Bryan Kohberger Allegedly Snuck Into Woman's Home ... Moved Items Around Months Before Stabbings
A spine-chilling new report says Bryan Kohberger broke into a woman's home before the Idaho murders went down ... acting as some sort of creepy crawler, moving her stuff around in an attempt to make her fear for her life.
The bizarre claims came out in the latest episode of NBC's "Dateline," saying Kohberger became friends with a girl at Washington State University, where he was enrolled, just months before the fatal Univ. of Idaho stabbings -- and allegedly snuck into her place and moved her belongings in order to make her feel uneasy in her own home.
The terrifying tactic allegedly worked, because "Dateline" says she asked him to help set up security cameras as a result ... something he could have later checked on remotely after learning her WiFi password.
Former FBI profiler Greg Cooper says this wasn't a friend helping another friend with security detail -- saying he "orchestrated it so that she would come to him and that he would be able to help her. It is another level of power and domination and control over another person.”
For those unaware, the new report comes on the heels of Kohberger's recent indictment regarding the November deaths of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, and Xana Kernodle.
New body cam footage showed Kohberger at WSU about a month before the murders ... but he appeared cool-headed and respectful as he talked his way out of a ticket.
And as you know, prosecutors say Kohberger later went on to slash the 4 students to death not long after -- with blood shockingly being seen seeping through the walls of the off-campus house, dripping onto the dirt outside.
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FETTY WAP ASKS JUDGE For 5-Year SENTENCE ... In Drug Trafficking Case
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Fetty Wap is begging the judge in his federal drug trafficking case to only sentence him to the mandatory minimum ... but the feds want him to be locked up a lot longer.
According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Fetty is seeking a 5-year sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine stemming from his October 2021 arrest.
The rapper's legal team told the judge Fetty "accepts full responsibility for his crimes, but his conduct here does not and should not define him" ... and they attached a bunch of positive letters from family and friends, who say Fetty was just trying to provide for them financially ... by selling drugs.
Uncle Sam sees it differently, though ... in the docs, the feds want Fetty to spend between 87 and 108 months behind bars, claiming he participated in a massive drug trafficking organization that flooded Long Island with cocaine.
The office of U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace also says leniency isn't really warranted here, saying Fetty "has used, and continues to use, his fame, sizeable platform and influence to glamorize the drug trade."
TMZ broke the story ... Fetty Wap was on his way to Rolling Loud New York back in 2021 when the feds apprehended him and several others, accusing them of using USPS trucks to smuggle drugs. The feds say their investigation uncovered 16 kilograms of cocaine.
Fetty pled guilty in August and he's going to learn his fate soon ... because May 24 is his sentencing. It will be interesting to see what the judge decides.
Stay tuned ...
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SHY GLIZZY EX-GF CLAIMS HE THREATENED TO KILL HER AND HER FAMILY
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Shy Glizzy's ex-girlfriend claims he's threatening to kill her, her family, her friends, and any man she dates in the future ... and now she just got court-ordered protection.
The rapper's ex, who works as a model, makes the shocking claims in her request for a restraining order against him ... telling the judge he's been threatening her ever since she broke things off with him.
According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, the gf claims Shy has repeatedly told her he will kill her and her mother. She says he's been making the threats ever since she broke up with him in April ... and she says he sent her a text message that said, "Ima f*** ya life up."
Shy's ex claims she started dating Shy in December but broke up with him on April 28 because she says he has "anger issues." She says Shy did not take the breakup well and things reached a head on May 13, when he was arrested for allegedly threatening her.
In the docs, the ex claims on May 13 she was driving around Los Angeles and noticed Shy was following her. She says she was stopped at a red light when he got out of his car and approached her car, banging her car with the handle of a gun. She says she drove away but he followed her and tried to run her off the road, hitting her car with his car and causing damage.
For those of you searching Twitter for updates on Shy Glizzy, here is the video from today. 🎥 streetpeopleofbeverlyhills on IG pic.twitter.com/ofqRtbF6Pl
— Sandy 🇺🇸 (@SandyAtkins_) May 15, 2023 @SandyAtkins_
TMZ broke the story ... Shy Glizzy was arrested on May 13 on a felony charge of making criminal threats after his ex told police he pulled a gun on her.
The ex claims she's told Shy to stop contacting her, but she says he keeps messaging her, threatening to kill her, and post explicit pictures and videos of her without her consent in what she believes is an attempt to ruin her modeling career.
