Lawsuit
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It seems Jay-Z will have to defend his name in a court of law. A judge has denied his request to dismiss a rape lawsuit against him.
As spotted on Vulture, the Brooklyn, N.Y., native did not receive favorable news regarding a recent legal filing against him. On Thursday (Dec. 26), Judge Analisa Torres ruled that Jane Doe can move forward with her lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs and Jay-Z anonymously. While the accuser remains unidentified, the magistrate did say that Jane Doe might have to reveal her name in the future for the case to proceed.
According to the Associated Press, Judge Analisa Torres also expressed her disproval on how Jay-Z’s legal team have handled the complaint thus far. “Carter’s lawyer’s relentless filing of combative motions containing inflammatory language and ad hominem attacks is inappropriate, a waste of judicial resources, and a tactic unlikely to benefit his client. The Court will not fast-track the judicial process merely because counsel demands it,” the written order reads.
The “inflammatory language” is a direct reference to Alex Spiro’s–Jay-Z’s attorney–criticism of the plaintiff’s lawyer Tony Buzbee. In an exclusive statement to the Hollywood Reporter, the Texas-based mouthpiece commented on the judges denial to dismiss the case. “I don’t typically comment on court rulings. I will say that the coordinated and desperate efforts to attack me as counsel for alleged victims are falling flat.”
Back in October, a woman named Jane Doe filed a lawsuit against Diddy and Jay-Z claiming the two raped her at an event following the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. She has since admitted that there were several inconsistencies with her original filing.
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Now that Diddy’s locked up and facing multiple lawsuits from both men and women who allege that the music icon sexually assaulted them over the decades, he has been slapped with yet another lawsuit from a woman who says she too fell victim to the now notoriously disgraced mogul.
According to TMZ, LaTroya Grayson has just filed a lawsuit against Diddy, Bad Boy Records and other entities as she claims that Diddy drugged and raped her in 2006 after she won a local radio contest in Oklahoma that sent her to one of Diddy’s infamous “White Parties” in New York City. After locking down two tickets to NYC courtesy of KJAMZ radio station, Grayson says she and her sibling attended the Diddler’s soiree and ultimately experienced the horror that many of Diddy’s alleged victims have been coping with for years.
Per TMZ:
Grayson says she and her sibling went to the party — which was changed to a “Black Party” — but were separated when entering the party … with Grayson getting in and her sibling being left outside.
Grayson says waitresses circulated around the room with premade drinks and — after she says she had only two — she began to feel sick and headed for the restroom.
Grayson says she has no recollection of the rest of the night … instead waking up at Saint Vincent’s Medical Center. When she woke up, she says she had a ripped shirt, no underwear, and most of her money was gone.
It’s important to note, Grayson remembers nothing about this assault she says happened … so, she can’t say with certainty who allegedly raped her — and, she never mentions actually seeing or speaking with Diddy at the event.
Grayson says when she got back to her hometown of Oklahoma she received an anonymous call from a woman warning her against pursing legal action against Diddy saying that his celebrity status would basically protect him and she’d be “wasting her time.” Unfortunately, it seems like the warning worked as Grayson has remained mum about the incident for almost two decades.
Naturally, Diddy’s lawyers are denying any such assault took place and have dismissed Grayson’s claim as “pure fiction,” while pointing out that she doesn’t actually remember the assault taking place. “As we’ve said before, Mr. Combs cannot respond to every baseless lawsuit and lawyer-driven money grab. He has faith in the judicial process, in which fact will be separated from opportunistic fabrications like these.”
As we’ve said before, one has to wonder how many more people will ultimately come forward with their own horror stories about “The Diddler.”
That upcoming docuseries about Diddy is going to be one helluva ride, b.
What do y’all think about this latest allegation against Diddy? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Lizzo is glad that she will not be bringing legal worries into the new year. She reveals she was totally blindsided by her former staff’s sexual harassment claims.
As spotted on Variety Magazine the singer received a favorable decision regarding a high profile lawsuit. Back in 2023 her ex stylist and dance troupe made some very damming allegations against her including sexual harassment, body shaming and fostering a toxic work environment. Earlier this month a California federal judge dismissed the case and ruled that her former dancers and stylist had no grounds to sue her (they are still pursuing damages from Lizzo’s touring company and payroll agency).
