Lawsuit
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Donald Trump has yet another legal issue at hand. Charlamagne Tha God has filed a cease-and-desist against the Republican nominee.
As spotted on Blavity, the media personality has taken issue with the convicted felon. A recent political advertisement features a clip from The Breakfast Club where he and DJ Envy discuss Kamala Harris’ advocacy for offering transgender prisoners sex change procedures. According to Vibe, he has since sent Trump’s office a cease-and-desist notification requesting his image and likeness be removed from the advertisement. “Cease-and-desist been sent,” Charlamagne announced adding, “Since when does Trump care about what’s legal!?”
While it appears the Moncks Corner, S.C., native isn’t in favor of her support, he would go on to clarify that Harris’ stance makes sense to him. “I’ll tell you what, that ad they was running during the football games this weekend claiming the vice president supports funding gender transition surgeries for all prison inmates and migrants in the U.S., that was nuts,” he explained at the time. “That ad was effective,” he added. “It literally said that Kamala supports taxpayer-funded sex changes for prisoners, and it talks about how, you know, she supports funding gender transition surgeries for all prison inmates and migrants in the United States. That ad was impactful.”
This is not the first time Donald Trump has been accused of using unauthorized material. Back in 2018, he was using Rihanna’s music during his rallies to which the singer sent him a cease-and-desist. In August 2024, he played “Hold On, I’m Coming” by Isaac Hayes at his rally. Soon after, the estate filed a lawsuit against him, and a federal judge has ordered that his campaign stop playing the song.
You can view the Donald Trump advertisement below.
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The Exonerated Five have filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump for defamation related to his comments about them during the September presidential debate.
The Exonerated Five, formerly known as the Central Park Five, have filed a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump for defamation of character. The filing, made by Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Antron Brown, and Korey Wise, points to his remarks made about them and their case in the Sept. 10 presidential debate against Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
Specifically, the filing addresses Trump’s false claim that the men “killed an individual and pled guilty to the crime. These statements are demonstrably false. “Plaintiffs never pled guilty to any crime and were subsequently cleared of all wrongdoing. Further, the victims of the Central Park assaults were not killed.” The 1989 case began when all five, who were teenagers at the time, were arrested and convicted of the rape of a woman jogger in Central Park. Trump took out a full-page ad in May of that year demanding the city send a message and “BRING BACK THE DEATH PENALTY AND BRING BACK OUR POLICE!” The five would have their convictions vacated in 2002 after police DNA testing found another prisoner had committed the rape, with New York City paying them $41 million in damages.
The lawsuit also includes other statements Trump has made about the case, including a 2013 tweet blasting the Ken Burns documentary on the case as a “one-sided piece of garbage that didn’t explain the horrific [sic] crimes of these young men while in park [sic].” It also details an interaction between Yusuf Salaam, now a New York City Councilman, and Trump after the debate in the spin room, where Trump rebuffed an attempt to dialogue about his remarks. Salaam and other members of the Exonerated Five have been campaigning for Vice President Harris and were onstage at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago with Reverend Al Sharpton in August.
Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung blasted the lawsuit in a statement, writing: “This is just another frivolous, Election Interference lawsuit, filed by desperate left-wing activists, in an attempt to distract the American people from Kamala Harris’ dangerously liberal agenda and failing campaign.” Defamation lawsuits have been a thorn in Trump’s side – in January, a jury awarded columnist E. Jean Carroll $88.3 million for social media attacks against her, followed by a $5 million judgment in May after he was found liable for sexual abuse.
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In a new series of lawsuits aimed at Sean “Diddy” Combs, an explosive claim in one of them alleged that the music mogul used a date rape drug in baby oils and lotions. Six new lawsuits have been filed against Diddy, prompting his legal team to ask the courts to reveal the identities of the individuals behind the filings.
