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The Securities and Exchange Commission is cracking down on Crypto companies ... and some big-name celebs -- including Jake Paul, Lindsay Lohan and Soulja Boy -- who praised the currency companies while getting paid without disclosing it ... and they've agreed to cough up some dough to make it all go away.

Jake and Lindsay are among the celebs named in the SEC's filings Wednesday ... they're charged with illegally touting Tronix and BitTorrent. Others charged include Lil Yachty, Ne-Yo, Austin Mahone, Kendra Lust and Akon.

The SEC says these celebs failed to disclose they were getting paid for promoting these companies.

Almost all of the celebs agreed to pay a total of $400K to settle the charges.

The criminal case that put "Rick and Morty" co-creator Justin Roiland out of a job has just been dismissed.

The domestic violence case against Roiland was dismissed Wednesday morning in Orange County. A spokesperson for the District Attorney tells us it was dismissed because there was insufficient evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt.

Justin says, "I have always known that these claims were false – and I never had any doubt that this day would come. I’m thankful that this case has been dismissed but, at the same time, I’m still deeply shaken by the horrible lies that were reported about me during this process."

He continues, "Most of all, I’m disappointed that so many people were so quick to judge without knowing the facts, based solely on the word of an embittered ex trying to bypass due process and have me “canceled.” That it may have succeeded, even partially, is shameful. However, now that the legal case has ended, I’m determined to move forward and focus both on my creative projects and restoring my good name.”

Roiland's attorney T. Edward Welbourn tells TMZ ... "I commend the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for conducting a thorough review of the facts and deciding to dismiss the case against Justin. I’m thankful justice has prevailed."

For those unaware, Roiland got in hot water earlier this year after NBC News revealed he was arrested and charged back in 2020 ... although the details leading to his arrest are unknown. Officials only noted there was an incident with an unnamed woman he was dating at the time.

Netflix straight up jacked the characters and plot for its hit show "Outer Banks" from an already published book ... at least according to the author of a novel, who's now out for some legal revenge.

The streaming giant is being sued by Jeff Wilson, who claims there are way too many similarities between a book he wrote, "Queen Anne's Revenge," and 'OB' for it to be pure coincidence.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Wilson says in 2013 he published his novel, which follows 4 friends on a treasure hunt from a famous shipwreck near the outer banks of North Carolina.

Wilson says his book was even promoted by Discovery and History Channel, and he claims the 'OB' creators have even confessed ... they relied on other books and authors for inspiration to write the scripted series.

The author claims his book was drawn from heavily ... he says the main cast and their character arcs are almost identical to his novel ... and he says the plot points and settings are eerily similar, too.

Wilson is suing Netflix for copyright infringement ... and he wants the streaming giant to fork over any profits they've made from infringing on his novel and an injunction stopping Netflix from distributing or advertising "Outer Banks."

It's worth noting ... another novelist, Kevin Wooten, previously sued Netflix and the 'OB' creators, claiming they ripped off his 2016 book ... but the suit was dismissed after a judge didn't find sufficient similarities between the two.

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow and serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer are two names you probably never thought you would hear in the same sentence.

Well, that all changed Tuesday ... Gwyneth was sitting in a Utah courtroom on the first day of her civil trial stemming from a 2016 hit-and-run ski crash when her large aviator-style glasses became the center of attention.

Trolls on social media immediately noticed the hilarious -- and maybe even a bit chilling -- comparison between Gwyneth's spectacles and those famously worn by Dahmer.

As you know, Dahmer killed and dismembered 17 young men and ate some of their body parts during his monstrous 1978-1991 rampage in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Several people commented on a Good Morning America story about the Paltrow trial posted to Instagram. They wrote, "I like her serial killer vibe." "Gwyneth Paltrow meets Jeffrey Dahmer." "Photos make her look like a serial killer. Geez." And, "Dahmer Effect."

Trolls also took to twitter to roast Gwyneth. One person said, "Gwyneth Paltrow is literally going for the #Dahmer look at this ski accident trial... wtf? Not very on brand for @goop." Goop is a company owned by Gwyneth that promotes a high-end wellness and lifestyle brand.

Another observer wrote, "Why does Gwyneth look like Jeffrey Dahmer?" A third person said, "Not a good look for her."

As we reported, Gwyneth was sued in 2019 by Terry Sanderson who accused Paltrow of crashing into him three years earlier while skiing down a mountain at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, UT. Sanderson said he suffered a concussion and broken ribs as a result of the collision.

What's more, Sanderson claimed Gwyneth just took off, leaving him lying badly injured on the mountain to fend for himself.

