Posted Nov 18th 2009 6:20PM by TMZ Staff
The IRS wants some serious "Girls Gone Wild" money, because they've filed a lien against Joe Francis for a whopping $33,819,087.14 ... this according to documents obtained by TMZ.
The Federal Tax Lien doc was filed today. The IRS claims Joe owes the money for 3 years of back taxes -- 2001, 2002 and 2003. In 2001, the IRS says Joe didn't pay $17,658,358. In 2002, the delinquency is $11,238,582.14, and in 2003, he owes $4,922,147.
It was less than 2 weeks ago that Joe got out of a sticky federal tax evasion case by copping a plea and avoiding prison.
Joe told TMZ, "I have no idea what it is." He says he does not owe the money and, "This is total retaliation for me beating them in court." Joe says the law the IRS is using hasn't been used against anyone in 20 years.
Joe says yesterday, the feds seized more than $100,000,000 in cash accounts of his.
Joe says the IRS is forcing him to file for personal bankruptcy, which he will do tomorrow.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Joe Francis
Posted Nov 18th 2009 5:24PM by TMZ Staff
A photographer who had a physical run-in with Debbie Rowe back in July is now suing Michael Jackson's ex-wife in small claims court.
It's all over an incident that went down in front of a Chinese restaurant in Lancaster, California right after MJ died -- in which a swarm of paparazzi swarmed Rowe asking about the kids. Rowe lashed out at one photog, "Are you ready to have your butt kicked?"
Now, that photog, Ed Frommer, wants $7,500 in damages from Rowe -- claiming she lied to police, telling them he scratched her face, pulled her arm and struck her in the back.
Frommer tells us, "You can see from the video, I didn't touch her face" adding, "anything that happened was not intentional."
Frommer claims his reputation has taken some serious hits from the incident and he can't get work. The hearing is scheduled for January.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Paparazzi Video, Exclusives
Posted Nov 18th 2009 4:30PM by TMZ Staff
The man who allegedly secretly filmed ESPN reporter Erin Andrews naked in various hotel rooms followed her around the country ... according to federal charging documents obtained by TMZ.
In the docs, the feds claim Michael Barrett called 7 hotels in Columbus, Ohio on January 28 and 29 of 2008, trying to find out where she would be staying. The documents officially charge Barrett with 1 count of interstate stalking.
After striking gold with the Columbus Hotel, Barrett got a room next door to her, altered the peephole device and secretly shot video of Andrews.
Barrett then used the Internet to send the video to his email account.
Fast forward to July. He called 14 hotels in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and found where she was staying there. Again, he checked in, altered the peephole device in her room and shot video.
Then again on September 2, Barrett called a hotel, located Andrews' reservation, requested the room next door and on September 4 he altered the peephole and shot video of Andrews naked.
The email he sent the video to -- handsfouryou@yahoo.com. He eventually sent TMZ the video but we did not post it.
The feds say Barrett then posted the videos on a Google video account calling the video, "Erin Andrews Naked Butt."
TMZ received a statement from Barrett's lawyer, saying, "Mr. Barrett would like to express his deep regret for the circumstances that have caused the issuance of the charges against him today. It is his sincere hope that this matter can be resolved as soon as possible."
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports, Exclusives, Erin Andrews
Posted Nov 18th 2009 4:01PM by TMZ Staff
Now this is funny ....
Gerard Butler in London. Michael Jackson would pee his pants if he saw this.
Click here to live chat!Filed under: Paparazzi Photo, Michael Jackson, Gerard Butler
Posted Nov 18th 2009 3:43PM by TMZ Staff
Big clue in the Michael Jackson investigation -- the LAPD detective leading the probe indicated January 18, 2010 may be a significant date.
Detective Orlando Martinez asked a Las Vegas judge this AM to keep search warrant documents related to Applied Pharmacy secret until January 18. Law enforcement sources told us previously cops didn't want the warrant made public until the investigation was completed.
As we first reported, the LAPD believes Applied Pharmacy supplied Dr. Conrad Murray with the Propofol that ultimately killed Michael Jackson. They are on the hunt to make sure other pharmacies didn't supply Propofol.
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Posted Nov 18th 2009 3:00PM by TMZ Staff
Nicole Richie was telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth Monday in court when she said she wasn't feeling well -- because now she's holed up in a hospital, sick as a dog.
Richie ended up having pneumonia ... and is now being treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A., this according to her rep.
Richie's cough-filled testimony on Monday still did the job -- she was granted restraining orders against two paparazzi she claimed caused her to get into a car accident.
Filed under: Nicole Richie, Nurse!
