Crime

Jussie Smollett is taking Lent very seriously this year, choosing to give up food while behind bars ... and he's intending to stick to it for nearly 5 more weeks.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Jussie's fasting for spiritual reasons and hasn't eaten anything since Lent started on March 3, a full week before he started serving his sentence in Cook County Jail -- and he's continued the fast behind bars.

We're told all he's ingested is water, and while his plan is to keep that up until Lent ends on April 17, Easter Sunday ... he's taking things "one day at a time."

Our sources say Jussie remains in good spirits, noting this is not a hunger strike or protest to his imprisonment. Remember, Jussie made a point to repeatedly say, during his sentencing, he is not suicidal.

He's nearly 2 weeks into the fast, and we're told he's still physically okay and in "good spirits." Cook Co. Sheriff's Office says it can't comment on religious or spiritual practices of individuals, but did say jail staff monitors all inmates to "ensure their health and wellness."

On Wednesday, his brother, Jocqui said Jussie had been moved out of the psych ward thanks to fan support, with #FreeJussie circulating online.

While he claimed his brother was kept in a restrained bed during his time in the ward, a rep for the sheriff's office says that wasn't the case and denied Jussie's bed had any restraints.

We're also told he was moved out of the ward because health services needed space for another detained person, and the decision to move him was made by medical professionals.

"90 Day Fiance" star Ben Rathbun is spending time behind bars after getting busted for drunk driving in Michigan.

According to online records ... Rathbun was booked early Tuesday morning for OUI (operating while under the influence of alcohol) and driving with a suspended license.

Details of what led up to Ben's arrest are currently unclear, but records indicate his bond has been set at $10,000.

Ben's story on season 5 of '90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days' has been an interesting one ... the 52-year-old father of 4 met his 22-year-old girl friend, Mahogany, online. Many believed Mahogany -- who hails from South America -- was catfishing Ben ... but when they actually met, it turned out she was the real deal.

Unclear if Mahogany was with Ben, or even in the country at the time of his arrest, but reports as recent as last month say the two are still dating.

Kevin Holland is basically Batman at this point.

The UFC star just took matters into his own hands and stopped a crime dead in its tracks -- AGAIN -- this time, subduing a gunman at a sushi restaurant.

The 29-year-old welterweight was at Ra Sushi in the Highland Village of Houston around 11:30 PM on Monday ... when witnesses say someone entered the restaurant and fired a gun into the air.

But, while most of the folks in attendance ducked for cover, three customers -- including Holland -- rushed to stop the alleged shooter.

One of the heroes, Patrick Robinson, spoke with ABC 13 about the heroic effort ... saying, "We were eating and the next thing you know, a gunshot just popped off. So everything paused and then everybody started running to get down under a table."

"We got him down, apprehended him, got the gun away from him and the bag that he had."

By the time cops arrived, the 24-year-old suspect was already subdued and had his weapon taken away!!

The suspect is now facing charges of possessing a stolen gun and discharge of a firearm, the outlet reports.

Remember, this isn't the first time Holland -- who just beat "Cowboy" Oliveira at UFC 272 -- put his MMA skills to use outside the Octagon. Last year, he helped stop a carjacker just days after competing at UFC Fight Night!!

Get this guy a medal.

A Russian TV producer who barged in on a live, state-run newscast with an anti-war protest is now MIA.

Human rights group OVD-Info -- which tracks Russian protests and detainments -- has been unable to locate Marina Ovsyannikova ... the TV editor who ran on set in the middle of a telecast with a "No War" sign.

During Monday's 9 PM news show on Russia's flagship network, which cranks out pro-Putin propaganda, Ovsyannikova ran behind the anchor who was in the middle of talking with her poster in hand which said, "Stop the war. Do not believe propaganda they tell you lies here. Russians against war." She was chanting, "Stop the war, no to war!"

The camera cut away to video footage ... and she was gone when they went back to the studio. Many believe Ovsyannikova was swiftly taken in by the authorities ... and now, nobody can find her.

There are differing reports on what happened to her and what's going to happen next ... a Kremlin spokesperson called her act "hooliganism" and insisted Channel One was dealing with it internally, and not the government.

In the meantime, local outlets are reporting an official investigation has been launched against her ... and Ovsyannikova may face criminal charges for criticizing the government.

As you might imagine ... her story has sparked lots of outcry, with different humanitarian and watchdog orgs calling for her safe release and freedom from persecution. Of course, tracking her down first would be a great first step ... she's vanished for upwards of 12-plus hours now.

Ovsyannikova actually posted a video before storming the set, noting she had Ukrainian family members ... while also calling the war in Ukraine a crime, and encouraging folks to speak out and demonstrate.

