Money

The guy seen in video throwing a devastating punch at one of Nardo Wick's fans has a new issue on his hands -- he's lost his bond money by skipping out a court appearance.

TMZ Hip Hop obtained docs confirm 34-year-old Zachary L. Benton's $2,000 cash bond was forfeited after he missed a March 18 court date for the case.

We broke the story back in December ... Benton and a 15-year-old minor are accused of viciously attacking George Obregon Jr. -- a Nardo fan who was trying to get a selfie with the rapper.

In the video, Benton throws one sucker punch, and then the minor follows up with multiple shots to George's face, knocking him out cold on the pavement and causing a concussion.

Nardo wasn't with the smoke, and distanced himself from the attack ... while Benton later surrendered to police, and was charged with felony aggravated battery.

50 Cent's "Power Book II: Ghost" is coming to an end next season, and while one of its stars, Gianni Paolo, says he'll continue working with the G-Unit visionary ... he also says losing his show sucks!!!

Gianni linked with TMZ Hip Hop at LAX, and like his costar Michael Rainey Jr. -- who was disgusted by the cancelation -- he feels the show's tight-knit cast is simply getting a bitter taste of Hollywood's revolving door.

Starz CEO Jeff Hirsch recently explained how budget costs go up after 3rd and 4th seasons, and Gianni confirms to us they did get raises -- but, still, he didn't expect to get canceled after the show set Starz ratings records!

Season 3's opener broke Starz's record for its biggest weekend viewership and Gianni tells us he couldn't believe the network still decided to dump the show.

He thinks getting stingy on production costs isn't the move, and alludes to other Starz shows being made for cheaper ... and looking like it.

Gianni didn't name names, but the latest episode of 'BMF' just got reamed online for featuring a "knockoff Tupac Shakur" in a cameo role.

Regardless, he says 50 and series creator Courtney A. Kemp were nothing but good to him and he's onboard for whatever their next project is.

All the boxing purists crying over the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight need to chill out ... at least that's what Tyson Fury thinks, 'cause the Gypsy King says their upcoming fight is "fantastic" for boxing -- and it's a "pretty even" matchup!!

The heavyweight champ gave his two cents on the huge July 20 event this week ... and while he acknowledged the naysayers' points (Tyson being 57 and Paul's lack of experience), he believes it's a perfect combination for a "good spectacle" that'll attract new eyeballs to the sport.

"You've got a legend in Mike Tyson. You've got a YouTube boxer who has come into the game and blew it up and he's got millions of followers and millions of views and millions of eyes," Fury said. "Good, bad or indifferent. Some people love him, some people hate him."

Fury -- who's named after Iron Mike -- pointed out Paul's rise in boxing after starring on the Disney Channel ... saying he doesn't blame the Problem Child for wanting to fight a legend like Tyson.

As for the fight, Fury says there will be no winners since the boxers will undoubtedly make a ton of money ... but he believes with Tyson's age and Paul only being a few years into the sport, it's actually a fair matchup.

Meek Mill and Akademiks' 7-figure deal to squash their beef with body blows is still an option -- but YK Osiris is advising you not to wager on either guy ... and simply bet on him.

Yep, the R&B star took time out of his NYC hustle and bustle to laugh off Meek and Ak's unresolved clash -- telling TMZ Hip Hop he's confident he'll pummel them both in the ring!!! 🥊

YK hits the high notes, but loves his boxing highlights as well ... having sparred with Lil Uzi Vert, Tjay and Blueface in the past.

Damon Feldman, CEO of Official Celebrity Boxing, drummed up and sent out an agreement for both Meek and Ak to sign ... $1M for participating and an additional million for the winner!!!

Quite the payoff for beating up your arch-nemesis but we're told neither Ak or Meek have responded to OCB's request to sign the paperwork.

They may be moving toward a more peaceful solution ... Ak recently offered Meek a million dollars of his own for a year-long podcast deal, which probably won't happen either.

Ak recently scolded Meek for flip-flopping on his stance about street life -- much like Dee-1 did months ago, and the two seem to be in their comfort zone yelling at one another on X.

