Celebrities
Lawsuit Involving Johnny Depp and His Ex-Managers Aggressively Wages On
On January 13, 2017, Johnny Depp filed a lawsuit against his ex-business managers, The Management Group (TMG), the counts ranged from breach of contract to professional negligence. Depp claimed that TMG paid itself more than $28 million in fees without getting Depp’s written consent. (Is this the way Depp and TMG had been doing business for years? TMG was Depp’s manager for 17 years, was there a time when written consent was required and adhered to? These are factual and contractual issues that are going to be addressed in this suit). Depp also alleged that TMG didn’t file or pay his taxes on time. Hmmm. This seems like a pretty easy one. Taxes due April 15 (and likely quarterly!). TMG if it’s your job to pay them (which as Depp’s financial manager this would seem to be well within your job duties) you either do so or arrange for an extension. This failure to file had pretty serious ramifications for the actor: Depp alleges it resulted in him owing more than $5.6 million in fees and penalties.
Depp also alleged that TMG “loaned” nearly $10 million of his money to third parties–without Depp’s authorization. Ten million? We’re still trying to get back 50 bucks back for an Uber ride we covered for a friend whose app “wasn’t working.” But, as with all lawsuits, there are two sides. And, after reading lots of documents and emails between the parties and their representatives (click here to see our favorite one. It’s about how hard it is for him to curb holiday spending because he wants his kids to have a good Christmas.) TMG points are not without merit. In a nutshell, here is what they have to say for themselves: Depp caused his own financial ruin.
That’s the crux of their argument and at the initial hearing it seemed as if they were dead in the water. Judge Beaudet, the presiding judge, dismissed TMG’s claims related to Depp’s alleged outrageous spending. Put simply, the Judge said Depp’s spending was irrelevant to the commission TMG claimed it was owed or for their work done transitioning their files to Depp’s new representatives–which is what Depp’s lawsuit is based on.
All was not lost for TMG because the judge ruled in their favor regarding their claim of promissory fraud. What is that? It’s when someone promises to do something but never had any intention of doing the thing promised. Here, it’s TMG’s allegation that Depp fraudulently induced them to work without compensation. To be clear, this does not mean that Depp committed fraud rather it means that for now TMG’s fraud claim can stand as there was sufficient information alleged in the complaint to make out the elements of the claim.
TMG naturally counted this as a win but went a step further, amending its cross complaint and adding new and different allegations about Depp’s spending. No doubt they expect the court will not dismiss this second attempt. In the July 2017 filing, TMG alleged that Depp led an “ultra-extravagant lifestyle” throughout the 17-years that Depp was represented by them. They detail a lifestyle that cost about $2 million per month–a lifestyle they say they warned Depp he could not keep up. Once again, they included examples of how the star had un-repaid loans, financial debts, and a huge credit card bills.
Why does TMG keep talking about Depp’s spending? Motive. They assert that Depp, having spent too much of his own money, is going after them because he is broke and looking to dig himself out of a financial hole. TMG attorney Michael Kump said, “Depp’s exorbitant spending remains at the center of this case.” In those amended documents, TMG references specific friends and family members that they loaned Depp’s money to, on Depp’s direction. Depp is trying to get those names removed from the legal documents. Naturally TMG is not having that. Kump believes Depp is doing this to hide the identity of the friends and family as a way to protect himself because, as Kump has said, “Depp knows how ridiculous he will look when these false allegations are publicly disclosed.”
We don’t necessarily agree with Kump’s view of Depp’s intentions on seeking to redact the names of friends and family members. Depp’s decision to hide the identity of the friends and family members could simply be that he wants to protect them, not himself. They didn’t ask to become embroiled in a multi million dollar legal mess.
What has been going on in this case for months now are disputes over documents and information that TMG seeks. They served a subpoena on Depp and they believe they are entitled to the information they requested. Depp’s team filed what is known as a motion to quash. Basically, he is seeking the court to side with him and not order him to turn over documents TMG is requesting. Depp believes the documents are confidential and TMG is not entitled to them. The parties have been trying to resolve the differences out of court but so far, the dispute remains. Certainly, in breach of contract matters, documents that show the pattern and practice of business and communication among the parties and relevant witnesses is critical evidence. But TMG is seeking documents that were exchanged between Depp and his attorney (not the attorney handling this lawsuit) as well as that between him and his long time agent at United Agency.
The case is set for trial January 2018 but given the complexity of the claims, we at PROOF expect that the trial date will be pushed out a few more months, at least.
Jennifer Hudson Drops Order of Protection
After a nearly 10 year long engagement, Jennifer Hudson and David Otunga have split and it has been more than a bit messy.
