'RHOSLC' STAR JEN SHAH Pleads Guilty in Fraud Case
11:30 AM PT -- Jen's attorney, Priya Chaudhry, tells us, "Ms. Shah is a good woman who crossed a line. She accepts full responsibility for her actions and deeply apologizes to all who have been harmed. Ms. Shah is also sorry for disappointing her husband, children, family, friends, and supporters. Jen pled guilty because she wants to pay her debt to society and put this ordeal behind her and her family."
Jen Shah is no longer claiming total innocence in her fraud case ... because she just changed course and took a plea deal.
According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star filed a change of plea notice Monday with the court.
Jen just went before a judge and pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing ... and as part of her plea deal, federal prosecutors dropped one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The plea deal comes a week before Jen's trial was set to begin ... and it calls for a sentence of up to 14 years behind bars and for Jen to pay back over $9 million to her alleged victims and forfeit another $6 million.
As we reported, Jen's attorney said she was "totally innocent" in the wake of her March 2021 arrest for allegedly targeting and scamming folks out of their money as part of an alleged telemarketing scheme.
The feds accused Jen of "greater culpability" in the scheme ahead of her trial, and Jen initially pled not guilty.
TMZ broke the story ... Jen even tried getting the criminal case against her dismissed, claiming two federal agents were way too chatty about her case on a Hulu documentary, which she claimed tainted the jury pool and destroyed any chance of her getting a fair trial.
We reached out to Jen's legal team ... so far no word back.
Originally Published -- 9:03 AM PT
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'CHEER' STAR JERRY HARRIS Prison Sentence Isn't Cause For Celebration ... Twin Accusers' Mom Says
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"Cheer" star Jerry Harris getting a dozen years behind bars in his child pornography case wasn't a reason for joy in the household of two of his accusers ... so says their own mother.
Twin brothers Charlie and Sam are among the victims who accused Jerry of soliciting nudes and sex from minors, and their mom, Kristen said in a lengthy statement she's still heartbroken and angry despite his prison sentence.
Kristen says every aspect of Jerry's case is tragic, and she's not feeling a sense of justice just yet ... because she wants to see the folks who run big-time cheerleading take steps to prevent other minors from being abused.
As we reported ... Jerry was sentenced Wednesday to 12 years in prison, appearing in court and telling his victims, "I am ashamed as I know that I took advantage of your youth and weakness. I was wrong and selfish. I caused you harm and I do not blame anyone. I regret my decisions and I am deeply sorry."
Remember ... the Netflix star had been under FBI investigation since 2019, with the feds claiming he was soliciting sex from minors at cheerleading competitions, as well as coercing teen boys to send him sexually explicit photos.
Harris was arrested in September 2020, with the second season of "Cheer" diving into his arrest and sharing the story of his twin accusers.
Charlie claims he was only 13 when a 19-year-old Harris sent him a direct message on Instagram, asking his age and wondering if he would send him nudes. Charlie says he felt pressured to send the pics because he looked up to Jerry as a male cheerleader.
From there, Charlie claims he continued communicating with Harris until they met at a cheer competition, where Harris allegedly assaulted him.
Sam claims Harris started contacting him after allegedly assaulting his twin, and their mom says she started looking into their relationship after finding some of their communications.
The twins provided emotional victim impact statements, which were read at Harris' sentencing, with Sam telling Harris, "You were consuming our innocence and didn’t care at all about how you were hurting us, but all we could think about was how to avoid hurting you or messing up your life!"
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Derek Chauvin Can't Work In Law Enforcement ... During Supervised Release After Prison
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Derek Chauvin can't return to law enforcement after he serves his prison sentence ... and he can't even be a rent-a-cop ... at least for the 5 years he's on supervised release.
According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ, the former cop's supervised release specifically bars him from working as a law enforcement officer, corrections officer, or security officer while on his 5 years of supervised release after he's out from behind bars.
Chauvin will have to find a new career outside policing .. even Derek Chauvin the mall cop is off the table.
In addition, Chauvin can't contact George Floyd's family ... unless he gets prior approval from his probation officer.
As we reported ... Chauvin was recently sentenced to more than 20 years in federal prison, plus 5 years of supervised release once he's out, for violating Floyd's civil rights.
Remember ... Chauvin was already found guilty of murdering Floyd and sentenced to 22.5 years behind bars in that case. The sentences will be served concurrently.
