Harvey Weinstein Faces New Allegation of Sexual Assault from Former Teen Model

Former teen model, Kaja Sokola alleges she was sexually assaulted by Harvey Weinstein. The Polish native filed a new lawsuit Thursday against the disgraced movie mogul, his former studio Miramax and previous owner the Walt Disney Co.

Previously identified only as Jane Doe in an earlier class-action lawsuit, her new lawsuit filed with the New York State Supreme Court alleges that in 2002, when she was 16 and an aspiring actress, Weinstein promised to take her to lunch to discuss her career. Instead, the Sokola says, he took her to his SoHo apartment, where he “aggressively and threateningly demanded sex.”

Weinstein who has been accused of inappropriate sexual conduct with over 80 women, “instructed her take off her clothes,” and “to touch herself,” according to the filing. He also took off his pants and, despite her protestations, forced her to touch his penis while he “grabbed at her breasts,” the lawsuit alleges.

In a statement to The Los Angeles Times, Sokola said she “cannot accept the proposed ‘global settlement’ as fair or just. There is no accountability for the perpetrators, insufficient compensation for all of the victims, and millions of dollars going to people that I believe enabled Weinstein …. I know that this lawsuit cannot erase the pain that I have been living with for 17 years. But I do hope to achieve at least some measure of justice that has still been denied to Harvey Weinstein’s many victims.”

Pop-Punk Band Yellowcard Continues its Lawsuit Against Juice WRLD for Unauthorized Sampling Despite his Tragic Death

Yellowcard‘s $15 million lawsuit against Juice WRLD will continue even after the rapper’s death.

Yellowcard claims that Juice illegally sampled elements of their 2006 song, “Holly Wood Died” for his breakout, Nick Mira-produced 2017 single, “Lucid Dreams,” which has been certified six-times platinum. 

The case had been put on hold after Juice WRLD died earlier this month, but as newly obtained court documents  reveal the case will continue. However, the date for at least one part of this case has just been changed.

Yesterday, the pop-punk band filed a motion to extend the amount of time parties for Juice Wrld and his co-defendants Taz Taylor, Nick Mira, and the two labels Juice’s is signed to—Grade A Productions and Interscope Records—have to respond to the complaint filed against them. The original due date for the defendants’ response to the lawsuit was Dec. 9, but now they have until Feb. 4, 2020.

Speaking to Digital Music News after the death of Juice, Richard Busch, who is representing Yellowcard in the case, says the group put the litigation for the case on hold after Juice Wrld died on Dec. 8. The rapper suffered seizures at the Chicago Midway International Airport. Juice died after allegedly ingesting several Percocet pills in order to hide them from authorities as they searched through luggage containing 70 pounds of weed and six bottles of liquid prescription codeine cough syrup. At the time, Busch said the group wanted time to “digest” news of Juice’s death.

In October, Yellowcard members Peter Mosley, Ryan Key, Sean Wellman-Mackin and Longineu Parson claimed that Juice illegally sampled elements of their 2006 song, “Holly Wood Died” for his breakout, Nick Mira-produced 2017 single, “Lucid Dreams,” which has been certified six-times platinum.

 

Boxer Adrien Broner Ordered to Pay Over $800K to His Sexual Assault Victim!!!

Looks like its time for the star boxer, Adrien Broner to put back on his gloves because a Clevland court has ordered him to empty out his cash drawer to a woman he was convicted  of assaulting in a Cleveland nightclub.

According to the victim’s civil complaint, back in June of 2018, Broner “thrust himself on to [the victim], pinned her beneath his body, and began kissing her.” The victim said she struggled to free herself but was unable to push him off of her as he stuck his tongue down her throat, kissed her neck and body, and continued pressing himself on her. One of Mr. Broner’s friends reportedly pulled him off of her, after a bystander snapped a photo of the assault.

The crime was immediately reported to the Cleveland Police Dept.

On April 8, 2019, the former welterweight champ pleaded guilty to assault and unlawful restraint, and was sentenced to probation. And as far as the civil suit goes, Broner did not appear at the hearing to contest the damages.

Welp, Broner was hit with a $830,000 judgment in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas on Tuesday, in connection with a June 2018 incident at The Park Social Lounge in Cleveland, according to the plaintiff’s attorney Subodh Chandra.

 

 

Judge Refuses to Seal Nicki Minaj Videotaped Statements in Deposition

Photo Credit: Instagram/@nickiminaj 

Rapper Nicki Minaj has been denied her request to seal her videotaped statement in an ongoing legal battle with a former stylist.

