MATTHEW PERRY CRYPTO SCAMMERS HACK HIS X ACCOUNT ... Solicit Donations Too

Mathew Perry's X account was hacked by scammers trying to pull off a sneaky crypto donation scheme through a fraudulent website ... this according to his foundation.

A link that was recently advertised as directing would-be donors to make contributions to the late actor's foundation actually led them to a copycat site -- but The Matthew Perry Foundation has wasted no time calling out the scam as totally bogus, while gaining control of his socials again.

They wrote on IG Monday ... "We have received reports that Matthew's official X page has been hacked and is directing users to a fraudulent site soliciting donations via cryptocurrency" ... going on to urge people not to fall for the trap by sharing the fake social media post.

They also clarified that MatthewPerryFoundation.org was the only legitimate site associated with the foundation -- and that any others should NOT be trusted or donated to.

As for the scammers behind the fraudulent post, their identity remains a mystery for now ... and it's also not known at this point how many people might've donated through the bunk link and how much they might've lost. The post in question has been taken down from X.

The Matthew Perry Foundation was set up in MP's name to provide support to those battling addiction, a cause that was close to the late actor's heart.

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He bravely shared his own struggles with alcohol and opioid addiction, even candidly documenting his own sobriety journey in his 2022 memoir, "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing."

TMZ broke the story ... "Friends" star Perry died last October after his assistant found his body floating in a hot tub at his L.A. area home.

The coroner performed an autopsy, concluding Perry died from the "acute effects of ketamine," an anesthetic used to treat depression. Drowning was listed on the autopsy report as a secondary cause of death.

Gay Porn Star Knockout That 'Stevie J' Pic in Diddy Suit ... Is Actually Me, Guys!!!

Diddy was accused of sharing a sex tape that allegedly showed Stevie J with another man -- but a gay porn star is coming forward to say it's actually him seen in the now-viral image.

The photos that have been circulating online -- which show a Black man apparently having sex with another guy, and who was purported to be Stevie -- were included in Rodney Jones' lawsuit against Diddy that he filed Monday ... but adult film star Knockout is taking credit.

Knockout hopped on Twitter -- this amid mass sharing of the image and a lot of gossip/speculation about Stevie's name being invoked -- and he cleared the air definitively.

He wrote, "This is not him it's me yall really be trying it." Knockout has also been reposting/retweeting people responding to the images ... all of whom are pointing out this is from a well-known porno he was in from years ago, and which has been around for a while.

Knockout has also clarified that he was NOT at any of Diddy's parties -- as described in the lawsuit -- and he also adds that he doesn't appreciate Rodney using his image to make a salacious claim. He also retweeted someone who claims this image of Knockout has often been used to try and smear Stevie's name ... something Knockout appears to acknowledge.

Remember ... Rodney claimed in his suit that Diddy had shared this video with him and allegedly said it depicted Stevie -- with the whole point of this allegedly being Diddy attempting to "groom" Rodney ... something Diddy has come out and vehemently denied.

Stevie J, for his part, has also denied Rodney's allegations ... calling them false. He also seemed to allude to future legal action against him for roping him into this whole mess.

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Rodney hasn't addressed the fact that Knockout is saying that photo is of him, not Stevie.

Russell Wilson I Knew Raising Ciara's Son Was My Responsibility ... Joseph Did Same for Jesus

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I JUST KNEW
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Russell Wilson says he knew from day 1 that helping to raise Ciara's son with Future would become his new blessing and responsibility in life -- comparing himself to Jesus' dad.

The Broncos QB -- whose future there in Denver seems uncertain at this point -- appeared this week on the "I Am Athlete" podcast ... where he talked about his marriage with Ciara and the fact that he plays stepdad to her kid, Future Jr., who she shares with the rapper.

Take a listen, 'cause this is pretty eye-opening ... Russ literally says he felt God was talking to him to let him know that not only was Ciara the one for him -- but that raising her boy was also something he was destined to do as well.

RW says he knew this from the moment he met Ciara -- which apparently also included a meet-and-greet with a then-baby Future Jr. ... so we're talking years ago.

Russ also says he was having a conversation with the man upstairs about this -- and he explains that he felt God speaking to him and telling him this would become his path -- namely, becoming a family man. And yes, he does invoke Joseph's name, as well as JC.