Here’s the quick version of their romance: Hudson and Otunga met in 2007, were engaged less than a year later in 2008, and remained engaged for nearly a decade. Otunga is a WWE wrestler, actor, Harvard educated lawyer, and was a finalist on I Love New York, a VH1 reality show. Hudson, as many know, was catapulted to fame when she appeared on American Idol back in 2007. The couple’s time together was struck by tragedy when Jennifer’s mother, brother, and nephew were murdered in October of 2008. They stayed strong throughout that ordeal, and Jennifer gave birth to their son, David Daniel Otunga Jr. in August of 2009. They never married.
In November 2017, Hudson announced the two were done, explaining that they had been broken up for months. On November 17, 2017, she petitioned a Chicago (that’s where they live) court for an order of protection saying she feared David would be aggressive. Specifically, she claimed, “[She is] now living in fear of further action David might take” after she saw him exhibiting “aggressive, threatening and harassing behavior toward [her.]” Her claims include an interaction with David in which he grabbed their son by the hand and pushed Hudson out of their bedroom after accusing her of cheating on him. Otunga, as noted above is a former professional wrestler and is 6’3” and 240 pounds.
An even more disturbing allegation is one in which Hudson claims that Otunga left a gun and holster on their kitchen counter as a means of threatening and intimidating her. Otunga claimed that it was a movie prop, but Hudson said, “David knows I am and have been very sensitive to firearms after my mother and my brother were murdered by a firearm. I believe that he left it out to taunt, intimidate, and frighten me, which he absolutely accomplished.”
The judge granted Hudson’s request, gave her exclusive possession of the house, and ordered Otunga to stay away from Hudson and their son.
As we’ve discussed many times before on PROOF, requests for emergency protective orders are generally granted, even though the person against whom the order is sought is not present. Note though they are temporary–they are issued to address an emergency situation. In order to become permanent or extended a full evidentiary hearing is held, where all sides are entitled to present evidence. Though Otunga was legally bound by the temporary stay-away order he stated very clearly that the allegations were untrue. His team even went so far as to accuse Hudson of making up the claims because she feared she would not get custody. Apparently, talks the couple were having regarding a custody agreement had broken down prior to Hudson’s request.
So the main issue in this relationship appears to be over custody–not property, assets or support. And each side seems to have drawn their battle lines pretty carefully– each is seeking to prove they have been the primary caregiver of David, Jr. We do have to say, David’s jab at Hudson that she has been absent as a result of her career, really bothered us. Bit of a low blow. It’s hard enough to be a working mother. Hudson is known to be a very attentive and present mother and has brought David, Jr. with her on location many times.
But despite all this mess, In an interesting turn of events, on November 28, 2017, Hudson, asked the court to vacate the emergency order of protection (translation: dismiss the case). Hudson did this voluntarily. In exchange Otunga allegedly promised never to return to the house. The initial order was pretty stringent–Otunga was wholly prevented from seeing David, Jr. until the next court date (which at that time was not until December 7) and if he did have time with him it could only be had by Hudson’s written approval. Otunga sought to dismiss the order allegedly so he could be with his son (as opposed to seeing Hudson); the court denied it. However, Hudson amended it and allowed David, Jr to spend Thanksgiving with his father. So it seems as if things had calmed down considerably from the date of the filing.
At the time of this writing, no final custody agreement has been worked out but it seems as if these two might be able to do so without judicial intervention. And, so it seems that Hudson and Otunga are putting aside their differences so that principle can be served. Well done, you two.
One last point, we at PROOF want to weigh in on: just because Hudson dropped her initial emergency protection order matter doesn’t mean she can’t bring another one in the event that Otunga engages in future conduct that causes her to live in fear. We certainly hope there is no need for that.
Cosby Retrial: Guilty on All Three Counts. Bye, Bye, Dr. Huxtable
The second sexual assault trial of disgraced comedian, Bill Cosby will begin on April 2, 2018. Given how much evidence and information there is from the first trial and all the pretrial proceedings and investigations this actually is not too bad. Though we often hear the phrase “justice delayed is justice denied,” the truth is delay is a tactic that many defense teams use to their advantage. In Cosby’s case, given his advanced age and the fact that he is not sitting in a jail outside of Philadelphia awaiting trial, a later trial date might have been preferable to his team. But, that’s not what they got and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania vs. William H. Cosby, Jr. will be retried within a year of the original trial date.
To recap, despite the fact that nearly 60 women claimed that Cosby assaulted them, this case, is the only one in which Cosby will face criminal charges (there are several civil suits against him). As you might recall, that’s because in all of the other incidents the statute of limitations–the time period in which criminal charges can be brought–had run. Cosby stands accused of three counts of aggravated indecent assault, a second degree felony, punishable by up to ten years in prison.