During his supervised release, Chauvin will also deal with financial restrictions ... like being barred from opening new lines of credit without approval from his PO.
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Amber Heard Insurance Co. Says You 'Willfully' Screwed Johnny ... So We're Not Paying the Judgment!
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Amber Heard wants her insurance company to cover a portion of the verdict Johnny Depp won against her, but the insurance co. says Amber's own conduct allows them to tell her to pound sand.
Here's the deal. Amber had a $1 million liability policy with New York Marine and General Insurance Co. The policy covers all sorts of wrongful conduct, including defamation ... but there's a catch.
The governing law for the insurance policy is California, and under California law, an insurance company is not on the hook if the insured (Amber) committed wrongful, "WILLFUL" misconduct. New York Marine says not only did the jury find the defamation Amber committed was willful, it was malicious.
So, the insurance company wants a declaration from the judge that based on the policy and the law, it's not responsible to foot part of Amber's bill. Fact is ... a million dollars is a lot, but Amber's on the hook for more than $8.3 million.
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Amber Heard Claims One Juror Who Sided with Depp ... Should Never Have Been on Panel
Amber Heard's lawyers have just filed new documents, further detailing their claim that one of the jurors deceived the court by pretending to be the person who was actually summoned.
The new docs claim a jury summons went to a Virginia home where 2 people with the same name reside. The document says the person summoned is 77 years old, but the person who actually showed up for jury service is 52.
Now the docs say both people share the same last name. It would seem they must also share the first name as well, because it would be a big red flag to the court if the first names were different. The document does not address the first name.
In any event, Amber's lawyers say this was a fraud on the court because the 52-year-old never should have served on the jury, but apparently wanted to do so.
As you know, that juror, as well as the others, all sided with Johnny Depp on his defamation claim ... in Virginia, a unanimous verdict is required.
Amber's lawyers are crying foul, and want the verdict set aside and a new trial ordered.
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Derek Chauvin Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison ... For Violating George Floyd's Civil Rights
Derek Chauvin was just sentenced to more than 20 years in federal prison for violating George Floyd's civil rights during his murder.
The former Minnesota cop took a plea deal back in December, admitting he kept his knee pinned on Floyd's neck when Floyd became unresponsive, and was sentenced on Thursday ... getting 245 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Chauvin was in the courtroom when the judge read the sentence, wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, and waved to his mother and friends in the gallery when he was brought in.
Floyd's brother, Philonise, gave a victim impact statement ... saying George was murdered in broad daylight for the world to see, accusing Chauvin of using excessive force that went against his police training.
George's brother also remarked how George would not be there to see his daughter grow up ... and Philonise said George's life mattered.
Chauvin's mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, also spoke in court ... telling her son she would visit him often in prison and hoping she would still be alive when he's released.
As we reported ... Chauvin was already found guilty of murdering Floyd and sentenced to 22.5 years behind bars.
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Kanye West Sued By Fashion Rental Service ... You Owe Over $400K!!!
Kanye West rented a bunch of clothes from a famous fashion rental service but didn't return over a dozen items and is now skipping out on a six-figure bill ... this according to a new lawsuit.
Ye is being sued by the David Casavant Archive for over $400,000 ... with the fashion rental service claiming Kanye owes them for years of unpaid fees on unreturned items.
According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Kanye stopped paying rental fees back in 2020 for 13 "rare, esteemed pieces" he never returned to the archive, which says their other celeb clients include Kim Kardashian, Lady Gaga, Tom Brady, Pharrell, 21 Savage and Solange.
The David Casavant Archive says they've been working with Kanye since 2014 but this is the first issue they've had with him ... claiming he rented 49 pieces in February/March 2020 and returned 36 with no issues. According to the DCA, at the end of October 2020, Ye stopped paying the weekly fees on the remaining 13 pieces.
Kanye is allegedly holding on to and no longer paying for designer items from Helmut Lang, Raf Simons and Ann Demeulemeester ... including hoodies, capes, cargo pants and a $50,000 parka, just to name a few.
The archive says Yeezy owes over $221k in unpaid rental fees and would need to fork over an additional $195k in replacement fees for the 13 items ... and they're going after him for the money.
We reached out to Kanye's camp ... so far no word back.
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Mini Depp v. Mini Heard Court Battle Replays in Mini Wrestling!!!
Amber Heard's getting a small shot at redemption -- not in court, but in a wrestling ring where, you guessed it ... Mini Johnny Depp squares off against Mini Amber!!!