If you think you're stunned by Russell's words, wait 'til you see Brandon Marshall -- who Russ is speaking with in this conversation. You can tell ... he's shocked by what he's hearing.

Remember, Future Jr. is Future's son ... and he shares custody of his kid with Ciara -- although, we seem to see him more with his mom, at least publicly and online anyway.

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DIVINE INTERVENTION
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Considering the historical bad blood between Future and Russ -- something tells us Future ain't gonna take this very well. As for Ciara, she hasn't addressed Russ' words yet.

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Of course, we know she's happy with Russ as they've grown their own family over the years. From what we're hearing here though, RW very much considers Future Jr. his own son too.

JENNIFER LOPEZ CELEBS REJECTED CAMEOS IN MY MOVIE ... Taylor, Ariana & Snoop!!!

Jennifer Lopez's new flick "This Is Me ... Now" is buzzin' with some major guest stars ... but it could've been a whole different ball game -- that's if some other big shots hadn't passed on it.

The star spilled the tea on the casting journey in her newly dropped Prime Video doc, "The Greatest Love Story Never Told" ... where she and her crew first reached out to big shots like Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande. But, Tay was busy with her "Eras" tour, and AG was filming "Wicked" over in London. Bummer!

That wasn't all ... Jason Momoa, Jennifer Coolidge, Lizzo, Vanessa Hudgens and even Snoop Dogg all passed 'cause they were unavailable.

And get this, Khloé Kardashian was supposed to pop in for a cameo, but she pulled out at the eleventh hour -- something J Lo chalked up to the reality star being scared to put herself out there.

SZA, Bad Bunny, and Anthony Ramos rounded out the list of A-listers who also passed. Imagine the star power if they'd all signed on!

But, J Lo's all about keeping it real ... and during a candid chat with her manager Benny Medina she acknowledged that no one wanted to turn her down ... but as someone who's been in the biz for a long time, she knows that people will pass on a project if they don't think the script is up to par. It's just how the game goes, and J Lo gets it.

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But, J Lo didn't let those rejections get her down ... she bounced back big time by rounding up a stellar crew including Sofia Vergara, Jane Fonda and Trevor Noah.

They all jumped on board to play zodiac signs in her imaginative Zodiac Council. It's like their involvement was written in the stars or something!

Jon Stewart Breaks Down Mourning His Dog ... Emotional 'DS' Tribute

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GOOD BOY, DIPPER
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Jon Stewart was an emotional wreck on his comedy show this week -- breaking down over the death of his dog ... with a tribute he could hardly get through without sobbing.

The comedian was playing host again on Monday for the 'Daily Show,' and at one point during his time in the chair -- he took a moment to acknowledge the passing of his longtime pooch, Dipper, who he says recently passed away.

Check it out ... it's incredibly sad to watch, as Jon is pretty inconsolable here in front of an audience -- having to stop his train of thought several times as he chokes up and tears up.

He gives the backstory of how Dipper came into his and his family's life -- explaining that they adopted him from a no-kill shelter in NYC called Animal Haven ... and noting that they had a Brindle pit bull in their ranks who'd been hit by a car and who'd lost one of his legs.

That ended up being Jon's family doggo ... and his remembrance here is poignant and moving. As Jon says himself, "In a world of good boys, he was the best."

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TOUCHING TRIBUTE
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Unclear how exactly Dipper died, but it sounds like it might've been due to old age. Jon says the dog was ready, but he wasn't -- and that much is clear by how moving this is.

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RIP

Madonna Scraps Vandross From AIDS Tribute ... At Request of Estate

Madonna is nixing a photo of Luther Vandross from the AIDS tribute she puts on during her "Celebration" tour .... because, as his estate has clarified, he shouldn't be there at all.

The Material Girl has made a point to pay tribute to her late friends and famous peers -- including Herb Ritts, Freddie Mercury, and Keith Haring, all of whom died from AIDS-related complications -- with a photo montage amid her performance of "Live to Tell."

During Saturday night's tribute at Madge's Sacramento concert, a photo of the late soul singer was included -- despite the R&B singer's 2005 death previously being attributed to complications from a prior stroke.