So, what happened last June and why is there a second trial? Many of you know I was there for the trial’s entirety and wrote about what occurred. Click here to read detailed daily updates. The bottom line is that the jury could not reach a unanimous decision on guilt on ANY of the three counts. They deadlocked on all of them with no hope of any movement. After six days of intense deliberation, Judge O’Neill, the presiding judge, had no choice but to declare a mistrial. What’s surprising though is that the jury, who was sequestered during the trial, were very quiet post the declaration of the mistrial. We know very few details about what went on in the deliberation room. Having feedback from them would have been helpful to both sides because on April 2, 2018 a totally new trial will begin. So, while this is a second chance for both Cosby and for the prosecution, Judge O’Neill is set to sit at the next trial so it may prove not to be overly different from the first one.
One major way in which it will be different, however is that in August 2017, Cosby’s lead defense counsel, Brian McMonogle (who, you will note in my daily trial briefing I praised for his zealous, albeit perhaps sometimes overly zealous, representation of Cosby), withdrew from the case; Cosby replaced him with Thomas Mesereau, the attorney to such celebrity clients as Michael Jackson, Mike Tyson, Robert Blake and Marion “Suge” Knight, among many others. No doubt right now Mesereau and his team are poring over trial transcripts, witness statements and evidence as well as looking for that new information attorney Matt Swain referenced that might just make Judge O’Neill change one of his rulings.
Rest assured, PROOF will be back in Norristown, PA for the second trial and we will certainly let you know all about it.
4 High Profile Celebrity Divorces You’ll Want to Read About
Celebrity news is always a hot topic. Love and dating life of celebs hotter. And celeb divorce probably the hottest. That’s because nothing gives us better insight into the personal lives of the rich and famous more than learning what goes on in the family law courtroom and the celeb news about divorce, annulment, custody, property settlement, and paternity just to name a few of the types of cases that fall into the family law arena.
PROOF is taking a look at some recent big (translation: sad) divorce cases and providing insight into these stories that rocked the celebrity news world. And to provide further insight into these divorces and the fact that divorce is more prevalent in Hollywood, especially among two celeb homes, consider these words from therapist Lindsey M.Hoskins, “There are several reasons that celebrity relationships are uniquely challenging. First, celebrities often spend a great deal of time apart from each other due to their busy travel and shooting schedules, making it difficult to prioritize the relationship. Second, a relationship in which both partners are used to being the center of attention presents challenges related to compromise and being able to put the other person’s needs ahead of one’s own. Third, many celebrities are exposed to almost constant opportunities to explore other relationships. Over time, the temptation can be difficult to resist, and infidelity is common in celebrity couples for this reason.”
Drew Barrymore & Will Kopelman
On July 15, 2016, after four years of marriage, wild-child-turned-Earth-mother Drew Barrymore filed for divorce from art consultant husband Will Kopelman. The two confirmed that they were separated in April 2016 but the “Santa Clarita Diet” actress didn’t file the docs until mid summer. The fallen lovebirds have two daughters, Olive and Frankie. The pair issued a joint statement at about their split, it read: “Sadly our family is separating legally, although we do not feel this takes away from us being a family. Divorce might make one feel like a failure, but eventually you start to find grace in the idea that life goes on. Our children are our universe, and we look forward to living the rest of our lives with them as the first priority.”
On a personal note, we’re sad about this one. Will seemed so solid, such a good long term choice for Drew and we really wanted her to live happily ever after with him and her girls. Though the two are not officially divorced, there has been no talk whatsoever of reconciliation. But it’s clear these two are going to handle the divorce and the future running of their family with grace and ease–can’t say that about the rest of the fallen couples on this list.
Amber Heard & Johnny Depp
In a pretty surprising turn of events, Amber Heard filed for divorce from Johnny Depp on May 25, 2016 after a mere 15 months of marriage. Heard cited irreconcilable differences in her divorce petition. Then, all hell broke loose.
What do we mean by that? Well, let’s start with the fact that on May 27, Heard was granted a restraining order against the beloved “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor and also that photos surfaced that appeared to support Heard’s claims of physical abuse at the hands of Depp. To say Hollywood was thrown into a tizzy about this is an understatement. Almost a year later, we at PROOF remain somewhat perplexed that so many in Hollywood seemed to rush to support Depp and, at the same time, alienate Heard.
After months of arguing, legal wrangling, and excoriating public commentary, Heard and Depp finalized their divorce in Los Angeles on Jan. 13, 2017. The two worked out a settlement that included Depp agreeing to pay Heard $7 million (as well as money towards her legal fees, among other things). Ahh, if only things were that simple though. What seemed like a clean settlement became quite murky due to Heard doing a PSA on domestic violence when part of the divorce agreement mandated that she stay mum on the subject as well as the complex nature of Depp’s payout, which was to go solely to charities. And, can we add, we were impressed by Heard’s choice to forego the big payout and seek to do good out of something not-so-good.