Radar Online reports that among the six lawsuits filed by four John Does and two Jane Does, one specifically states that Diddy’s large baby oil stash was laced with GHB, or Gamma hydroxybutyrate, which has infamously been used in situations where offenders would use GHB to take advantage of someone under the drug’s influence. As the outlet notes, GHB is a crystalized substance that was allegedly added to baby oil and lotion bottles. In that same lawsuit, a claim of child sexual assault was also levied.
A raid of homes owned by the Bad Boy Records founder revealed a massive stash of baby oil that was allegedly used in the so-called “freak off” parties hosted by Combs. The attorney for Combs has shut down the widely reported claims of 1,000 baby oil bottles and adding to that defense stated that his client lived near a Costco and purchased the items in bulk.
Attorneys for Combs have not made further comments about the lawsuit other than requesting that the judge reveal who is behind the newest filings.
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The recent rumors of Kanye West and Bianca Censori divorcing recently made headlines. Some say that this was a plot so Ye can divert the attention away from his ex-assistant suing him for assault.
As spotted on Page Six, an unnamed individual is claiming that the speculation of the celebrity couple parting ways is actually fake news. An alleged insider told Daily Mail that the hearsay was concocted by Kanye and his team. “Kanye is concerned that his new lawsuit will drag him down to Diddy’s level and he has been speaking to his legal reps,” the tipster said. “He is paying attention to what is going on with Diddy and some believe that the publicity stunt was a way of overshadowing the details of the harrowing lawsuit.”
Kanye West’s former assistant Lauren Pisciotta says she was drugged and taken advantage of by her former boss during a recording session at a studio where Diddy was present. She claims she was offered a beverage “laced with an unidentified drug.” She then says she felt “disoriented” and in “less control of her body and speech.” She woke up the next morning with very little memory of the day prior but says Kanye later admitted to her that the two had hooked up.
“Still to that day, up until that conversation and revelations of true facts and actions taken that night, Plaintiff did not know or think she was sexually assaulted that night, as Plaintiff only thought she was roofied by a studio assistant, likely embarrassed herself and then took the blame,” the lawsuit reads. While Pisciotta says Diddy was at the recording session, he is not accused of any wrongdoing.
Back in June, the rapper’s lawyers responded to the lawsuit calling it baseless. Kanye West and Bianca Censori have been married since 2022.
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The allegations against Diddy continue to grow by the day. Four different men are now accusing him of sexual assault.
As reported by TMZ, there are more individuals who say they suffered at the hands of the entertainment mogul. The first John Doe says he used to work at the Ecko Clothing in 2008. During a visit to Macy’s flagship location in Manhattan he bumped into Diddy and three of his body guards in the stockroom. The “Missing You” rapper allegedly had him pistol-whipped; while on the ground, he says Diddy then told him “Suck my d***, Ecko,” and proceeded to orally rape him.
Another man says he was contracted to work Diddy’s 2006 White Party. The plaintiff believes he consumed a laced beverage while at the event. Later on, he says Diddy forced him into a van and sodomized him. This plaintiff claims that the assault left him with semen leaking out of his anus. Another unidentified male shares a similar story but with his incident happening in 2011. This man says he drank a beverage and soon after become disoriented. He says he then woke up in a bedroom with different men sodomizing him but “distinctly recalls” Diddy above him during the crime.
The last man says he attended a White Party in 1998 when he was only 16 years old. He alleges he took a photograph with Diddy, but the entrepreneur took an interest in the young man and asked to speak to him privately. This plaintiff maintains Diddy expressed that the youngster had the right look for a career in music and then asked him to drop his pants so he can inspect his private area. The man gave in to the peer pressure and says Diddy went on to fondle his genitals.
Representing the four aforementioned plaintiffs is Tony Buzbee, the Texas-based lawyer who recently claimed to be representing a total of 120 victims of Diddy. Diddy’s lawyer has denied these allegations in an exclusive statement to USA Today. “The press conference and 1-800 number that preceded today’s barrage of filings were clear attempts to garner publicity. “In court, the truth will prevail: That Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone — adult or minor, man or woman.”
