Current:Home > InvestT.I. and Tameka "Tiny" Harris Win $71 Million in Lawsuit Against Toy Company -USAMarket
T.I. and Tameka "Tiny" Harris Win $71 Million in Lawsuit Against Toy Company
View
Date:2025-04-13 20:36:48
T.I. and Tameka "Tiny" Harris are celebrating a victory.
The "Live Your Life" rapper and his wife of 14 years were awarded $71 million on Sept. 23 after winning their third court trial against toy giant MGA Entertainment, which was accused of violating the intellectual property rights of the couple's music group the OMG Girlz with their L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. dolls.
"We were proud to represent the OMG Girlz, Tiny, and T.I.," their lawyer told E! News in a Sept. 24 statement, "who had the courage to stand up for themselves and fight a billion-dollar corporation's intimidation and insults with grace, perseverance, and a determination to protect their intellectual property and the rights of other creatives."
The statement added that thanks to T.I. and Tiny's determination, "a remarkable jury did the fair, just and right thing by holding MGA Entertainment fully accountable for trade dress infringement and for misappropriation of name, likeness, and identity."
E! News has reached out to MGA's lawyer for comment but hasn't heard back.
Jurors awarded T.I., 43, and Tiny, 49, (real names Clifford Joseph Harris and Tameka Dianne Cottle-Harris) $17.9 million in real damages and $53.6 million in punitive damages following the three-week trial in Santa Ana, Calif.
In their verdict, jurors said that 13 L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. dolls had "infringed on the trade dress and misappropriated the name, image, and likeness" of T.I. and Tiny's OMG Girlz band, according to Rolling Stone. They also found that a 14th doll violated the group's trade dress, while a 15th misappropriated the band's name, image and likeness.
T.I. and Tiny had started OMG Girlz in 2009, with the girl group consisting of Zonnique "Star" Pullins (Tiny's daughter), Bahja "Beauty" Rodriguez and Breaunna "Babydoll" Womack.
During the trial, T.I. and Tiny—who are also parents to children Clifford, 18, Major, 16, and Heiress, 8—alleged that seven of MGA's dolls copied the OMG Girlz looks at "very specific public events or in publicized photos," per Rolling Stone. MGA's founder Isaac Larian had testified during the court proceedings that the group played no role in the look of the dolls, calling them "extortionists."
Following the verdict, Tiny and T.I. were elated over the jury's decision.
"I mean, wow. They did more than I thought they would," Tiny told Rolling Stone. "I would have been happy with whatever. They blessed us more than beyond. We wanted to thank the jurors so bad, but we didn't get the opportunity."
T.I. added, "I think justice was served. I think it's a testament to the relentlessness and resilience of my wife, daughter and nieces. We're just happy we were able to come out on top and fight for creatives and our intellectual property that large corporations seem to think is just public domain and free for all to come and grab and use."
Tiny also shared her excitement on Instagram, writing Sept. 23, "Man we may look crazy cause we been crying tears of joy!! We are so Grateful God. Thank you so much to the jurors first & foremost! We wanted to thank you in person but u guys were gone. To our amazing dream team u guys killed it!! We owe u everything!"
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (149)
Related
- Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
- The US May Have Scored a Climate Victory in Congress, but It Will Be in the Hot Seat With Other Major Emitters at UN Climate Talks
- The Decline of Kentucky’s Coal Industry Has Produced Hundreds of Safety and Environmental Violations at Strip Mines
- Unsold Yeezys collect dust as Adidas lags on a plan to repurpose them
- Chuck Scarborough signs off: Hoda Kotb, Al Roker tribute legendary New York anchor
- From mini rooms to streaming, things have changed since the last big writers strike
- New York Is Facing a Pandemic-Fueled Home Energy Crisis, With No End in Sight
- Would you live next to co-workers for the right price? This company is betting yes
- Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
- Is Burying Power Lines Fire-Prevention Magic, or Magical Thinking?
Ranking
- The city of Chicago is ordered to pay nearly $80M for a police chase that killed a 10
- Australia will crack down on illegal vape sales in a bid to reduce teen use
- The Day of Two Noons (Classic)
- Everything We Know About the It Ends With Us Movie So Far
- See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
- An Unprecedented Heat Wave in India and Pakistan Is Putting the Lives of More Than a Billion People at Risk
- Wayfair 4th of July 2023 Sale: Shop the Best Up to 70% Off Summer Home, Kitchen & Tech Deals
- Warming Trends: Nature and Health Studies Focused on the Privileged, $1B for Climate School and Old Tires Detour Into Concrete
Recommendation
Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds
In the Philippines, a Landmark Finding Moves Fossil Fuel Companies’ Climate Liability into the Realm of Human Rights
Q&A: The Activist Investor Who Shook Up the Board at ExxonMobil, on How—or if—it Changed the Company
An Unprecedented Heat Wave in India and Pakistan Is Putting the Lives of More Than a Billion People at Risk
Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
You Don’t Need to Buy a Vowel to Enjoy Vanna White's Style Evolution
You Don’t Need to Buy a Vowel to Enjoy Vanna White's Style Evolution
Eastwind Books, an anchor for the SF Bay Area's Asian community, shuts its doors