Yeah, they might be testing the limits of the world's fascination with the bitter exes, but Wednesday night the good folks at Micromania M****t Wrestling put on their version of the defamation trial at the Whisky A Go-Go ... complete with a Mini Camille Vasquez in Johnny's corner.
Ya can't knock the theater of it all -- Amber entered the ring to the Buckcherry hit, "Crazy Bitch," and Johnny swashbuckled in to the "Pirates of the Caribbean" theme.
As for the ring action ... well, you really just gotta see it, but here's a short summary: Both minis get in their shots, with Amber delivering the most humiliating blow. As the ring announcer so eloquently put it, "She wiped s**t on his face! What the f**k?!?"
Poetry.
Anyway, just like in the Fairfax courthouse, Johnny came out on top ... delivering a Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka finishing move, and then pinning Mini Amber. Mini Camille even got in a parting shot.
Ya happy, America? This is what happens when you feverishly watch every moment of a trial and flood TikTok with your takes. We're sure the minis will be standing by if Amber really does appeal.
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Prince Harry I Had No Clue Queen's Staff Cut My Security
Prince Harry claims he was not aware that some folks in the Royal Household had a hand in ending his police protection during a recent trip to the U.K. ... and he's pissed about it.
The Duke of Sussex and his team fired back at royal officials in a hearing Thursday ... saying he should've been aware that some of the Queen's aides were involved in the decision given the fact there were tensions between him and some royal officials.
In case you didn't know -- Prince Harry, who now lives in California, is suing for taking away his personal security during visits to the U.K. He claims it's not safe for him, Meghan Markle, or their two children to return to Britain because it's too dangerous without security help.
His lawyer, Shaheed Fatima, says ... "there were significant tensions between the claimant [Prince Harry] and certain people."
You'll recall ... Harry and his family flew to the U.K. last month to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Though the tension was obviously high between Prince Harry, Meghan and some other royal family members -- he was reportedly assured he'd have police protection.
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'Cheer' Star Jerry Harris Sentenced to 12 Years ... In Child Pornography Case
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5:28 AM PT -- 7/7 -- Jerry's attorney Todd S. Pugh just released the following statement to TMZ ... "Jeremiah "Jerry" Harris is exceedingly grateful for Judge Shah’s recognition of his humanity, worthiness, rehabilitative potential. While Jerry has a difficult road ahead of him, his uncompromising spirit and strength has carried him through challenging times before. He has nothing but empathy and remorse for the people he has harmed and hopes that [the] proceeding provided them some peace."
In court yesterday, Jerry showed remorse for the crimes he committed, directly addressing the trauma he caused his victims. "I am ashamed as I know that I took advantage of your youth and weakness. I was wrong and selfish. I caused you harm and I do not blame anyone. I regret my decisions and I am deeply sorry."
Jerry Harris, star of Netflix's "Cheer," has just been sentenced to 12 years behind bars in his child pornography case.
Harris was in court for sentencing Wednesday, where a string of his friends and supporters read statements about the disgraced reality star's character. After the lengthy hearing, the judge announced the 12-year sentence.
Fed source tells TMZ … Harris has been ordered into 8 years to pay $35,000 into AVAA crime victims fund, along with court-supervised release after imprisonment.
As we reported, Harris was facing up to 50 years behind bars after pleading guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct ... federal prosecutors recommended Harris spend 15 years locked away.
The "Cheer" star had been under investigation by the FBI dating back to 2019. Authorities claimed he was soliciting sex from minors at cheer competitions, and coercing teen boys to send inappropriate photos.
He was arrested in September of the following year -- the Netflix series even dove into his arrest during their second season.
Harris' cheerleading coach, Monica Aldama, was completely shocked by the news ... saying, "Our children must be protected from abuse and exploitation, and I'm praying hard for the victims and everyone affected."
He was denied bond while awaiting trial ... prosecutors successfully argued Harris might prey on minors if released on bond, reverting back to the same behavior he once had.
Originally Published -- 7/6 3:06 PM PT
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Airbnb Guests Sue Host Over Hidden Cams You Recorded Us Banging!!!
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5:40 PM PT -- A spokesperson for Airbnb tells TMZ … the company strictly prohibits hidden cameras and they immediately removed the host and the property from their network after learning about the accusations.
Airbnb says their law enforcement operations team is working to support local police investigating the incident.