Sydney Sweeney es una maestra de las relaciones públicas o tiene todo resuelto en el mundo del espectáculo, pues está explicando por qué el épico fracaso de "Madame Web" fue en realidad una jugada buena para su carrera.

Básicamente, la actriz tiene una perspectiva estratégica con que la película haya sido un fracaso de taquilla, pues le dijo a GQ Reino Unido que lo está viendo como un movimiento inteligente si uno ve el cuadro completo, pues su participación en la película la ha ayudado a fortalecer sus lazos con los grandes ejecutivos de Sony.

Sydney dice que protagonizar la película le ha abierto puertas a las que, de otro modo, no habría tenido acceso.

Por ejemplo, gracias a su conexión con Sony, consiguió que se hiciera su otra película "Anyone But You" e incluso consiguió el papel protagonista en la nueva película de "Barbarella", todo bajo el paraguas de Sony.

En cuanto a las malas reacciones que ha tenido "Madame Web", Sydney dice que fue contratada como actriz y que estaba encantada de dar vida al personaje.

Pero cuando se trata de las consecuencias del fracaso, dice que está bien con que la ola la haya llevado a donde quiera que sea, sobre todo porque no era parte de los productores.

En 2020, Sydney lanzó su propia productora Fifty-Fifty Films, que ayudó al éxito de su otra película "Anyone But You", protagonizada por Glen Powell.

"Madame Web" no consiguió el mismo éxito, ya que apenas recaudó 25,8 millones de dólares en su fin de semana de estreno.

Pero para Sydney, el argumento de una película no es un factor decisivo a la hora de elegir guiones, ella se centra en entablar relaciones profesionales.

Sydney Sweeney's a hall of fame spin doctor, or she's got showbiz all figured out ... because she's explaining why the epic flop of "Madame Web" is actually good for her career.

The actress basically has a strategic business perspective on the film crashing and burning at the box office ... telling GQ UK she's seeing it as a smart move in the grand scheme of things 'cause her involvement in the film has strengthened her ties to the big wigs at Sony.

Sydney says starring in the flick opened doors she wouldn't have access to, otherwise.

Case in point, thanks to her connection with Sony, she managed to get her other movie "Anyone But You" made and even snagged the lead role in the new "Barbarella" movie -- all under the Sony umbrella.

As for directly addressing the "Madame Web" backlash ... Sydney's saying she was just hired as an actor, and was stoked to breathe life into the character.

But when it comes to the fallout from it flopping, she's cool with riding the wave wherever it takes her, especially since she's not in the producer's seat.

IYDK, back in 2020, Sydney actually launched her own production company, Fifty-Fifty Films, which helped the success of her other film, "Anyone But You," costarring Glen Powell.

"Madame Web" didn't quite hit the same mark -- barely scraping together $25.8 million domestically in its opening weekend.

But as far as Sydney's concerned, a movie's plot ain't a deal breaker when it comes to choosing scripts ... she's just focused on building professional relationships.

Steve Wynn isn't hedging any bets when it comes to a just-announced film project about his life ... as he's hit producers with a stern message about their potential portrayal of him.

We've seen a copy of a letter issued to producers Scott Jay Kaplan, Emmet McDermott and author Christina Binkley after the industry vets optioned the rights to CB's book, 'Winner Takes All' -- which details Steve's rise and fall as a casino bigwig -- for a dramatic retelling.

The letter was sent from powerhouse attorney Patricia L. Glaser on behalf of Steve ... and it makes clear that the Sin City businessman won't tolerate creative liberties taken in any big or small dramatization of his life -- including what Kaplan and McDermott are working on.

The billionaire's legal team explicitly expressed their concern for the project ... citing what they allege is the author's "history of false statements and mischaracterizations regarding [Steve]" -- referencing the source material that'll serve as the inspiration for this project of theirs.

While Steve didn't threaten to put the kibosh on the movie here in this letter his attorney fired off -- not that he had any real right to stall the project -- he does demand, via Glaser, that Scott and Emmet verify every fact presented in the story and ensure that their sources are fully vetted. Translation ... no stone should be left unturned when it comes to research!