Posted Nov 18th 2009 2:31PM by TMZ Staff
Biological sisters and actresses Jennifer Tilly, 51, and Meg Tilly, 49, showed off their stellar genes at the same event in L.A. the other day.
Question is ...
Filed under: Who'd You Rather?
Posted Nov 18th 2009 2:30PM by TMZ Staff
Cindy Crawford's alleged extortionist cannot be extradited to the U.S., but he's not out of the woods.
TMZ did some checking and found Edis Kayalar, who turned himself in to German police Monday night, cannot be shipped back to the U.S. for allegedly demanding $100,000 from Cindy and hubby Rande Gerber. Germany does not have an extradition treaty with the U.S.
So, you ask, why did Kayalar turn himself in? We're told in November, after Kayalar was deported to Germany, he was sending emails to Gerber asking for money that could be transferred into a German bank account. That, German authorities tell us, is a violation of German extortion law.
Kayalar allegedly stole a photo from Cindy's former nanny -- a photo that shows her 7-year-old daughter tied up to a chair and gagged. The nanny says she took the photo as a joke.
Kayalar has been denied bail, because the German judge thinks he's a flight risk.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Exclusives, Cindy Crawford
Posted Nov 18th 2009 2:15PM by TMZ Staff
By the way Johnny Depp stumbled out of a NYC restaurant last night -- and then had to be carried into his car -- it seems the guy was really into celebrating his Sexiest Man Alive victory.
Heeeeere's Johnny attempting to walk out of a bar with punk icon Patti Smith.
Edward Fortyhands, anyone?
Filed under: Paparazzi Video, Johnny Depp, Drunks
Posted Nov 18th 2009 2:09PM by TMZ Staff
Paris Hilton says her neighbor and cops are mistaken -- she wasn't in the epic driveway fight this morning that sent squad cars rollin' to her house.
Here's Hilton's story: "Doug and I were in bed, sound asleep, when Doug's houseguests from hell got into an argument. We had nothing to do with it. Doug told the LAPD that his guests' fight was over and that we had nothing to do with it."
Ok, sounds credible, except for the neighbor who says he eyeballed Paris in her driveway screaming at BF Doug Reinhardt, and then watched as the two engaged in a mutual shoving match. And then there's the LAPD, who tells us after arriving they actually made Paris get out of bed so they could check for injuries.
Was it Paris? You be the judge.
Filed under: Paris Hilton, Exclusives
Posted Nov 18th 2009 2:00PM by TMZ Staff
Seems high school kids have a short term memory when it comes to current events -- because Chris Brown was hailed as a conquering hero when he showed up for a b-ball game.
Brown rolled into L.A.'s Cleveland High School for a celeb basketball game sponsored by local radio station Power 106 -- and, shockingly ... no controversy over his appearance. In fact, it was the opposite.
Assistant Principal of Athletics Carlos Valdovinos tells TMZ the students did not have Rihanna on the brain. Everyone acted "as if nothing ever happened."
Valdovinos says the girls "were going berserk." Doubt it? Just watch the video.
Filed under: Chris Brown, Exclusives
Posted Nov 18th 2009 1:15PM by TMZ Staff
Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and estranged wife Jamie spent a lovely evening with their respective lawyers at Spago restaurant in Bev Hills recently. Actually it wasn't lovely at all.
Our sources say Jamie and her mega-lawyer, Dennis Wasser (back to camera) asked Frank and his legal eagle, Marshall Grossman, to join them at Wolfgang's joint on October 8th, 3 months after the couple split. Someone we know at a table nearby took the pic.
Grossman tells TMZ it was "awkward ... a chilly evening," adding he thought it was going to be a conciliatory dinner but was more like "the last supper."
We're guessing it went something like this ...
Frank: Marshall, would you please tell the shrew to pass the salt?
Jamie: Dennis, please tell Frank he's a moron.
Frank: Marshall, tell her at least this moron owns the Dodgers.
Grossman groused that Jamie and Dennis split before the bill came, so Frank picked up the tab.
As for Wasser, he tells us he also reps Wolfgang, so he didn't have to bring a special taster for safe measure.
Filed under: Talk Sports, Dirty Divorces, Exclusives
Posted Nov 18th 2009 1:05PM by TMZ Staff
Inappropriate: Sofia Vergara joking about being raped on "The View" today.
More Inappropriate: Several members on "The View" panel LAUGHING about it!!!!!
For the record -- Whoopi "rape rape" Goldberg was the only one who looked disturbed by the joke. You can hear someone on the set say, "Whoaaa!" -- but it's unclear whose mouth it came from.
Thanks to Jezebel for pointing it out.
Filed under: TV, You Might Want to Rethink, The View