Marvin Gaye III is waving the white flag on his marriage ... filing for divorce just two months after he was arrested for allegedly pointing a gun at his wife.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Marvin Gaye's son beelined it to court Wednesday and filed to divorce his wife Wendy Gaye.

Marvin III lists the date of separation as Jan. 12, which is interesting ... because it's the same date as his domestic violence arrest.

TMZ broke the story ... Marvin III allegedly physically assaulted his wife and cousin during a Jan. 12 argument inside his Calabasas home.

Remember ... Wendy later got a restraining order against her husband after claiming he grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off the ground before her cousin intervened, only for Marvin III to begin physically attacking both women. Wendy also says Marvin III pointed a gun at them.

A day later, MG3 turned himself in and was booked on two charges ... felony assault with a deadly weapon and misdemeanor domestic violence. He posted a $50,000 bond and was released.

In the docs, Marvin III is going with the usual "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split ... and he's asking to block the court's ability to award Wendy spousal support. They did not have any children, so no issues there.

It's worth noting, Marvin III doesn't specify the date of marriage ... in the docs, he just put TBD. 🤷🏽‍♂️

"1000-Lb. Sisters" star Amy Slaton's hubby Michael Halterman is callin' it quits on their marriage -- he recently filed for divorce.

Michael filed last week in Union County, Kentucky, TMZ has confirmed ... starting the process to officially end their 6-year marriage.

Fans of the hit TLC series remember the couple eloped 2 years before their 2019 wedding, which was a highlight of the show -- Amy and Michael had been longtime lovers, and as kids, they grew up together.

Amy and her sister Tammy were gunning for weight loss surgery, with Amy getting medical approval -- and losing over 100 pounds -- with the goal of being able to have a kid with Michael, which eventually came to fruition.

Amanda Bynes' parents aren't viewing her recent psychotic episode as a reason to put her into another conservatorship ... but that doesn't mean her episode hasn't set off alarm bells.

A source with direct knowledge tells TMZ ... Amanda's parents, Lynn and Rick, are deeply concerned about their daughter's well-being and health after her latest ordeal -- but another conservatorship isn't on the table, at least for now.

Amanda had been living independently in her own house and taking cosmetology classes and until fairly recently seemed to be doing fine, so Sunday's episode seemed like an anomaly.

We're told her parents are also taking comfort in the fact Amanda was self-aware enough to recognize she was in trouble ... flagging down a car for help and calling 911 herself.

TMZ broke the story, Amanda was placed on a 5150 psychiatric hold after being spotted walking naked near Downtown L.A. Sunday morning.

She was taken to a nearby police station and a mental health team felt a psych hold was necessary. Typically, 5150 holds last only 72 hours, but they can be extended.

As you know, Amanda was in a conservatorship for almost a decade, starting back in 2013 while struggling with her mental health. The plug was pulled on her conservatorship a year ago tomorrow.

Stormy Daniels is feeling the effects of Donald Trump's possible looming arrest ... we're told her life is being threatened, so she's beefing up her security.

Stormy's attorney, Clark Brewster, tells TMZ ... his client recently received lots of "vitriolic messages" on social media, including some very concerning direct messages.

The alleged threats come on the heels of Trump announcing Saturday he expects to be arrested Tuesday by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg over the notorious Stormy Daniels hush-money case.

Stormy's attorney says she's taking extra precautions -- her team doesn't want to share specifics, for fear of tipping off someone who might want to do her harm. ... Brewster has only said in the past, "Stormy for years has had security when she needs to."

As for some of the nasty online comments, Stormy's been called a "Worthless Whore," "degenerate prostitute" and an "extortionist who should be in prison."

Remember ... Bragg has been investigating Trump for allegedly making a $130,000 payment to Stormy ahead of the 2016 election. Trump is accused of brokering the deal with the porn star to buy her silence over their alleged affair, accusations Trump has long denied.

Stormy, we're told, has been threatened before over DM ... and her attorney says Stormy knows what steps to take to ensure she's safe and comfortable.

There's a family battle brewing among The Isley Brothers ... with Rudolph Isley accusing his younger brother Ronald Isley of going behind his back and possibly cutting him out of a ton of money.

According to a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Rudolph is suing Ronald over the rights to "The Isley Brothers" trademark ... he says Ronald applied and got approval for the trademark in his own name and is taking all the profits.

Rudolph says he and Ronald are supposed to split all profits from the band 50/50 ... claiming they've each had 50% ownership in the band since their brother O'Kelly died way back in 1986 ... but Rudolph claims Ronald recently went rogue.

In the docs, Rudolph claims Ronald applied for and was granted the exclusive rights to "The Isley Brothers" for use on "visual recordings and audiovisual recordings featuring music and animation" back in August ... but Rudolph says Ronald needs his approval to cut such a deal.