In fact ... Luther was actually defensive about this rumor about him while he was alive ... once even going after a British magazine back that tried to pin his weight loss in the mid-80s to the virus. So yeah, it's a sensitive topic.

While Luther's camp acknowledged Madonna's effort to honor those who've lost their lives to AIDS ... they emphasized to Page Six that the late soul singer was never diagnosed with AIDS or the HIV Virus, and it sounds like Luther's estate kindly asked her to exclude him.

Madonna has since scrapped the photo from the tribute ... after Luther's estate reached out to her management team, so all's well that ends well. Seems like an innocent mistake.

For those wondering ... Luther's sexuality has long been speculated on -- but he never came out as anything other than heterosexual ... although, close friends of his have commented on this in the years since and suggested he may have been part of the LGBTQ+ community.

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In any case, his team clearly doesn't want the AIDS narrative to be attached to him, and Madonna has respected their wishes.

Ole Anderson Wrestling Legend Dead At 81 ... Original Four Horsemen Member

Wrestling legend Ole Anderson -- who helped form The Four Horsemen in the 1980s -- has died at 81 years old.

The WWE confirmed the sad news Monday evening ... remembering him in a statement as "a prolific and decorated tag team wrestler" who had a "hard-nosed style and gruff demeanor."

"WWE extends its condolences to Anderson's family, friends, and fans," the org. added.

A cause of death was not revealed.

Anderson -- real name Alan Rogowski -- began his wrestling career in the '60s ... but really made his mark in the squared circle in the 1980s.

He, Ric Flair, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard created the heel stable The Four Horsemen .... and the quartet eventually went on to have legendary matches across multiple promotions against some of the most iconic wrestlers of all-time.

After news of his death broke, Flair said in a post on X that Ole helped launch his career.

"I Will Be Grateful Forever For You Giving Me The Opportunity To Become Who I Am Today," Flair wrote. "We Didn’t Always Agree With Each Other, But The Honest To God Truth Is You & Gene Started Me. Rest In Peace My Friend!"

In addition to his time on the mat, Anderson also worked as a manager, promoter and even an exec in the wrestling world.

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"AEW and the wrestling world mourn the passing of the legendary Ole Anderson," All Elite Wrestling officials said in a statement Monday night. "Our thoughts are with his family, his friends and his fans."

RIP

TikTok's Reesa Teesa Ex Weighing Legal Action ... Over 'Who TF Did I Marry'

Reesa Teesa's ex is telling his side of a viral TikTok saga that's taken the internet by storm -- and while he's been painted one way, he's got a different story ... which might end in court.

Jerome McCoy -- who goes by "Legion" on Reesa's now-infamous 'Who TF Did I Marry?' video series, which is at least 50 parts deep at this point -- tells TMZ ... everything Reesa, whose real name is Teresa Johnson, declared about him in her lengthy video series is false.

While Reesa made many allegations against Legion -- including claims that he fibbed about his career, family and wealth, etc. -- he's hitting back with accusations of his own.

Legion claims he and Reesa were having trust issues at one point -- and goes on to claim she attempted to reconcile with him while allegedly threatening to "expose" him if he did not comply ... and he suggests him not budging is why this is all coming out.

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It goes without saying ... Reesa's ex is feeling the backlash of the TikToks going viral and claims it's hurting his job in PR -- which he says he does for a hospital. Amid all this attention, Legion tells us he met with attorneys Monday at work to discuss taking legal action against Reesa -- on its face, it seems his company believes they mighta been damaged by her storytelling. Legion says he's supportive of any moves they might make.

Unclear if he's considering private counsel for himself at this point ... but he's certainly mulling his options right now. Bottom line ... Legion tells us the way he's been portrayed by Reesa is NOT who he is at all -- and he feels he's been wronged by the tale she's told.

There's no denying that Reesa's videos have been a huge hit online ... with one video garnering over 11 million views on TikTok. Reesa's account also boasts nearly 32M likes.

Actress Danielle Pinnock -- from the TV show 'Ghosts' -- has already pitched herself to play Reesa if the viral saga ever gets a small screen adaptation ... and something tells us this thing might just get made into a movie or show down the line. Indeed, it's that wild.

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Knowing Hollywood ... someone is probably already working on the screenplay.