Shy Glizzy's ex also claims he texted her best friend, "Imma get her a** beat."
The judge granted a temporary restraining order ... and now Shy Glizzy has to stay 100 yards away from his ex and he's barred from contacting her. The judge also prohibited Shy from posting or distributing any explicit photos or videos he may have of the two.
We reached out to Shy Glizzy's camp ... so far no word back.
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'General Hospital' Star Haley Pullos Busted For DUI After Wrong-Way Driving Freeway Crash
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Haley Pullos, known for her work on "General Hospital," was arrested for a DUI after allegedly causing a major freeway wreck ... one she's lucky to have survived, based on some horrific crash scene photos.
Haley, who plays Molly Lansing-Davis on the long-running soap opera, told Soap Opera Digest last week that she was taking a break from the show to recover from a car accident -- but according to a police report, Haley left out a few key details.
In the document, obtained by TMZ, cops say Haley was driving on a freeway in Pasadena on April 29 ... when she swerved, flew over the dividing barrier, and into oncoming traffic.
She ended up colliding head-on with another car that was going about 60 mph.
When cops arrived at the crash scene, they say Haley was unable to exit her car. Firefighters helped free her and got her into an ambulance .... where things got weird and a little violent.
Police say a firefighter was assessing her injuries when she struck him and shouted, "This is a $400 f***ing shirt!"
When they searched her car, cops say they found weed edibles and mini-bottles of tequila.
Haley was taken to the hospital ... cops met her there and say she showed clear signs she'd been driving under the influence -- noting the smell of alcohol on her breath, slurred speech, and watery eyes.
She was arrested for felony DUI while still at the hospital ... and cops note she got aggressive and fought hospital staff. They eventually had to sedate her.
The driver of the other car survived but was hospitalized with major injuries.
What's more ... cops tell TMZ Haley was also involved in a hit-and-run traffic collision before her gruesome freeway crash.
Pasadena Fire Dept. shared pics of the accident, warning people not to drink and drive.
We reached out to Haley's rep ... so far, no word back.
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Harry & Meghan Man Arrested for Prowling At Montecito Mansion
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12:43 PM PT -- A rep for the sheriff's office now says, "Follow up investigation by Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office Detectives determined the case to be a violation of 647(h) PC – Prowling (misdemeanor) and not a stalking violation. The investigation is ongoing."
A scary situation for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, as a man was arrested at the couple's home for stalking ... TMZ has learned.
A rep for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office tells us they got a call Monday morning, around 2 AM, from security staffers at Harry and Meghan's Montecito mansion for a man near the property.
We're told 29-year-old Kevin Garcia Valdovinos was placed under citizen's arrest by Harry and Meghan's security at the entrance to the property. Once cops arrived, they took him into custody and booked him for misdemeanor stalking. Valdovinos was later released on $2,500 bail.
The law under which Valdovinos was arrested indicates whatever he did, he's done before ... which makes sense because he never actually made it on the property. We know he told security something that triggered this arrest, though the sheriff is not saying what that was ... it's now up to prosecutors to decide the next steps.
It's unclear if Harry and Meghan were home at the time of the incident, but it's not the first time an intruder has been arrested at or near their home.
TMZ broke the story ... back on Christmas Eve 2020, a man named Nickolas Brooks, who apparently drove all the way from Ohio, was dinged for trespassing on the property -- but he was let off with a warning. However, cops say Brooks returned yet again on December 26, 2020, and was arrested for trespassing.
We've reached out to Harry and Meghan's reps ... so far, no word back.
Originally Published -- 12:45 AM PT
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Jackson Mahomes Appears In Court ... In Aggravated Sexual Battery Case
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Jackson Mahomes appeared in a Kansas courtroom on Tuesday afternoon ... marking one of the first times he's been seen in public since he was arrested for aggravated sexual battery earlier this month.
Patrick Mahomes' little brother -- a social media star who's amassed over 1 million followers on TikTok -- showed up to the Johnson County court looking sharp ... wearing a grey suit, a dark tie, and some sunglasses.
Jackson Mahomes and his attorney did not comment today following a bond motion hearing.
— Emily Rittman KCTV5 (@EmilyRittman) May 16, 2023 @EmilyRittman
He previously posted a $100,000 bond. A judge ruled Mahomes can have contact with three of four witnesses he requested permission to contact.
