Working Out the Details: Harvey Weinstein’s Divorce Settlement
Amidst allegations of sexual misconduct that set off a chain reaction in Hollywood, government and sports, Georgina Chapman decided to leave her husband Harvey Weinstein. This was back in October 2017, when the depth of breadth of the allegations had not yet been realized (perhaps she knew what was coming). Now, nearly three months later, it appears Chapman has reached a settlement with the disgraced film producer.
When she announced her separation, Chapman made it clear that caring for her young children was her top priority. The pair share two children, India Pearl, 7 years old and Dashiell, 4 years old. Apparently, Georgina will receive primary custody of them. Given the nature of the allegations against Weinstein, he would not have been victorious had he fought this matter. It was certainly in the best interest of his children for Weinstein not to fight this.
And just how much is Chapman going to get? Not surprising, the couple had a prenuptial agreement. That’s a good thing as it has likely made things easier. Apparently, the terms of the prenup provided that Chapman receive $300,000 a year in spousal support for their first nine years of marriage. If the couple stayed married 10 years that number increased by another $100,000 a year. Weinstein and Chapman’s 10 year anniversary was December 15, 2017 so Chapman made it to ten years (unless, of course, in the prenup, “married” was defined differently). Though big numbers are being batted about– somewhere between 12 and 20 million– the actual terms of the financial settlement and distribution of assets has not been revealed. Rest assured Chapman is getting a good chunk of change (and we kinda like that after all she has had to endure).
Weinstein also recently faced legal issues with his ex wife, Eve Chilton (fun fact: Chilton was Weinstein’s assistant). In December 2017, she went to court in New York and asked the judge to order Weinstein to pre-pay the remaining approximately 5 million he allegedly owes for the children they share. Why? Chilton alleges that Weinstein asked to suspend his child support payments for at least one year due to the allegations and legal matters. The judge denied Chilton’s request because Weinstein has kept up his payment and not yet fallen behind. Those lawyer fees don’t come cheap so perhaps Chilton will be back in court on this matter.
From Shailene Woodley to Justin Bieber: The Best of Celebrity Mug Shots
From bar bust ups to drunk driving to “unintentional” trespassing and more, celebrities are no strangers to arrests. And of course with an arrest comes the dreaded celebrity mug shot, which is sure to be plastered across the Internet even before the celeb has called his lawyer!
Celebrity mug shots might just be our favorite form of selfie– well, it’s not really as selfie but we sure do like looking at them (Must be because without make up, the right lighting, a professional photographer and some retouching most celebs look a lot more like we do than we thought!).
Check out some of the celebrity mug shots of Hollywood hottest stars, and even a few of those forgotten about players who just happen to have a celebrity mug shot worth talking about!
Shailene Woodley
Reese Witherspoon isn’t the only “Big Little Lies” cast member to have her celebrity mug shot taken. “Divergent” star Shailene Woodley also had a run in with the law. And though we might be biased because we absolutely love Shailene Woodley, we have to say that out of all the celebrity mug shots, Woodley’s is pretty much the most adorable!
So, how’d she get to be part of the celebrity mug shot walk of fame? On October 10, 2016, Woodley and 27 other people were arrested during a protest at Standing Rock, while attempting to block the Dakota Access pipeline. Live footage of the actress’ arrest was streamed to roughly 40,000 viewers via her Facebook page. Later, she was strip searched in jail. I know, it seems weird to strip search someone following this type of offense and though kinda gross one can likely conclude that it might be related to her celebrity status (imagine those bragging rights?!) but despite Woodley also being “just shocked” by the strip search, apparently is is common practice in that jurisdiction for low level crimes. Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Chair Dave Archambault II and others have also been strip-searched after being arrested for nonviolent civil disobedience against the pipeline.
After the arrest and resulting strip search, the environmental activist said: “Every time we allow another pipeline … we are endorsing the fossil fuel industry and only prolonging the time it is going to take to switch to renewable energy.”
We at PROOF aren’t fans of breaking the law but Woodley’s cause was a noble and good one. We commend her for her bravery and standing up for what she believes in–no matter the consequences. Keep fighting the good fight, Shailene!
Reese Witherspoon
The “Big Little Lies” actress and her husband, Jim Toth, were arrested in Atlanta in 2013. Toth was pulled over for suspicion of driving while intoxicated in Atlanta. Apparently Reese didn’t like that so much. So much so that she got into an argument with the police officer, which led to her arrest.
This celebrity mug shot is pretty unusual because it’s a pretty unusual mug shot for anyone — Witherspoon is looking down! The whole point of mug shots are for identification purposes. We have to wonder if the Atlanta PD gave the superstar a pass on looking at the camera because of her A-list status.
Either way, shortly after her jail release, the actress issued a statement saying there was “no excuse” for her behavior.
“I was disrespectful to the officer who was just doing his job. The words I used that night definitely do not reflect who I am. I have nothing but respect for the police and I am very sorry for my behavior.”
Nick Carter
Backstreet Boy Nick Carter may not have wanted it that way (sorry, sometimes we just can’t help ourselves with these puns!!) when he was arrested in Florida on January 13, 2016. The boybander was booked by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office on a misdemeanor battery charge following an incident outside Hog’s Breath Saloon in Key West.
The singer was released after pleading not guilty and posting $1,500 bail. He was ordered to stay away from the bar.
Unfortunately for Carter, an employee at the Hog’s Breath, Skylar Carden, 21, filed a civil lawsuit against Carter a few weeks later, in which he accused the singer and former “Dancing with the Stars” runner-up of battery.
In a statement accompanying the lawsuit, Carter’s lawyer, Mark DiCowden’s said, “Nick Carter has shown the world that he is nothing more than a backstreet thug.” And you thought our pun was bad? Nick Carter,a thug? And what’s a backstreet thug?? All we picture is a good looking boy band member singing romantic songs. That’s not so scary! But the lawsuit did contain some scary allegations including that the singer “violently attacked” Carden by “striking and choking” him.
