TMZ Live Dr. Dre's USC Joke Backfires ... Daughter Said He 'Pushed' Her to Attend

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HERE'S THE RUNDOWN
  • Jennifer Lawrence & Adele Party At NYC Gay Bar!
  • Sandra Bullock Selling $6.5 Million Estate In Georgia
  • Katy Perry & Orlando Bloom Take In Kanye's Sunday Service
  • Jordyn Woods Swarmed In Hollywood Outing

Michael Avenatti Arrested For Fraud ... I'll Be 'Fully Exonerated'

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3/26 -- Avenatti tweeted early Tuesday morning thanking his supporters for their kind words. He then claimed that he "never attempted to extort Nike & when the evidence is disclosed, the public will learn the truth about Nike's crime & coverup."

6:13 PM PT -- Avenatti just held a brief press conference, saying, "I have fought against the powerful -- powerful people and powerful corporations -- I will never stop fighting that good fight." He added he's "highly confident" he'll be "fully exonerated."

4:33 PM PT -- Avenatti has just been released on a $300,000 bond. He didn't have to pay that amount, but it had to be co-signed by 2 people who say they're good for it.

While he's out on bond, his travel will be restricted to New York and California ... and all travel plans must be approved by the government. Avenatti is also barred from contacting Mark Geragos.

2:53 PM PT -- Avenatti's indictment will NOT have any major impact on the pending R. Kelly criminal case, in which he reps the family of Azriel Clary ... so says Gerald Griggs, who represents Joycelyn Savage's family. Griggs tells TMZ ...  that while Avenatti's criminal cases present problems for himself personally, Griggs says they'll have "minimal" effect in the R. Kelly matter. He adds, "[T]he ten charges are based on four independent accusers and other information independent of Mr. Avenatti. The Savage family continues to seek reunification with their daughter, and that process of justice continues on course for all the alleged victims of Robert Sylvester Kelly."

1:15 PM PT -- The Nike indictment says Avenatti had an unnamed co-conspirator, and we've confirmed reports it is famed attorney Mark Geragos.

12:08 PM PT -- Nike just broke its silence following the news conferences ... saying it "will not be extorted or hide information that is relevant to a government investigation. Nike has been cooperating with the government's investigation into NCAA basketball for over a year."

The shoe giant goes on to say, "When Nike became aware of this matter, Nike immediately reported it to federal prosecutors. When Mr. Avenatti attempted to extort Nike over this matter, Nike with the assistance of outside counsel at Boies Schiller Flexner, aided the investigation."

"Nike firmly believes in ethical and fair play, both in business and sports, and will continue to assist the prosecutors."

If you recognize the law firm -- Boies Schiller Flexner -- the "Boies" is David Boies, the famous high-powered lawyer who's represented everyone from Al Gore to Harvey Weinstein.

In fact, Boies was also heavily involved with Theranos -- the blood testing company -- and was featured in the HBO documentary "The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley."

11:55 AM PT -- The NY Presser just finished up, and prosecutors there had quite a bit to say about Avenatti's alleged extortion efforts toward Nike.

032519_michael_avenatti_ny_kal 3/26/19
CHEATING THE SYSTEM

Prosecutors in NY say the alleged Nike scheme played out over the course of a few days last week. Avenatti repped an AAU coach whose team had just lost a Nike sponsorship worth $72k a year. The coach claimed that Nike made payments to families of some high school basketball players, and Avenatti demanded payment from Nike to keep him quiet.

He was arrested Monday at the location where he was supposed to meet with Nike brass, presumably to strike a deal or keep the convo going.

For the record .. the only thing that was coordinated between NY and California was how the bust would go down. That said ... these are two separate federal cases.

11:33 AM PT -- The L.A. Presser just wrapped, and investigators didn't pull any punches in condemning Avenatti's alleged criminal behavior ... calling him a "corrupt lawyer" who was only out for his own personal gain.