Updates on @KCTV5 4,6 PM pic.twitter.com/rWMtQ3KphM
Jackson briefly sat before a judge in order to request a modification of his bond.
The 23-year-old was asking to be able to contact four people that he had been previously barred from speaking with as part of the conditions of his release from jail on May 3.
During Tuesday's proceedings, the judge ruled he could have contact with three of the four.
Jackson then left the court without speaking to reporters on the scene. He's due back for another hearing in late August.
As we reported, Jackson was arrested earlier this month and hit with four charges -- including three counts of aggravated sexual battery -- after a restaurant owner claimed he tried to forcibly kiss her multiple times during an incident back in February.
At the time of the alleged encounter, the owner also claimed Jackson had shoved a male member of her wait staff earlier in the evening.
Jackson, through his attorney, Brandan Davies, has said he's done nothing wrong.
"Our investigation has revealed substantial evidence refuting the claims of Jackson's accuser including the statements of several witnesses," Davies said. "We have reached out to law enforcement to provide the fruit of our investigation so that they may have a complete picture of the matter."
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Shy Glizzy Allegedly Pulls Gun on GF ... Arrested on Felony Charge
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2:14 PM PT -- 7/14 -- Shy Glizzy has officially been cleared of charges in the case ... due to a lack of significant evidence and an inadmissible search and seizure.
Glizzy's girlfriend has filed docs asking for a restraining order against the rapper.
Shy Glizzy got arrested over the weekend after cops say he pulled a gun on his girlfriend and threatened to harm her ... TMZ has learned.
Our law enforcement sources tell us the rapper was arrested Saturday following a verbal altercation with his on-again, off-again girlfriend ... which police say escalated to the point where Shy grabbed a firearm and made a threat.
For those of you searching Twitter for updates on Shy Glizzy, here is the video from today. 🎥 streetpeopleofbeverlyhills on IG pic.twitter.com/ofqRtbF6Pl
— Sandy 🇺🇸 (@SandyAtkins_) May 15, 2023 @SandyAtkins_
We're told the alleged incident played out on a public street around 9 AM Saturday ... and Shy took off after the argument. Our sources say West Hollywood Sheriff's Deputies got involved and a criminal report was made ... Shy was eventually tracked down by 6 PM and arrested.
Shy Glizzy was booked on a felony charge of making criminal threats ... records show he was released after about 4 hours behind bars on a $50,000 bond.
Our sources say police did not find a gun on Shy when he was arrested ... and he denied ever threatening the girlfriend, who we're told he's been dating off and on for 4 months.
We're told the case remains under investigation.
We've reached out to Shy ... so far no word back.
Originally Published -- 12:08 PM PT
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Jonathan Majors Dating Meagan Good
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Jonathan Majors is still in the throes of a tricky legal situation, but he's been able to find some time for love ... TMZ has learned the actor recently started dating Meagan Good.
Sources with direct knowledge tell us, over the course of the last several weeks, Jonathan and Meagan have gotten close, and the relationship is “fairly new.” What's more, a witness tells us they were at the Alamo Drafthouse in L.A. last weekend to see a movie ... so it's not like they're hiding the fact they're hanging out.
It's unclear how serious the relationship is, but we've reached out to reps for Meagan and Jonathan. So far, no word back.
Of course, Majors continues to fight criminal charges in NYC -- 3 counts of attempted assault as well as assault, one count of aggravated harassment, and a separate count of harassment.
The actor is accused of slapping his ex-girlfriend in March in the back of a taxi after a night out partying in NYC.
Majors' attorney, Priya Chaudhry, has maintained her client's innocence from the beginning ... and has provided investigators with several surveillance videos, and text messages from the alleged victim in an attempt to prove Majors' innocence.
In one video, the ex-gf is drinking and partying in a nightclub, hours after the allegedly violent incident. Majors' team claims the images show she was not injured.
Majors had a court hearing earlier this week where his legal team hoped the D.A. would drop some, if not all, of the charges ... but they all remain.
After the hearing, Chaudhry called the entire case a racist witch hunt, adding, "When Mr. Majors showed a white police officer the injuries the woman caused him, the white officer got in Mr. Majors' face and taunted him, saying that if the officer were to slap Mr. Majors, the officer wouldn't break his finger."
Chaudhry's also annoyed neither the police or the D.A.'s office is investigating Majors' claim his ex actually assaulted him that night.