The”Anaconda” rapper whose real name is Onika Maraj, has been locked in a court fight with her former stylist, Maher Jridi since October 2018.

Photo Via Instagram/ @Maher_1 
Maher Jridi – FASHION STYLIST / CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Jridi claimed that his suppliers  stuck him with a bill of almost $74,000 because he could not return the rented designer items as clothing options for a series of events in 2017, including Paris Fashion Week in France.

He demanded that Minaj reimburse him for the cost of the bill and deliver damages for emotional distress, but she challenged the claims and subsequently responded with her own claim, arguing that the Frenchman owes her money because she had overpaid him. $ 12,000 for his services.

Minaj was questioned about the dispute in a statement filmed in September, but then moved to block Jridi from using the images or throwing them into the media.

The legal documents obtained by Celawbrity show Maraj/Minaj’s lawyers aid: “Given the fame of Maraj as a rapper and cheerleader of world renown, she fears that the Claimant intends to publicly disseminate the discovery of confidential documents and testimony prior to the trial to embarrass or harm her.”

Jridi’s lawyers insisted that the hip-hop star was simply trying to use her “celebrity status” to get special treatment, and the judge who oversaw the case accepted it, and dismissed Minaj’s motion.

In his ruling, the judge stated that Minaj had not provided evidence to support claims that suggested that Jridi would filter the video or explain how its release could damage her reputation.

The case continues.

Fat Joe Sued for Copyright Infringement and His Insurance Company Refuses to Back Him Up

Bronx born rapper and CEO of Terror Squad, Fat Joe  is named in a copyright infringement lawsuit related to the 2016 double-platinum single “All the Way Up.” 

Fat Joe poses with Wendy Williams, Dec. 10, 2019 after appearing on her show where he discussed his show “Family Ties” and used the platform to condemn the glorification of pill popping in the wake of the death of fellow rapper Juice Wrld.

Unfortunately, his personal liability insurer, Homeland Insurance Co. of New York has told a New York federal court it does not have to cover the rapper Fat Joe in a copyright infringement lawsuit related to the 2016 double-platinum single “All the Way Up,” as the suit doesn’t fall under their agreement.Fat Joe’s smash hit was shared with French Montana.

The policy owned by Joseph Cartagena — Fat Joe — and his company Sneaker Addict Touring LLC doesn’t cover the lawsuit filed by rapper Fly Havana as it relates to “jointly-authored and jointly-owned work,” the insurer said Friday. 

Miami based rapper Fly Havana

Fly Havana accused Fat Joe of denying him credit and compensation  for his contributions to the “All the Way Up” track. But Joe claims he paid Fly Havana $5,000 in exchange for the release of all his claims to the work.

Fat Joe, believes the lawsuit falls squarely under the insurance agreement providing coverage for “infringement and is suing for breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing against Homeland. He is also seeking declaratory relief. He believes Homeland should face punitive damages “sufficient to punish it and deter similar conduct in the future.”

 

Chicago’s Civil Lawsuit Against Jussie Smollett Could Be Dismissed

Jussie Smollett‘s lawyers have filed a motion to dismiss a civil lawsuit against him seeking $130K.

Its no secret that actor Jussie Smollett best known for his leading role on the television series Empire, has been accused of making up an elaborate story of being the victim of an attack outside his apartment in Chicago by two men who allegedly had on MAGA caps. Two hunky Nigerian aspiring actors later admitted that they were the MAGA guys but claimed they were put up to the whole thing by Smollett himself.

Criminal charges stemming from the incident were dropped back in March after Cook County’s top prosecutor, Kim Foxx declined to prosecute the actor after Jussie forfeited his $10,000 bond and agreed to perform community service. However, the City of Chicago continued its public campaign to derail the actor, with everyone from the mayor to police chief holding press conferences shaming the actor for allegedly filing a false police report. (Even if true, he wouldn’t have been the first person of privilege to file a false police report, and he certainly won’t be the last.)

Then Mayor Rahm Emanuel called it a “whitewash of justice” and suggested Smollett received special treatment: “You cannot have, because of a person’s position, one set of rules apply to them and another set of rules apply to everybody else.”

Even US President Donald Trump threw in his 3 cents, tweeting: “FBI & DOJ to review the outrageous Jussie Smollett case in Chicago. It is an embarrassment to our Nation!” ABC7 Chicago reported that the “FBI is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the dismissal of criminal charges.” According to TMZ, the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police filed a complaint with the Department of Justice.