Tobey Maguire & Jennifer Meyer
These two have not officially filed papers yet but they have announced their separation (and McGuire has been photographed out and about. And by out and about we mean kissing other women in public). After nine years of marriage and thirteen years together, Tobey Maguire and Jennifer Meyer told the world they were splitting. They have two children, Ruby, 9, and Otis, 7. The exes, who met in 2003 and were married four years later in Hawaii, issued this joint statement: “After much soul searching and consideration we have made the decision to separate as a couple. As devoted parents, our first priority remains raising our children together with enduring love, respect and friendship.” It’s an encouraging sign that so many Hollywood couples seem to be quite clear on their post-marriage goals regarding their children: protecting them and making sure their lives remain as stable, good, and happy as possible.
While Maguire and Meyer (trying saying that five times fast!) announced their separation last October, as of this writing, it does not appear that divorce documents have been filed. No news may be good news with this couple. Perhaps they are working it out? We surely hope so despite those pics of Maguire.
Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie
Of course, for last, we saved the the biggest divorce case of the year (maybe the decade) in celebrity news. Here ya go …
In September 2016, Angelina Jolie shocked the world when she filed for divorce from her superstar hubby Brad Pitt, asking for full custody of their six children, Maddox, Zahara, Pax, Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne.
The trouble began during the family’s international flight on September 14, 2016 which ended abruptly at Minnesota’s International Falls Airport (trouble likely didn’t begin there but that was the first public report of something amiss in the child rearing category in the Jolie-Pitt family). Reports suggested that a drunk Pitt lunged at 15-year-old Maddox on the flight. In November, Pitt was cleared of abuse allegations after the LA County Department of Children and Family Services investigated. But, while the investigation was pending, Pitt was not allowed to see his children. Once it was resolved, he was granted supervised visits.
Pitt has been on the offensive since that fateful flight, and on Dec. 21, 2016, asked a Los Angeles Superior Court judge to seal any future court documents pertaining to the exes’ kids and to keep any further custody disputes private. Jolie agreed. And, we are not surprised by that. Though the couple’s breakup opened up a media can of worms they are trying to put a lid back on things and keep their names out of celebrity news’ headlines. In fact, on January 6, 2017, they released a joint statement, in which they made known their intention to hire a private judge to handle the matter. The press release stated: ”The parties and their counsel have signed agreements to preserve the privacy rights of their children and family by keeping all court documents confidential and engaging a private judge to make any necessary legal decisions and to facilitate the expeditious resolution of any remaining issues.” The statement continued, “The parents are committed to act as a united front to effectuate recovery and reunification.”
Though we at PROOF would have liked to have access to legal documents in this matter so we can reduce the amount of gossip and untruths coming out about this family’s breakup, given the situation, the number of children, and the very high profile nature of the parties, we applaud this move by Pitt and Jolie. Nice to see adults acting like adults and in the best interest of their children.
Seeking more celebrity news? Check out other PROOF articles. We cover celebrity news like no one else!
Civil Lawsuits Affecting Four of Your Favorite Female Celebs
Celebrity news has always been and will always be the talk of the town. Sure people want to know what stars are wearing and who they’re dating. But, what really piques people’s interest is who is suing whom for what and how much!
When celebs find themselves in civil court cases, there is one major thing at stake: money. (That’s basically the main distinction between a civil case and a criminal case. In criminal cases, the focus is freedom; in civil cases it’s finances). No one likes to lose money, including celebrities, and with the resources to fight hard, these big cases usually turn into big legal battles.
Take a look at four of our favorite celebrity civil court cases from the past year and gain legal insight into the stories that rocked the celebrity news world as well as celebrity wallets–those hired guns don’t come cheap!
Erin Andrews
Celebrity news headlines were made and justice was most certainly served in March 2016 when a jury awarded sportscaster, Erin Andrews, a whopping $55 million in her civil suit against her convicted stalker, Michael David Barrett, as well as the owner and operator of the Nashville Marriott, where a nude video of her changing her clothes was filmed back in 2008. The shocking events sparked public outcry at the time and had many rethinking what privacy means.
The sportscaster, who was working at ESPN at the time of the incident, originally filed a suit for $75 million after Barrett, who was shockingly a former insurance executive, used a hacksaw to create a peephole and record her changing in the privacy of her hotel room. The video was later posted online. Millions watched. As one can imagine, the invasive incident caused Andrews great personal distress.
The unanimous jury deliberated for seven hours and determined that 51% of the fault belonged to Barrett, which amounted to more than $28 million of the total verdict. The hotel’s management company, Windsor Capital Group, and its owner, West End Hotel Partners, were found 49% responsible, which amounted to $26 million. West End Hotel Partners attorneys claimed that they shouldn’t be held liable because Barrett’s actions were his own and had nothing to do with the company. That argument failed because evidence showed that Barrett went to the hotel restaurant, used the house phone, called the hotel operator, asked to be connected to Andrews’ room, and easily learned her room number because it was displayed on the hotel phone. It was that information that lead him directly to her. Further, how secure is a hotel that makes it possible for another guest to alter a peephole and not get caught? The reality is West End Partners has a duty to protect the security of their guests and when they fail to do so and harm results, they are responsible. The jury was correct in assigning blame to them.