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Brittney Griner Returns To WNBA After Detainment In Russian ... Expresses Gratitude, Fans Go Wild
Brittney Griner made her long-awaited return to the basketball court Friday night after her 10-month detainment in Russia last year, but it didn't have the ending her fans were hoping for.
The Phoenix Mercury center still scored 10 points and pulled down 3 rebounds as the Mercury fell to the LA Sparks by a score of 90 to 71 in the WNBA preseason game.
Griner only played for 17 minutes, but she made the most of it, and her teammates were psyched to see her back on the court, hugging and high-fiving while also giving each other chest bumps.
Brittney Griner introduced in front of the home crowd in Phoenix…
— Eliav Gabay (@eliavgabay) May 13, 2023 @eliavgabay
I know it’s preseason, but I got chills…
BG is back.@Sports360AZ @brittneygriner #WNBATwitter pic.twitter.com/yZ8TqFFUsR
The crowd was ecstatic to see Brittney ... they erupted in applause when her name was first announced inside the Footprint Center in Phoenix.
After the game, Griner told reporters that she was "grateful" to have the opportunity to play again and would not take a single day for granted.
She also said she had a different experience hearing the national anthem before the game got underway.
“Hearing the national anthem, it definitely hit different," she said, adding, "It’s like when you go for the Olympics."
Griner was critical of her on-court performance, explaining, “Not where I want it to be, but on the right track. We’re making the right moves."
#Mercury Brittney Griner on her first game since 2021 #wnba Finals pic.twitter.com/NP5kFlueP0
— jeffmetcalfe (@jeffmetcalfe) May 13, 2023 @jeffmetcalfe
But, given what's Griner's been through, it must have felt in some way like a victory.
Griner was detained in Russia for nearly 300 days after getting caught with hash oil at Moscow Airport in February 2022. She was charged with smuggling drugs into the country, but was later released in a prisoner swap in December.
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GEORGE SANTOS Karma Is A Bitch ... Says Vet Whose Dog Died In Alleged Scam
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The Navy veteran who claims Rep. George Santos cheated him out of cash intended for his dying dog's cancer treatment is happy to see Santos facing criminal charges ... he says George had it coming and karma's a bitch.
Richard Osthoff tells TMZ ... Santos deserves to spend time behind bars and he hopes the judge throws the book at him.
The vet says he's not the only one glad the feds busted Santos, running off a list of groups he claims have been wronged by George. While he's surprised at the timeline, Richard says he's glad Santos finally has to face the music ... and he believes more charges could be coming.
As we reported ... the FBI arrested Santos Wednesday for a variety of alleged misdeeds, including lying. He was charged with 13 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making false statements to the House of Representatives.
For his part, Santos insists he's innocent, calling the indictment against him a "witch hunt" and refusing to resign.
Osthoff, you might recall, claims Santos created a GoFundMe campaign to pay for a lifesaving surgery for his cancer-stricken dog Sapphire ... only to see Santos make off with thousands of dollars in donations, leaving Sapphire for dead.
Santos is facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted ... and Osthoff says 2 decades behind bars would do George some good.
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NYC Subway Rider Death Marine Arrested For Strangling Jordan Neely ... Charged With Manslaughter
9:38 AM PT -- Daniel Penny has been released on $100,000 bail.
8:16 AM PT -- Daniel Penny was just seen exiting the police station in handcuffs.
Daniel Penny has just been criminally charged in the death of NYC subway rider Jordan Neely, who died after Penny put him in a chokehold on a train.
The Marine vet surrendered to police at a Manhattan station house Friday morning and was booked on a charge of second-degree manslaughter. After posing for a mug shot and getting fingerprinted, Penny will go before a judge to be arraigned on the felony charge in criminal court.
His attorneys from the law firm Raiser & Kenniff issued a statement Thursday night, saying they were "confident that once all the facts and circumstances surrounding this tragic incident are brought to bear, Mr. Penny will be fully absolved of any wrongdoing."
Daniel Penny has officially turned himself in to face a second degree manslaughter charge for the killing of Jordan Neely after a minutes long chokehold on the New York subway. pic.twitter.com/g1M756waHk
— Omar Jimenez (@OmarJimenez) May 12, 2023 @OmarJimenez
Penny was a passenger in a subway snaking through the Manhattan underground on May 1 when he and other riders encountered Neely, who was allegedly in the throes of a mental health episode. Penny's lawyers say Neely was aggressive and threatening.