The actor was later fired from Empire. To make matters worse, the city of Chicago sued the Jussie Smollett seeking reimbursement for the $130K they spent vigorously investigating the alleged hoax attack.  The Chicago Police Department claims to have logged 1,836 hours in overtime trying to resolve the case.

Lawyers for the actor are now asserting that while Smollett is not admitting he staged the incident,  the decision to spend so much time and resources investigating is squarely on law enforcement.

“My client from the beginning has maintained his innocence and disputed the city’s allegations,” said William J. Quinlan, of The Quinlan Law Firm, who filed the motion. He noted that “it’s going to be very difficult for the city to prevail in making a case my client should pay for overtime for a case ultimately dismissed by the state’s attorney.

“It’s ridiculous and a stretch to require him to do so.” “This lawsuit was only filed by the former mayor … out of frustration for the state’s attorney dismissing the charges,” said Quinlan.

U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall, who is hearing the case, said she will rule in October on whether the city could move forward with its lawsuit to redeem the costs.

 

Yung Joc Sued By Production Company

Yung Joc is being sued by an Atlanta-based production company, which claims that the southern rapper signed a contract with them that gave them control over his recordings.

 According to Master Mind Music Inc.’s complaint, which was filed in United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia earlier this week, Joc signed an artist development and exclusive recording agreement with them in February 2005 that stated that all material he created during the duration of the contract would be the property of MMM. Under the agreement they were also entitled to copyright his songs under the production company’s name, obtain a 50% share of his publishing and co-ownership of all of his recordings.

Master Mind Music is asking for an undisclosed amount of money for the alleged copyright infringement, breach of contract, torturous interference with contractual relations, fraudulent misrepresentation and fraud.

Yung Joc has not responded publicly to the lawsuit yet.

Read More on YoRaps.com

The Gap Fights Back against Kim Kardashian Lawsuit

In the latest development of the KIM KARDASHIAN lawsuit against The Gap, the clothing company has fought back.

Last year celebrity reality star Kim Kardashian  sued The Gap clothing brand for a ridiculous $20 million for using her not-so-subtle lookalike, model Melissa Molinaro in their Blue Navy TV commercials ( The Gap owns Old Navy).  In her lawsuit, Kim K alleged that the commercial “created confusion in the marketplace and violated her rights to her name and likeness.”

Under common law, one who appropriates to his own use or benefit the name or likeness of another is subject to liability to the other for invasion of his privacy.

But The Gap has since rolled up it’s legal sleeves and released a bombshell of it’s own…

In an interesting twist in their legal battle, the retailer has launched an investigation to see whether Kim K’s reputation really was damaged as per her lawsuit. In the scheme of things, this investigation could take about a year to complete, according to The New York Post‘s legal experts.

Investigators for the Gap also intend to speak with representatives from Bebe and Sears, two retailers that used to have professional relationships with Kim Kardashian in the past.

The Gap has a few aces up their sleeves in their defense. One is to prove that Kardashian is “libel-proof,” meaning that her reputation is so bad that no single thing could cause true damage.

Secondly, The Gap also intends to prove that Kardashian is not actually as good a performer as Molinaro, the talent Old Navy hired for the spot.

Wiz Khalifa Sued by Pennsylvania Rapper for $2.3M; claims “Black and Yellow” is his song!!!

A Pittsburgh rapper is suing hip hop star Wiz Khalifa for $2.3 million over allegations that he stole the hit song “Black and Yellow.”

Max Warren performs under the stage name Maxamillion. He says Khalifa’s chart-topper “Black and Yellow” was lifted from his own song “Pink N Yellow.”

Warren says he copyrighted “Pink N Yellow” in 2008 and Khalifa copyrighted “Black and Yellow” in 2011.

The copyright infringement lawsuit was filed in federal court in Philadelphia and seeks at least $2.3 million in damages. It names Khalifa, whose real name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz, two other songwriters and several record companies and music publishers.

Warren’s lawyer declined to comment Thursday. A spokesman for Khalifa at Atlantic Records didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

N.F.L. Faces Retired Players in Lawsuits Over Concussions

The New York Times ran an article in today’s paper about the long debate over the National Football League’s handling of concussions. It  is reaching the courts in a flurry of lawsuits, raising the possibility that dozens of former players will go before juries to outline the league’s medical practices and describe long-term cognitive problems they say were caused by the sport.

More than a dozen suits, filed since July on behalf of more than 120 retired players and their wives, say that the N.F.L. and in some cases helmet manufacturers deliberately concealed information about the neurological effects of repeated hits to the head. Several suits also say that even if the league did not know about the potential impact of brain trauma sustained on the field, it should have known.

Read More on NY Times…