MLB star Marcell Ozuna says he apologized to his teammates after police video showed him putting his hands on his wife ... explaining he told the Braves, "I made a mistake."

Speaking with reporters at spring training for the first time since he was arrested for grabbing his wife around her neck in a May 2021 altercation ... Ozuna said he addressed the situation with his Atlanta teammates.

Ozuna told media members he apologized to the Braves vehemently ... saying, "I said I'm sorry. I made a mistake."

Ozuna then issued a mea culpa to fans -- urging them to not change their opinion of him based on the '21 incident.

"I would just tell them, treat me as the person I was before," the two-time All-Star said. "Like, I was an amazing person out and in the field. So I'm going to be like that."

As we reported, Ozuna was arrested on May 21 after cops say he struck his wife and also attempted to strangle her at a residence in Georgia.

Ozuna was initially charged with two felonies ... but the counts were ultimately reduced to misdemeanor family violence charges -- and Ozuna agreed to enter into a pretrial diversion program to close out the case.

Ozuna was ordered to, among other things, take an anger management course and complete at least 200 hours of community service. He was also placed on 6 months of supervision.

The MLB, meanwhile, suspended him 20 games, but the ban was retroactive ... meaning Ozuna can play right away this season for the Braves.

There's a new crime that's a sign of the times ... and the sign is plastered on gas stations across America.

Gas has become such a pricey commodity, thieves are pilfering petrol right from the gas tank. Yep, shimmying under the chassis and drilling holes into the tanks ... catching the fuel before it hits the ground.

It's no big surprise ... with gas prices in some areas of the country soaring above $7 a gallon.

As for why these crooks aren't doing it the OG way -- siphoning gas by just removing the gas cap -- newer models have rollover valves that make it impossible.

There is, of course, a big element of danger. If the gas tank explodes it could be catastrophic. BTW, God forbid, if a bystander dies in such an explosion, the thieves could be prosecuted for involuntary manslaughter. It doesn't seem worth the risk for 70 bucks.

This is the latest version of car theft. As you may know, there's a crime wave across the country ... criminals have been stealing catalytic converters left and right.

BTW ... it's a pricey repair, often costing $2,000 to make things right.

Taraji P. Henson is coming out in full defense of Jussie Smollett -- but is making a strange comparison ... invoking the Emmett Till case to try and describe what's happening to him.

The "Empire" star -- who obviously appeared opposite Jussie through much of the show -- took to IG this weekend with an impassioned plea on behalf of her friend, posting a photo with the hashtag #FreeJussie ... accompanied by a lengthy caption.

She writes, "I am not here to debate you on his innocence but we can agree that the punishment does not fit the crime. Emmett Till was brutally beat and ultimately murdered because of a lie and none of the people involved with his demise spent one day in jail, even after Carolyn Bryant admitted that her claims were false."

Taraji adds, "No one was hurt or killed during Jussie’s ordeal. He has already lost everything, EVERYTHING! To me as an artist not able to create that in itself is punishment enough. He can’t get a job. No one in Hollywood will hire him and again as an artist who loves to create, that is prison."

Finally, she finishes her sentiment with this ... "My prayer is that he is freed and put on house arrest and probation because in this case that would seem fair. Please #freejussie."

As we told you, Jussie's brother told his followers that his sibling had been placed in the psych ward wing of Cook County Jail -- which we've learned is, in fact, true ... but it's not for the reasons that Jocqui suggested ... namely, that he was there against his will.

Our law enforcement sources tell us it's simply where they house high-profile inmates ... and not just that, but he'll also be in protective custody while there, under a watchful eye.

Jussie Smollett has been placed in the psych ward at the Cook County Jail, and his brother says it's because the official paperwork says Jussie is at risk of self-harm.

Jocqui Smollett hopped on Instagram Saturday, saying, "So Jussie is currently in a psych ward at the Cook County Jail. What's very concerning is that there was a note attached to his paperwork today saying that he's at risk of self-harm."

Jocqui then called B.S. ... "I want to make it clear that he is in no way, shape, or form at risk of self-harm. He wants to let folks know that he is very stable, he is very strong, he is very healthy and ready to take on the challenge that... has been put up against him."

A law enforcement source tells TMZ, the reason Jussie is in the psych ward is because it's also the area where they house high-profile inmates.

The former "Empire" actor is now serving his 5-month sentence for faking a racial and homophobic attack on the streets of Chicago. When he was sentenced he told the judge repeatedly that he was not suicidal, so if anything happened to him behind bars it was not self-harm.

Billionaire Investor Jeffrey Katzenberg is many things, but like many of us ... he's not bulletproof from being hacked online.

Jeffery became a guinea pig of sorts, starring in a video showing how hackers take advantage of vulnerable and/or unsophisticated users and steal vital, personal info.