Carter settled the matter out of court–the terms of the settlement are not public–and the case was dismissed with prejudice (remember this means Carden can’t bring the suit again for any reason).
Pawn Stars Austin “Chumlee” Russell
Austin “Chumlee” Russell, star of the History Channel’s “Pawn Stars” was arrested in Las Vegas on March 10, 2016 and charged with drug possession and “prohibited person in possession of a firearm,” according to the Las Vegas Metro Police Department.
Here’s the really crazy part of this story: officers were serving a warrant at the reality star’s house for a sexual assault case when they found Russell with at least one gun, as well as with methamphetamine and marijuana.
In May 2016, Russell pleaded guilty in Las Vegas court to attempted possession of a controlled substance. As a result of the deal, Russell did not have to go to jail for the misdemeanor charge, instead he was sentenced to three years’ probation. The felony count of ownership or possession of a firearm by a prohibited person was stayed. If Russell completes the terms of his probation, the gun charge will be dismissed. And, that sexual assault charge that started the whole thing? Police have confirmed that Russell has not been charged at the time for that.
Bill Cosby
We know we talk about Bill Cosby a lot on PROOF but we can’t help it, there are just so many aspects of his wrongdoing that make for excellent legal lessons! And so, Bill Cosby’s infamous celebrity mug shot, which was years in the making after dozens upon dozens of accusations. As PROOF readers know, there is only one criminal case going forward against the disgraced funny man. He has been free on $1 million bail, but faces up to 10 years in jail for each of the sexual assault counts he is facing.
The Montgomery County District Attorney’s office in Pennsylvania, where he is set to stand trial, released this mugshot shortly after his arraignment. Those do not look like the same kindly eyes of Dr. Huxtable. Unbelievable downfall.
Shia Labeouf
Shia Labeouf has been arrested more than once but of course his most famous celebrity mug shot was after getting drunk at Broadway musical “Cabaret” in New York City. In this shot, Labeouf has a big smile on his face and looks like he’s been crying. It’s unnerving to say the least!
According to police, the “Transformers” star was smoking inside the Studio 54 theater and acting “loud and disruptive” during the first act of the musical. Law enforcement officials were notified. The “Transformers” actor was arrested during intermission, handcuffed, and escorted out of the theater.
He was then charged with two counts of disorderly conduct and one count of criminal trespassing before being released.
Shia has since been arrested again in connection with his HeWillNotDivide.US protest but was also quickly released. For more information on that, click here.
Dustin Diamond
We all loved super nerd Screech on Saved by the Bell, too bad that geeky kid turned out to be such a not-so-great adult. Dustin Diamond gave off some seriously dangerous vibes when he made his way into the celebrity mug shots wall of fame after he was arrested in Wisconsin for allegedly stabbing a man with a switchblade on Christmas Day 2014.
The former teen actor was charged with possession of a switchblade, reckless endangerment and carrying a concealed weapon.
He was later convicted of carrying a concealed weapon and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors. He served nearly three months in jail.
Lindsay Lohan
We love this one of Lindsay Lohan’s celebrity mug shots because she’s just so over it. She’s like — been there, done that!
This is the redhead’s mugshot from March 19, 2013 when she turned herself into the Santa Monica police. She eventually pleaded no contest to reckless driving and providing false information to the police who were investigating an accident that happened the previous summer.
The troubled star was sentenced to 90 days in a lockdown rehab facility. Want more information about Lohan and the criminal justice system, click here and here.
Justin Bieber
Oh, Justin! We love you but you make it so hard on us sometimes. What do we at PROOF have to say about our favorite bad boy’s celebrity mug shot? Well, does is not look like Bieber is having the best day of his life? Does to us! In reality though he has just been arrested for a DUI and drag-racing in Miami in 2014. Must have been a really fun race!
On the serious side though, at a press conference, a spokesperson for Miami Beach Police said that the arresting officer “smelled odor of alcoholic beverage” on the singer. Bieber was also charged with driving with an expired license and resisting arrest without violence.
We at PROOF are crossing our fingers and hoping that there are no celebrity mug shots of Bieber–even if they do look as good as this one!
At PROOF we love celebrity news as much as you do. So if you want more, celebrity news about A-Listers (and others!), we welcome you to explore the rest of the site.
Settled: Venus Williams Wrongful Death Suit
UPDATE: Venus Williams has settled the lawsuit filed against her stemming from the June 2017 auto accident in which one person died and another was injured. Details regarding the settlement amount have not been disclosed.
Tennis superstar Venus Williams has been cleared of traffic law violations in connection with her June 9, 2017 car accident in Palm Beach, Florida that left a 78-year-old man dead and his wife injured but the wrongful death suit filed by his family is being vigorously pursued.
Williams reportedly drove her Toyota Sequoia SUV into an intersection at approximately 5 miles per hour, stopped and then was hit on the passenger side by a Hyundai Accent driven by 68-year-old Esther Barson. Williams had allegedly stopped in the intersection due to a car turning in front of her. Barson and her passenger, her husband, Jerome Barson, 78, were seriously injured; Jerome died two weeks later from injuries he sustained in the accident. Williams’ car was damaged but she was not hurt. In fact, she played in Wimbledon just a few weeks later. It must be noted though that when she spoke of the accident at a press conference she was tearful and very visibly upset.
By now, many have seen the video of the crash. We don’t know about you but we at Proof feel as if that cop did not seem very confident regarding what traffic laws Williams violated. Despite this lack of clarity, he charged her and deemed her at fault in the accident. That initial determination certainly played a role in prompting the Barson family to quickly seek legal counsel and file suit but in no way was it the sole determining factor. This was a somewhat confusing, serious accident that resulted in serious injuries. It was therefore not surprising when Jerome Barson’s family sued the Grand Slam-winning tennis player for wrongful death, seeking unspecified damages related to his death as well as for the pain and suffering of both Jerome and Esther. A lawsuit was coming whether Williams was cited at the scene or not.