And it's pretty obvious that Steve means business here -- as the letter threatened legal action over any falsehoods that may be presented.

Even though it's clear that Steve has never been a fan of his depiction in 'Winner Takes All' ...  it doesn't appear he ever sued over the book in the 16 years since it's been published.

The book found itself on the NYT Best Seller List after chronicling the meteoric rise of Wynn -- who was forced to step down from Wynn Resorts amid sexual misconduct allegations ... claims he's denied, for which he's never been charged with a crime.

12:21 PM PT -- El abogado de Jonathan Majors Priya Chaudhry le dice a TMZ: "Esto no es una sorpresa. El Sr. Majors está preparando contrademandas contra la Sra. Jabbari".

Jonathan Majors está siendo llevado nuevamente a los tribunales por su ex novia Grace Jabbari, quien lo está demandando por un caso de agresión en esta oportunidad y otras cuestiones que dice que ocurrieron en el pasado.

Jabbari acaba de presentar una demanda contra Majors y en los documentos obtenidos por TMZ, está entrando en muchos más detalles sobre estos otros casos, los que habrían ocurrido antes de marzo de 2023, cuando sucedió el incidente que lo llevó a la corte criminal y finalmente terminó con una condena en su contra.

En la demanda de Grace Jabbari, ella afirma que el supuesto abuso que sufrió a manos de Majors ocurrió poco tiempo después de que empezaran a salir en 2021, particularmente a fines de ese año, cuando tuvo miedo por primera vez de su temperamento, luego que mencionara una relación anterior que lo hizo enojarse y atacarla verbalmente.

Ella cita otros supuestos casos de abuso, incluyendo una acusación de que Majors la arrojó contra una pared en la ducha después de que se molestara con ella, y supuestamente le lanzara objetos como velas y otros artículos diversos.

Ella continúa afirmando que Majors la agredió en Londres en varias ocasiones mientras estaba filmando "Loki". Jabbari también afirma que cosas tan simples como tener compañía o reírse por teléfono con su madre le enfadaban y le hacían perder los estribos y alega que le rompía los auriculares o a veces incluso su cabeza.

Jabbari cita un supuesto caso en que Majors se enfadó tanto con ella que le golpeó la cabeza contra un suelo de mármol e incluso la habría estrangulado.

Afirma que fue por esas fechas que dio su diatriba sobre Coretta Scott King en Londres.

Finalmente, Jabbari menciona el incidente de marzo de 2023, en donde repite las acusaciones de que este la habría golpeado en el carro luego que ella intentara mirar un mensaje de texto en su teléfono que le habría enviado otra mujer.

Continúa afirmando que le torció los dedos en el carro y que cuando salió y ella lo siguió, él la empujó "como una pelota de fútbol".

Todo esto se discutió largamente durante el juicio, y al final el jurado condenó a Majors por las pruebas que vio el jurado fuera del vehículo. Aquí, sin embargo, ella está insistiendo con que hubo una agresión dentro del coche y que fue el punto de ebullición de lo que ella describe como una larga relación llena de abusos.

Como hemos informado, Majors fue declarado culpable de delito menor de agresión y acoso en diciembre, y actualmente está a la espera de su sentencia, a pesar de que su equipo ha presentado una solicitud para revocar la condena.

Jabbari también está demandando a Majors por difamación, pues ella alega que el actor ha empañado su reputación al afirmar que mintió sobre el abuso físico durante las entrevistas que hizo antes y después del juicio.

Nos pusimos en contacto con el equipo de Majors para que hiciera comentarios, pero hasta ahora no hemos tenido respuesta.

12:21 PM PT -- Jonathan Majors' lawyer Priya Chaudhry tells TMZ ... "This is no surprise. Mr. Majors is preparing counterclaims against Ms. Jabbari."

Jonathan Majors is being taken back to court by his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari -- who's now suing him over the assault case ... and some other stuff she claims went down beforehand.

