Posted Nov 5th 2009 1:00AM by TMZ Staff
Ryan Seacrest's alleged stalker had some ominous words about his trip to E! last week.
Law enforcement sources tell us, during their interview with Chidi Uzomah, he told cops, "I felt like I was meant to see someone."
One law enforcement source says Uzomah shows signs of early schizophrenia, which often emerges in people around Uzomah's age -- 25.
Uzomah -- who showed up with a knife at the E! building where Ryan was doing his radio show -- is currently being held on $150,000 bail on felony stalking and other charges.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Ryan Seacrest, Exclusives
Tags: chidi uzomah, ChidiUzomah, e, knife, meant to be, MeantToBe, ryan seacrest, RyanSeacrest, schizophrenia, stalker
Posted Nov 3rd 2009 2:43PM by TMZ Staff
Ryan Seacrest's alleged stalker Chidi Uzomah just pled not guilty to one felony stalking charge and two misdemeanor charges of disobeying a court order.
The judge granted a protective order for Seacrest -- which states Uzomah must stay 500 yards away from the "American Idol" host. His bail was set at $150,000.
Uzomah is accused of stalking Seacrest between September 15 and October 30 -- the day he was arrested at the E! building where Ryan does a daily radio and TV show.
Uzomah pled guilty to three misdemeanors back in September after he choked Ryan's bodyguard outside of a hospital in Orange County.
If convicted of the new charges, Uzomah faces a maximum of four years in state prison.
He's due back in court on November 16.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Ryan Seacrest
Tags: alleged stalker, AllegedStalker, american idol, AmericanIdol, chidi uzomah, ChidiUzomah, ryan seacrest, RyanSeacrest
Posted Nov 2nd 2009 5:00PM by TMZ Staff
The L.A. County District Attorney's office has charged Chidi Uzomah with felony stalking.
The 25-year-old was also charged with two misdemeanor counts of disobeying a prior court order -- after assaulting a guard at Children's Hospital in Orange County and ordered to stay clear of Ryan Seacrest.
Uzomah is accused of stalking Seacrest between September 15 and October 30 -- the day he was arrested at the E! building where Ryan does a daily radio and TV show.
If convicted, he faces a maximum of four years in state prison.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Ryan Seacrest
Tags: american idol, AmericanIdol, charged, chidi uzomah, ChidiUzomah, felony, l.a. county district attorney, L.a.CountyDistrictAttorney, ryan seacrest, RyanSeacrest, stalking, state prison, StatePrison
Posted Nov 2nd 2009 2:53PM by TMZ Staff
The U.S. Army is issuing an official apology to Ryan Seacrest -- after learning his alleged stalker is one of their own.
TMZ just spoke with Lt. Col. Nathan Banks, an Army spokesperson, who told us: "We apologize to Ryan Seacrest. Pending the outcome of the local investigation, the Army will decide what further action to take. We take all matters of our personnel seriously."
As TMZ first reported, Chidi Uzomah is currently a member of the U.S. Army reserves -- and is assigned to a special forces unit. Translation -- he's a very dangerous man.
Filed under: Ryan Seacrest, Exclusives
Tags: apology, chidi uzomah, ChidiUzomah, ryan seacrest, RyanSeacrest, us army
Posted Nov 2nd 2009 2:22PM by TMZ Staff
UPDATE: TMZ just spoke with Lt. Col. Nathan Banks, an Army spokesperson, who told us: "We apologize to Ryan Seacrest. Pending the outcome of the local investigation, the Army will decide what further action to take. We take all matters of our personnel seriously."
Ryan Seacrest's alleged stalker is scarier than first thought -- we've learned he has serious military training.
Chidi Uzomah, Jr. is currently in the Army Reserves in Upland, California. He was trained as a front line soldier and assigned to the 426th Civil Affairs Battalion -- a part of the Army special forces, which is attached to the Green Berets.
Before Uzomah's gig in the 426th, he served in the California Army National Guard from April 2005 through April 2009. He was honorably discharged and then transferred to the Army Reserves.