And, as many of us have learned, after reviewing video footage of the intersection, police found that the light was green when Williams entered the intersection, and that she did not violate any traffic laws (Perhaps you came to the same conclusion after watching the video footage). That is good news for Williams; it also makes the Barson’s case more difficult. Not impossible, just more difficult. Having a finding of fault at the scene, where witnesses can be interviewed, location of vehicles can be solidified and conditions confirmed are powerful investigative tools. Though expert witnesses are used frequently in serious auto accident cases, this change makes the decision to secure one even more critical. As Andrew Needle, a personal injury lawyer Fort Lauderdale FL residents know to have handled hundreds of car accidents explains, “Experts are critical in cases that present complex fact patterns, especially when liability is in dispute. Calling a skilled and experienced accident reconstructionist to the stand goes a long way in helping jurors understand just how an accident occurred.”
As noted above, the change in the finding of fault by the local police hasn’t stopped the plaintiff from moving forward or stopped Williams’ attorneys from mounting a strong defense. In fact, Williams’ attorneys have alleged that at least one of the occupants of the Hyundai was not wearing a seatbelt, and that the car had not been maintained properly. Attorneys for the Barson family have denied both of those assertions. They’ve also subpoenaed Williams’ cell phone records to see if she was distracted at the time of the crash. Her attorneys have agreed to turn them over.
Williams, for her part, in addition to her teary press conference has expressed condolences to the Barson family, writing on Facebook, “I am devastated and heartbroken by this accident. My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Jerome Barson and I continue to keep them in my thoughts and prayers.”
Note though that while Williams presently appears to have been cleared of wrongdoing, the investigation of the crash by Palm Beach police is still ongoing so there is a very slight chance that there could be further determinations made by that police department. Either way, this is a very sad and tragic situation for all involved.
Tekashi69: Call me by Name and Other Legal News About the Rapper
Who is Tekashi69?
Tekashi69, also known as 6ix9ine (which is pronounced “six nine.” Yup, we know it’s confusing but there’s a certain creativity to it, no?) is a rapper known for just a few songs (only having risen to “fame” in 2017). Mostly he’s known for his face tattoos and being involved in a lot of controversial situations, especially as of late.
July 2018 Arrest at JFK
The rapper was picked up on a warrant stemming from a January 2018 assault in Houston. NYPD extradited him to Texas. NYC has a great interest in the comings and goings of the young rapper as he is on three years of probation resulting from a plea deal in a sexual abuse case. More on that below.
January 2018 Houston Mall Assault
On January 6th, 2018, Tekashi69, whose real name is David Hernandez, allegedly choked a 16-year-old teenager at a Houston mall. According to the teen, he was filming Hernandez, who is 22 years old, when the rapper turned around and yelled at him to erase the video from his phone. This is when Hernandez allegedly grabbed the teen by the neck while his bodyguards surrounded him. The teen told the body guards that he deleted the video because he was afraid of being hurt. In 2018 that assertion certainly doesn’t mean the footage of what went down isn’t available. In fact, someone else captured the altercation and, naturally, the video quickly made it to social media. It’s also likely that mall security cameras captured the incident (we feel as if Tekashi should have known that and at least should have tried to control his temper given the fact that he’s on probation). And, also a bummer for Tekashi is that it isn’t unfathomable that the scared teen would never have reported the incident. So, if the mall didn’t have video or didn’t take action and the onlooker didn’t memorialize it on his phone then Tekashi would not have been arrested that day at JFK.
Call me by Name
What’s very interesting to us is that Carl Moore, the rapper’s attorney in the Houston matter has asked the court to refer to his client either by his real name or “the accused” or “defendant” but NOT as Tekashi69. “We want the jurors to look at him as a citizen and not some larger-than-life celebrity,” Moore said about the request. Hmmm. We’re not so sure that’s the main reason behind the request. First, Tekashi is not a well known celebrity. Second, more likely the request was made because the rapper’s stage name is not only hard to pronounce and hard to spell but also doesn’t conjure up the most positive, innocent images. And, last, though we agree that the move was a smart one by counsel because it does, at some small level, make the rapper seem more “every day” the real issue is going to be the rapper’s appearance, all the face tattoos, is so extreme that the benefit of calling him Mr. Hernandez will likely be very slight.
What the heck does Tekashi69 or 6ix9ine even mean?
Well, no need to wonder or assume the rapper’s name relates to something sexual because the rapper himself recently explained it in an Instagram post. Here’s what he said:
“I never lost sense of where I came from. That’s what makes me 69. The true meaning of 69 is just because you’re right doesn’t mean I’m wrong YOU JUST HAVENT SEEN LIFE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. Turn the 6 upside down it’s 9 but remains the same in a different perspective. Open your mind and heart ❤️.”
Past Legal Troubles: Using a Child in a Sexual Performance
As noted above, this isn’t the 22-year-old rapper’s first run-in with the law. Not in the least. Back in 2015, startling allegations were brought against Hernandez, who pled guilty to one felony count of use of a child in a sexual performance after he was charged with three counts of the offense stemming from an incident in February 2015. The incident in question involved the rapper having sexual contact with a 13-year-old girl. He was 18 at the time. He also distributed videos of the incident online. Descriptions of the video are graphic and disturbing so we will not go into detail here, but Hernandez claimed that he had “no sexual contact” with the girl and insisted that he did not know she was a minor. He also claimed that he was 17 at the time of the incident–though court documents have him listed as 18.