Hidden cameras in Airbnbs is a hot-button issue lately, but apparently, they're nothing new -- at least according to two renters, who say they were illegally taped by their host.
A couple is suing the host of an Airbnb rental property in Maine, claiming the guy installed a secret recording device in the main bedroom of an apartment they stayed in back in 2020 ... which they worry was rolling during hanky-panky!
In legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Kayla DeCristofaro and Ian Kelly say they rented a pad from a guy named Peter Madden around mid-September in Westbrook, ME ... only to later learn the guy was later charged with seven counts of violating privacy using an inside device.
The couple claims they had no knowledge of this at the time ... not suspecting anything was amiss and carrying on with their stay like normal -- including getting busy in the bedroom, among other intimate moments in which they were undressed and/or having private convos.
Welp, about a month later ... DeCristofaro and Kelly allege they were contacted by the local police, which they say informed them that Madden had a camera hidden in a clock radio in the bedroom ... with a full view of the bed, and which was apparently filming.
The pair say they were never told about any cameras from either Madden or Airbnb, and insist they had a reasonable expectation to privacy in the home. They're suing Madden for violation of privacy and emotional distress.
Of course, this has echoes of a woman who just last month alleged there were not-so-secret cameras littered throughout a Philly Airbnb rental -- but the company shut her down, saying there was no truth to the matter ... a conclusion they say was reached by the authorities.
Originally Published -- 10:32 AM PT
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Highland Park Shooting Alleged Gunman's Father Sponsored Him for Gun Permit in 2019
The alleged Highland Park shooter appears to have slipped through the cracks that Congress recently tried patching up with new gun legislation ... with his dad helping him to obtain a gun, even with a ton of warning signs he wasn't fit to own one.
Authorities say Robert Crimo received help from his father in obtaining a gun permit in 2020, who allegedly sponsored his then 19-year-old son for a FOID (firearm owners identification) card, which he needed to buy the semi-automatic weapon, despite alarming incidents just months earlier.
Authorities revealed Tuesday that they’d had a couple run-ins with Crimo in 2019 — one in which he threatened to kill himself, and another where he threatened to kill his own family. Cops say the latter resulted in him having multiple weapons (knives) temporarily taken by law enforcement after his parents refused to press charges and Crimo told them he wasn't a danger to himself and others.
Cops say Crimo was able to get his hands on the weapon used in Monday’s killing because there was technically no reason to deny him. No charges had been filed from the 2019 incidents — which might’ve otherwise barred him — and the only thing on his record in 2020 was a minor ordinance violation.
Plus, he had his old man’s sign-off … nothing outwardly stood out, at least on paper, telling anyone not to treat him like anyone else. Of course, there have also been reports of his disturbing social media activity -- which some say should've been caught and flagged, but wasn't. Sadly, all of this seems to have led to a massive tragedy … leaving at least 7 dead and several others injured.
Crimo’s parents issued a statement, saying they empathized with everyone affected and that their thoughts and prayers were with the victims’ families.
This exact type of scenario — where Crimo was able to legally purchase a weapon despite the past incidents — is one that a gun safety bill that President Biden just signed into law is supposed to address and fix.
The bipartisan effort significantly tightens up red flag laws and background checks for would-be gun buyers … and if mental health issues are found, it disqualifies that person. It seems the bill was too late though — Crimo apparently had this gun for a couple years before allegedly carrying out his act.
As we reported, Crimo was on the run for a bit in the immediate aftermath of the shooting ... that is, until cops tracked him down and made an arrest. He faces 7 counts of first-degree murder and several other charges ... Crimo is scheduled to appear in court this week.
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Jayland Walker Sister Won't Watch Body Cam Footage ... Isn't Buying Cops' Evidence
Jayland Walker's older sister says she's not ready to watch her brother getting gunned down by cops ... and believes the story officers are giving of the moments that led up to his killing has been planted to put him in a bad light.
Jada Walker was understandably emotional as she recalled her brother's life during an interview with ABC News Wednesday, saying the Jayland she knew isn't the one depicted by officers of the Akron, OH police department ... she also says she never knew him to own a gun.
Jada says she can't bring herself to watch the body cam footage, choosing not to remember her brother in such a horrific manner. She also thinks the photo that was circulated showing a gun in Walker's vehicle was staged.
