Jay-Z's former business partner has been ordered to pay up the damages sum to author E.W. Brooks after she successfully sued him for a 2015 book-to-film deal gone wrong.
- Jul 13, 2021
AceShowbiz - A U.S. judge has upheld a $300,000 (£216,000) copyright infringement ruling against embattled hip-hop mogul Damon Dash.
Jay-Z's former business partner was originally ordered to pay up the damages sum to author E.W. Brooks last year (2020), after she successfully sued him for a 2015 book-to-film deal gone wrong.
The writer claimed they planned to adapt her "Mafietta" book series for the screen, with Dash signing on as director, but Brooks fired him from the gig amid allegations suggesting he had wasted production time and money on other projects.
Despite losing the job, Dash was accused of continuing to make claims about his involvement in the movie and subsequently sold it online - all without Brooks' approval.
Dash appealed the 2020 ruling, but officials at the U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit found his case was "without merit" last week (ends July 9), and declared the businessman must pay up.
Brooks' attorney, Chris Brown, told the New York Post's Page Six, "Damon Dash can no longer run from his scandalous and malicious treatment of E.W. Brooks."
"At this point, four federal judges have told Mr. Dash he is dead wrong. It's time Mr. Dash pays Ms. Brooks the $300,000 he owes her and close the chapter."
But Dash, who has struggled with financial issues for several years, is refusing to go down without a fight.
Dash's attorney, Natraj Bhushan, told the New York Post's Page Six, "We respectfully disagree with the Second Circuit's summary order. In particular, we think that this court should not have affirmed the speculative damages awarded to Ms. Brooks and, for that reason, we are evaluating other appellate remedies at this time."