This verdict was important and not just from a celebrity news perspective but for victims everywhere. In fact, Andrews released a statement after the jury returned their verdict. The statement, posted on Instagram, read: “I’ve been honored by all the support from victims around the world. Their outreach has helped me be able to stand up and hold accountable those whose job it is to protect everyone’s safety, security and privacy,”
It should also be pointed out that prior to the civil case, Barrett was convicted of interstate stalking Andrews in a criminal court case. He was sentenced to 27 months in prison. Let’s hope Barrett learned his lesson and won’t be making any more celebrity news headlines again.
Kendall Jenner
How much is Kendall Jenner’s face worth? She thinks $10 million dollars!
In February 2016, the model/reality star sued skincare company Cutera for unauthorized use of her likeness in ads for their “Laser Genesis” treatment.
The company made a pretty ballsy move when they featured the brunette beauty in an ad that read, “Acne ‘Completely Ruined’ Kendall’s Self Esteem,” and then boasted that Cutera’s Laser Genesis treatment is what she used to get her “flawless skin.”
In the lawsuit, Jenner’s legal team contended that due to their client’s A-list status (Is Kendall an A-lister? ) she should be awarded $10 million for the use of her image. According to documents filed in court Cutera never obtained nor sought permission from Kendall for use of her image. In addition to seeking $10 million for the unauthorized use of her “face” Kendall also asked for a temporary restraining order (referred to as TRO for those into legal jargon) against the skincare company, as well the prohibition of any use of her name, likeness, or identity.
Just a few months after filing, Kendall’s legal team dismissed the case. Though likely less than $10 million, I am certain she received a nice payout from Cutera in exchange for that dismissal. In most jurisdictions when a civil case is dismissed, it done with or without prejudice– the distinction is that when a matter is dismissed with prejudice the case is completely over and cannot be bought again while a dismissal without prejudice allows for a case to be refiled. In Kendall’s situation, the Cutera case was dismissed without prejudice so her attorneys can refile should there be a need to do so.
Sofia Vergara
This is one of the celebrity news cases that we here at PROOF are obsessed with as it addresses complex legal issues regarding ownership of fertilized human eggs. There has been a lot of back and forth on this between the Sofia and her former fiancé, Nick Loeb. Most recently, Loeb filed a lawsuit against the actress on behalf of the fertilized eggs for the right to live. Yep, you read that right; Vergara is being sued by her own embryos. Now this one of those celebrity news story for the ages!
This isn’t the first time that Loeb has put up a fight for custody of the embryos or made headlines in celebrity news. The couple created the embryos together back in 2013 when they were still a couple (Sofia married Joe Manganiello of Magic Mike fame in 2015); Loeb sued her in California for custody of them. A California judge sided with the 44-year-old actress, when she requested that Loeb identify two of his previous lovers who had had abortions after he impregnated them. Loeb refused to reveal that information and the case was dismissed. He filed this new action in Louisiana. Among other things, this new suit claims that because “Emma” and “Isabella” (yes, the embryos have names!) have not been born, they’ve been deprived of an inheritance from a trust that has been created for them in Louisiana. The fact that Sofia’s ex chose to file the matter in a traditionally pro-life state is no accident. Though he allegedly has ties to Louisiana, the embryos aren’t there, Sofia doesn’t live there, and neither does Loeb, he’s clearly looking for a favorable jurisdiction (forum shopping, anyone? More about that in another post!). Still, the decision in this matter will be a landmark one in an area of the law that remains unsettled. And, with reproductive rights such a hot topic in this era of President Trump, all eyes will be on Sofia’s embryos. One part of this matter that we at PROOF find very interesting is the validity of a previously signed contract between Sofia and her ex that spoke to the subject of the embryos, specifically the part of the agreement that states that neither party could use the embryos without the consent of the other. The issue here is whether that is something that can even be contracted–this is going to be a very interesting legal discussion.
Is it just us or are you glad that the Vergara got rid of this guy and is living happily ever after (seemingly!) with her hubby? One take-away for all of us–men and women? Think twice about with whom you create embryos or you might find yourself in some not-so-flattering celebrity news headlines or at least in the case caption of a lawsuit!
Beyonce
Beyonce stealing the work of a deceased YouTube star? Seems unlikely but so says a $20 million lawsuit the estate of Messy Mya filed against Queen Bey. Mya’s family is claiming that Beyonce sampled the gunned-down rapper’s words in her hit song, Formation, but did so without permission. According to the lawsuit, which was filed in the Eastern District of Louisiana, the estate claims that Mya’s words helped, “create the tone, mood, setting and location of the New Orleans-themed ‘Formation’ video and audio recordings.” The case alleges that the sample was “blatant in both scale and degree” and that Mya “has received nothing — no acknowledgment, no credit, no remuneration of any kind.”