Among the most damning allegations in Avenatti's financial case ... Avenatti allegedly siphoned off a $1.6 million settlement he scored for a client in 2017 and hid it in a personal bank account that he controlled ... but never told his client a thing about it. The U.S. Attorney alleges Avenatti used that money to fund his lavish lifestyle and to help pay for his coffee business in California and Washington State. All the while, the client never received a penny.

What's more ... the U.S. Attorney and the IRS also claim Avenatti defrauded a bank for millions of dollars worth of loans by submitting fake tax returns between 2011 and 2013, in which he claimed to have earned around $4-$5 million a year each year and supposedly paid $2.8 million in taxes. The government says all of that was a lie ... he didn't file taxes those years at all.

Elizabeth Warren Campaign Trail's Got Me Energized ... I Can Run For Anything

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Sen. Elizabeth Warren is in great shape to run ... and not just for President in 2020.

Senator Warren bolted through NYC's Penn Station Monday afternoon trying to catch a train -- even as reporter Adam Glyn tried to fire off a question -- and as you can see and hear in this video, she not only outran the much-younger Glyn ... she wasn't out of breath when he finally caught up to her!

The candidate was pretty chill while talking about Robert Mueller's report and how it's playing on the campaign trail.

You can't say she's not totally energized, physically and mentally -- the 69-year-old Senator deserve props for running through the crowd like Usain Bolt and not seeming the least bit winded.

Check out the clip ... it's impressive, and yeah ... ya might wanna go for a run.

Rob Kardashian & Blac Chyna Settle Child Support War ... Rob Catches Huge Break

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Rob Kardashian will no longer have to fork over heaps of cash to Blac Chyna every month ... in fact, he won't have to pay her at all.

Sources close to the former couple tell TMZ the two have hammered out a final custody agreement for their 2-year-old daughter, Dream. We're told Rob and Chyna will split custody 50/50 ... though Rob will likely have his daughter more of the time.

What's really incredible ... Rob was paying Chyna $20k per month in support and now he'll pay nothing. Our sources tell us the agreement states each parent will only pay for Dream's needs when she's with them ... and things like medical expenses and school will be split down the middle.

Sources familiar with the negotiations tell us on the day the final agreement was reached -- Chyna arrived several hours late and dressed to the nines -- in a look that was complete with pointy translucent fake green nails.

After the meeting wrapped, Chyna allegedly suggested to Rob the two should go out and grab margaritas ... an offer he immediately declined.

It was back in February when it appeared the former couple's relationship was at least cordial. Rob tweeted, "Angela and I are both actively co-parenting and there are no pending or active custody cases." Chyna replied with, "Robert and I only concern is what's in the best interest of our daughter that we both equally love. Additionally, Robert is a wonderful father to our Dreamy!"

Rob and Chyna have a tumultuous history ... with accusations of abuse, public shaming and lawsuits.

It appears all that is in the rear-view now, and Dream is their main priority.

Jeanine Pirro, FOX News Big W Over DeRay Mckesson ... Defamation Suit Dismissed

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3/26 7:40 AM PT -- DeRay's response to the decision is a pretty pointed shot at Jeanine. He tellsTMZ, "I'm obviously disappointed, but as FOX argued and the judge recognized ... when you have a certain reputation, less is expected of you."

Black Lives Matter leader DeRay Mckesson is coming up short in his legal battle against Jeanine Pirro -- his defamation lawsuit has been tossed out of court.

The judge dismissed the case, according to docs filed Thursday in NY state, saying most of the statements Pirro made about Mckesson during a "FOX & Friends" appearance were her opinion ... and therefore protected by the First Amendment.

You'll recall ... DeRay sued Pirro and FOX News over comments she made back in 2017 when she essentially blamed him for inciting violence during a Baton Rouge protest. A police officer was injured during the incident, and Jeanine felt DeRay should've been held responsible for that.

The judge didn't exactly paint a flattering picture of Pirro's commentary, saying ... "Pirro's lack of temperament and caustic commentary is what she is known, celebrated, and frequently criticized for."