Jabbari just filed suit against Majors ... and in the docs, obtained by TMZ, she's getting into a lot more detail about other alleged instances that she claims occurred before the March 2023 incident that landed him in criminal court, and which ultimately ended with a conviction.

In GJ's lawsuit, she claims the alleged abuse she endured at the hands of Majors started as early as 2021 after they'd started dating -- specifically pointing out a time at the end of that year which she says became the first she started to fear him and his temper ... this after she mentioned a previous relationship, which she says pissed him off and led to a verbal attack.

There are other alleged instances of abuse that she cites -- including a claim that Majors threw her into a shower wall after he got angry with her, while allegedly proceeding to throw objects, like candles and other miscellaneous items.

She goes on to claim Majors assaulted her in London on a number of occasions while he was in town filming "Loki." Jabbari also claims simple things like having company over or laughing on the phone with her mother would anger him and cause him to fly off the handle ... with her alleging he'd smash her headphones, or at times even her head.

Jabbari cites one alleged instance in which she claims that Majors got so angry with her that he slammed her head against a marble floor and even allegedly strangled her.

She claims it was during this time in London that he gave his Coretta Scott King diatribe.

Eventually, Jabbari brings up the incident from March 2023 ... again repeating her claims that he hit her in the car when she tried to look at his phone over a text from another woman.

She goes on to claim that he twisted her fingers in the car, and that when he got out and she followed ... he threw her back in "like a football."

All of this was discussed at length during the trial, and in the end ... the jury convicted Majors over what the jury saw from the evidence outside of the vehicle. Here, however, she's doubling down again in a lawsuit -- insisting he assaulted her in the car and claiming it was the boiling point of what she alleges was a lengthy relationship littered with abuse.

As we reported ... Majors was convicted of misdemeanor assault and harassment in December, and he's currently awaiting sentencing -- even though his team has filed to have the conviction tossed.

Another thing Jabbari is suing Majors for is defamation -- alleging he tarnished her reputation by claiming she lied about the physical abuse during interviews he did pre- and post-trial.

We've reached out to Majors' camp for comment ... so far, no word back.

Looks like Barbra Streisand's complaints are ringing loud and clear -- Elon Musk and Rupert Murdoch will not be adding the RBG Award to their trophy shelves after all.

In fact, the uproar over the pair snagging the prestigious leadership award named for late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was so intense, the Dwight D. Opperman Foundation decided to pull the plug on the entire ceremony.

ICYMI ... Barbra, herself a former RBG Award recipient, didn't hold back when she slammed the organization's decision to honor the polarizing billionaire and the FOX Corp. founder.

Barbra took to IG to join forces with the Ginsburg family in denouncing this year's honorees ... saying she had the honor of rubbing elbows with RBG herself on multiple occasions, and she seriously doubts the late justice would give a nod to these particular awardees.

For those who don't know, the Org rolled out the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Leadership Award back in 2019, originally aimed at honoring accomplished women. But, in a move toward gender equality, they switched gears in 2020 and started including men in the mix.

The pendulum swung pretty far the other way this year with 4 out of the 5 honorees being men -- billionaire philanthropist Michael Milken, actor Sylvester Stallone and Martha Stewart were to be honored along with Murdoch and Musk.

Barbra's denouncement came hot on the heels of RBG's daughter Jane speaking out, saying ... "The justice's family wish to make clear that they do not support using their mother's name to celebrate this year's slate of awardees and that the justice's family has no affiliation with and does not endorse these awards."

The backlash hit its peak when the foundation Chair, Julie Opperman, finally stepped up and announced the April ceremony was canceled... adding that offending RBG's family and friends was the last thing they wanted to do.

El actor británico Aaron Taylor-Johnson se meterá en la piel de James Bond, o al menos es lo que le han ofrecido.

Según informa The Sun, la productora de Bond -Barbara Broccoli- ha puesto sus ojos en el actor de 33 años para la próxima aventura de 007, lo que le pondría fin a la larga espera para encontrar al séptimo actor que asumirá el papel icónico que data de 1962.

La publicación informa que nada está escrito en piedra todavía, pero los rumores en la calle es que Bond es un concierto de Aaron si él lo quiere. La oferta formal está sobre la mesa, y los productores están esperando su respuesta.