Joe Biden Will Taylor Swift Endorse Me In 2024? ... That's Classified!!!

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It's Classified
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President Joe Biden was out on the campaign trail Monday, sitting down for an interview with Seth Meyers – and joking about potentially getting Taylor Swift's "classified" endorsement.

The 46th U.S. President sported his signature Aviator glasses while parked on a couch next to comedian Amy Poehler during his visit to "Late Night With Seth Meyers."  Of course, Seth was seated at his desk in front of Joe and the two covered a wide range of mostly political issues.

At one point, Seth told Joe that 18 percent of Americans believe he's working in "cahoots" with Taylor to reelect him in the 2024 presidential race against the Republican nominee, likely Donald Trump.

Seth showed a message Joe posted on the social media app, "X," after the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 to win this year's Super Bowl. The one-liner read, "Just like we drew it up."

The host then asked Joe, "Now, can you confirm or deny that there is an active conspiracy here between you and Ms. Swift?"

Joe went along with the joke, replying, "Where are you getting this information? It's classified. But I will tell you she did endorse me in 2020."

Seth agreed, asking if Taylor would support Joe this time around. But Joe wouldn't give an inch, repeating, "I told you. It's classified."

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Fun stuff from Commander in Chief.

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Diddy Sued for Sexual Assault by Former Male Employee

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2/27 -- 8:10 AM PT -- Stevie J tells TMZ ... "These allegations are false and my lawyer will be handling this going forward."

7:23 PM PT -- A rep for Justin Combs tells TMZ ... "Justin Combs categorically denies these absurd allegations. They are all lies! This is a a clear example of a desperate person taking desperate measures in hopes of a pay day. There will be legal consequences for ALL defamatory statements made about the Combs family."

4:40 PM PT -- Diddy's attorney, Shawn Holley, tells TMZ ... "Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar who filed a $30 million lawsuit shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday. His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines."

She adds, "We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies. Our attempts to share this proof with Mr. Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, have been ignored, as Mr. Blackburn refuses to return our calls. We will address these outlandish allegations in court and take all appropriate action against those who make them."

Diddy has just been sued by a man claiming the mogul sexually assaulted him.

In legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Rodney Jones, a former producer and videographer for the mogul, claims he was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Diddy and subjected to unwanted advances by associates of Diddy at his direction.

Jones claims Diddy, among other thing, would grope Jones' genitals and touch his anus. Jones goes on to allege Diddy would parade around naked in front of Jones.

Jones believes Diddy was trying to groom him into having sex. He says Diddy would downplay the alleged assaults as "horseplay." Jones goes on to allege Diddy forced him to watch a video involving Stevie J having sex with another man. Jones included a screen grab of the video.

There are more allegations ... he says a female cousin of Diddy's girlfriend, Yung Miami, also sexually assaulted him, allegedly attempting to have sex with him in front of Diddy and members of his staff.

And there's more ... Jones says Diddy brought prostitutes to his house in Miami and on one occasion, Jones says he was present at the house and was drugged and possibly raped.

He also alleges, at several parties, Diddy intentionally served women bottles of his tequila and vodka brands laced with drugs.

There are more tawdry allegations, including bringing underage girls to Diddy's home and providing them with alcohol.

Jones claims Diddy directed Stevie J and his son Justin Combs to recruit prostitutes -- and in Justin's case, he was instructed to find underaged girls to attend the parties.

Jones claims Diddy introduced him to Cuba Gooding Jr. on Diddy's yacht and Cuba allegedly began "touching, groping, and fondling Mr. Jones's legs, his upper inner thighs near his groin, the small of his back near his buttocks and his shoulders."

There are also allegations of a shooting, where Jones says Diddy and his son Justin got into a heated argument at an L.A. recording studio. Jones says gunfire erupted and a man named G was hit and bleeding profusely from his stomach.

Jones says Diddy told him to lie to cops and say G was shot in a drive-by.

It's worth noting, LAPD investigated the shooting and reportedly found the victim had been shot outside the studio during a robbery, and merely ran into the studio while still bleeding.

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SHOCKING SUIT

In addition to Diddy, Jones is suing Justin, other employees as well as various record execs, and according to the docs ... he's seeking at least $30 million in damages.

