Madonna

Madonna has paid her ex-husband British director Guy Ritchie up to 60 million pounds ($92 million). The payment is as per their divorce settlement payout. The divorce after eight years of marriage was a pricey one confirmed by Madonna’s spokeswoman on Monday.

The couple’s estimated wealth is $525 million of which most accounts to Madonna. The couple’s final divorce settlement was granted by a British court on November 21. Liz Rosenberg has confirmed that Madonna, 50 had paid Ritchie, 40, between 50 and 60 million pounds ($76 million and $92 million) as part of their divorce. The English country estate, Ashcombe, alone costs about 20 million pounds ($30 million). Madonna’s total payout sum includes the cost of their estate. The tedious fight for custody is yet to be settled. Rosenberg has said that the arrangements for Guy and Madonna’s children has not been done.

Madonna has an estimated album sales of more than 200 million. She has been the reigning success as a singer. Her divorce with Guy Ritchie was announced in October, nearly eight years after their fairytale wedding at Skibo Castle in Scotland.

The multimillion pound (dollar) settlement is calculated to be much more than the high profile payout by former Beatle Paul McCartney to his ex-wife Heather Mills. Guy’s representative has not made any comments and when asked to do so simply declined to expand.

The biggest contested divorce settlement in English history was the 48 million pounds (about $90 million at the time) insurance tycoon John Charman was ordered to pay his ex-wife in 2006. Liz Rosenberg, the spokeswoman for Madonna also said that the couple’s west London pub, the Punchbowl would also remain with Ritchie. Britishers have stated that Madonna has come out with such a massive divorce payout simply because she has no intention to stay in England. U.K.-based entertainment lawyer Ambi Sitham said : “She’s relocating and moving back to New York. It’s money she’s already paid out — what is she going to do, try to sell the houses in a flagging market?”

Liz Rosenberg finally said, “I’d assume it’s one of the largest payouts ever in a divorce settlement…”

Tags: Guy Ritchie, Madonna
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Travis Barker

Travis Barker, the punk musician has filed lawsuit and is litigating companies linked to a plane that crashed in South Carolina, resulting in killing two of his friends and injuring him. Barker, who is the former drummer of Blink-182 has claimed more than US$25,000 in damages and have also taken legal actions against the plane’s owners, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., and an airplane maintenance company.

The lawsuit produced by the Barker’s lawyers claims the aircraft companies improperly operated and maintained the Learjet that blasted a runway and burst into flames on September 19 in South Carolina. Besides,  Chris Baker,  Barker’s assistant and Charles Monroe Still Jr., Barker’s bodyguard, the crush also killed the two pilots of the aircraft.

The suit filed by Barker claims damages for disfigurement, pain and suffering, loss of earnings, and medical and legal expenses. Thelma Martin Still, the mother of late Charles Monroe Still Jr. also joined  Barker and claimed for grief and sorrow, funeral expenses and loss of earnings.

Barker and celebrity disc jockey DJ AM were returning to Los Angeles after performing at a show that night. Both of them were badly injured in the crash.

It has been reported by the aviation authorities that the cockpit recordings indicated the jet’s crew thought a tyre had blown during takeoff. NTSB officials have said pieces of tyre were retrieved about 2,800 feet from where the plane took off down the 8,600-foot runway.

Tags: Travis Barker
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MJ

Reportedly Michael Jackson reached a settlement with a sheik suing him for £4.7million last night hours before the star was due to appear at London’s High Court.

Jackson, 50, was accused by Bahrain’s Prince Abdulla AL-KHALIF of failing to repay a huge loan. Mj allegedly took the hefty sum to perform for the Prince and also record albums which he refused. But Mj did not return the amount even after declining to perform for Abdullah.

The troubled pop legend was about to board a plane to Heathrow when his lawyers settled out of court. Jackson is going through huge financial losses and is under several tie-ups to regain his footing.

His spokesman said: “He was advised by his legal team to postpone his travels since the parties had concluded a settlement in principle.”

Michael Jackson’s legal team have made a settlement in principle with an Arab Sheikh who sued the King of Pop for breach of contract.

Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain filed a suit alleging he’s owed a $7 million advance on an album and autobiography deal that Jackson never honoured.

Jackson was expected to attend London’s High Court on Monday to testify in the case, but he has been advised not to fly to the British capital after his lawyers made a last minute agreement with the Sheikh’s legal advisors who have been London to fight out their case and settle Sheikh’s dues.

It was thought Jackson wouldn’t be able to make it to court due to bad health, but doctors in the U.S. gave him the all clear to make the journey to London following the mystery illness.

In the suit, Sheikh Abdulla claimed he paid for a recording studio for the star and sent his own compositions for Jackson to record, as well as alleging he wasted $2.2 million on studio time for Jackson to produce a song in aid of the victims of 2005’s Hurricane Katrina - but the singer never attended.  Out of court settlements are a common pattern for celebrity financial issues.

Tags: Michael Jackson, MJ
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Madonna and Ritchie

Finally the end has arrived for pop star Madonna and her film director husband Guy Ritchie. The star couple are all set to begin their divorce at the High Court in London on Friday, according to court lists. The  Registry of the Family Division will soon receive a notice of the  couple’s rule inconclusively.

Reliable sources mentioned that the celebrity couple have already reached a concord over finances and sharing custody of their children. If there are no further dispute from either side the marriage may legally come to an end within the next couple of weeks.

Madonna and Ritchie tied the wedding knots in December 2000 at Skibo Castle in Scotland and they announced their break-up in October,  the next year. The divorce will have its first hearing before the High Court’s Family Division at 1000 GMT, for which the couple is registered by Ciccione M and Ritchie GS names. The couples are not requested to attend the hearing, which is likely to last few minutes.

Reports have also said that Rocco and David, the two adopted sons of the couple will share their time between their UK and US homes. The 12 year old daughter of Madonna,  Lourdes will stay with her.

Tags: Guy Ritchie, Madonna
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Prince was sued by a  perfume company on Monday for $100,000 (66,883 pounds) for failing to help them promote a perfume named “3121”. The  fragrance was named after the musician’s  2006 album, which the company produced as a part of the business with musician Prince.

Prince

The the lawsuit that has been filed in New York State Supreme Court that states that Prince and Universal Music Publishing Group, his music publisher, have reached a licensing agreement with Revelations, the  perfume company in December 2006. The agreement allowed  the company to use Prince’s name and likeness as well as the name of his album “3121” to market two fragrances. The first of the two fragrances have already been released in 2007 and a second is due out in 2009, the lawsuit also mentions.

The agreement between the musician and the perfume company stated that 50% of the of the net profits from the sale of the fragrances would go directly to the Universal. In return the label would arrange the cooperation of Prince to market the products.

“Since July 2007, despite repeated attempts by Revelations there have been virtually no communications from anyone who could commit to or coordinate any promotional efforts by Prince”,  the breach of contract lawsuit mentions.

The Universal Music Publishing Group said in a statement, “Although we have not seen the complaint, we are familiar with the claims being asserted by Revelations, and they are completely without merit”.

The music company is owned by French media and telecoms conglomerate Vivendi.

Tags: Prince
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Michael Jackson

The King of Pop is dragged to the court by the son of an Arab monarch. Jackson has been charged of taking US$7 million as an advance on an autobiography and an album that he never produced. Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain’s lawyers claimed that Jackson accepted the money as an advance on the book and joint recording project with the Sheikh. Jackson claims the money was a gift from the Sheikh, who is an aspiring songwriter.

As the trial opened on Monday in London’s Royal Courts of Justice both Jackson and Al Khalifa were not present. Lawyers of Michael Jackson said that they would seek permission from the court to prove by video link from the United States. A lawyer of Al Khalifa, Bankim Thanki, on the other hand said that the royal first had a word with Jackson over the telephone about the contract while the singer was on trial in California on charges of child molestation.

Thanki also added that the Shiekh wanted to  work with Jackson on rebuilding his career. Al Khalifa  has spent millions paying Jackson’s legal fees and moving him to Bahrain. These expenses also included a sum of US$350,000 for a European vacation for Jackson and his associates. “The cost even included the expenses of bringing out Mr. Jackson’s hairdresser. It’s not a conventional commercial dispute”, he added.