These types of cases are growing in popularity (Bieber is facing a similar suit in relation to his hit son, Sorry) and we have to wonder if these Grammy winning artists simply asked for permission, received permission, and gave a shout out to the original creator, they would never be brought. Certainly there is great financial value to Beyonce giving a relative unknown a little musical credit or some money. And, with a net worth of well over $200 million, she could well afford it. We at PROOF do not want to believe that Beyonce would steal anyone’s work so we are eager to see how this celebrity news story develops and we look forward to analyzing the evidence uncovered in support of Mya’s claims.
Interested in learning more celebrity news? Please peruse PROOF. We have tons of celebrity news articles about your Hollywood favorites.
Celebrity Criminal Cases That Have Us Talking in 2017
Celebrity news is fun to follow, but nothing ensnares our attention quite like a star who is mixed up with the justice system. While many celebs find themselves involved with the court system due to divorce or contract disputes, it’s the star that has run-ins with the criminal law system that really gets us talking.
From physical assault to sexual assault and DUIs, count on PROOF to cover the most shocking celebrity criminal cases. Below though you will find a handful of celeb criminal cases that are keeping our attention in 2017.
Shia LaBeouf
Surprise, surprise! Shia’s in trouble — again!
The always controversial former Disney star was charged with misdemeanor assault and a harassment violation after getting in a fight. LaBeouf got into a scuffle with the 25-year-old man in front of the Museum of the Moving Image in the Big Apple where Shia was holding his anti-Trump, He Will Not Divide Us protest. Authorities allege that LaBeouf pulled on the man’s scarf and in doing so scratched the man’s face. While this may be his first arrest of 2017 – we have a feeling he’ll be making more headlines in celebrity news, especially because the 30-year-old has said he’s planning to continue the protest art exhibit for the next four years. That’s right, FOUR YEARS! The exhibit was originally slated to run continuously outside the Museum of the Moving Image, but due to the controversy, it got shut down on February 10, 2017. No fear though because just about a week later, LaBeouf and his collaborators, Nastja Säde Rönkkö and Luke Turner, announced that the exhibit was relocating to the El Rey Theater in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sadly though, once again the protest has been shut down. Apparently gunshots were heard in and around it. At the time of this writing, Labeouf tweeted the following: We have taken the stream down after shots were reported in the area. The safety of everybody participating in our project is paramount. It’s a shame that this keep happening, that’s there’s violence in the face of a seeker of free speech, especially with all that’s going in with this Administration. Perhaps this “participatory performance artwork” will reopen and any acts of violence will cease. As for LaBeouf, let’s hope he will play nice and stay out of celebrity news headlines.
T.J. Miller
T.J. Miller is one of Hollywood’s newest funny guys, but certainly no one was laughing when Uber driver, Wilson Deon Thomas III, said that the “Silicon Valley” actor slapped him after getting in a dispute about Donald Trump. Talk about some celebrity news drama!
Los Angeles Police Department Officer, Jenner Houser, said that authorities responded to a report of battery at the 6900 block of Camrose Drive in the Hollywood Hills at 1AM. Miller was charged with that battery. He was issued a citation and was quickly released from custody with a promise to appear in court on the matter at a later date. Despite his quick release, Miller may have to deal with more than just a slap on the wrist for his slap across the face. The driver now claims he suffered violent whiplash from the incident after slamming on the brakes while driving and is now suing T.J. for medical expenses and other damages.
Miller’s attorney has called the lawsuit a “pure money grab” and said Thomas is prone to filing “lawsuits to extort people.” I’m not sure what that is based on as PROOF has searched LA County court records and found only this case with Wilson Deon Thomas as a plaintiff. We look forward to seeing the evidence T.J.’s lawyer has to support his statement.
Though not overly serious, this is one celebrity news tale we are interested in for both civil and criminal ramifications
Bill Cosby
Anyone spending time on PROOF knows we just can’t stop talking about the fallen funnyman. And, we’re not the only one. Seems like no story since O.J. has grabbed the celebrity news world’s attention than that of the tale of Bill Cosby and sexual assault. Over the past few years, Cosby has been accused of sexual assault, rape, sexual battery and more by over 60 women, spanning from 1965-2008. Despite the abundance of allegations, Cosby has been able to escape the full weight of law because the accusers came forward years after the alleged incidents occurred and well after the statute of limitations had run.
Many thought that Cosby would never see a courtroom despite the mounting complaints against him — that is until Andrea Constand stepped forward one more time.
In January 2004, a former Temple University employee named Andrea Constand alleged that Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted her in his home outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
In January 2005, the Montgomery County Detectives opened a criminal investigation. On February 22, 2005, Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor released a statement on his office’s website that he found, “Insufficient, credible and admissible evidence exists upon which any charge against Mr. Cosby could be sustained beyond a reasonable doubt.” The case was then dropped.
