Chris Hansen Kickstarter Donors Pissed Saw Money Trouble Before Arrest
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EXCLUSIVE
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Chris Hansen's larceny arrest is no shocker to the people who funded his "To Catch a Predator" reboot -- they say Hansen came up short with them long before Johnny Law caught him.
The former host launched a Kickstarter campaign in 2015 to start a new show about himself catching predators. His goal was $75k and he offered tiered prizes to anyone who donated.
Some of those prizes included the custom mugs and shirts Hansen got from the vendor in Connecticut -- and allegedly tried to pay for with 2 bounced checks ... leading to his arrest this week.
As it turns, out ... he apparently failed to deliver on the goods to a handful of his donors too, many of whom are furious. Chris' Kickstarter page is flooded with comments -- dating back years -- complaining about getting partial prizes, delayed prizes, or just bupkis.
$89k had been raised.
A rep for Kickstarter told us their policy is clear -- anyone who's got issues with a fundraising campaign has to take it up with the creator, and it's ALL on the creator to make things right.
Translation: Got beef? Talk to Hansen.
We've reached out to Chris, but so far ... radio silence.
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Chris Hansen Can't 'Catch' a Break ... Getting Evicted from NYC Apt.
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EXCLUSIVE
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Chris Hansen's appears to be having a rough time, at least financially -- he's getting booted from his home in Manhattan ... TMZ has learned.
According to legal docs ... the former host of "To Catch a Predator" last paid rent in August 2018, but was $400 short, and stopped sending checks altogether after that. So, the owner of the pad went to court in October and filed paperwork to have Chris evicted.
In the eviction docs, the landlord says Chris owes $400 for August, plus $3,600 for September.
Hansen was ordered out of the apartment last week by a judge and given 10 days to vacate. The official eviction day is Friday, and city marshals are set to perform removal services then.
As we reported, Hansen was arrested Monday in Stamford, Connecticut for larceny -- he allegedly bounced a couple checks to cover a $13k tab for a bunch of merch he bought.
We reached out to Chris for comment on the eviction. So far, no word back.
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Chris Hansen To Catch a Debtor 'Catch a Predator' Host Arrested
Chris Hansen got the Chris Hansen treatment, sort of, when Connecticut cops confronted him and then busted him ... for bouncing checks.
The former host of "To Catch a Predator" was arrested Monday in Stamford for larceny. Cops say he failed to pay a local vendor nearly $13,000 for stuff he'd purchased in 2017 ... and allegedly gave the guy the runaround with 2 bounced checks.
According to Stamford PD, Chris bought 355 mugs, 288 t-shirts and 650 vinyl decals from a mom-and-pop shop in town for marketing events he planned to attend. The owner says the goods were delivered, but Chris bailed on his $12,998.05 tab.
The owner says after the first check bounced, he threatened to go to cops. Chris allegedly offered to make 4 partial payments, but the owner rejected that deal.
Chris then bounced a second check, and begged for more time. The owner claims Chris sent emails saying he was selling his boat to come up with the cash, but a check -- a good one -- never came ... and a warrant was issued for Chris' arrest.
He turned himself in Monday, and was booked and released from jail.
We're reaching out to Chris.
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Michael Blackson Jesus Took the Wheel ... And Some Guy Smashed My Rolls!!!
Michael Blackson probably should've been irate about a drunk driver smashing into his car -- but he was more flabbergasted than anything ... and we get why.
The comic was having a great Monday night at the Improv in WeHo -- he did a set with Dave Chappelle, so what could go wrong? Try your Rolls-Royce getting jacked up in a 3-car wreck!!
Michael tells us he got the news while onstage with Chappelle, and when he got outside -- it was a messed up scene, to say the least. A Maserati lost its front wheel, that wheel smashed into a Jeep Wrangler ... while the Maserati kept going long enough to smash into Mike's whip.
MB called it a miracle -- a bad one -- that the guy on just 3 wheels managed to keep rolling long enough to hit his Rolls. You really gotta see his reaction.
As for the driver, we got vid of cops giving him a breathalyzer. Law enforcement sources tell us the guy allegedly pinballed down the street, hitting several cars -- and was arrested for DUI.
Typical Blackson, though, he found a way to laugh about it. Gotta love a good Flintstones joke!
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Jayme Closs Alleged Captor Tracked Her for Weeks ... Prosecutors Say
The man charged in the kidnapping of 13-year-old Jayme Closs and the murder of her parents showed his face in court Monday, as cops said he planned the crime for weeks.
21-year-old Jake Patterson appeared by video in a Wisconsin courthouse. He did not enter a plea and his bail was set at $5 million. According to the criminal complaint ... Patterson made up his mind to abduct Jayme when he saw her getting on a school bus.