Diddy maintains his innocence. His federal trial is set to commence May 2025.
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If you have yet to see T.I. perform in person you might want to catch him before the year ends. He has announced that he will no longer be touring after December.
As reported by TMZ, the Atlanta, Ga., native is stepping down from the stage. On a recent visit to 96.1 The Beat he spoke to the crew at the Rari At 2 show. He discussed a variety of things, but when asked about his upcoming performance at their Jingle Ball he revealed he is retiring from performing after that appearance. “I appreciate y’all for offering me my last working gig because I do not need the money anymore and I will not be performing,” he explained. “I don’t want to do it anymore. I don’t want people to pay me to hop around and sweat for their entertainment anymore.” Young Dro accompanied him and jokingly chimed in saying, “I will be picking up all of Tip’s shows that he ain’t going to. Doing them all.”
Many feel his decision is due to his recent legal win against the MGA Entertainment. He and his wife Tiny Harris alleged the toymaker stole the likeness from their group the OMG Girlz for their “O.M.G.” toy doll line. After a three-week trial a jury found MGA Entertainment guilty of infringement and awarded T.I. and Tiny over $71.4 million dollars in damages. In an exclusive statement to Billboard, their lawyer John Keville detailed why this battle was bigger than the couple. “T.I. and Tiny did what any parent would have done — used their resources to stand up for their kids,” Keville said. “They fought a billion-dollar corporate bully with grace, perseverance, and a determination to stand up for themselves and other creatives.”
You can see T.I. discuss his decision below.
Seven new sexual abuse lawsuits against Sean “Diddy” Combs were filed Monday (Oct. 14) in Manhattan federal court, the first in a wave of dozens of civil cases expected to be filed in the weeks ahead.
The cases — each filed by an anonymous Jane Doe or John Doe plaintiff — were all filed by Los Angeles attorney Andrew Van Arsdale and Texas attorney Tony Buzbee, who earlier this month said he is representing at least 120 such alleged victims.
“While his wealth has kept him above consequence for years, Combs now faces the awesome power of the American judicial system and ultimately a jury of his peers who will be asked to punish him for the deplorable conduct,” the lawyers wrote in matching language in each complaint.
Five of the cases on Monday were filed by men and two were filed by women. In one, a woman claims that Combs lured her into a bathroom at a 1995 promotional event for a Notorious B.I.G. music video, then violently raped her. “You better not tell anyone about this, or you will disappear,” he allegedly told her after the attack.
Another case was filed by a man who says he was sexually assaulted by Combs in 1998 when he was 16 years old and attending one of the rapper’s famed “white parties” in the Hamptons. The man claims that Combs forced him to remove his pants and demanded he allow him to “inspect” his genitals.
“Combs abruptly then let go of John Doe’s genitals and told him that his people would be in touch,” the lawyers write in that lawsuit. “Combs continued with his party as if nothing had happened, but for John Doe, everything had changed.”
Representatives for Combs did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Combs, also known as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, was once one of the most powerful men in the music industry. But last month, he was indicted by federal prosecutors over accusations of sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson and bribery. If convicted on all the charges, he potentially faces a sentence of life in prison.
In their indictment, prosecutors allege that Combs ran a sprawling criminal operation aimed at satisfying his need for “sexual gratification.” The charges detailed “freak offs” in which Combs and others would allegedly ply victims with drugs and then coerce them into having sex with male sex workers, as well as alleged acts of violence and intimidation to keep victims silent.
A trial is currently set for May 5.
In addition to the criminal cases, Combs has also faced a slew of civil lawsuits over the past year, including at least 12 filed prior to Monday’s new lawsuits.
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50 Cent is not to play with when it comes to his likeness. He is suing a New York City jeweler for using his name to sell chains.
