Shortly after he rejected the Knicks, the Cavaliers, and half a dozen other desperate suitors, LeBron James made an ill-thought out prediction for the Miami Heat which helped cement his villain status in the NBA: “We will win not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven, but more [NBA championships]." James didn't win a championship in his first season with the Heat, but at least he can smile through the pain by parodying that soundbyte in a new McDonalds Monopoly ad. Those millions of dollars in endorsement deals probably help soothe his aching ego as well. Watch the karmic commercial below. more ›

What is it with all this lotto modesty? Most of those 20 Costco employees on Long Island who won a $201 million jackpot say that they're sticking with their careers. Now a visit to the "Albany Seven" who split a $319 million jackpot reveals that none of them have engaged in the sort of risk-seeking, insane behavior that most Americans are just a a ticket away from displaying? One winner is barely "in the process of getting a dishwasher." How are they doing without crocodile-skin Bentleys? Where are the winner-take-all craps games on drug smugglers' yachts in international waters? more ›

Recently departed heiress/recluse/doll collector Huguette Clark left $34 million to her nurse, $14 million to her goddaughter, $500,000 each to her lawyer and accountant, and absolutely $0 to anyone in her family, it was reported yesterday. more ›

The NY State Lottery office confirmed that the winning ticket for the $319 million Mega Millions jackpot—which was sold in Albany—was claimed earlier this week. Lottery spokeswoman Carolyn Hapeman said, "Late in the day [on Monday], we got a call saying, 'Can we come in?' As expected, they were busy meeting with the people they wanted to meet with before they came in here." People being lawyers and financial consultants. It's believed the winners were seven state employees, which means each one would get over $19 million (after taxes). more ›

Winning $319 million is life-changing—even if you have to split it seven ways. So we're guessing that the winners of Friday's $319 million Mega Millions jackpot, who are rumored to be NY State workers, are trying to get things in order and consulting with lawyers and financial planners (like other big winners) before identifying themselves to the state lottery offices. Lottery spokeswoman Carolyn Hapeman told the Post, "Ninety-nine percent of the people coming in winners do it that way these days. Three-hundred and nineteen million is an unimaginable amount of money. Most want a plan before the money enters their hands." more ›

So that winning ticket for the $319 million Mega Millions that was sold in Albany? As it turns out, the winners seem to be a group NY State employees—the Post reports, "The winning ticket was one of several bought by members of an office pool at a convenience store less than a block from their workplace... Other sources said the winners work for the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal." more ›

While Buffalo developer Carl Paladino promised to spend $10 million of his own money on his bid to be the next governor of New York, it turns out he spent less that. The Daily Politics reports, "The latest campaign finance disclosure form filed by Paladino with the state today shows that the Tea Party darling loaned his campaign $3.6 million in the final weeks of the campaign. That brought his total personal commitment to just over $7.7 million." more ›

Mayor Bloomberg repeatedly pointed out that taxing rich people isn't great because then rich people might move out of NYC and not contribute to the city's revenue. So maybe it shouldn't be that big a surprise that he may have just under $300 million in off-shore accounts. more ›

In case you were wondering what became of Leona Helmsley’s “rich bitch” Trouble, rest assured she’s not eating trodden banana peels or slurping water from pot holes. “Trouble is no trouble. She is alive and well and thriving,” Howard Rubenstein, spokesman for the Helmsley estate told the Post. When her real-estate mogul owner passed away in 2007 the Maltese poodle inherited $2 million—reduced from $12 million by a Manhattan judge—and now resides at the Helmsley Sandcastle Hotel. The manager there noted there should be plenty of cash leftover, since the dog isn’t expected to live more than five years. Watch out Trouble, we think he's angling to be your heir! more ›

A judge threw out the fixed price rent hikes the Rent Guidelines Board imposed on New Yorkers who live in rent-stabilized apartments — meaning that some 300,000 rent-control tenants who have been overpaying for the past two years might be reimbursed. The far-reaching ruling is a big victory for tenants and tenants advocates, and it could turn out costing landlords tens of millions of dollars. more ›

Raffaello Follieri, the disgraced Italian investor and ex-boyfriend of actress Anne Hathaway, has agreed to pay back $3.6 million he scammed from investors by boasting of inside connections to the Vatican. His victims include two Catholic priests, one of whom gave Follieri $110,000 from his inheritance to pay nuns supposedly working in Follieri's office. The Post says the priest will get $40,000 back...maybe someday? Follieri is serving a 4 1/2 year prison sentence and is reportedly broke; according to the Daily News he had to sell off two Andy Warhol prints for $21,000 to help pay his legal tab. Of course, Follieri's $13 million worth of fraud seems almost quaint compared to Bernard Madoff's alleged embezzlement, but then again Madoff's shenanigans lack the cachet of Anne Hathaway and priestly vestments. more ›

more ›

A federal judge awarded $4.6 million in back pay and damages on Monday to 36 delivery workers at two Saigon Grill restaurants in Manhattan. The decision is the culmination of over a year of boycotts and vocal protests from the mostly-Chinese immigrant workers, who were fed up with their abysmal work conditions. With the help of Justice Will Be Served and a law firm working pro-bono, they sued the owner of the popular Vietnamese restaurant, one Simon Nget, a Cambodian refugee who built his business from scratch. more ›

Leona Helmsley’s dog Trouble, who was famously bequeathed $12 million from the late real estate tycoon, will now have to make do on a measly $2 million, according to the Post. Helmsley had set aside the money for the care of her beloved Maltese while also disinheriting two of her grandchildren, Craig Panzirer, 40, and Meegan Panzirer Wesolko, 37, "for reasons which are known to them." The siblings have now hammered out a deal with Helmsley’s executor, having argued that the billionaire “Queen of Mean” was not of sound mind when she signed the will in 2005. more ›