In March 2005, Constand filed a civil suit against the former “Cosby Show” star. Instead of dealing with the likely celebrity news scandal that would surely follow, Cosby settled with Constand out of court for an undisclosed amount in November 2006.
Over a decade after the settlement, a motion was filed to void the confidentiality agreement that stemmed from settlement of the 2005 civil suit. In court, Constand’s attorney argued that Cosby himself had already displayed a ”total abandonment of the confidentiality portions of the agreement” with his denials of all allegations against him. On July 8, 2015, Judge Eduardo C. Robreno ruled to unseal some of the private documents in that civil case. In his ruling, the judge wrote that Cosby’s role as a “public moralist” was in contrast to his possible crimes. The unsealed documents were made public and showed that in 2005 Cosby had said that he intended to give Quaaludes to young women so that he could have sex with them (he insisted, however, that the sex was consensual).
The celebrity news world was then rocked when, after years of speculation and dozens upon dozens of accusations, Cosby was finally charged with three counts of aggravated indecent assault on December 30, 2015.
Cosby’s attorneys have been fighting these charges tooth and nail ever since. On January 11, 2016, they filed a motion to dismiss the sexual assault charges stating that the local district attorney’s office had promised in 2005 that Cosby would not be prosecuted. On February 3, 2016, Judge Steven O’Neill ruled, “there was no basis” to dismiss the case based on Cosby’s assertions. Cosby’s legal team has made several attempts to have the criminal case thrown out but none have been successful. On September 6, 2016, Judge Steven O’Neill set a trial date for June 6, 2017. If convicted on all three counts, Cosby faces a maximum of of thirty years in prison and a fine up to $25,000. It should also be noted that Cosby is fighting dozens of civil suits for defamation when, through his lawyers, he called his accusers liars. One of those cases, a matter filed in Massachusetts, was dismissed in February 2017, and though others have also been dismissed, several remain active.
Want more celebrity news about Cosby and other celebs? Explore the pages on PROOF. We’ve got lots of celebrity news articles about your favorites!
Stalkers: 2017 Proved to be a Terrifying Year for Celebs
We often throw the word “stalker” around to imply that someone has copied another person, comments too much on their Instagram, or a friend has become a little too enthusiastic about spending time together, but the reality is that real-life stalking is dangerous, often deadly, and changes the quality of someone’s life. And while the life of a celebrity seems luxe and glamorous, stalking comes with the territory and every week it seems there’s a new story about a famous person requiring an order of protection from a fan who has gone too far. And while the letter of the law says “stay back 100 feet,” often that doesn’t dissuade obsessive fans. Here are some of the craziest/scariest stories from just 2017 alone where some of the world’s biggest names have literally been hunted down by fans in the name of love, hate, and obsession.
Ellen Page is the latest Hollywood celeb to receive death threats. The actress reported the threats, which came back in June from an anonymous Instagram user, to police who are working to trace the IP address of the person threatening to kidnap and kill her.
A man accused of stalking Rihanna was arrested May 217 — but even he himself has reportedly said that it won’t stop him. Salmir Feratovic was arrested outside Rihanna’s New York home and charged with criminal trespassing. He was released after spending the night in jail. Not surprisingly, this May incident didn’t mark the first time he attempted to go to RiRi’s home — he was reportedly stopped outside her home twice in 2016, once while allegedly carrying a knife. Rihanna is tough and has security but when a stalker is known to have stated that being arrested wouldn’t deter him from trying to find her, the threat and the fear is real.
Singer and producer Moby also faced a stalker situation recently. A woman named Kelly Lord who was ordered to stay 100 yards away from his home, work and car, after allegedly attempting to steal his mail last year, was reportedly spotted on his surveillance video at his Hollywood, California home. Cops were called, but by the time they arrived, she was gone. No doubt Moby is keeping those cameras turned on.
Sandra Bullock was granted a permanent restraining order against Joshua Corbett, the man who has been stalking her for years. Corbett suffers from bipolar schizophrenia and had been in a mental health institution after an incident in 2014 where Corbett was found roaming Bullock’s home. She hid in a closet and called the police when she discovered him there (How scary is that??!! Sounds like a movie, doesn’t it?). Corbett was released from the facility early – unbeknownst to Bullock – and she and her lawyers had to scramble to request that permanent restraining order.
It’s scary enough to be stalked by a stranger, but what about when you’re threatened by the father of your child? Bethenny Frankel has filed charges against her ex-husband, Jason Hoppy, and in June 2017 he was arraigned on one count of stalking in the third degree and one count of stalking in the fourth degree. Frankel now has an order of protection against Hoppy, and she claims he threatened to “destroy” her after he showed up unexpectedly at their 6-year-old daughter Bryn’s school.