Uzomah was an ROTC Cadet at Cal State Dominguez Hills.
We spoke with a honcho at the ROTC today, who said, "I am painfully aware of our connection with Uzomah." He would not elaborate.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Ryan Seacrest, Exclusives
Tags: army, chidi uzomah, ChidiUzomah, military, national guard, NationalGuard, rotc, ryan seacrest, RyanSeacrest, special forces, SpecialForces, stalker, training
Posted Nov 2nd 2009 2:19PM by TMZ Staff
Before he had cuffs on his wrists, the man accused of stalking Ryan Seacrest had stars in his eyes -- as in, the dude was training to be an actor ... and TMZ obtained footage from his acting class.
Just days before Chidi Uzomah was arrested for attacking Seacrest's security guard outside a hospital in Orange County, dude went to the Secrets of Acting studio and met with acting coach Charles Tentindo. Chidi told Tentindo he wanted "training" and came into the studio just once and ran through a scene a couple of times -- oddly enough, it was some kind of interrogation scene where Chidi was the witness. (BTW -- he's terrible)
Tentindo tells TMZ he thought Uzomah "seemed very sad and depressed" and had a sort of "dark cloud" over him.
Uzomah took the class on September 8. He was arrested the first time on September 17 at a charity event in Orange County. Chidi was arrested again just this past Friday inside the building where Seacrest does his daily radio and TV show. Uzomah is being held on a charge of felony stalking.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Ryan Seacrest, Exclusives
Tags: acting, chidi uzomah, ChidiUzomah, class, ryan seacrest, RyanSeacrest, stalker
Posted Oct 30th 2009 6:52PM by TMZ Staff
Ryan Seacrest's lawyers aren't taking any chances -- they just got a temporary restraining order against the alleged stalker who was arrested at the E! building today.
Under the terms of the restraining order, filed by Ryan's lawyer Blair Berk, Chidi Uzomah is ordered to stay 100 yards away from Ryan. Uzomah must stay clear of Ryan's home, job, vehicle. He can have no contact -- either direct or indirect -- with Seacrest.
We're told Seacrest's people fear Uzomah is a real danger. We're hearing Ryan's lawyers moved quickly so LAPD Threat Management detectives could serve Uzomah with the TRO while he's still being interrogated at the jail. As we first reported, Uzomah is being held on felony stalking.
Chidi was convicted of three misdemeanors last month after attacking Ryan's bodyguard at a hospital in Orange County. He had a knife in his pocket. Uzomah pled guilty to three misdemeanors and was placed on probation. One term of probation -- stay away from Ryan. The D.A. is now considering whether to ask the judge to violate Uzomah's probation.
Uzomah was taken into custody earlier today ... moments after showing up to the E! building in Los Angeles with a knife. He also showed up at a radio station in Burbank earlier this month, looking for Ryan.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Ryan Seacrest, Exclusives
Tags: arrest, chidi uzomah, ChidiUzomah, court, custody, E, filed, knife, lawyers, restraining order, RestrainingOrder, Ryan Seacrest, RyanSeacrest, threat
Posted Oct 30th 2009 6:40PM by TMZ Staff
TMZ has learned Chidi Uzomah -- the man who showed up with a knife to see Ryan Seacrest at work today -- is now being held on felony stalking charges, and that gives Ryan some breathing room.
Law enforcement sources tell us the LAPD has decided Uzomah is a real danger to Seacrest. By holding him on felony stalking, cops have some breathing room to hold Uzomah in custody ... mainly because he was caught with a knife.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Ryan Seacrest, Exclusives
Tags: alleged stalker, AllegedStalker, Chidi Uzomah, ChidiUzomah, E, felony, felony stalking, FelonyStalking, knife, LAPD, Ryan Seacrest, RyanSeacrest, stalking
Posted Oct 30th 2009 3:15PM by TMZ Staff
Ryan Seacrest's alleged stalker showed up at a radio station earlier this month, looking for Ryan ... and Ryan's people have been asking prosecutors for weeks to take swift action against the guy.