Neely was reportedly screaming that he was hungry and thirsty and didn't care if he went to jail. He also allegedly ripped off his coat and threw it on the ground.
In what he says was self-defense, Penny placed Neely in a chokehold while a witness started filming. Over the next several minutes, Penny and Neely grappled on the floor until Neely's body went limp and he was pronounced dead.
The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide due to "compression of neck."
Originally Published -- 5:18 AM PT
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Island Boys’ Franky Venegas Ex-GF Removing Tattoos of Him After Domestic Battery Arrest
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Franky Venegas, one of the twins from the viral Island Boys duo, is about to be a distant and faded memory for his ex-girlfriend ... who's erasing him from her body on the heels of him allegedly getting physical with her.
Franky's ex, Amina, went to Bad Habits Tattoos & Laser Tattoo Removal in Fort Lauderdale this week. Owner Liz Chaviano tells TMZ, it was the first of many sessions to scrub Amina's tattoos of Franky.
We're told she has a total of 3 ink pieces in honor of Kodiyakredd -- Franky's Island Boys alias -- a tattoo of his face on her neck, his name across her chest and another on her wrist.
Liz says the whole process can take up to a year and a half, depending on how deep the ink's been absorbed into the skin.
Interestingly, she says they seem to be so badly done, their removal could go pretty quickly. One removal session is done every 6 weeks.
As we reported, Franky was arrested for domestic battery after Amina told cops they got into an argument on Saturday by the pool of their Airbnb in Pompano Beach. She claims he slapped her and pushed her into the water after she threatened to break things off with him.
You'll recall, he later posted a vid outside the jail ... letting folks know he was released from police custody.
Kodiyakredd and his twin bro Flyysoulja found Internet stardom back in 2021, after releasing their horribly catchy song, "I'm An Island Boy" ... emphasis on horribly.
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Cheating Ohio Fishermen Sentenced To Jail ... After Stuffing Walleyes With Weights
The two guys who were caught stuffing their prized catches with weights to try to win a Lake Erie fishing tournament last year will now have to spend time behind bars over their cheating ways ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.
According to court records, 43-year-old Jacob Runyan and 36-year-old Chase Cominsky showed up in court to learn their fate at a sentencing hearing in Ohio on Thursday.
Records show that both men were sentenced to 10 days in jail during the proceedings. A judge ruled they would also have to serve 1 1/2 years of probation -- and each was ordered to pay big fines as well.
The sentencing was handed down two months after the guys cut a deal with prosecutors in the case ... one in which they each agreed to plead guilty to one felony count of cheating and one misdemeanor count of illegal animal ownership in exchange for officials dropping the other two charges against them.
Runyan, according to USA Today, apologized for his actions in court ... calling the scandal "the most ignorant decision I’ve ever made in my life."
Runyan and Cominsky were first accused of cheating at the Lake Erie Walleye Trail in Cleveland's Gordon Park back in September when officials alleged the men put metal balls and fish fillets inside of their walleyes to make them heavier on the scales.
Initially, the guys pleaded not guilty to the charges ... but pivoted in March.
Records show both men began serving their jail sentences immediately after Thursday's hearing.
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Kim Kardashian Look-Alike Woman Arrested in Her Death ... Allegedly Gave Butt Injections without License
There's an arrest in the death of OnlyFans Model, and Kim Kardashian look-alike, Christina Ashten Gourkani -- a woman who allegedly administered butt injections in a hotel room is in police custody.
Arrest records say cops busted 50-year-old Vivian Alexandra Gomez in Florida last month, and she's been charged with 2 felonies -- involuntary manslaughter and practicing medicine without a license. Her arrest came not long after Christina died in California.
Gomez allegedly gave Christina "several injections" of what is believed to be silicone, and the procedure was done in a Burlingame, CA hotel room, according to the Daily Post. Cops say Gomez did not have a license to practice medicine.
As we reported, Christina's family shared the news of her death on GoFundMe -- saying they got a frantic call from a family member saying Ashten was dying, and when they arrived at the hospital they found out she suffered a cardiac arrest and had passed.
At the time, they didn't go into much detail, but said it was being investigated as a potential homicide, referring to a "medical procedure that took a turn for the worse."
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Natalee Holloway Disappearance Joran Van Der Sloot Facing Federal Charges ... Will Be Extradited To U.S.