Naturally the “Truth Hurts” singer said very little about the lawsuit while the case was still open. Now that it is formally behind she is speaking up about the entire ordeal. She recently paid a visit to the This Is Keke Palmer podcast and she made it clearly she was just as surprised by the filing as everyone else was. “The hardest part about all this is that none of these things were true,” she explained. “I was completely surprised. I was very deeply hurt because these were three dancers; that I gave opportunities to. These were people that I liked and appreciated as dancers, respected them as dancers. So I was like, ‘What?!’ But then I heard all the other things, like sexual harassment, and I was like, ‘I don’t know what they’re trying to do,’ but these are the types of things that the media can turn into something that it’s not.”
In the lawsuit the troupe detailed an evening out in Amsterdam’s Red Light District where they claim Lizzo pressured them to interact with nude performers. While Lizzo denied that their account of the evening was factual, Keke responded objectively asking “Do you feel looking back on the situation that maybe your casual personality could have been misconstrued as ‘I got to do this, because this is my boss?’” Lizzo admitted that the experience has taught her how to move more tactfully when it comes to engaging with her staff. “I think that this experience taught me healthy boundaries, but to be real with you, it was such a fun night… I think there’s a time where there’s a difference between having boundaries and professional boundaries… It’s nuanced. It’s a new conversation in this industry.”
You can watch Lizzo discuss this and her upcoming new album below.
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Tony Buzbee, the high-profile attorney representing the alleged victims of Sean “Diddy” Combs and Jay-Z, is facing a heavy accusation himself. A woman has launched a lawsuit against Tony Buzbee alleging that the Texas lawyer gave her a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
As reported by TMZ, the lawsuit filed by Jane Doe in New York Superior Court claims that Tony Buzbee has been connected with her since 2018 after initially meeting online. Doe wrote in the filing that Buzbee interacted with her to the point of convincing her to go on a date and travel to his hometown of Houston for a night out.
Doe stated further in the filing that Buzbee booked a hotel room and laid on the charm before the pair engaged in intercourse. Doe claims that Bubzee failed to disclose his status and passed on the unnamed STI to her. The next day, Doe says she noticed pain around her groin area, and after an examination, the STI diagnosis was revealed. Doe says she contacted Buzbee, who allegedly apologized and appeared to note that he knew of his status before having sex with the woman.
Despite the diagnosis, Doe continued to date Buzbee despite feeling shame about the matter. She also claims that Buzbee used his power and influence to manipulate and control Doe on his terms and to keep his disease a secret from the public.
Buzbee told TMZ that the lawsuit from Jane Doe is a shakedown tactic connected to his pursuit of Combs, calling the claim “false, frivolous, laughable and ridiculous” and believes it will be dismissed.
Tony Buzbee was sued for assault in November for allegedly using a champagne flute as a weapon according to a former client of his.
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Lizzo is speaking out amid her ongoing lawsuit accusing her of harassment.
The “About Damn Time” singer joined Keke Palmer on the latter’s Baby, This Is Keke Palmer podcast on Thursday (Dec. 19), where she discussed the harassment lawsuit brought by three of her former dancers in August 2023.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles by dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez, accuses Lizzo (real name Melissa Jefferson) and her Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc. of a wide range of legal wrongdoing and included dozens of pages of detailed allegations. Lizzo denied the claims in a response shared to Twitter, calling them “false allegations” and “sensationalized stories.”
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During her interview with Palmer, Lizzo reflected on the busy year that started out with her first arena tour. “I was literally living in my dream, and then the tour ended, and three ex-dancers just completely, like, blindsided me with a lawsuit,” she said. “I was very deeply hurt because these were three ex-dancers, so they weren’t on the tour. They didn’t, like, finish the tour out with us. But even regardless of that, these were people that I gave opportunities to.”
She added, “These were people that — I liked them and appreciated them as dancers, respected them as dancers. So I was like, what? But then I heard all the other things like sexual harassment, and I was like, they’re trying well, I don’t know what they’re trying to do, but these are the types of things that the media can turn into something that it’s not.”
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Lizzo said that she’s learning from the experience moving forward, but concluded by noting, “Let’s be clear, I did nothing wrong.”
The plaintiffs’ attorney Ron Zambrano responded to Lizzo’s comments in a statement to Billboard, writing, “There is an utter lack of awareness by Lizzo failing to see how these young women on her team who are just starting their careers would feel pressured to accept an invitation from their global celebrity boss who rarely hangs out with them. There is a power dynamic in the boss-employee context that Lizzo utterly fails to appreciate. We stand by the claims in the lawsuit and are prepared to prove everything in court with Lizzo on the stand under oath before a jury of her peers, not spouting nonsense and lies rationalizing a failure to take accountability on a podcast.”