Hernandez got off pretty easily given the circumstances. As part of his plea deal he was ordered to obtain his GED, refrain from posting sexually explicit and violent images of women or children (yes, that was a condition!), and not commit a crime for two years. If he followed those conditions, his sentence would be 3 years of probation and he would not have to register as a sex offender. Failure to abide by them means he could face up to three years in prison. If he isn’t stepped back to prison it wouldn’t be Hernandez’s first time behind bars. As a minor, he served time for assault and drug distribution (selling heroin).
Alas, in January of 2018, it was revealed that the rapper had not earned his GED. The formal hearing on the matter was rescheduled to April 2018. On that date, he was again unable to provide the court with a copy of his GED diploma and the hearing was once again postponed.
So now we have no GED and involvement with the criminal justice system–both occurrences that violate the conditions of probation. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office announced that the young rapper could face up to three years in prison and be required to register as a sex offender stemming from the 2015 plea deal. The next court date is October 2018.
Laying Low? Nah . . .
And Tekashi69 has not been laying low. He has been involved in beefs with other rappers, he was even investigated for the June 2018 shooting of Chief Keef in New York City (Chief Keef was not hurt) though, good for Tekashi, he was in Los Angeles at the time of the shooting. Then there was his July 22, 2018 robbery during which he was kidnapped, beaten, and robbed by three unknown assailants. The robbers allegedly took over $750,000 in custom jewelry and nearly $35,000 in cash. Tekashi escaped from the assailant’s vehicle and was able to call for help and reportedly taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital. Then, on August 17th, 2018, the rapper was on set with 50 Cent when production on their music video was shut down because of a shooting. Thankfully, no one was injured but, none of these incidents bode well for the young rapper. Is it a matter of where there’s smoke there’s fire? It’s in his best interest to stay as far away as possible from any trouble. Right now, the yanking of that plea deal is a very real consequence.
PROOF will be following this story and keeping you updated. Secretly, though, we do hope he gets that darn GED!!!
Ryan Phillippe in the Middle of a Domestic Violence Mess
Ryan Phillipe is one of those celebrities who normally flies under the radar. He has been on shows like Damages, Secrets and Lies, and most recently Shooter, but generally keeps a low profile. All that has changed recently as the 43-year-old is facing allegations of domestic abuse.
Elsie Hewitt, a 21-year-old Playboy model and Phillippe’s ex-girlfriend, filed a $1 million lawsuit against Phillippe on September 18th, 2017. Among her claims, she alleges that Phillippe physically abused her on July 4th, 2017 which resulted in her being treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and obtaining an emergency protective order against Phillippe. The TRO (temporary restraining order) expired on July 12th and was not made permanent. Nevertheless, Hewitt claims that on July 3rd, 2017, Phillippe left a party because he felt he had been “ignored” by her and that when she went to Phillippe’s house to retrieve her belongings, he became physical with her. Hewitt alleges Phillippe threw her down the stairs.
Following the news of the lawsuit, Phillippe released a very direct, clear statement via Twitter: “I am saddened and disgusted by the false allegations being circulated about me,” he wrote. “At the time these allegations were initially made, I fully cooperated with law enforcement and a thorough investigation was conducted.” Phillippe goes on to say “As a man, raised by a woman, in a household where women’s rights, feminism and advocacy were very much at the forefront, I am sickened that my name can be found in any article where domestic violence of any kind is being alleged.” Phillippe acknowledges that media attention has become a part of his life since stepping into the spotlight 25 years ago, and that usually he simply moves on from rumors, but “this time is different.”
“Domestic violence is a very real and tragic issue faced by many women the world over and should never be used to vengefully slander or as a ploy to monetary gain.” In case he wasn’t clear enough, Phillippe states: “This is wrong. This is not who I am. Every one of my accuser’s allegations are false.”
Indeed, law enforcement officials confirmed that the case has been closed and Philippe would not be facing any criminal charges. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office made this clear in a statement: “The City Attorney’s Office has deferred this matter following an investigation by the LAPD. After a thorough review, the matter was set for a City Attorney office hearing, during which both parties were present, detailed the incident, were advised on the law and given guidance as to how to avoid similar incidents in the future. No further action has been scheduled following our office hearing.”
But domestic violence isn’t all that Hewitt is claiming. In court documents Hewitt says she saw Phillippe, “repeatedly abusing a panoply of legal and illegal drugs” and that he allegedly “increasingly combined these drugs with excessive alcohol consumption and often exhibited symptoms attendant of poly drug and alcohol abuse, including mood swings and bouts of anger.”
To no one’s surprise, Phillippe has hired a lawyer and in his “Look What You Made Me” moment has said he will not seek money damages against Hewitt for her malicious and defamatory claims. Prompted by Taylor Swift? Maybe. As you might recall, Taylor famously won her counterclaim suit against radio disc jockey David Mueller, suing only for a single dollar (read more about T Swift’s victory **make read more link to https://proofwithjillstanley.com/taylor-swift-groping-case-goes-to-trial/. ) But maybe it’s just because Hewitt doesn’t have much money so even if Phillipe got a judgment he wouldn’t be able to collect on it. Or maybe it is really that he just wants to make a point, to clear his name and is motivated solely by the desire to have Hewitt acknowledge that she has falsely accused him of physically abusing her. Not sure this is very likely but we do applaud Phillippe’s announcement that he will donate any money that he is awarded in the case to organizations that work to support victims of domestic violence.
What muddles this matter up even further is that some insiders have reported that it was Hewitt who attacked Phillippe, and that her injuries were a result of being removed from the premises and then falling and injuring herself. But then again, Hewitt reportedly has a witness, her friend who was with her at the time of the alleged altercation.
As with most domestic matters, it a tough to win game of he said/she said.