Pero Eon, la productora detrás de Bond, está bastante segura de que Aaron va a garabatear su nombre en ese contrato en cualquier momento.

La semana pasada, cuando la gente empezó a rumorear que interpretaría a Bond, Aaron se mostró discreto y le dijo a Numero: "Me parece encantador y maravilloso que la gente me vea en ese papel. Me lo tomo como un gran cumplido".

Un movimiento con clase. Mantener la calma hasta que todo sea oficial... muy Bond.

La última película de Aaron fue "Bullet Train" junto a Brad Pitt, y aparecerá en 3 películas este año, "The Fall Guy", "Nosferatu" y "Kraven the Hunter" -la quinta película del Universo Spider-Man de Sony- por lo que se ha mantenido ocupado.

British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson is stepping into the suave shoes of James Bond ... or at least they've reportedly been offered to him, and the ball's in his court!

Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has apparently got her eyes set on the 33-year-old for the next 007 adventure, The Sun reports -- which would bring an end to the super long wait to find the seventh actor to take on the iconic role since 1962.

So, here's the deal ...the publication reports nothing's set in stone yet, but word on the street is that Bond is Aaron's gig if he wants it. The formal offer is sitting right there on the table, with producers waiting to hear back from him.

But, Eon, the production company behind JB, is pretty darn sure that Aaron's gonna scribble his name on that contract any day now.

Just last week, Aaron was keeping it low-key when folks started buzzing about him playing Bond, telling Numero, "I find it charming and wonderful that people see me in that role. I take it as a great compliment."

Classy move. Keeping things cool until everything's official ... very Bond.

IYDK, Aaron's last film was "Bullet Train" alongside Brad Pitt, and he'll be appearing in 3 films this year, "The Fall Guy," "Nosferatu" and "Kraven the Hunter" ... the fifth film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe -- so he's been keeping busy, but looks like he'll soon be adding a whole lot more to his plate.

Goes without saying, the quest to find the next 007 has been one heck of a ride, with some seriously heavy hitters in the mix, such as Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, and Henry Cavill ... just to name a few. But, as for now, it looks like it's ATJ's role to lose.

Paul Pierce is just the latest celebrity to fall prey to Los Angeles' burglary epidemic ... the former NBA superstar's home was broken into Friday night, and the perpetrators got away with luxury watches and over $100k in cash.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Sports the 46-year-old 10x NBA All-Star's pad was hit when Pierce wasn't home, and a mind-boggling amount of personal treasure was stolen.

Amongst the burglarized items were expensive watches, 6 figures in cash, and a safe ... which police are currently trying to track down.

As for the criminal investigation, we're told cops have been combing through video from the scene, hoping to find a critical piece of evidence that'll crack the case.

No arrests have been made.

While he's the latest, he's not the first big-named star to have their personal spaces violated, and their belongings stolen ... it's been an issue in the City of Angels for years.

Post Malone, Bella Thorne, Yasiel Puig, Rihanna, Quentin Tarantino, Drake and so many other stars have fallen victim.

In fact, the LAPD recently talked about "burglary tourists" from South America who travel to Los Angeles solely to target luxurious mansions.

Police say the rings sometimes use high-tech equipment like jammers to bypass security systems.

It's unclear if one of these rings is behind the Pierce burglary.

Bruno Mars no le debe millones al casino del MGM, a pesar de los recientes informes... TMZ ha indagado.

Un representante de MGM Resorts International le dice a TMZ que el cantante no tiene la supuesta deuda de juego de $50 millones -a pesar de que algunos recientemente afirmaron lo contrario- en cambio, MGM salió en defensa de Bruno diciendo que todo es falso.

De hecho, están muy emocionados de colaborar con el ganador del Grammy de nuevo en el futuro.