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It seems Kanye is going to Kanye wherever and wherever. He did the absolute most during a virtual lawsuit deposition.
As reported by TMZ, the rapper was recently featured on A&E’s Interrogation Raw: Celebrity Under Oath. The news series shows high-profile stars participating in legal proceedings. To promote the premiere the network released a promotional trailer, which captures Kanye being questioned regarding a lawsuit MyChannel. Inc. filed against the “Stronger” rapper for allegedly stealing their technology.
As soon as Kanye joins the virtual call he makes it clear he sees this very important matter as beneath him by wearing a cap and keeping his head down while using his phone. Naturally, the lawyers request he put away the device to which Yeezy responds defiantly. “Due to my mental geniuses-ness, in order to focus on this bullish*t I need to be on a phone.” Shortly after, his counsel asks about the device. Kanye volunteers to get off the phone but then proceeds to put on a mask. When asked why he put on the facial covering he said, “because you don’t have the right to see my face.”
In a second clip, Kanye is asked where he is located during interrogation and tells the plaintiff’s lawyer “I’m not going to tell you! You’re never going to see me again.” When prompted further on who else is he with and what other items he has in the room besides the phone he yells “Are you stupid? You are talking to the richest Black person in the history of America.”
You can watch the trailer for Interrogation Raw: Celebrity Under Oath below.
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Jay-Z has responded to a Jane Doe who accused him and Sean “Diddy” Combs of raping her when she was 13 in 2000, this after the woman gave an exclusive interview acknowledging inconsistencies in her story. The woman contends that the assault did take place but said she made “mistakes” in delivering her account of the incident which prompted Jay-Z’s response.
NBC News exclusively spoke with Jane Doe, who now resides in Alabama, who retold her story regarding what she referred to as the “catastrophic event” that took place 24 years ago. Doe told the network that she “made some mistakes” and her attorney, Tony Buzbee, is attempting to vet her account via his resources.
Of note, Doe claimed that her father picked up up after the alleged assault that occurred after the 2000 MTV VMAs but the woman’s father says he has no recollection of doing so. The woman also said she spoke to a celebrity at the afterparty where the alleged assault took place but the celebrity revealed he was not in New York during the VMAs. Further, photos came forth showing Jay-Z and Diddy at a location that differed from the woman Doe detailed in her initial claim.|
In a statement from Jay-Z, the Brooklyn rapper and businessman continued his vocal critique of Buzbee, who he is accusing of treating the claim and lawsuit as a money grab.
“Today’s investigative report proves this ‘attorney’ Buzbee filed a false complaint against me in the pursuit of money and fame. This incident didn’t happen and yet he filed it in court and doubled down in the press. True justice is coming. We fight FROM victory, not FOR victory. This was over before it began. This 1-800 lawyer doesn’t realize it yet, but, soon,” the statement read.
Jay-Z’s attorney Alex Spiro added, “It is stunning that a lawyer would not only file such a serious complaint without proper vetting, but would make things worse by further peddling this false story in the press. We are asking the Court to dismiss this frivolous case today, and will take up the matter of additional discipline for Mr. Buzbee and all the lawyers that filed the complaint.”
Buzbee claims that Jane Doe’s case was a referral from another firm outside his own and said that Doe’s statements were vetted, according to an email he sent to NBC News.
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Jay-Z has responded to a Jane Doe who accused him and Sean “Diddy” Combs of raping her when she was 13 in 2000, this after the woman gave an exclusive interview acknowledging inconsistencies in her story. The woman contends that the assault did take place but said she made “mistakes” in delivering her account of the incident which prompted Jay-Z’s response.
NBC News exclusively spoke with Jane Doe, who now resides in Alabama, who retold her story regarding what she referred to as the “catastrophic event” that took place 24 years ago. Doe told the network that she “made some mistakes” and her attorney, Tony Buzbee, is attempting to vet her account via his resources.
Of note, Doe claimed that her father picked up up after the alleged assault that occurred after the 2000 MTV VMAs but the woman’s father says he has no recollection of doing so. The woman also said she spoke to a celebrity at the afterparty where the alleged assault took place but the celebrity revealed he was not in New York during the VMAs. Further, photos came forth showing Jay-Z and Diddy at a location that differed from the woman Doe detailed in her initial claim.|
In a statement from Jay-Z, the Brooklyn rapper and businessman continued his vocal critique of Buzbee, who he is accusing of treating the claim and lawsuit as a money grab.