As spotted on TMZ, the “I Get Money” rapper is coming for his coin. TraxNYC recently posted a video of a pendant that is similar to the crucifix that 50 Cent wears. “50 Cent is wearing this interesting cross and guess what 50 Cent? We made it and we made it for our customers,” he said. “We just jocked your style, I know you watch my videos and now I’m watching your s**t and jocking your s**t just like you jocked my s**t.” Maksud Agadjani went on to blatantly admit he ripped off the idea for the pendant from the G-Unit boss. “I thought it was a nice cross 50, and I thought it was nice enough for me to make.”
The post soon landed on 50 Cent’s radar prompting the MC to leave a comment on the original post. “This was a bad idea, you will regret this I promise,” to which the @traxnyc account directly responded, “yo don’t you got better things to worry about.” It seems their lack of urgency further aggravated the Queens, N.Y., native. Later that day, 50 Cent posted about it on his Instagram. “Every now and then someone does something like this.😟I don’t know why 🤷but I do know 🤨I’m a need that by Monday.” the caption read.
It appears Agadjani is trying to backtrack with a post reminding 50 Cent that crucifixes are a symbol of forgiveness. A representative for the rapper confirmed with TMZ that he is taking legal action against the shop. “Mr. Jackson takes the unauthorized use of his name and likeness for commercial purposes seriously.”
Maksud Agadjani played a jeweler in Uncut Gems. You can see TraxNYC’s original video below.
Dr. Dre is facing a $10 million lawsuit accusing him of a “malicious campaign of harassment” against a psychiatrist who says he served as a marriage counselor and mediator for the rapper and his ex-wife before and during their divorce.
In a case filed Wednesday (Oct. 9) in Los Angeles court, Dr. Charles J. Sophy claimed Dre (Andre Young) had subjected him to an “ongoing barrage of threats” after he had “worked diligently” to help him resolve his disputes with then-wife Nicole Young.
“Rather than treating the mediation process as an opportunity for healing, [Dre] decided to take his frustrations about the mediation out on Dr. Sophy — frustrations that manifested themselves in the form of a nearly year-long sustained campaign of late-night texts, threats of intimidation and violence, and homophobic rhetoric,” writes the doctor’s lawyer, Christopher Frost of the firm Frost LLP.
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The lawsuit seeks a restraining order against further harassment, as well as monetary damages that the accuser’s attorneys say should total at least $10 million. A representative for Dr. Dre did not immediately return a request for comment.
Nicole Young filed for divorce from Dr. Dre in 2020 after 24 years of marriage, citing allegations of abusive behavior that Dre vehemently denied. After another 18 months of legal wrangling, the couple finalized their divorce in December 2021 with a $100 million settlement.
According to Sophy’s lawsuit, the pair engaged him in 2018 for a “joint psychotherapist-patient relationship” in which he provided therapy and marriage counseling. After the divorce case began, he says he continued to work with the couple, along with their attorneys, to mediate the terms of the dissolution.
In February 2023, Sophy claims that after months of no contact, Dre began harassing him via text message. According to an alleged screenshot included in the complaint, in the first such message, Dre told Sophy that he had been told something “disturbing” by an unnamed person, followed by a threat: “You’re going to have to pay for that.”
Over the two months following that first text, Sophy says Dre repeatedly sent him threatening texts, accusing the doctor of “ethical breaches” and threatening to report him to medical regulators. In one, he allegedly told Sophy, “you f—ed with the wrong one”; in another, Dre allegedly said he was “not playing, trust me.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Dre allegedly wrote in an April 2023 text, “until you explain to me why you tried to talk [an unnamed person] into saying negative things about me to the media.” Sophy says there is “no truth behind these baseless and far-fetched accusations” and that he tried to ignore the threats, but that he eventually began to fear for his safety.
“Young, a prominent and powerful figure in the music industry with a well-documented history of violence and abuse, carried out a series of unlawful acts deliberately intended to threaten, intimidate, terrorize, and ultimately ruin Dr. Sophy personally and professionally,” the lawsuit reads.