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We reached out to Diddy's rep, as well as reps for Cuba and Stevie J ... so far, no word back. NBC News first reported the lawsuit.

Originally Published -- 2/26 -- 4:36 PM PT

'Life Goes On' Star Chris Burke Defends Shane Gillis 'SNL' Down Syndrome Jokes

Chris Burke, who has Down Syndrome, is defending Shane Gillis over the comedian's polarizing monologue on "Saturday Night Live" ... he's got no issues with Shane making Down Syndrome jokes.

The "Life Goes On" star tells TMZ ... people with Down Syndrome are just like everybody else and shouldn't be excluded from being joked about by comedians.

Chris, the first actor with Down Syndrome to star in a TV series, says it would actually be more offensive for comedians to exclude people with Down Syndrome from being the subjects of jokes.

Shane spent the majority of his 8-minute monologue poking fun at his family ... including a niece who has Down Syndrome ... and he mostly glossed over the 2019 scandal that got him fired from 'SNL.'

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CHINATOWN ATTACK
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Chris says folks shouldn't pass judgment on Shane here because no one knows how he dealt and coped with having a niece with Down Syndrome. As a result, Chris feels Shane isn't making these jokes out of ignorance.

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In fact, Shane's jokes kinda jibe with what Chris is saying.

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SHANE'S SLURS & INSULTS
A Fair One

While some people were naturally turned off by Shane, Chris sees some positives.

At the very least, he says Shane's monologue helped start a conversation about Down Syndrome and how people living with the condition are normal folks who can experience all aspects of life, including being joked about.

Floyd Mayweather Pulls Up To Bday Party On Yacht ... Gifted Alligator Skin + Diamond Nikes

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The Best Ever

Whether on land or sea, Floyd Mayweather's birthday celebration doesn't stop ... the boxing legend pulled up, or should we say anchored, outside a Miami hotspot, where he partied with a bunch of his closest friends!

Many of the guests didn't come empty-handed, either ... including pal and celeb jeweler Johnny Dang, who gifted TBE a one-of-a-kind pair of Nike kicks.

And, we're not talking NikeID, either ... Dang presented Mayweather with crocodile skin Air Force 1s, complete with a diamond-crusted Swoosh, handmade by Johnny!

JD counts some of the biggest celebrities in the world as clients ... everyone from actors, athletes and musicians.

It's been nonstop for Mayweather since Wednesday ... when TBE kicked off his nearly week-long celebration by partying with Rick Ross. On Thursday night, Mayweather hit up Miami hotspot, Lush, where he was gifted a $150K, 18k gold and 30 c. diamond Avi & Co. watch. Friday was reserved for a little fun and exercise as Floyd and friends hooped at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables.

Floyd wasn't ready to rest quite yet on Saturday ... splitting time Saturday between Kiki On The River and his big yacht, as the party, thrown by James McNair, Jona Rechnitz, and Wright Productions, and hosted by Falcons Auction, raged.

Happy birthday (again), Floyd!

TMZ TV Recap Travis Kelce Keeps on Partying ... Wendy Williams Struggles, Ric Flair

We're starting the week strong here at TMZ, and that begins with some hefty TV topics!

TMZ Live

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HANGIN' WITH THE GUYS
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Starting out on 'TMZ Live,' Harvey and Charles talked about Travis Kelce's latest trip to Las Vegas -- where he once again partied hard with his teammates after the big Super Bowl win a couple weeks ago ... when they also went out and celebrated. This was round two of that.

The only difference now ... Travis left Taylor Swift in the dust to come rage with the boys.

TMZ on TV

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FIGHTING HER OWN BATTLES
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Next up, 'TMZ on TV' ... where the gang talked about the heavy subject of Wendy Williams and all the struggles she's been going through lately, which were well-chronicled on a new Lifetime documentary that aired this weekend ... despite the best efforts from her guardian.

Like we said, tough topic ... and you can tell by the conversation we had amongst ourselves.

TMZ Sports

And finally, we land on 'TMZ Sports,' where it was none other than Ric Flair's 75th birthday!

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NATURE BOY LEVELS UP
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Check your local listings for when TMZ is on in your area or catch up on past episodes!

Roger In 'Madmen' 'Memba Him?!