Hewitt’s lawyer, Keith Fink, is not playing any games here though. He, too has said of this case: “[Hewitt’s] not going to take a dime, I am not making a dime…”—the money will go to a domestic violence charity. Fink also gaffs at the suggestion that Hewitt is doing this for money and fame. He has said that his client is famous in her own right, while Phillippe was “just married to a famous person.” Ouch. But to be honest, did you immediately think of Reese the minute you first heard this story? We sure did.
Recall that Phillippe was married to mega star Reese Witherspoon back in the day. They separated in 2006 after seven years of marriage; their divorce was finalized in 2008. They have two children together, and seem to be doing a solid job of co-parenting Ava and Deacon. No doubt Reese has really blossomed post divorce with a string of great movies, tv shows and a super busy production company dedicated to providing quality roles to women in Hollywood. When this story broke, Reese was fresh off of Big Little Lies success which won huge at the Emmys this year. Also, Reese has been married since 2011 to Jim Toth. Phillippe has been in several relationships since his marriage to Reese ended. He dated Australian actress Abbie Cornish from 2007 to 2010, then model Alexis Knapp in the summer of 2010, with whom he shares a child with Knapp; 6-year-old Kailani. He dated law student Pauline Slagter starting in 2011. They were actually engaged, but eventually the couple broke it off in 2016.
As is life weren’t bad enough for Phillippe, in the midst of all of these allegations came another report stating that Slagter had gone to the Los Angeles Police Department back in March to file a harassment report. The exact complaint filed is an “Annoying or Harassing Electronics Communications Harassment Report.” According to Slagter, Phillippe was verbally abusive over text message after the pair had split up. Hearing allegations like this one is certainly trouble for Phillippe in this current claim. If more information or other ex-girlfriends start speaking up, a tweet condemning domestic violence is not going to be enough for Phillippe.
Celebs Fight Back Against Nude Photo Leaks. Yup, It’s Happening Again
In yet another hacking scandal, a new slew of nude celeb pics have been posted online, and the stars are already fighting back.
Nude photos of Tiger Woods, Lindsey Vonn, Miley Cyrus, Kristen Stewart, Katharine McPhee and Stella Maxwell recently turned up on the website Celebrity Jihad, and lawyers for Woods and McPhee have already fired off cease and desist letters to the site.
The nude Woods photos were reportedly stolen from Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn, who dated Woods from 2013 to 2015.
The whole episode is reminiscent of “The Fappening,” a 2014 incident in which nude pics of Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton, Amber Heard, Ariana Grande, Gabrielle Union, Kim Kardashian, Kirsten Dunst, Kaley Cuoco and many more celebs were posted on a site called 4chan.
That episode was not without consequences — two hackers (who apparently weren’t working together) were convicted and sentenced to prison time.
The first hacker, Ryan Collins, pled guilty to felony hacking and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison in October of 2016. Collins accessed the photos by using phishing schemes to get passwords to 100+ Google and Apple accounts between 2012 and 2014. After he gained access to the accounts, he was able to download personal photos and video, including highly personal and private nude snaps. Collins also allegedly lured women into sending him nude photos by running a modeling scam.
US Attorney Eileen M. Decker made it clear the federal government isn’t going to go lightly on offenses like this. She said regarding the Fappening/Collins case, “Hackers violate federal law whenever they access private information stored online and in digital devices. Today people store important private information online and in their digital devices, which is why my office is deeply committed to holding hackers accountable, even when they do not sell or distribute the stolen data.”
The second hacker, Edward Majerczyk, was sentenced to 9 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $5,700 in restitution after allegeding hacking 300 Apple and Google accounts. Majerczyk apparently used similar methods to Collins to gain access to private celebrity photos and videos.
Majerczyk’s attorney attempted to explain his client’s behavior, arguing that he was “suffering from depression and looked to pornography websites and internet chat rooms in an attempt to fill some of the voids and disappointment he was feeling in his life.” We at PROOF have been practicing law a long time and have to say that is the first time we’ve heard that defense!
Judge Likely to Deny Richard Simmons’ Transgender Defamation Claim
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has tentatively dismissed a lawsuit filed by Richard Simmons in May against American Media Inc., which publishes both The National Enquirer and Radar Online, in which the fitness icon contended the publications defamed him by reporting between June 2016 and March 2017 that he was transitioning from a man to a woman.
In a cover story that ran in The National Enquirer, the mag claimed that Simmons’ infamous disappearance from public view was due to being transgender. The publication called Simmons “the new Caitlyn Jenner,” claiming Simmons was “now a woman” and going by the name Fiona. They also reported a secret boob job and castration surgery.
Judge Gregory Keosian denied the claim for a very interesting reason — he basically said that being transgender isn’t perceived as being bad. He wrote that being labeled transgender doesn’t automatically subject a person to “hatred, contempt, ridicule or obloquy,” so therefore it’s not defamation.
He did acknowledge that not everyone embraces transgender people, writing, “While, as a practical matter, the characteristic may be held in contempt by a portion of the population, the court will not validate those prejudices by legally recognizing them.”
He pointed out that race is not subject to defamation, and speculated that being labeled transgender could be seen the same way.
An attorney for American Media, Kelli Sager, argued, “There is nothing inherently bad about being transgender” and therefore the defamation suit “isn’t actionable.”
Attorneys for Simmons vehemently disagree with Sager’s assertion. Rodney Smolla said, “There are giant segments of society in this country who endorse the kind of prejudice and hatred and shunning of transgender persons in a way that is dramatically different than the way we treat race in this country.”
A final ruling in the case will be issued shortly. But where has Simmons been? He has been in the news after having essentially disappeared from public view in 2014. Many have wondered why the fitness guru would shun the public after a long career of embracing publicity. Earlier this year, he was the subject of a podcast called “Missing Richard Simmons” in which a former student attempted to discover what he’d been up to since essentially going underground.