Check out the video ... Jeffery's devices get hacked by Rachel Tobac, CEO of SocialProof Security, and she's able to swipe his emails, contacts, photos ... even his ID/passport, and it's pretty shocking how it all goes down.

Online hackers have cracked into more than 13 billion connected devices ... in 2020 alone, Americans lost more than $4.2B from digital crimes, according to the FBI.

Pretty scary, right?

The co-founder and former CEO of DreamWorks Animation is touting digital security for consumers through a company called Aura.

An L.A. TV reporter was doing a story about a tragic hit-and-run accident, and what played out behind him is just crazy.

KTLA reporter Gene Kang was in South L.A., doing a story on a fatal crash at a dangerous intersection, when 2 cars behind him get into a gnarly accident. You see one of the cars bolting from the scene. In other words, it's a hit-and-run in the middle of a story about a hit-and-run.

Kang said afterward, "Our security guard Walter Mann yelled 'get back' and we moved as the car came racing towards us. It veered away at the last second and T-boned the car."

The driver of the car that left the scene may want to throw himself at the mercy of authorities, because his/her license plate fell off the car.

Scary news out of the D.R. ... New York Yankees utility man Miguel Andujar was reportedly beaten and robbed at gunpoint on Wednesday.

The incident happened while the 27-year-old was on his farm, the Listin Diario reported on Friday. The outlet added Andujar's $7,000 watch was taken during the incident, as was his father's SUV.

According to the report, two armed men beat the baseball player before forcing him to hand over his jewelry. The men then allegedly took Andujar's dad's car before later abandoning it.

Several gunshots were fired during the altercation, the outlet reported. But, Andujar is thankfully said to be in stable condition. Cops are reportedly investigating.

Andujar was expected to join the Yankees at spring training in Florida in just a couple days.

We reached out to the Yanks for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

Andujar was a star for NYY in his rookie season in 2018 -- batting .297 with 27 home runs -- but he's struggled to find similar success in the following seasons while battling injuries.

The parents of Gabby Petito want justice for their daughter -- suing the parents of her killer, Brian Laundrie -- for allegedly knowing more about Gabby's death than they let on.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Gabby's parents say Chris and Roberta Laundrie knew their son had murdered Gabby and believed they were in the process of helping him leave the country.

The docs also mention Gabby's autopsy revealed she'd suffered blunt force injuries to both her head and neck ... additional details from the fact she had been strangled to death.

The lawsuit, filed by Gabby's dad, Joseph Petito, and mom, Nichole Schmidt claim after her death, Brian used Gabby's phone to send text messages ... making it seem like she was still alive.

Gabby's parents say in one of the texts allegedly sent to Schmidt by Laundrie from Gabby's phone, he referred to Gabby's grandfather by his real name, Stan, something she would never have done.

The lawsuit claims Brian was using Gabby's phone up until at least August 30 -- 3 days after she was murdered -- to communicate with Schmidt, saying there was poor cell service in Yosemite.

What's more ... Gabby's parents say they believe it was on August 28, a day after her murder, when Brian told his parents what had happened. The lawsuit alleges it was that same day when the Laundries contacted an attorney ... and hired him a few days later.

Gabby's parents say prior to her disappearance, they had a pleasant relationship with the Laundries, but as the situation got worse, Brian's mom allegedly blocked Gabby's mom's cellphone as well as her account on Facebook.

While the docs don't get into detail on exactly how ... they read, " ... Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie were keeping the whereabouts of Brian Laundrie secret, and it is believed were making arrangements for him to leave the country."

Gabby's parents say they suffered emotional distress, and are asking for an unspecified amount in damages.

Alec Baldwin says his "Rust" contract makes him judgment proof in the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins ... and he goes on to blame her for the fatal incident.

Baldwin's lawyers filed an arbitration claim, alleging his deal shields him from any financial responsibility in connection with Hutchins' death. What's more ... the lawyers say Baldwin's legal fees must be covered by the production as well.

But that's not all. In the docs, Baldwin says Hutchins is the one who told him how to position the gun, saying, "She directed Baldwin to hold the gun higher, to a point where it was directed toward her. She was looking carefully at the monitor and then at Baldwin, and then back again, as she gave these instructions."

The lawyers go on ... "In giving and following these instructions, Hutchins and Baldwin shared a core, vital belief: that the gun was 'cold' and contained no live rounds."

The attorneys also say Baldwin asked Hutchins if she wanted him to pull back the hammer ... the lawyers say Hutchins responded in the affirmative.

And, there's this ... the docs reference Baldwin's interactions with Hutchins' husband, Matthew shortly after the shooting. When Hutchins hugged Baldwin, the actor's lawyers say Hutchins said, "I guess we're going to go through this together."