Tags: Michael Jackson
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Heather Locklear

Heather Locklear has been changed by the California prosecutors with DUI while driving under the influence of prescription drugs. The California Highway Patrol have admitted that the actress expressed “obvious impairment” when her car was noticed by an officer that was parked and blocking a lane on a highway in September this year. But  the alcohol was winnowed out. She was taken for a test for drugs at a nearby police station and was soon released after the test was done.

Locklear said that she was under medication and was seeking treatment for anxiety and depression since June. She went into depression after she had a divorce with Richie Sambora, Bon Jovi’s guitarist, last year. The court had scheduled Locklear to submit legal document on January 26, 2009.

Tags: Heather Locklear
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Marcia Valentine

A woman who tried to stalk actress Sandra Bullock has been put to a three year of probation following her guilty plea to an infringement charge.  Marcia Valentine, now  47, was charged with assaulting the star with a deadly weapon. According to the Orange County Superior Court Web site she entered her guilty plea to stalking on November 5.

Earlier in May 2007, Bullock had obtained a restricting order that banished Valentine for 3 years from contacting her or coming near her home, family or work. Bullock also evidenced in court that on five different occasions, Valentine left in her yard palm foliages clothed with “weird signs” and “pieces of animal fur.” The star all added that Valentine had yelled dirty words and twice tried to run over James, host of TV’s Monster Garage, with her silver Mercedes-Benz. James is although not hurt.

Tags: Marcia Valentine, Sandra Bullock
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Michael Jackson

Music legend, MJ has reportedly handed over the title of the infamous Neverland Ranch to a company made up of himself and the firm that holds his loan on the property. Michael Jackson filed the grant deed on the ranch this Thursday. The new ownership goes to Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC. Jackson’s 2,700-acre ranch in Santa Barbara County, California will be held in joint venture between Jackson, 50, and Colony Capital LLC.

The company has a loan of about $24 million on the property. Property records suggest a grant deed and the estimated joint venture loan that is to be meted out in future. Since his June 2005 ordeal (trial and acquittal of child molestation charges) Jackson has rarely spent time at Neverland. MJ as known lovingly, is one of the biggest achievers and one of the biggest U.S. pop stars of the 1980s, has lived a reclusive life in recent years.

Neverland’s changing of hands means a change in its once famous private zoo and amusement park that Jackson built on the property. But a source has revealed : “Colony and Michael Jackson intend to pursue a multitude of joint business interests together,” the source said…”

Tags: Michael Jackson
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Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse has reportedly pulled in lawyers to protect her fortune from husband Blake Fielder-Civil. The tightening of Amy’s legal position sends the alarms straight.

The ‘Rehab’ singer’s father Mitch has reportedly had a secret meeting with legal experts to find a way to keep her estimated £10 million fortune safe. This means if she decides to divorce Blake her huge fortune will be in safe hands. This comes in the wake of

Blake Fielder-Civil’s release from prison last week.

A source close to the singer said discussions were “productive”, adding: “There was panic in her team that Blake could get access to Amy’s money.”

“This cannot be allowed to happen. Mitch is leading the way but Amy is fully aware of what is happening.”

Blake is presently at the Life Works Community rehab centre in Surrey, where he is being treated for drug addiction under the terms of his early release for grievous bodily harm and perverting the course of justice.

Speculations of a failed marriage with Winehouse rose when he did not see his wife since his release from prison. Blake and

Winehouse’s marriage has taken a rough turn and is definitely on the rocks because of all these legal procedures being tightened thus distancing the couple more and more.

Amy was quoted this weekend as saying: “I don’t know if I want to be with him. Everything has changed. I’m trying to move on and I can’t take the pain any more. I’m still thinking about whether to see him.”

A source close to the singer added: “Things are really bad between her and Blake. She doesn’t know any more if he is ‘the one’.

It’s really sad but this could be the end.”The 25-year-old star has refused to pay for her husband’s £30,000 rehab stay after deciding Blake needs to take responsibility for cleaning up his own life.

Tags: Amy Winehouse
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