According to prosecutors, Patterson said, "He knew that was the girl he was going to take." He allegedly went to the Closs' home twice before Jayme's parents were killed and she was kidnapped on Oct. 15. The last time was one week prior, and he was scared off because the family had several guests.
According to docs, Patterson shot Jayme's father at the front door while she and her mother hid in the bathroom. He eventually broke down the bathroom door, bound and gagged Jayme, then fatally shot her mother.
While she was held captive, Jayme says Patterson made her hide under his twin-sized bed if he had any guests. She said his father frequently visited. She also says Patterson threatened, "bad things would happen to her" if she let anyone know she was there.
Closs was able to escape her captor last week about 70 miles north of her Wisconsin hometown. She says Patterson told her he was leaving for 5 hours, and when he did, she pushed the barbells and weighted totes he used to keep her under the bed ... slipped on a pair of his shoes and fled his house.
As you know, a neighbor found her wandering and called police. Jayme was reunited with her aunt, and Patterson was arrested shortly afterward.
He's been charged with 2 counts of first degree intentional homicide, 1 count of kidnapping and an additional charge of armed burglary. He faces life in prison if convicted on all counts.
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Stormy Daniels Sues Columbus PD Vice Officers Over 2018 Strip Club Arrest
Stormy Daniels is taking some of the police officers who arrested her at a strip club last year to court -- claiming they only went after her for speaking out against President Trump.
The former porn star just filed suit against several members of the Columbus Division of Police who serve in the vice unit, in which she alleges the only reason these cops falsely arrested her last summer at Sirens is quite simple ... allegiance to Trump.
In the docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Stormy claims that the officers listed entered into a conspiracy with each other upon learning that she'd be making an appearance in the area, and decided to go undercover with the sole intention of retaliation and ruining her rep.
Stormy had recently spoken out about her alleged affair with Trump on "60 Minutes," and she believes the actions of these officers were in direct response to that.
She claims the cops violated her civil rights by falsely arresting and imprisoning her, and now ... she's asking a judge to award her damages for it.
Stormy might have a case ... as the Columbus PD police chief acknowledged her arrest was a mistake, which eventually triggered a federal corruption probe into the matter.
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Mystikal Close to Getting Outta Prison on Bail ... If New Music Deal's a Go
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EXCLUSIVE
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Mystikal is THIS close to getting the money he needs to post bail and get out of prison while he waits for his rape case trial to begin ... thanks to friends and a record deal.
You may recall the rapper was booked in 2017 for first-degree rape and second-degree kidnapping after he turned himself in following a Louisiana woman who came forward.
He's been behind bars ever since (almost a year and a half), but people around him have recently rallied and he could be set free soon, pending his trial in May.
Mystikal's attorney, Joel Pearce, tells TMZ ... his client's friends and family have been raising money to help post the $3 million bail. But, what really helped is a new music deal.
Tim Yazbeck, another attorney for the rapper, tells TMZ ... Mystikal has a new record deal for 3 unreleased albums and he's hoping to get an advance within days.
Mystikal's legal team tells us they're confident he'll be out on bail by the end of next week.
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Tom Sizemore Arrested for Drugs ... New Year, Same Me!!!
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EXCLUSIVE
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Tom Sizemore's new year is going a lot like previous ones -- he landed in jail for a drug bust ... TMZ has learned.
Law enforcement sources tell us Burbank PD pulled over the actor because his Mercedes E350 was missing a front license plate and had expired registration tags. During the stop on Jan. 5, officers ended up searching Sizemore's whip, and we're told they found drugs they believed were meth and heroin.
Cops ended up arresting Sizemore and a male passenger for misdemeanor possession -- so, it clearly wasn't a huge stash of drugs, but a little's enough to end up in handcuffs.
Both men posted bail and were released later in the day. The case is currently being reviewed by the city attorney's office.
We've reached out to Sizemore ... so far, no word back.
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'90 Day Fiance' Larissa Arrested After Bloody Fight with Colt, Allegedly Over Porn
9:17 AM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell us Larissa called cops around 11 PM last night -- officers responded -- but Colt wasn't around. Cops returned to the scene a couple hours later and spoke with both Colt and Larissa ... they determined Larissa mostly had blood spatter -- and a single deep cut -- on her face.
We're told Larissa did have scratches on her stomach, but they appeared to be self-inflicted. Cops checked Larissa's criminal history and saw she had two previous arrests for domestic battery.
What's more ... cops checked Colt's fingernails, and observed he's a nail-biter ... and determined the injury to Larissa's face couldn't possibly have been from him.
Based on the evidence and her history ... police arrested Larissa for domestic battery.
She's being held on $3,000 bond.