American actor John Slattery was 44 years old when he first started playing Roger Sterling -- the advertising executive and womanizer who loves a stiff drink -- in the drama series "Mad Men" back in 2007.

The show featured other big stars like Jon Hamm as the charming creative director, Don Draper, January Jones as the stay-at-home mom who worries about her husband's fidelity, Betty Draper and Elisabeth Moss as the recent graduate and intelligent secretary, Peggy Olson.

Slattery's other notable roles were portrayed in "Spotlight", "Iron Man 2" and "Captain America: Civil War".

Guess what he looks like now!

'Teen Mom' Jenelle Evans Man Tried To Break Into My House ... We're Safe, But Shaken Up

Scary moment at home for Jenelle Evans ... cops say was the victim of an attempted break-in at her place in North Carolina this past weekend, and she tells us her family is rattled.

Jenelle, through her manager August Keen, tells TMZ … "With everything going on already this couldn't have happened at a worse time. Me and my children are safe, but a bit shaken up, the local community and police department are doing everything to ensure the capture of this person"

She adds, "I'll soon be exposing the details of what exactly happened that night. For now, we ask for prayers and privacy until me and my family recover from this terrifying experience. Thank you to everyone who is helping us to catch this perpetrator."

The attempted break-in comes only days after Jenelle regained custody of her 14-year-old son, Jace -- who's been at the center of a lot of drama in her family life lately.

At this point, police in North Carolina have confirmed to TMZ there was an attempted breaking and entering at Jenelle's place.

The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office tells us … on Sunday, a deputy responded to Jenelle's home for a call about a breaking and entering, but when they got there the suspect had fled the property.

Cops say an unidentified man attempted to force his way into Jenelle's home from the back of the residence, and when he was unable to get inside he went into her garage and began throwing her personal items into the yard.

The Sheriff's Office says when the deputy arrived, no items appeared to be missing ... though the lock on the back door where the man tried to enter the home was damaged.

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In case it wasn't clear, Jenelle was home during this terrifying incident. We're told an investigation is ongoing.

Taylor Swift Dad Scott Under Investigation ... Allegedly Attacked Pap

update

4:17 PM PT -- A rep for Taylor tells TMZ ... "Two individuals were aggressively pushing their way towards Taylor, grabbing at her security personnel, and threatening to throw a female staff member into the water."

Taylor Swift's father, Scott, has been accused of attacking a paparazzo in Australia -- and now cops are looking into it ... and some of this appears to have been caught on camera.

New South Wales Police Media Unit tells TMZ ... cops there are investigating an alleged assault that was reported to them on Sydney's North Shore very early Tuesday morning local time -- this after a photographer named Ben McDonald filed a complaint claiming just that.

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POPS VS. PAPS
BACKGRID

We're told police there were informed that a 71-year-old man -- believed to be Scott -- allegedly got into a physical confrontation with a 51-year-old man (McDonald) at Neutral Bay Wharf at about 2 AM Tuesday as he was exiting the area.

NSWPMU tells us the alleged victim reported this, and now ... it's on the radar as they probe what exactly happened, and whether a crime was committed. The cops here note ... the alleged victim did not require medical treatment.

Now, in terms of the alleged evidence here ... McDonald actually seems to have captured at least a piece of this altercation -- although, it's a bit unclear what exactly you can see here.

You can see and hear Ben manning the camera as Scott and a bunch of security guards clear the path for him as he makes his way from the dock area, and as Scott gets closer, one of the guards with an umbrella -- who seems to be trying to obscure the view of McDonald -- gets awfully close ... and you can hear what sounds like a scuffle ensue.

From the looks of it, Scott doesn't appear to be directly involved -- but again, it's hard to tell for sure. In any case, McDonald has gone running to cops to accuse him of assault.

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DAD'S IN TROUBLE
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McDonald told the Daily Mail that Taylor was with Scott here -- and that they were arriving from Homebush on a yacht when all this went down. Photos of their arrival were captured by paps on the ground -- including McDonald -- and you can actually see Taylor walking through with an umbrella over her entire torso as Scott guides her through the pap crush.

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Taylor and Scott haven't addressed the incident just yet ... we've reached out to her camp for comment, so far no word back.

Originally Published -- 3:31 PM PT