He added, while the court might not agree with or "condone her behavior or rhetoric" ... the law protects her expression of opinion.

Justin Bieber I Need to Fix 'Deep Rooted Issues' ... Taking Break From Music

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Justin Bieber is taking a step back from his music to focus on his health and his marriage ... because he wants to address some "deep rooted issues."

Justin just announced his plans to hit pause on his career and shift his focus to more important things, like Hailey Baldwin ... telling his fans, "music is very important to me but nothing comes before my family and my health."

The Biebs is sending a clear message to anyone clamoring him to release a new album ... saying, "I've toured my whole teenage life, and early 20s, I realized and as you guys probably saw I was unhappy last tour and I don't deserve that and you don't deserve that, you pay money to come and have a lively energetic fun light concert and I was unable emotionally to give you that near the end of the tour."

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Justin's comments come amid reports he's been getting treatment for depression. He addresses some of that by revealing, "I have been looking, seeking, trial and error as most of us do, I am now very focused on repairing some of the deep rooted issues that I have as most of us have, so that I don't fall apart, so that I can sustain my marriage and be the father I want to be."

Justin's not saying goodbye to the recording studio forever though ... he says, "I will come back with a kick ass album ASAP, my swag is undeniable and my drive is indescribable his love is supernatural his grace is that reliable."

NFL Head Coaches Pic ... Can You Spot The White Guy?!?

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No, this is not the new Republican party intern photo ... it's the NFL's annual head coaches pic -- and as you can tell, it's overflowing with diversity.

IMPORTANT FACT -- Mike Tomlin is missing from the photo ... but so are 5 other white coaches.

As you can probably tell, there is DEFINITELY not enough black representation in the head coaching ranks ... something the NFL has acknowledged.

The league has the Rooney Rule -- which requires NFL teams to interview minority candidates for every available head coaching job ... but as you can see, it ain't always effective.

The good news ... there seems to be a crop of talented, young black assistant coaches who are all making compelling cases for a head coaching gig in the near future, including guys like Kris Richard, Eric Bieniemy and Teryl Austin.

... but for now, this is it.

Priyanka Chopra & Sophie Turner Hot Bods & Jet Skis Jonas Babes Take Miami!!!

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Priyanka Chopra and Sophie Turner will see their Jonas Bros' "Miami Vice" look ... and raise them some sexy pics on a yacht and jet ski!!!

Priyanka and Sophie are hanging in South Beach with Nick and Joe Jonas, and the future sisters-in-law are getting in on the spring break action with some super cute swimwear ... doing their best to upstage The Jonas Brothers' music video shoot.

Priyanka is absolutely killing it in her tiny black bikini ... and Sophie is showing off her figure in a black and yellow checkerboard one-piece. Talk about bringing the heat!

Nick, Joe and Kevin in pastels are cool ... but we gotta give this round to the ladies.

Nick's wife showed why she's an absolute badass ... hopping on a waverunner and blowing through the bay. Joe's fiancee kept it chill on the yacht -- she's more of a sit around and chug wine kinda gal.

Take notes ... this is how you #MondayFunday!

Nicolas Cage Leaving Las Vegas ... Hitched??? Applies for Marriage License

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Nicolas Cage is ready for wife #4 ... he's asking the state of Nevada to greenlight a marriage to his GF ... in Las Vegas, no less.

According to court record, Nic applied Saturday for a marriage license in Clark County, and he listed his new-ish girlfriend, Erika Koike, as the second party. Nic lives in Sin City, BTW ... and his marriage license is valid for one year from the time it's approved.

Nick and Erika have been together since April 2018. They were seen hanging out in Puerto Rico at the time while Nic filmed a new movie -- although, not much more is known about his potential bride-to-be. She appears to be a makeup artist with at least one credit on IMDb.

They've been seen out together in public since then as well, including hitting the town together in Bev Hills last May.