The most volatile couple on "90 Day Fiance" had an explosive argument that led to facial injuries for both and seems to have ended in an arrest ... according to wild series of Instagram posts.
Larissa Dos Santos Lima shared photos and video overnight, revealing an apparent bloody battle with Colt Johnson, including a pic of her lacerated face with the caption ... "colt called the cops on me we argue."
According to Larissa ... the couple's fight began when she discovered an email showing Colt had created an account with the adult entertainment company, ManyVids, and purchased a porn video. From there it escalated big time, with Larissa claiming she scratched Colt because he was hurting her.
Larissa says she's afraid she'll be deported because Colt called the police first. There's also a vid showing Colt standing in the bathroom doorway as she says she's naked trying to take a shower, and another of Larissa covered in shaving cream ... suggesting Colt did it to antagonize her.
A "90 Day Fiance" blogger named John Yates chronicled the incident, as well, including text messages between him and Larissa in which she asks for help and accuses Colt of being a pedophile. John tells her to get out of the house and go to a neighbor's for safety.
Yates also shared a photo of Colt's facial injury allegedly from Larissa, which he says was sent to him by a friend of Johnson's.
Finally, Yates posted a pic of Larissa receiving first aid at her friend's house, but says she did end up getting arrested by cops. We're trying to confirm.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
BTW -- Larissa was reportedly previously arrested for domestic violence in November.
Originally Published -- 6:44 AM PST
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Rapper Z-Ro Assault Case Dismissed ... After Domestic Violence Course
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EXCLUSIVE
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Rapper Z-Ro is out of the woods, criminally, for allegedly assaulting ex-girlfriend, Just Brittany ... because he held up his end of a deal to avoid prosecution ... TMZ has learned.
According to court docs, prosecutors in Texas moved to dismiss a misdemeanor assault charge against Z-Ro. He'd been booked and charged for beating Brittany during what she said was an hours-long ordeal.
In docs, prosecutors say there was probable cause to move forward with the case, but they decided to drop it after Z-Ro completed a batter's intervention program. A judge signed off on the dismissal Tuesday.
As we reported ... prosecutors charged Z-Ro with assault on a family member, a Class A misdemeanor -- this after a grand jury declined to indict him on felony assault charges.
Z-Ro's attorney, Charles Adams, tells us he encouraged Z-Ro to take the deal, even though his client maintains his innocence.
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Adrien Broner 2 Sex Crime Cases ... On Same Day
Boxing star Adrien Broner has a busy Monday -- he's got dates in TWO courtrooms in TWO states to face TWO separate allegations of sexual misconduct, TMZ Sports has learned.
... and it's all going down just TWO weeks before his mega-fight with Manny Pacquiao.
Here's the deal ... Broner was arrested back in February in Atlanta for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman at a local shopping mall. Cops say he groped her against her will.
Just 4 months later, Broner was arrested again in Cleveland for allegedly throwing himself on top of a woman at a nightclub and forcing her to kiss him. He's facing multiple felony counts including gross sexual imposition and abduction.
As fate would have it ... both cases have been scheduled for January 7 -- and since he can't be in two places at once, he's gotta decide which hearing he wants to attend.
We've learned Broner is planning on sending a lawyer in his place to Ohio -- where he's not required to attend the hearing in person.
Does that mean he'll be in Atlanta instead? Broner has a habit of blowing off court cases ... so, no one really knows where he'll be.
Adrien is facing 5 separate charges for the two incidents ... and if he's convicted on all counts -- he could go to jail for NINE years.
The craziest part of the story -- Broner also has a court date in Florida on Jan. 23 stemming from his arrest for failure to appear in court earlier this month for traffic violations.
In between it all ... Broner's massive fight with Pacquiao is set for Jan. 19 in Las Vegas.
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A$AP Bari Pleads Guilty to Sexual Assault
A$AP Bari -- co-founder of A$AP Mob -- is pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a woman in 2017, but he won't do any time.
The hip-hop designer appeared in a London courthouse Thursday to enter his guilty plea on one count of sexual assault for an incident at London's Curtain Hotel in July 2017.
As part of his plea deal, Bari was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine, pay the victim $3,150 ... and he dodges jail time. The judge who presided over the case said, "The court does have concerns in this matter because it has exposed a very unpleasant attitude by you towards women."
She added, "You say that you were angry but there is no need to ever be so abusive and humiliating to a female."
In a leaked video of the incident, Bari can be seen chasing a naked woman who was in bed with his assistant into the bathroom and ordering her to give him oral sex. In addition to the criminal charge ... the victim sued him, and he countersued ... calling her a liar.
The civil case is still ongoing.
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Usher Burglary Suspect Arrested ... Cops Find Millions in Stolen Property
1/2 -- Police revealed in a press conference Wednesday they recovered stolen property belonging to Jason Derulo, Adam Lambert, Dorit Kemsley, and Rebecca Hutton. So far, no case has been filed with the D.A.
