide attempt."

"The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star Britani Bateman's ex-husband, John Underwood, was arrested last week after authorities say he violated a protective order she has in place against him ... TMZ has learned.

According to court documents, obtained by TMZ, John had his first felony appearance before the judge in Utah on Wednesday after he allegedly harassed Britani.

Prosecutors say he's been harassing his ex ever since the protective order was put in place in 2023 -- staring at her from the distance allowed under the order, re-routing her mail, and even going as far as tampering with her electrical box at her home to interrupt her power.

The second of 2 doctors who pleaded guilty in connection with Matthew Perry's death was sentenced Tuesday ... and the judge gave Dr. Mark Chavez a pretty light sentence.

United States District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett sentenced Chavez to eight months' home confinement and ordered him to complete 300 hours of community service.

In October 2024, Chavez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. He quickly cut a deal with the feds after a slew of arrests were made in connection with Perry's death. Chavez admitted to selling ketamine to Dr. Salvador Plasencia, which was then sold to Perry weeks before the actor's fatal overdose.

Prosecutors said Chavez obtained the ketamine fraudulently by submitting a prescription in the name of a patient without the patient's knowledge or consent.

Earlier this month, Plasencia was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to 4 counts of distributing ketamine.