If Nic pulls the trigger and ties the knot with Erika, it'll be his fourth marriage in just under 25 years. He's previously been married to Alice Kim, Lisa Marie Presley and Patricia Arquette.

Interestingly enough ... Nic's got a couple of Vegas flicks under his belt, and one of them kinda fits this real-life story almost perfectly.

"Honeymoon in Vegas 2," anyone? Much better than "Leaving Las Vegas 2" ... for obvious reasons.

Peloton CEO Pulling Classes with Lawsuit Songs ... But We Have Plan B

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Your next Peloton ride could be really quiet -- it's recalling any classes featuring the songs the company's accused of using without permission.

John Foley -- Peloton's founder and CEO -- sent a letter to his more than 600k subscribers Monday, letting them know the company is yanking any classes that use the songs ID'd in that lawsuit a handful of music publishing companies filed.

TMZ broke the story ... the publishers claim Peloton was using a bunch of hit songs from big-time artists without permission -- upwards of at least a thousand tracks, apparently -- ranging from Rihanna's "Umbrella" to Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot."

Those companies are suing for major damages ... up to $150 million.

In his letter, Foley says the fitness company is only doing this as a precaution ... and assures users that their cycling experience will not be affected by the change. He says Peloton has deals in place with lots of other music publishers and labels that give them access to a "broad catalog" of music that he suggests will be able to replace the temporarily silenced tunes.

On the lawsuit itself, Foley says it's unfortunate that it had to be filed ... since he claims Peloton was in talks with at least a few of the publishers before they pulled the trigger.

Sandra Bullock Oceanfront Estate Hits Market ... For $6.5 Million

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Sandra Bullock is looking to unload her oceanfront property in Georgia ... and you can enjoy the island lifestyle, if you've got a boatload of cash!!!

We've learned the Oscar winner is listing her 3-acre estate on Tybee Island for a cool $6.5 million, and it just went on the market. Our sources tell us Sandra is selling her Georgia home because she's raising her family on the West Coast, and she doesn't see herself spending much time back East anymore.

As you can see ... the property is amazing, and it's got tons of privacy. There's a private entrance to the beach, and if you don't feel like getting sandy or salty, you can take a dip in the pool. The baller beach house also comes with a basketball court, and a home gym!

The main house is huge ... we're talking 3,360 square feet of luxury surrounded by screened porches, perfect for enjoying those ocean breezes!

You'll probably have tons of visitors -- who wouldn't want to check out Sandra's old digs -- so the guest house will come in handy ... it's 2,848 square feet of fun, with a game room and a crows nest to take in the breathtaking ocean views!

Ruthie Lynah of Sotheby's has the listing.

L.A. Marathon Exoskeleton Helps Paralyzed Man Have 'Greatest Weekend of My Life'

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GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT

1:12 PM PT -- Adam tells TMZ walking 17.2 miles at the L.A. Marathon was the greatest weekend of his life. He says he's still beat up from the experience but clearly it was worth it. Check out the vid ... he tells us exactly how a paralyzed person can walk with help from the ReWalk Exoskeleton.

Adam Gorlitsky -- who is paralyzed from the waist down -- provided one of the most uplifting stories from the Los Angeles Marathon ... walking a stunning 17.2 miles.

As we first reported ... Adam walked with help from the $95k ReWalk Exoskeleton. His journey began Friday at midnight at Dodger Stadium, and by 7 PM ... Adam had made it to mile marker 11 at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood, walking for a whopping 19 hours straight.

The hills at Chavez Ravine and managing traffic before the race course was completely set up proved to be big obstacles for Adam. Exhaustion and pain on his wrists also forced him to take a breather.

He returned Sunday at 7 AM in Westwood at the brand new start line for the "ReEnabled Division" at mile marker 20. The new start line's something Adam and the foundation, I GOT LEGS, helped create for others like him who want to take part in the elite marathon with a little help from the course.