That relationship blew up after Baldwin sat down with ABC News and not only absolved himself of responsibility, but blamed Halyna.

The docs say it's not the actor's responsibility to check a gun for live ammo ... the lawyers say it's the armorist's job.

As for liability because of Baldwin's Executive Producer title, the lawyers say his contract indemnifies him. Besides, the lawyers say, Baldwin was just a creative E.P.

As we reported, there were numerous safety concerns on the set, to the point some of the crew staged a walk-off.

There's clearly a massive desire for the new collab between Burberry and Supreme ... so much so, shoppers trying to get the gear erupted into a massive brawl.

It all went down in Manhattan, as customers waited to snag some items from the brands' latest release. It's not clear exactly how the it all started, but it's obvious how it all ended ... fighting, shouting ... and utter chaos.

Check it out for yourself … one video shows a guy who is clearly pissed, shouting, "I'm still standing right here."

In another video, you can see fists thrown and more people pile on, while others hold their places in line.

One observer noted on Twitter that the brands made the collection first-come, first-serve ... so there was bound to be some drama.

Jussie Smollett's courtroom outburst isn't landing for Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot ... who is praising his 5-month jail sentence, condemning him for staging a hate crime and hoping his case is a warning to others.

After Jussie's sentencing, where he shouted he's innocent and left with a fist in the air, Mayor Lightfoot was totally unswayed, saying ... "The city feels vindicated in today's ruling that he is being held accountable and that we will appropriately receive restitution for his actions."

She also reminded everyone what that restitution will cover -- "The malicious and wholly fabricated claim made by Mr. Smollett resulted in over 1,500 hours of police work that cost the city over $130,000 in police overtime."

In other words, the Mayor's certain Smollett got exactly what he deserves at Thursday's sentencing.

Judge James Linn gave the ex-"Empire" actor 150 days in prison, 30 months of probation, a $25k fine and restitution of over $120k.

You'll recall ... Jussie told police he was the victim of a racist homophobic attack, back in 2019. He claimed 2 white men called him slurs, poured chemicals on him and put a noose around his neck.

Of course, brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo, who are Black, told cops the actor paid them to stage the entire "attack."

Jussie Smollett was just sentenced to 150 days in Jail for his elaborate hoax on the streets of Chicago ... and Jussie went off on the judge, telling him if he dies in prison it's not suicide. It got so intense, Jussie was taken into custody and left with his fist in the air.

Judge Linn just handed down the sentence ... which also includes 30 months felony probation, $120,106 restitution to the city of Chicago and will pay a $25,000 fine.

Judge Linn pointed to Jussie's testimony during trial, when he talked about his life ... and he talked about social justice and how much it meant to him and his family.  And, the judge noted the irony and hypocrisy that Jussie engineered a hate crime hoax.

Judge Linn says Jussie wasn't motivated by money ... he did it because he craved the attention and thought he could boost his profile by tapping into the social justice movement in America. He said he just wanted to make himself more famous, throwing himself a "national pity party."

The judge called Jussie arrogant, selfish, narcissistic, and he did damage to real victims of hate crimes. Victims are always reluctant to come forward, and Jussie did them no favors. The judge says Jussie lied ... lied and lied repeatedly about the incident.

The judge made it clear he was not sentencing Jussie to satisfy public opinion ... it was purely a matter of what Jussie did.  The judge said there was nothing he could do that would be worse than what he did to himself, saying Jussie destroyed his life by his shenanigans.

Jussie declined to speak in open court before sentencing ... his lawyer advised against it.

Jussie's 92-year-old grandma got on the stand to plead for leniency, and she launched on the media for not reporting the story accurately. She called him a "justice warrior," who has been steeped in social activism for years. She told the judge, if he sends Jussie to prison he should send her along with him.

The lawyer for the City of Chicago made it clear ... this was not a victimless crime, saying more than 30 Chicago cops investigated the case and had to review more than 1500 hours of surveillance video. They went door to door in the freezing cold to get to the bottom of the case. They amassed more than 1,000 in overtime, and it caused fatigue and stress. The lawyer also said Jussie has made real hate crime victims hesitant to come forward.

Jussie's lawyer made a series of arguments during the hearing, imploring the judge to throw out the verdict. Notably, his lawyer argued because of the pretrial publicity by City officials -- including the Police Commissioner -- Jussie did not enjoy the constitutional protection of being presumed innocent. The judge rejected that argument.

The judge also turned thumbs down on the argument Jussie was entitled to a public trial and that, his lawyer argued, was not the case. The special prosecutor fired back, even during a pandemic, the trial was open to reporters and also, the defense didn't want cameras in the courtroom during the trial, so it's rich they're making this argument now.