The threats extended beyond text messages, according to the lawsuit. In one alleged incident, Sophy claims that fake FBI agents, hired by Dre, arrived at his gated community and told a security guard that they needed to “talk” with the doctor at his home.
“This incident, which occurred immediately after the initial texts were sent in February, was not a coincidence,” Sophy’s lawyers write. “It was a calculated, unlawful attempt … to threaten his physical safety and send the unmistakable message that Young can reach Dr. Sophy even in the sanctity of his home.”
The incident caused Sophy to “fear for his life” and “resort to extreme security measures,” including hiring private security and wearing a bulletproof vest. His lawyers say the “egregiousness” of Dre’s conduct eventually “compelled Dr. Sophy to seek redress and protection” in the courts.
“Dr. Sophy does not relish suing a former patient,” the doctor’s lawyers write. “Nobody should have to live in constant fear. But Dr. Sophy does — ironically, for no other reason than he tried to help Young to resolve his own family’s conflict.”
In technical terms, the lawsuit accuses Dre of harassment and intentional infliction of emotional distress, as well as violation of a California law prohibiting the use of force or threat of violence to interfere with someone’s civil rights. The lawsuit also claims that some of the threats were based on Sophy’s sexual orientation, meaning they violated a California hate crime statute.
Weeks after Nelly’s former St. Lunatics groupmates sued him for allegedly cutting them out of royalties for his chart-topping breakout album Country Grammar, three of the ex-bandmates now say they never wanted to be part of the lawsuit and must be removed immediately.
In a letter sent last month, Nelly’s attorney warned the lawyer who filed the case last month that Murphy Lee (Tohri Harper), Kyjuan (Robert Kyjuan) and City Spud (Lavell Webb) had recently retained his services and had “informed me that they did not authorize you to include them as plaintiffs.”
“They are hereby demanding you remove their names forthwith,” N. Scott Rosenblum wrote in the Sept. 24 letter, which was obtained by Billboard. “Failure to do so will cause them to explore any and all legal remedies available to them.”
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The move is a major twist just weeks after Harper, Kyjuan and Webb joined fellow St. Lunatics member Ali (Ali Jones) in filing the lawsuit against Nelly (Cornell Haynes). But it also makes sense after Nelly’s performance on Sunday (Oct. 6) at the American Music Awards, where all three men joined him on stage and appeared to be on good terms.
The withdrawal of Harper, Kyjuan and Webb means that the case is now essentially a dispute between Nelly and Ali alone. Ali’s attorney who filed the case, Gail M. Walton, did not immediately return a request for comment.
A group of high school friends from St. Louis, the St. Lunatics rose to prominence in the late 1990s with “Gimme What U Got”, and their debut album Free City — released a year after Country Grammar — was a hit of its own, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
In their Sept. 18 complaint, the bandmates claimed that Nelly had repeatedly “manipulated” them into falsely thinking they’d be paid for their work on the 2000 album, which spent five weeks atop the Billboard 200. But they said he never made good on the promises.
“Every time plaintiffs confronted defendant Haynes [he] would assure them as ‘friends’ he would never prevent them from receiving the financial success they were entitled to,” the lawsuit reads. “Unfortunately, plaintiffs, reasonably believing that their friend and former band member would never steal credit for writing the original compositions, did not initially pursue any legal remedies.”
During and after the Country Grammar recording session, the lawsuit claimed, Nelly “privately and publicly acknowledged that plaintiffs were the lyric writers” and “promised to ensure that plaintiffs received writing and publishing credit.” But decades later, in 2020, the lawsuit claimed that the St. Lunatics “discovered that defendant Haynes had been lying to them the entire time.”
“Despite repeatedly promising plaintiffs that they would receive full recognition and credit… it eventually became clear that defendant Haynes had no intention of providing the plaintiffs with any such credit or recognition,” the lawsuit read.