But Simmons says there’s absolutely nothing for anyone to be concerned about. He and those close to him have made repeated statements that he’s just fine and merely wants to be left alone. His older brother, Lenny, echoed that on the podcast, “He’s doing what he wants to do, which is kick back and have a quiet life. … For some reason, he wants to be quiet, which is the complete opposite of how he normally is. I don’t understand it, but I have to respect it.”
Kardashian’s DASH Store Continues to Face Problems
The last few months have been tough ones in terms of the law for the Kardashians and their legal dramas continue as the LA outpost of their clothing store, Dash, was vandalized in the early hours of March 16, 2017. A vandal spray painted the front of the West Hollywood location. He/she (at the time of this writing the suspect has not yet been identified) certainly wanted to get noticed– bright red paint was the color of choice to mar the store front. Dash employees acted quickly and the act of vandalism was promptly cleaned up. The storefront was not significantly damaged (If it were, insurance would have kicked in but then Dash would not be looking quite so lovely quite so quickly as insurance companies are not known for their speedy response time to claims!)
This isn’t the first time, the Dash West Hollywood on Melrose has had issues with vandals. Last June a man threw a molotov cocktail into the store’s window. Luckily, the shop was closed at the time so no one was injured. The fiery “bomb” did shatter the store window but not much else was damaged. That’s good news because a sweatshirt at Dash will set a shopper back a cool hundred (though again, insurance would kick in to cover damaged merchandise).
Dash’s original store in Calabasas (the SoCal town where the Kardashians live) was the target of a spray paint “event” back in 2009 and though the message was sweet, it’s still vandalism–a fan tagged, “We love you Kim,” on the store’s window. It happened another time at the Calabasas location and also at the Miami store.
Dash doesn’t seem to be having much luck, despite the enormous fame of the owners. The Kardashian sisters closed the Dash NYC location this past December (which, by the way, we at PROOF have been in several times and really liked!) and the Las Vegas location has been shuttered for more than two years. We know most things these sisters touch turns to gold but maybe retail just isn’t for them?
At PROOF we love celebrity news as much as you do. So if you want more, celebrity news about A-Listers (and others!), we welcome you to explore the rest of the site.
No Charges (yet) for Chris Brown After Paris Rape Arrest
Singer Chris Brown was arrested in Paris on Tuesday, January 22, 2019 accused of aggravated rape and drug violations. Brown was brought into custody with two other people in connection to the charges. According to reports, a 24-year-old woman accused Brown of raping her in his suite at Paris’ Mandarin Oriental hotel on January 15/16. The woman, who has not been named, told the police in Paris that she met Brown while at a nightclub and that the singer then invited her and a few other women back to his suite. She alleges that at some point in the evening she found herself alone with Brown, and that is when he allegedly raped her. The woman said that Brown’s bodyguard and one of his friends also abused her.
Brown’s lawyer said his client “vigorously protests his innocence.” Brown took to social media to declare his innocence.
And, it seems as if, at least for now, Paris police believe the troubled singer: he was released on his own recognizance, has not been charged with anything, and is allowed to leave France. French prosecutors say the investigation is ongoing but releasing Brown and letting him leave the country certainly points to a not-very-strong csae.
Not Brown’s First Run-In with the Law: Rihanna Assault
As most know, this isn’t Brown’s first run-in with the law, though it is his first rape charge. In 2009, Brown famously was charged with felony assault and making criminal threats after a domestic violence incident with Rihanna, who was his girlfriend at the time. Photos of Rihanna after the incident with bruises and cuts on her face, spread like wildfire across the Internet. Brown received five years of probation and community service for the incident.
DC Assault and More
In 2013, Brown and his bodyguard were arrested and charged with felony assault after an altercation outside of a hotel in Washington, DC. Brown was released without bail and the charge was later reduced to a misdemeanor. Brown ran into some more trouble later that year when he was kicked out of a rehab center for smashing his mother’s car window during a family session. He was ordered to enter another program. However, the incident meant that he was violating probation and that meant he would have to spend some time in jail. While incarcerated Brown pleaded guilty to another probation violation from the Washington, DC fight. It would seem that all was truly catching up with Brown. After he was released he had to face the charges stemming from the DC fight. His punishment? A $150 fine and time served (one day in prison, in case you were curious).
California Assault
In July 2013, a California woman sued the singer, accusing him of assaulting her after a performance in Anaheim, California and then allegedly having her thrown out of the club where the assault took place.
Did Fatherhood change Brown?
After these probation violations, things seemed to be looking up for the singer, who became a father and was awarded shared custody of his daughter, Royalty. But then, in June 2016, Brown’s former manager Michael Guirguis sued him for alleged assault, battery, false imprisonment, breach of contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing (try saying that 3 times fast!) alleging that Brown brutally attacked him in May 2016. Brown denied the claims and said that he fired Guirguis for stealing his money.
Still, Brown could not stay out of the justice system spotlight. In August 2016, Brown was arrested and charged with assault and battery with a deadly weapon after allegedly threatening a woman named Baylee Curran with a gun. He was released from jail on $250,000 bail. Brown was never tried for this matter.
In February 2017, the singer’s ex-girlfriend model, Karrueche Tran (who is now dating former New York Giants player, Victor Cruz) was granted a permanent restraining order for 5 years against Brown after she accused him of assaulting her physically and threatening her.
Brown was also sued in May 2018 by a woman who alleged that she was repeatedly raped, sexually assaulted and falsely imprisoned by rapper Young Lo at Brown’s home in 2017. The victim is represented by Gloria Allred.
And, in July 2018, Brown was arrested after a concert in Florida. He was arrested for felony battery stemming from an April 2017 incident in which he was accused of punching a man who was taking his photo without permission. He was released after posting $2,000 bail and pleaded not guilty. This case is ongoing.