Rudolph says Ronald applied to put the trademark in his name in November 2021 ... but Rudolph claims they previously split all the profits for some big transactions, including a multi-million dollar publishing deal ... and now he wants the judge to order an accounting to see just how much money Ronald's been raking in since the change.

What's more, Rudolph wants the court to step in and declare "The Isley Brother" trademark is jointly owned by him and his brother ... and he wants Ronald to cough up half of any money he's been making off their band's good name since getting the trademark.

Gwyneth Paltrow's trial is about to kick off after she was sued over a "hit-and-run" ski crash years ago ... and she will almost certainly take the stand.

The actress' Park City, Utah trial is set to begin Tuesday following the 2016 incident ... and sources close to Gwyneth told the New York Post she's going to testify. Fact is ... there's no 5th Amendment right to take a pass, and even if she didn't want to testify the other side could force the issue.

As we reported, Gwyneth was hit with a lawsuit back in 2019 by Utah resident Terry Sanderson ... who claimed Paltrow slammed into him a few years back while skiing down the mountain at Deer Valley Resort, causing him to suffer a concussion and broken ribs.

He says she got up after the collision, didn't say anything, and just kept on going while he was left lying on the mountain.

What's more, Terry claimed an instructor behind Gwyneth accused him of causing the crash -- and says he filed a false report with the ski resort blaming him for the crash.

Terry asked for $3.1M in damages, but Gwyneth filed a countersuit against Terry the next month for $1, calling HIM out for causing the collision ... citing that resort incident report as proof.

The 3 men accused of killing XXXTentaction have just been found guilty of murder in the 2018 shooting.

The verdicts came in Monday for Michael Boatwright, Trayvon Newsome, and Dedrick Williams. The decisions follow the jury's deliberations, which started March 8.

As we reported, 20-year-old XXX was at a South Florida motorcycle dealership almost 5 years ago when prosecutors say he became the victim of a robbery -- getting shot while in his vehicle. They say the men ran off with $50K in cash and a Louis Vuitton bag.

The 3 were charged with first-degree murder with a firearm and armed robbery ... and in closing arguments last month, defense attorney Joseph Kimok claimed evidence clears all 3 men from the crime -- saying the DNA found on the rapper's body and necklace didn't belong to them.

You'll recall, a 4th man named Robert Allen was also arrested in connection to the killing ... but he pled guilty last year to second-degree murder and agreed to testify against the other 3 suspects, adding he was hesitant about the robbery and even asked the others to ditch the idea in the moment.

In a discovery and bail hearing for Allen back in 2018, surveillance video from the dealership was shown -- which appeared to show the entire thing going down in real time.

French Montana just got hit with a lawsuit stemming from a shooting that took place while he celebrated the release of his mixtape and filmed a music video ... an incident that left 10 people injured.

According to the suit, obtained by TMZ, French was filming the music video with fellow rapper Rob49 for their song, "Igloo," at The Licking in Miami Gardens in January.

The suit says French personally ordered the move to the restaurant after a robbery had occurred across the street involving production staff and unknown assailants. Plaintiff Carl Leon says he was asked to be an extra in the video and was present along with about 80 or so other crew members.

Leon says an "unknown individual caused severe injury to multiple people, including the Plaintiff."

He goes on to say the Miami Gardens PD investigated, concluding that French failed to get the necessary permits required by the city to ensure the set was safe and secure with proper police protection.

As you may recall, Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt released a statement at the time, essentially blaming French and his crew for the shooting. The chief said French and Co. should have notified police beforehand so protocols would have been put in place to avert such violence.

French, his record label, Coke Boys, and the restaurant are all named defendants in the suit.

Leon's attorney, Josiah Graham of the Graham Injury Firm, filed the suit Monday. Leon is asking for more than $50,000 in damages, claiming the defendants were negligent.

Def Leppard's Rick Allen is breaking his silence after being attacked last week -- and it sounds like he's actually calling on forgiveness for the alleged culprit.

The rock band's longtime drummer issued a statement Sunday, which has some encouraging updates on his condition. He says, "Thank you everyone for your overwhelming support. Your love and prayers are truly helping. My wife Lauren [Monroe] was thankfully not with me at the time of the incident. We are together now, and working on recovering in a safe space."

According to ABC News, which obtained his remarks, Allen and his family are now shifting their attention toward "healing for everyone involved" ... although he doesn't really elaborate.

There's more ... RA goes on to say, "We ask you to join us in our effort to move from confusion and shock to compassion and empathy. We understand this act of violence can be triggering for so many people."