“Today’s investigative report proves this ‘attorney’ Buzbee filed a false complaint against me in the pursuit of money and fame. This incident didn’t happen and yet he filed it in court and doubled down in the press. True justice is coming. We fight FROM victory, not FOR victory. This was over before it began. This 1-800 lawyer doesn’t realize it yet, but, soon,” the statement read.
Jay-Z’s attorney Alex Spiro added, “It is stunning that a lawyer would not only file such a serious complaint without proper vetting, but would make things worse by further peddling this false story in the press. We are asking the Court to dismiss this frivolous case today, and will take up the matter of additional discipline for Mr. Buzbee and all the lawyers that filed the complaint.”
Buzbee claims that Jane Doe’s case was a referral from another firm outside his own and said that Doe’s statements were vetted, according to an email he sent to NBC News.
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Paula Abdul and former “American Idol” producer Nigel Lythgoe have agreed to settle a lawsuit in which she alleged he sexually assaulted her in the early 2000s when she was a judge on the show.
Abdul filed a notice of settlement of the case in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday. It still must be approved by a judge.
“I am grateful that this chapter has successfully come to a close and is now something I can now put behind me,” Abdul said in a statement Friday. “This has been a long and hard-fought personal battle. I hope my experience can serve to inspire other women, facing similar struggles, to overcome their own challenges with dignity and respect, so that they too can turn the page and begin a new chapter of their lives.”
In his own statement, Lythgoe said, “We live in a troubling time where a person is now automatically assumed to be guilty until proven innocent, a process that can take years. That is why, like Paula, I am glad to be able to put this behind me. I know the truth and that gives me great comfort.”
The court filing said the settlement was unconditional, but did not reveal the terms, and Abdul’s attorney Melissa Eubanks said she could not comment on them.
The lawsuit filed nearly a year ago had also accused Lythgoe of sexually assaulting Abdul after she left “American Idol” and became a judge on Lythgoe’s other competition show, “So You Think You Can Dance.”
Lythgoe said at the time that he was “shocked and saddened” by the allegations, which he called “an appalling smear.”
After other lawsuits were filed alleging sexual misconduct, Lythgoe stepped down in January from his role as a judge on “So You Think You Can Dance.”
The 75-year-old English-born producer has been a prominent TV producer for decades in both the U.K. and the U.S., working on reality competition shows including “American Idol.”
The Associated Press generally does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault unless they come forward publicly, as Abdul has done.
Abdul, a Grammy and Emmy-winning singer and dancer, said in the lawsuit that she remained silent for years about the alleged assaults out of fear of retaliation by “one of the most well-known producers of television competition shows.”
She alleged that the first sexual assault occurred while Abdul and Lythgoe were on the road filming auditions for an early season of “American Idol,” which premiered in 2002.
Abdul says Lythgoe groped her in the elevator of their hotel after a day of filming and “began shoving his tongue down her throat.” Abdul pushed him away and ran to her hotel room when the elevator doors opened.
“In tears, Abdul quickly called one of her representatives to inform them of the assault,” the lawsuit says, “but ultimately decided not to take action for fear that Lythgoe would have her fired.”
Abdul starred as a judge for the first eight seasons, leaving in 2009.
In 2015, Abdul became a judge on “So You Think You Can Dance,” appearing alongside Lythgoe.
Around that time, Abdul alleged in the lawsuit, Lythgoe forced himself on top of her during a dinner at his home and tried to kiss her. Abdul said she again pushed Lythgoe away and immediately left.
Abdul left that reality show after two seasons. She has not worked with Lythgoe since.
In a statement at the time of the suit, Lythgoe said “While Paula’s history of erratic behavior is well known, I can’t pretend to understand exactly why she would file a lawsuit that she must know is untrue.”
This story was originally published by The Associated Press.
Johnny Ramone’s widow, Linda Cummings-Ramone, has won a legal victory over Joey Ramone‘s brother, Mickey Leigh, in their never-ending feud over control of the pioneering punk band’s legacy.
In a decision made public on Tuesday (Dec. 10), an arbitrator ruled that Leigh’s manager, David Frey, must be terminated as a director on the board of Ramones Productions Inc., the corporate entity that controls the Ramones’ music and other assets.
Ruling that Frey had breached his fiduciary duty to the company, the arbitrator said Leigh’s manager had “fostered a dysfunctional and disruptive relationship” with Cummings-Ramone and had engaged “in conduct that harms the Ramone brand, rather than promoting that brand.”