Which brings us back to the Paris allegations. Though Chris Brown has managed to find himself in and out of the criminal justice system almost too many times to count, he also seems to avoid serious punishment. So far, it looks to be that way in Paris as well. We’ll keep on eye on this one but our gut tells us that if there’s not some very persuasive evidence not much is going to come of this.
For more PROOF articles about Chris Brown and the law click here and here.
Death on Deadpool Set Could Have Been Avoided?
Two nearly back-to-back deaths of Hollywood stunt performers on the Vancouver set of ‘Deadpool 2’ and the Georgia set of “The Walking Dead” have rattled Hollywood and caused some to wonder if they could have been avoided.
On August 15, 40-year-old motorcycle racer Joi “SJ” Harris died while performing a stunt for ‘Deadpool 2,’ her very first film as a stuntwoman. Witnesses said that while Harris, an African-American pioneer in her field, was riding, her motorcycle went airborne and hit a building.
Some have questioned whether Harris had the experience necessary to safely perform stunts for motion pictures. “She was a highly-qualified motorcyclist racer but not an experienced stunt person,” veteran stunt coordinator Conrad Palmisano told The Hollywood Reporter. He explained that stunt riding is very different from racing, and that she typically rode a smaller motorcycle than the one she was riding at the time of the accident.
Stuntman Steve Kelso told the Reporter, “I can’t tell you how much different it is doing stunts with motorcycles than just riding where the aim is to go really, really fast. I’m a professional race car driver, but it’s just day and night. There’s no comparison. The two don’t really mix. Being a professional motorcycle rider is only half the job, the other half is knowing all the parameters and the art of making movies.”
Kelso said that veteran stunt performers know when to safely bail on a stunt when it becomes dangerous. “She appears to have been a capable rider, but it just turned into a terrible, terrible accident,” he said.
Likewise, the July 12 death of stuntman John Bernecker on the set of “The Walking Dead” is being described as an accident. But in that case, the 33-year-old had almost ten years of experience and 90+ credits before the accident that caused his death.
Bernecker was supposed to perform a choreographed fall from a 25-foot balcony onto a layer of boxes with padding, but missed his target by inches. He reportedly tried to abort the jump by attempting to grab a railing, but failed. He was airlifted to a hospital but died of his injuries.
At the time of the accident, Bernecker was reportedly performing a scene with actor Austin Amelio, who plays Dwight on the series. Bernecker’s girlfriend, stuntwoman Jennifer Crocker, reportedly questioned why Bernecker was performing the stunt in the presence of Amelio, a non-stunt person.
In another high profile, but much less severe, stunt injury, Tom Cruise, who is known for performing his own stunts, broke his ankle on August 13 while filming a stunt for ‘Mission Impossible 6’ in London. In that case, the film’s director Christopher McQuarrie said that Cruise was always safe, but had performed the stunt at a slightly wrong angle, which resulted in the injured ankle.
Did these productions protect their performers properly? Did the performers follow safety procedures? Was the proper insurance in place in appropriate amounts? As is the case whenever an injury or death occurs on set, investigations are underway and liability will be determined. Because of all the parties involved in film and TV production, this is no easy task, and several parties may be ultimately to be at fault. Though shooting has continued on these projects, the investigative work must be done and a fault determination made as with any other workplace injury. In fact, as highly regarded NY workers’ compensation lawyer, Adam Rosen, points out, “serious injury at work is a real risk and can happen to anyone in any occupation. That is why it is imperative that all companies, including those involved in film production, carry workers’ compensation insurance. So that recovery can be sought from the proper party, once a claim is made for a workplace injury, the incident must be fully investigated and fault determined. This holds true whether the injury occurs on a movie set or a construction site.”
We at PROOF don’t think anything is likely to come of the Cruise incident but the other two? We are very interested in seeing what those investigations reveal–those deaths may just have been preventable.
When Celebs Split, Who Gets Custody of the Family Pet?
Divorce is nasty business especially when it comes to division of assets, spousal support and child custody. Another area rife with fighting? Custody of the family pet. The number of divorce cases in which pet custody is an issue is on the rise as is the intensity of the fighting over it. Just as celebs are not immune from bitter child custody battles so too do they face fierce fights over family pets. And because celebrities have the money to hire tough lawyers and can afford protracted litigation often their pet custody battles are among the nastiest.
Legally speaking, most states consider pets property which means courts consider them as they would any asset and not at all akin to a child. Thankfully though this is not always the case and recently we’ve seen judges in various jurisdictions looking at other factors. In fact a New York case moved away from the chattel (legal jargon for property) view of pets and took a more holistic approach, asking what was the best interest of all—not of the pet, per se, but of all involved in the dispute. This is good news for the more than 80 million(yup!) American families that own a pet.
Let’s take a look at some well known celebrity breakups in which custody of the pets was a pivotal issue.
Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas. When these two decided to end their almost twenty year marriage, Stella, their youngest child, was already eighteen years old so custody was no longer an issue (child custody is not legally relevant once a child is over eighteen). However, the couple had three dogs (two were adopted together from an animal rescue group) and Melanie wanted to keep all of them. Word on the street was that their $50 million divorce case was contentious in large part over custody of these pups. Melanie made it clear that she wanted to keep them and many believed she was the better pup parent. There is no official word about how things ended up but my guess is that Melanie got what she wanted. These two seem to still be pretty good friends and are often seen out and about supporting their children at various events. Had Antonio not relented on the dog issue, this would not likely be the case.
Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. Most of us are probably glad this very messy Hollywood divorce is finally over. I know I am. But what was worked out early and fairly amicably between these two was who got custody of Pistol and Boo, the dogs the couple adopted during their brief marriage (Amber also got custody of their horse, Arrow, but I’m not sure there was much of a fight over that). You might remember hearing about these dogs—they’ve been in the news before. They are the same dogs that Amber and Johnny brought into Australia without declaring them at customs or obtaining the proper paperwork for them. Though Amber pleaded guilty to providing a false immigration document to immigration officials, the pair got away easy. As punishment, Amber and Johnny were allowed to make a public service announcement. Amber apologized for her conduct and praised Australia’s biosecurity laws; Johnny encouraged others to declare everything when they come into Australia. Lucky for them that they got away easy on this one as the dissolution of their marriage was anything but that.
Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. First let me say I am a big fan of both of these actors but I’m still very pissed that Kristen cheated on Robert (Team Edward!). He just did not deserve that! And with a married guy? I feel as if Kristen is better than that and if she wanted to end things with Robert she could have done so much less painfully and publically. But, she was young and everyone makes mistakes. Maybe that’s why when she and Robert could not initially agree on who should get custody of their newly adopted dogs, Bernie and Bear, she ultimately relented. I’d like to think it was an act of remorse and contrition. And, I bet it was. She certainly didn’t want to cause more pain to her one time love.
Mandy Moore and Ryan Adams. It’s great seeing Mandy Moore happy and starring in the hit television show, This Is Us because we know this young actress has been through a lot. She and Ryan two were working through their divorce settlement after ending their six year marriage when talks apparently stalled over a number of issues, one very big one being who would get custody of their eight pets—six cats and two dogs. Mandy got to keep all of her fur babies but she did seek pet support payments from Ryan. With the success of her new show, doubt she needs it anymore.
Britney Spears and Kevin Federline. Britney is back on top and has been for years now but for a while many of us were worried that she’d never be the Britney Spears whom we first met. We all know well about her emotional breakdown, the shaved head, the breaking of car windows, the run-ins with the law (Click here for more about Britney’s legal battles). When Kevin sought and won custody of their two children there was also an issue of who got the family pets. What’s interesting in this case is that PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) got involved and wrote an open letter to Kevin, begging him to take the animals. Whether or not Britney got custody of the pets has never been publicly revealed but it was a very sad, difficult time for her and assuming she was capable of taking care of her dogs, there is no doubt they would have brought her comfort. On the other hand though, the pets would provide the same to the kids with the added benefit of stability. Judging by Britney’s commitment to her children (and her pets) over the past several years, it seems as if all has worked out. But, as a vegan and animal lover myself, I’m not sure PETA really needed to get involved in this one.
Drew Barrymore and Tom Green. Drew Barrymore and comedian Tom Green were married for a short five months. In Tom’s words, the marriage was “a crazy, whirlwind of a time.” Certainly he didn’t make life any calmer when he decided to fight Drew for custody of their yellow lab, Flossie. You might remember it was Flossie’s barking that saved the couple’s lives when their home caught fire in 1998.
It Didn’t Just Happen to Drake! Here’s a List of Crazy Celeb Tour Bus Thefts
Rapper Rich Homie Quan is the latest musician whose tour bus has been broken into and he’s claiming thieves made off with up to $2,000 worth of gear. Tour bus break ins are nothing new in the music world, in fact, they’re common occurrences given that even a lay person would know that there’s probably gold in them thar vans. Or at least some laptops and a few instruments.
In September, 2016, a man was arrested after stealing over $3 million worth of jewelry from Drake’s tour bus while the “Hotline Bling” rapper performed at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, AZ. Travion King was arrested and charged with felony burglary. But seriously, Drake, with celebs targeted in so many thefts lately, we don’t think you keep $3 million in jewelry anywhere except a bank vault. Just take out the pieces you need for those special occasions!
Tennessee-based roots-rock band The Black Lillies didn’t just have their gear stolen out of their van, they had their entire van stolen while performing in Houston, TX in January 2016. The band recalls that they went to bed after their performance around 11 p.m. and when they woke up, their travel trailer and passenger van which contained all their gear were no longer in the hotel parking lot. The trailer and van were worth $30,000 together, but their gear inside was valued at $70,000. The van was discovered abandoned days later on the side of the road in Houston, and wiped clean of all of its contents.
Indie band Surfer Blood was hard hit on a personal level when their tour van was robbed in Chicago in May 2015. Their guitarist, Thomas Fekete, had just left the band that April to battle a rare form of cancer, and his bandmates were collecting cash donations at their shows to go toward his medical bills. They lost thousands of dollars in personal belongings as well as the donations they had collected while on tour as a result of the theft. Very sad. Hate these kinds of events that make us question humanity (but, guess the flip side is that it was kind, charitable, generous people who gave the money in the first place. Good will always prevail over evil!).
Not quite a van break-in but a real heartbreaker of a theft in the music community: In 2012, five of Tom Petty and his bandmates’ guitars were stolen from a soundstage where he was rehearsing for a tour, in Culver City, CA. Petty issued a $7500, no questions asked reward for the instruments, several of which were rare and incredibly valuable. (The entire collection was valued at over $100,000.) Shortly after the theft, an arrest was made and a security guard for the soundstage was charged after it was discovered that he had pawned one of the instruments for $250.
Unfortunately, while tour van break-ins are increasingly common what happened to the band Spose might take the cake. The band had been enjoying some St. Louis barbecue at Pappy’s Smokehouse in March 2015, and after paying their bill, they discovered that all three of their touring vehicles had been broken into and over $30k worth of equipment was taken — in broad daylight. Band member Ryan Spose explained “St. Louis is the only city where anybody ever warned us, ‘Watch out for your van. There’s a big series of robberies.’”
And speaking of St. Louis… Here’s a tale of an unsuccessful thief who tried to break in to rapper Lil’ Boosie’s tour van back in March of 2017. The man snuck on to Boosie’s van which was parked outside The Marquee in St. Louis, and was jumped by Boosie’s entourage without taking anything. And before you could shout “World Star!” the entire encounter was caught on tape.
The bright side of all these thefts? No one was injured–except perhaps the thief attempting to take down Lil’ Boosie’s van!