Y añaden: "Estamos orgullosos de nuestra relación con Bruno Mars, uno de los artistas más emocionantes y dinámicos del mundo. Desde sus espectáculos en Dolby Live en Park MGM hasta el nuevo salón Pinky Ring en Bellagio, la marca de entretenimiento de Bruno atrae a visitantes de todo el mundo. La asociación entre MGM y Bruno es duradera y se basa en el respeto mutuo. Cualquier especulación de lo contrario es completamente falsa; él no tiene ninguna deuda con MGM. Juntos, estamos entusiasmados por seguir creando experiencias inolvidables para nuestros huéspedes".

Esta actualización se produce poco después de que un informe comenzó a circular la semana pasada, el que afirmó que MGM básicamente tenía una supuesta factura de juego de Bruno valorada en decenas de millones. Mientras que Bruno aún no ha abordado el rumor, MGM dejó claro que no hay nada turbio en su relación de negocios. Por cierto, Bruno tiene una residencia próximamente allí.

Bruno se abrió previamente con James Corden en 2016 sobre ser un tahúr antes de alcanzar la fama mundial. En una aparición de "Carpool Karaoke" en "The Late Late Show", explicó que solía jugar al póquer para ayudar a pagar su alquiler en Los Ángeles, así que al tipo sí le gusta apostar.

Bruno Mars doesn't owe millions in gambling debt to MGM Resorts -- despite what a recent report claimed ... TMZ has learned.

A rep for MGM Resorts International tells TMZ ... the singer doesn't have a $50 million gambling tab on the books with them -- even though some recently alleged the opposite. Instead, MGM came to Bruno's defense ... calling the allegation he owes a massive sum completely false.

In fact, the Las Vegas hot spot is super excited to collaborate with the Grammy winner again in the future -- not exactly the tone someone would take with a dude who's got a fat bill.

They add ... "We’re proud of our relationship with Bruno Mars, one of the world’s most thrilling and dynamic performers. From his shows at Dolby Live at Park MGM to the new Pinky Ring lounge at Bellagio, Bruno’s brand of entertainment attracts visitors from around the globe. MGM and Bruno's partnership is longstanding and rooted in mutual respect. Any speculation otherwise is completely false; he has no debt with MGM. Together, we are excited to continue creating unforgettable experiences for our guests."

This update comes shortly after a report began circulating this past week that claimed MGM basically owned Bruno over an alleged gambling bill that was worth tens of millions. While Bruno has yet to address the gossip, MGM made it clear that there is nothing shady about their business relationship. BTW, Bruno's got an upcoming residency there at the resort.

Bruno previously opened up to James Corden in 2016 about being a card shark before hitting worldwide fame. In a "Carpool Karaoke" appearance on 'The Late Late Show,' he explained that he used to play poker to help pay his rent in L.A. ... so the dude does like to gamble.

Donald Trump's legal saga is hitting another hurdle ... this time the ex-Prez says he's having a hard time securing help to pay a massive multi-million-dollar bond in his NY civil case.

DT needs to post a $464 million bond to satisfy the judgment against him -- he needs to do it soon ... by the end of the month, in fact. However, his attorneys say he's struggling to come up with the cash.

In a legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Trump's lawyers signaled Monday that they're hitting a roadblock in their efforts to find an insurance company willing to secure the substantial financial penalty ... describing the task as a "practical impossibility."

Trump's team explains they've unsuccessfully approached 30 underwriters to back the bond ... writing, "The amount of the judgment, with interest, exceeds $464 million, and very few bonding companies will consider a bond of anything approaching that magnitude."

The filing says their efforts include "countless hours negotiating with one of the largest insurance companies in the world" ... which they insist shows how obtaining an appeal bond in the full amount isn't feasible.

Trump's lawyers add that potential underwriters typically look for the bond to be backed by cash or cash equivalents ... which makes it practically impossible to use real estate assets to back the bond. His team says Trump would need cash reserves nearing $1 billion for an insurance company to come aboard -- and it sounds like they're saying DT ain't got it.

As a result, Trump's lawyers have petitioned the appeals court to stay the imposition of the massive monetary judgment without requiring the posting of the bond during the appeal ... which would essentially block New York Attorney General Letitia James from trying to enforce collection while the appeal is underway. A decision on his filing has yet to be made.