As you know, body cam footage was released Sunday that showed Jayland Walker being hit by gunshots at least 60 times, killing him. The shooting happened shortly after a traffic stop turned into a car chase throughout the city, ending in a foot pursuit.
Akron Police say a gunshot rang out from Walker's vehicle as they tailed him ... claiming surveillance video from the area shows a muzzle flash coming from inside his car, leading officers to believe he was armed.
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R. Kelly No More Suicide Watch ... After Lawsuit Victory
R. Kelly just won a mini legal battle against the feds, who just did an about-face and took the disgraced singer off suicide watch after he filed a lawsuit against the prison, TMZ has learned.
In newly filed court docs obtained by TMZ, Metropolitan Detention Center Warden Heriberto H. Tellez -- who was also named in the suit -- says he made the decision today to remove Kelly from suicide watch following a "clinical assessment." No further details on the assessment were provided.
Last week, Kelly filed his lawsuit claiming that he was being subjected to "cruel and unusual punishment" -- which violates his 8th Amendment rights -- after he was put on suicide watch at Brooklyn's MDC.
In the suit, Kelly alleged that he wasn't even thinking of killing himself and told prison officials just that. Kelly also claimed he was placed in these harsh conditions because of his celebrity.
The feds initially filed a motion opposing the suit, saying they would clinically assess Kelly for the duration of his suicide watch.
Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison last Wednesday following his conviction last year on federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges.
Prosecutors had asked the judge to sentence Kelly to more than 25 years behind bars, while his defense attorneys asked for up to 10 years.
The crooner is still facing another federal case out of Illinois, as well as a state trial in Minnesota in connection with child sex related crimes.
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Josh Duggar Under Military-Style Expectations While Doing His Time
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Josh Duggar is set to spend the next 12 years of his life behind bars, and while it was assumed it wouldn't be easy ... we have details now on just how strict his prison day-to-day will actually be.
Duggar is expected to keep his cell and surrounding area squeaky clean -- he'll need to have his bed made military-style by 7:30 AM on weekdays -- as well as complete daily chores that include sweeping and mopping floors, cleaning walls and emptying the trash.
While he's serving his sentence in a low-security prison, the strict conduct rules also state inmates must stop all loud talking, card, domino and game playing at 9:15 PM. Prisoners must return to their rooms by 11 PM and all noise, including TVs, must be off by midnight.
Josh Duggar Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison in Child Porn Trial
The facility, the Federal Correctional Institution in Seagoville, Texas ... issues each inmate a set of 5 shirts, 5 sets of underwear, 1 pair of shoes, 5 pairs of trousers, 1 belt and 5 pairs of socks that must remain clean and tagged with the inmate name and registrar number ... or the inmate faces discipline.
There are also jobs available around the prison -- like painting, welding, landscape detail and food service.
TMZ broke the story ... once he does get out, Duggar will be under 20 years of supervision -- and he's banned from pornography, and will need permission to see his own minor children.
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Chicago Cop Pins 14-Yr-Old Boy to Ground with Knee ... Claims He Stole Son's Bike
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A man claiming to be an off-duty Chicago PD officer pinned a 14-year-old boy to the ground with his knee after accusing him of stealing his own son's bike -- and the whole thing was caught on video.
The boy's parents tell TMZ the incident happened Friday at a Starbucks in Park Ridge, IL -- just outside of Chicago. They say their son, who is Puerto Rican and an honor student, athlete and member of the local church was at the coffee spot with a group of friends and saw an abandoned bike laying on the sidewalk.
We're told the boy -- who also had his own bike with him -- attempted to move the abandoned bike out of the way ... and that's when the alleged off-duty officer pounced.
The parents tell us the man grabbed the boy by the wrist, slammed him to the ground and pinned him with his knee -- accusing the 14-year-old of having stolen the bike from his son.
We're told the man's son's bike had allegedly recently been stolen from a nearby location.
You can see in the video, the situation is tense, with the other teens coming to their friend's defense ... eventually pulling him away from the man.
A spokesperson for the Park Ridge PD tells us the man told their officers, who responded to the scene, that he was an off-duty Chicago Police officer. We spoke to a rep for The Chicago Police Department who tells us they're conducting an internal investigation into the situation.
The 14-year-old's parents are pissed -- pointing out their son was the only kid in the group who was of a different ethnicity ... and have plans to file a formal complaint in the near future.
Park Ridge is currently investigating the incident ... and tell us at this time, no arrests have been made.