He finishes with ... "To all of the fans, veterans and first responders in our global community, we are thinking of you all. Together with love, we can all get through these difficult times."

Allen never mentions his alleged attacker by name -- 19-year-old Max Hartley, whom police claim was the one who beat Rick down -- but it does seem he's alluding to him ... and, perhaps, there's more to the story.

In any case, it's great to hear he's doing okay. You'll recall ... the incident was described to cops as brutal. Hartley is accused of bum-rushing Rick at a hotel in Ft. Lauderdale, allegedly knocking him to the ground and going on to attack a woman who was nearby too ... according to the arrest report. The dude was booked for battery, among other charges.

Nick Carter is bringing backup to the sexual battery lawsuit against him ... he says he has a dozen witnesses who claim his accuser is full of BS.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the Backstreet Boys member says he has 12 people who have testified the alleged victim's version of events can't possibly be true.

TMZ broke the story ... Nick is being sued by a woman named Shannon Ruth, who filed a lawsuit in December claiming he sexually assaulted her after a concert way back in 2001 when she was underage.

But, Nick says not so fast ... he claims he has 12 witnesses from the concert -- fans, security personnel and a talent manager -- who say the accuser's story is "factually impossible."

Remember ... Ruth, who says she is autistic and has cerebral palsy, claims she got in line to get Nick's autograph after the show, when he allegedly invited her back to his tour bus, plied her with alcohol and forced her to perform oral sex on him.

But, Nick says his dozen witnesses testified it was impossible for him to interact with the alleged victim after the concert ... they say there was no autograph line and fans had no access to the tour bus staging area.

What's more, Nick says one of Ruth's close friends at the time testified Ruth is lying about being autistic and suffering from cerebral palsy ... and she doesn't even believe Ruth was at the concert.

In the docs, Nick claims another witness testified they were on calls where Ruth's name was brought up as part of a plot to extort Nick ... an alleged money grab he's previously mentioned in his countersuit against Ruth.

The lady who inspired "Mean Girls" is pissed Tina Fey and Paramount have cashed in on her work while she's been left with zilch ... and now, she says she's doing something about it.

Author Rosalind Wiseman told the NY Post this weekend that she and her lawyers are circling legal action to examine the movie studio's accounting books in order to figure out if there's money they've made from 'Mean Girls' over the years that could be sent her way.

The reason ... Wiseman says she feels like she's been screwed out of a lot of potential cash since the hit 2004 film was released -- especially in light of the Broadway musical that's been made about it ... which has done fairly well for years now in different markets.

According to RW, the deal she signed with Paramount and TF at the time -- which made her a one-time $400k, and which she acknowledges relinquished any rights to the work and/or derivatives -- guaranteed net profit points, meaning she could make more based on how well the flick did. However, she claims Paramount has, time and again, told her there's nothing left of the pie for her ... and that they haven't actually collected much from it long-term.

Wiseman thinks that's BS -- and her attorney, Ryan Keech, says, “I suspect most people would be shocked at how shabbily Rosalind Wiseman has been treated. And properly so."

He adds, "It is nothing short of shameful for a company with the resources of Paramount to go to the lengths to which it has gone to deny Ms. Wiseman what she is fairly entitled to for having created what has become one of the most iconic entertainment franchises of the last 25 years." Rosalind and co. say they want to audit Paramount, and are considering further next steps ... although they don't specify exactly how they'll get Paramount to comply.

As many people know ... 'Mean Girls' is based on Wiseman's 2002 parenting book, 'Queen Bees and Wannabes,' which Tina read and thought could make for a good script.

Of course, she was absolutely right ... the movie became a cult classic, and serves as a staple of the 2000s. Thing is ... Wiseman sounds salty about how Tina Fey has repurposed the material throughout the years, alleging TF's even roped her into appearances and workshops (regarding smaller 'Mean Girls' plays) without paying her an extra cent.

She says, "I’m clearly recognized and acknowledged by Tina as the source material, the inspiration. I’m recognized and yet I deserve nothing?"

Julia Fox says she's embarrassed by her brother's troubling arrest, but she's looking at the silver lining of it all ... hoping it'll force him to get some help.

Julia shared a TikTok video Thursday addressing the police raid -- which turned up ghost guns and drug-making materials -- on her dad Thomas and brother Christopher earlier this month. Julia says Thomas was released the same night and had no criminal involvement whatsoever.

Speaking to her brother's character, she said, “I know my brother and I’ve always known him to be like... the sweetest, most gentle, kind, soft-spoken, loves animals, loves to plant flowers..."

Fox acknowledges both she and Thomas have a lot of trauma -- something she says he has internalized, while she has been able to find an outlet.