Marvin Magallanes, the man who twice tried to drive a car through the gate to Kylie Jenner’s home last year turned himself in and admitted to police that he killed a 49-year-old homeless man back in January 2017. Magallanes has referred to Jenner as his “soul mate” and was committed to a psych ward after one of his attempts to break through her front gate but successfully escaped from it. We know it’s sometimes hard to have sympathy for Kylie but this is a very really threat to her safety.
If Kylie’s situation weren’t scary enough, sister Kendall also experienced a chilling situation: her stalker, Shavaughn McKenzie, did manage to get through her front gate and accosted her while she was pulling into her driveway in late 2016. She recalled to a judge, “I’ve never been so scared in my life.” The judge granted her a permanent restraining order against McKenzie, who had a habit of trailing Kendall, banging on her windows and following her car before his arrest.
“Real Housewives of Orange County” star Gretchen Rossi was allegedly stalked by a former friend, Jay Photoglou, and early this summer, he allegedly attacked her boyfriend Slade Smiley. Photoglou reportedly approached Smiley from behind and hit him in the head outside a Newport Beach, California restaurant. Photoglou has since been charged with assault and battery.
This past June, Carmen Electra sought a permanent restraining order against a fan, Daniel Lablanc, who is convinced the pair are engaged. Electra already had a temporary restraining order against Lablanc, but when he showed up on her doorstep in June 2017 because he believed they were getting married, she called the cops and he was hauled away for evaluation.
We all know that Taylor Swift’s public feud with Katy Perry is the stuff of tabloids, but Swift’s stalker used it as part of his attempts to get her attention. Mohammad Jaffar was arrested in March 2017 after months of harassment, ringing Taylor’s doorbell non-stop, leaving dozens of messages for her managers, and ultimately climbing onto the roof of her New York City penthouse and staying there for four hours. After his arrest, Jaffar told a detective he worked for Perry and helped get her career started.
This list seems to grow ever longer by the day, and we think it shows a pretty terrifying side of the reality of celebrity. So perhaps when you are wishing you were in that designer gown walking the red carpet or leaving a restaurant to a sea of paparazzi shouting your name, think about how nice it is that for most of us we can curl up on our couches and binge watch our favorite shows or do our food shopping without the world knowing, anyone following us or watching us through a window. Certainly there are fabulous perks to celebrity but these stalker stories just might give us all a little pause. Want to read more about the scary price of fame? Click here.
NY Attorney General Not Playing Around: Sues Harvey Weinstein, Robert Weinstein and The Weinstein Company
Eric Schneiderman, the New York Attorney General filed suit against Harvey Weinstein, his brother Robert Weinstein and, The Weinstein Company (TWC) for civil rights and human rights violations stemming from the culture of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct that pervaded the company from 2015-2017.
By now we all know well the allegations against fallen mega mogul Harvey Weinstein. What law enforcement in New York has been doing these last four months since those explosive claims came to light is investigating–speaking with witnesses, subpoenaing, reviewing, and analyzing documents. And, although the investigation is ongoing (which means they have many more witnesses with whom to speak and many more documents to review and analyze), the AG’s office (that’s the shorthand reference we lawyers use for attorney general) has already come out swinging. That’s because the sale of TWC is imminent and if that should happen prior to suit they are concerned that Weinstein “survivors” (we love that they used that word to describe Weinstein victims) would be left without legal recourse and that it would allow the “bad guys” and their enablers to receive unwarranted financial benefits, and that TWC employees might end up reporting to some of the same managers post a sale and that would make for an unsafe work environment. Way to go, Eric Schneiderman! What a clear, direct act on behalf of those whose lives the Weinstein bros and their company damaged.
What we like the most is the way the AG is going after the NDAs (non-disclosure agreements). And not just those NDAs stemming from settled sexual harassment and sexual misconduct cases. They are also going after the NDA’s that TWC employees had to sign which effectively forced them to keep the company’s dirty little secrets as well as that of the Weinstein brothers. In fact in the prayer for relief — also called a wherefore clause or ad damnum clause– (law lesson: that’s the last part of a complaint in which the party who filed the suit details what they want the court to order as remedies for the wrongdoing) in addition to asking the court order the Harvey, Robert and TWC to stop violating the law, to pay to New York hundreds and thousands in civil penalties, to pay restitution and damages to the individuals they harmed, the AG also asked the court to nullify the NDAs. All of those people would then be free to share their personal stories and experiences with whomever they wished.
The AG’s complaint is quite an easy read. It’s not littered with legalese and provides one of the clearest pictures of what the heck was going on at TWC and just how disgusting Weinstein repeated sexually harassing, assaultive behavior was. We strongly encourage you to click here to read the entire document. We have no doubt that it will clarify a lot of things we’ve all been hearing these last few months.
This case is HUGE and will likely go on for years; it also wouldn’t surprise us if the California AG’s office filed a similar action. Read the complaint and let us know your thoughts.