10:16 AM PT -- Natalee Holloway's brother, Matt, tells TMZ … "I want to thank you and all of the other media outlets for their continued support in keeping up with the current events regarding my sister Natalee. I have to give thanks first to Mrs. Greta Van Susteren for her tireless work in this case. She has gone above and beyond what anyone could have ever asked for."
He continued, "I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the Peruvian government and their president for allowing this extradition. I would also like to thank the FBI & US Attorney’s Office along with Attorney John Kelly who have been working hard to help bring justice for Natalee. I look forward to seeing Joran face arraignment at the Federal Court House in Birmingham, Alabama."
The man linked to the infamous 2005 death and disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba will finally get his day in a U.S. court for allegedly extorting her mother.
Joran van der Sloot has long been suspected of killing Holloway, who was 18 when she vanished during a high school trip to the Caribbean Island in May 2005. Holloway was last seen leaving a bar with van der Sloot, who was interrogated by police at the time, but never charged with her disappearance. A judge declared Holloway dead in 2012. The case, which garnered worldwide attention, remains unsolved to this day.
But, van der Sloot is now facing some accountability. The feds have formally charged him with fraud in the Holloway matter and will be extraditing him to Alabama from Peru, where he is serving a 28-year prison term for the unrelated strangulation murder of student Stephany Flores in 2010.
That same year, van der Sloot was indicted on federal charges of wire fraud and extortion by a Birmingham, AL, grand jury for trying to solicit $250,000 from Beth Holloway on the false promise that he would tell her what happened to her daughter and where to find her body.
According to court documents, van der Sloot reached out to Beth and asked her for a $25,000 down payment to escort her legal advisor, John Kelly, to her daughter's gravesite in Aruba. van der Sloot, the docs say, also demanded that Beth pay him the rest of the money after Kelly identified Natalee's remains.
But, Beth smelled a rat and contacted the FBI, which set up a sting operation. Here's how it allegedly worked: Beth sent $15,000 to van der Sloot via wire transfer. She also wired $10,000 to Kelly, requesting that he personally deliver the money to van der Sloot, which Kelly did.
van der Sloot then allegedly brought Kelly to the purported burial site, but it turned out to be one big scam. Natalee's corpse wasn't there.
That's when the FBI closed in on van der Sloot and prosecutors eventually filed charges against him.
Addressing van der Sloot's extradition, Beth Holloway released a statement, which read in part, “It has been a very long and painful journey, but the persistence of many is going to pay off. Together, we are finally getting justice for Natalee."
Originally Published -- 5:46 AM PT
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Phoenix Mercury Wyclef Performing At Griner's First Home Game Since Release From Russia
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Brittney Griner's just days away from returning to the WNBA court -- and anticipation is at an all-time high for Mercury fans -- but the pot is about to get a little sweeter ... 3x Grammy winner Wyclef Jean will be performing a special halftime show in honor of BG's homecoming!
TMZ Sports has learned the Phoenix Mercury have teamed up with The Sum, a new music platform from Anagram Studios, to bring in Jean to perform during their May 21 game against the Chicago Sky at the Footprint Center to celebrate Griner's return on what will be her first home game since the Russia ordeal.
We're told one of the songs Wyclef will sing is Bob Marley’s iconic hit, “One Love” ... where Jean will be joined by 200 fans who will be selected to perform live with the 53-year-old musician.
He will also put on a postgame concert.
Of course, it'll be a party when the star center hits the hardwood in front of hometown Mercury fans this season ... after missing all of last season while she was detained.
The 32-year-old endured nine months in a Russian jail cell/prison camp, before coming home in December thanks to a prisoner swap. There was initially doubt Griner would ever hoop again, but she quickly put that sentiment to bed ... announcing she was coming back.
The WNBA champ ultimately signed a 1-year deal with the Mercury in February ... and said she can't wait to play this upcoming season.
"Look forward to all those moments. Just waking in on the first home game, the grind, the sweat, the blood," Griner said during last month's press conference. "Just taking all that in. I missed it."
And, it's not just BG who's pumped ... Mercury president Vince Kozar can't wait for their home opener!
“May 21 is going to be an unforgettable experience for our fans and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to have an award-winning artist the caliber of Wyclef Jean join us in celebrating BG’s return and a new Mercury season,” Kozar told us.
“We’re so grateful for the partnership with The Sum and excited for how their show will elevate our in-arena experience.”