A man suspected of burglarizing celebrity and high-end homes -- including Usher's -- has been nabbed by police, who found lots of stolen property worth millions ...TMZ has learned.
Law enforcement sources tell us cops have arrested a guy who they believe burglarized the R&B singer this past March ... when upwards of $800k worth of property was reportedly taken. We're told police searched the suspect's home with a warrant and discovered more than 2,000 items valued at over $2 million, some of which included Usher's belongings.
We're told other items belonging to a 'Real Housewives' star were also discovered, but it's unclear for now which housewife it might've been. Our sources also tell us that during the investigation, cops learned the suspect had told family members he stumbled on his newfound wealth by doing well in the stock market.
As for how this guy would allegedly go about the break-ins ... we're told cops discovered in their investigation that he would go to open houses at homes on the market, scope the place out, and then return at a later time to burgle the home.
FWIW, our law enforcement sources tell us this suspect is not tied to the big bust from earlier last year, in which police charged multiple suspects for allegedly burglarizing the homes of stars like Rihanna, Yasiel Puig, Viola Davis and others.
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Rap Groupie Celina Powell Arrested ... Bounty Hunter Hurls N-Word
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EXCLUSIVE
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Celina Powell -- who's accused rappers like Offset, Snoop Dogg, and others of cheating and/or knocking her up -- is currently in a jail cell thanks to bounty hunters ... one of whom shamelessly dropped the n-word during the bust ... TMZ has learned.
The social media star, who's also Aaron Carter's ex, was busted and taken into custody late Saturday night in Aurora, Colorado, where she was set to attend an event at a hookah lounge called Hubbly Bubbly Brewery. Law enforcement sources tell us bounty hunters staked out the parking lot after she posted online that she'd be hosting there.
When she showed up, they pounced ... and part of it was caught on camera. While she was being taken in, however, William Ellenburg -- one of the bounty hunters here, who's white -- hurled the n-word multiple times while trying to deny he was racist.
We asked him for a further explanation after seeing the video. He told us Celina had accused him making racist comments about his partner on the scene, who was black. Ellenburg said he used the n-word to prove he hadn't said anything offensive ... and, apparently, to prove he was cool with black people. He apologizes if anyone was offended. For the record ... this is anything but cool.
As for Celina, we're told she had upwards of $61,000 worth of outstanding bonds in her name, in and around the area -- ranging from shoplifting and evading police to traffic violations.
She was turned over to Aurora PD a little after midnight on Sunday, and our sources say she's still in custody as of this writing. She's set to appear in court Monday.
A pretty sh**** way to ring in the new year if you ask us ... on everyone's part.
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Justin Bieber Don't Cry for Me Argentina ... I Can Finally Come Back!!!
Justin Bieber is now free to return to Argentina after the country reversed its "No Biebs Allowed" policy ... so all you Beliebers in Buenos Aires can rejoice.
TMZ has learned JB can finally go back to Argentina without fear of being arrested for his alleged role in a beatdown of a photog way back in November 2013.
It's been a long and winding road in the legal system. A trial judge found Bieber guilty, but the case was appealed several times and ultimately the Argentinian Supreme Court reversed the conviction and cleared him.
A "Document of Resolution" was filed December 18 ... officially ending Justin's ban.
As you'll recall ... Bieber was indicted in December 2016 for allegedly ordering his bodyguards to assault a photog as he was leaving a club and take the guy's money and gear.
Justin's not currently on tour, but when he decides to go back ... he's got a huge country in South America available to add to the concert list.
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Dorial Green-Beckham Arrest Video Cops Stormed Home
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EXCLUSIVE
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TMZ Sports has obtained footage of the moments cops captured ex-NFL wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham during a raid on a Missouri home Wednesday night.
In the footage, you can see several members of the Springfield PD's Special Response Team announcing their presence and getting ready to serve a search warrant on the home.
Cops say they spotted the former Philadelphia Eagles player trying to flee out of a window -- but they were able to catch him and take him into custody.
Officials say officers found 1 pound of marijuana in Green-Beckham's backpack along with several vials of THC oil.
Once inside the home, cops say they found 7 more pounds of weed -- but arrested another man in connection with that.
You can see cops walking Green-Beckham out of the home and escorting him into a waiting cop car.
FYI, 25-year-old DGB is listed at 6'5" and 215 pounds ... so, it's pretty easy to spot him in the video.
He was later taken to a nearby police station where he was booked and posed for a mug shot.
Green-Beckham had a TON of potential as a football player -- which is why he was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the 2nd round of the 2015 NFL Draft ... but off the field issues torpedoed his career.