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“Mr. Frey has repeatedly engaged in disruptive and negative conduct that has been detrimental to RPI and promoting the legacy of the Ramones,” wrote Shira Scheindlin, a former federal district judge, in a ruling privately issued Dec. 5. “Undoubtedly this conduct has prevented RPI from achieving greater financial success. Mr. Frey’s conduct has harmed RPI.”
One of the major missteps cited by the arbitrator was Frey’s failure to seek Cummings-Ramone’s approval for a planned movie based on Leigh’s memoir, I Slept with Joey Ramone — a film project that Netflix announced in 2021 with actor Pete Davidson attached to star in the title role.
Scheindlin said Frey was “well-aware” of his obligation to obtain Cummings-Ramone’s consent “before agreeing to this project” since the movie would almost certainly feature the band’s music — the rights to which are owned by Ramones Productions. The judge also cited an email from Netflix that described the planned movie as not just a Joey biopic, but “the story of the Ramones.”
“Based on the preponderance of the credible evidence, Mr. Frey breached his duty of care, honesty and loyalty, in failing to present the [Netflix] deal to Ms. Cummings-Ramone and/or the Board of RPI for their approval,” the judge wrote.
In a statement to Billboard on Wednesday (Dec. 11), Cummings-Ramone said she was “thrilled” that they “will now finally be able to move forward and create and expand the legacy of the best band ever.”
“Preserving this legacy is not just a responsibility but a deeply personal mission for me,” she said. “I have dedicated my life to honoring and safeguarding the extraordinary contributions my husband and his band have made to music, culture, and the lives of millions around the world.”
An attorney representing both Hyman and Frey did not immediately return a request for comment on Wednesday.
Joey Ramone (real name Jeffrey Ross Hyman) and Johnny Ramone (John William Cummings) were not actually brothers, and they had a notoriously chilly relationship during their decades as bandmates. In the years since the two died in the 2000s, that feud has seemingly continued between Leigh and Cummings-Ramone.
As the executors of Joey’s and Johnny’s respective estates, Leigh and Cummings-Ramone each own half of Ramones Productions. But that partnership has not gone smoothly, with multiple lawsuits and arbitrations over the past decade.
The latest scuffle began in January, when Cummings-Ramone sued Leigh in New York state court, including allegations that he and Frey had “covertly” developed the “unauthorized” biopic. In the lawsuit, Cummings-Ramone said that any “authoritative story of the Ramones” would require her sign-off: “To permit defendants alone to tell the authoritative story of the Ramones would be an injustice to the band and its legacy.”
As one key part of that case, Cummings-Ramone demanded the removal of Frey as a director on the board of Ramones Productions — arguing that his “continued involvement and obfuscation remains a significant hurdle toward resolving even the most straightforward of operational issues.” In May, the judge overseeing the case ordered that issue to be resolved in arbitration before Scheindlin.
In her ruling granting that request, the arbitrator cited statements from Marky Ramone (Marc Bell) that Frey had been “extremely disruptive” and from C. J. Ramone (Christopher Joseph Ward) that “I do not believe he was ever working in the best interest of the Ramones’ legacy.” Scheindlin also cited an email from the company’s former accountant telling Frey: “You have made it impossible to do what needs to be done.”
“While I agree that there are two sides to every story, the overwhelming weight of the evidence establishes that Mr. Frey has fostered a dysfunctional and disruptive relationship with Ms. Cummings-Ramone, former band members, and RPI’s vendors and partners,” Scheindlin wrote in her decision. “This conduct has harmed RPI and its shareholders.”
In one particularly colorful passage, the judge described an incident this past summer in which the New York Mets had offered to let the Queens-based band celebrate its 50th anniversary by having Cummings-Ramone throw out a ceremonial first pitch at an August game. But Frey ultimately refused to grant approval for her to take part under the simpler name “Linda Ramone” — a key point of contention in their various legal wranglings over the years.
In her decision, Scheindlin said Frey had had “no credible basis to refuse to agree to Ms. Cummings-Ramone throwing out the first pitch using the name Linda Ramone” and had cost the band a valuable chance to boost its public profile.
“This was obviously a very high-profile opportunity to celebrate the band’s 50th Anniversary,” the arbitrator wrote in her ruling. “There was no reason to lose this opportunity other than to continue the animosity and dysfunction between the two shareholders and their representatives.”
The ruling, which must be confirmed by a New York judge, resolves only a single issue in the larger lawsuit and leaves other issues to be resolved in court. Leigh has also sued Cummings-Ramone in a separate lawsuit in federal court, accusing her of trademark infringement and other violations; that case also remains pending.