Adam walked the remaining 6.2 miles and crossed the finish line at around 4 PM. He started the race with a support group that included friends traveling from other states to walk with him. Adam finished with a bigger group as others inspired by his story decided to walk the final stretch with him.

While Adam didn't walk the entire 26.2-mile course ... he vows to keep trying until he becomes the first paralyzed person in history to complete a full marathon on U.S. soil. When you see his determination in this video, it's hard to doubt he'll do it.

Originally Published -- 9:53 AM PT

Lonzo Ball's Manager Trashes Big Baller Brand Shoes ... Calls for BBBoycott

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Lonzo Ball's manager wants everyone to take their $500 Big Baller Brand shoes and THROW THEM IN THE TRASH.

Yeah, seems the Big Baller era is officially over.

The guy dumping his ZO2s is Darren "DMo" Moore -- Lonzo's longtime friend and manager.

Moore posted video of the shoe-trashing on social media -- along with the hashtag, "DumpUrMerch."

So, why is Zo's camp turning on Big Baller Brand?

It's obviously connected to reports that BBB co-founder Alan Foster allegedly stole $1.5 MILLION from Lonzo's personal and business accounts.

Ball has lawyered up and says he plans to go after Foster.

In a statement, Lonzo says he still has love and respect for Foster -- but it seems his manager DMo doesn't feel the same way.

Important to point out that Lonzo isn't calling for people to trash his shoes -- he's still a majority owner in the company -- but it's not a good sign that his manager is calling for a worldwide BBB dump.

There are also reports the Ball family is considering folding the BBB brand altogether.

As for Lonzo, he's hinted on social media that he could sign with Nike.

Rapper Sheck Wes No Charges For Attacking Ex-GF ... No Evidence It Ever Happened

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12:10 PM PT -- A rep for Skye tells TMZ, "A judge in the Superior Court of California granted a restraining order against Sheck Wes that is still in effect and the correlating case is still pending."

They continue, "However, it is unfortunate that the Los Angeles District Attorney decided to not pursue any further action at this time but that is often the case with many victims of domestic violence which is why incidents like this go unreported much of the time."

Sheck Wes can ball out like Mo Bamba again ... he's off the hook in his physical abuse case.

We've learned the "Mo Bamba" rapper won't face any charges for allegedly beating his ex-girlfriend last summer at the Montrose Hotel in West Hollywood. According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the L.A. County D.A.'s office is rejecting the case due to a lack of evidence.

As we reported ... Sheck's ex, Justine Skye, put him on blast back in February, calling him pathetic and claiming he had a history of putting his hands on her. The model, actress and singer claimed Sheck once threw her phone across a hotel room at the Montrose, slapping her in the face with a wad of cash and berating her.

Justine also claimed Sheck and his crew stalked her and attacked her friends.

Right off the bat, Sheck vehemently denied abusing Justine or jumping her friends. Now it looks like he can put the case behind him.

Originally Published -- 10:48 AM PT

NFL's Emmanuel Acho Thieves Steal Cash and Jewelry ... Cops On the Hunt

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Ex-NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho says he's got VIDEO of the scumbags who broke into his Texas home and jacked everything from cash to jewelry ... and now he's working with cops to catch 'em.

Cops DID confirm they're investigating the burglary at Acho's Austin home -- but would not confirm the people in his video have been labeled suspects (hence, the blurs on their faces).

But, here's the story ... Acho -- now an analyst for ESPN -- says a crew of thieves "broke into my closet and safe and robbed me of my cash, my Rolexes and other personal memorabilia."

Acho believes the crooks were out-of-towners who were in Austin for the South By Southwest Festival earlier this month. He believes they're from L.A. and Miami.

When contacted by TMZ Sports, cops would not confirm Acho's suspicions -- only telling us they're investigating the matter.

28-year-old Acho was a stud linebacker at the University of Texas back in the day ... earning first-team All-Big 12 honors during his senior season in 2011.

He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round, but his NFL career lasted just 3 seasons.

Emmanuel is most famous now for his role as a college football analyst on ESPN.