TMZ has learned earlier this month Chidi Uzomah showed up at KIIS FM in Burbank, CA, looking for Ryan. Uzomah apparently didn't know that Ryan did his radio show out of the E! offices in L.A. The Burbank police were called but no arrest was made.
Law enforcement sources say Ryan's people began calling the Orange County D.A.'s office immediately after the KIIS incident, asking prosecutors to violate Uzomah's probation and put in place a criminal protective order. Uzomah was on probation after attacking Ryan's security guard last month in the O.C. One condition of probation -- stay away from Ryan Seacrest.
We're told Ryan and his people fear Uzomah poses a danger to the host and want him locked up. The O.C. D.A.'s office tells us they are reviewing the incident and have been in contact with law enforcement agencies from both incidents.
As for today's incident -- where Uzomah showed up at E! when Ryan was there -- not so complicated.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Ryan Seacrest, Exclusives
Tags: alleged stalker, AllegedStalker, arrest, burbank, chidi uzomah, ChidiUzomah, kiis-fm, police, ryan seacrest, RyanSeacrest, stalker
Posted Oct 30th 2009 2:03PM by TMZ Staff
TMZ just got video of Ryan Seacrest's alleged stalker being taken to the LAPD station for booking.
Chidi Uzomah was arrested at 9:40 AM PT today, after showing up at the E! offices, where Ryan was working.
Uzomah had a knife on him when he showed up.
Uzomah was convicted last month of battery and two other misdemeanors after assaulting one of Seacrest's security guards outside an O.C. hospital. The judge placed him on 3 years probation and ordered him to stay away from Ryan.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Ryan Seacrest, Exclusives
Tags: arrested, booked, chidi uzomah, chidi uzomahj, ChidiUzomah, ChidiUzomahj, e, knife, ryan seacrest, RyanSeacrest, stalker
Posted Oct 30th 2009 1:10PM by TMZ Staff
TMZ has learned an alleged stalker of Ryan Seacrest has been arrested inside the E! building where Ryan shoots his daily TV show.
Sources say it's the same man -- Chidi Uzomah -- who attacked Ryan's security guard last month outside an Orange County hospital. In the Orange County incident, Uzomah had a knife.
A source inside the building tells us the suspect had a knife on him today as well and is being detained right now by LAPD in the lobby of the E! building.
We're told Uzomah went to the lobby and the guard on duty was aware of Uzomah and E! called the LAPD.
Uzomah -- who is 6'4" and 200 lbs -- pled guilty last month in the O.C. hospital incident to three misdemeanors. The judge placed him on three years probation and ordered him to stay away from Ryan.
We're told Seacrest was in the building at the time Uzomah entered.
Story developing ...
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Ryan Seacrest, Exclusives
Tags: arrested, E, Ryan Seacrest, RyanSeacrest, security guard, security guards, SecurityGuard, SecurityGuards, stalker
Posted Oct 2nd 2009 10:01AM by TMZ Staff
Ryan Seacrest is a bicep-ual.
The 34-year-old media mogul showed off his ripped and pumped up arm while at LAX on Thursday.
With all his 83 jobs, how the hell does he find time to workout?!
Filed under: Paparazzi Photo, Beauty, Hot Bodies, Ryan Seacrest
Tags: arm, buff, muscle, Ryan Seacrest, RyanSeacrest
Posted Sep 28th 2009 1:15AM by TMZ Staff
Get ready to see a lot more of the Odoms -- because before the couple even said "I Do," producer Ryan Seacrest was already thinking "spin-off."
Seacrest, who produces "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," was at the wedding yesterday in Beverly Hills -- where he hinted at Khloe and Lamar getting their own reality show.
Filed under: Ryan Seacrest, The Kardashians, Khloe Kardashian
Tags: khloe kardahian, KhloeKardahian, lamar odom, LamarOdom, ryan seacrest, RyanSeacrest, the kardashians, TheKardashians, wedding
