Current:Home > NewsKanye West Sued by Ex-Employee Who Says He Was Ordered to Investigate Kardashian Family -AssetLink
Kanye West Sued by Ex-Employee Who Says He Was Ordered to Investigate Kardashian Family
View
Date:2025-04-14 11:22:35
Kanye West is facing another legal battle.
This time, from an alleged former employee who is accusing the rap artist of tasking him with launching an inquiry of his ex-wife Kim Kardashian's family.
In a retaliation lawsuit filed in a Los Angeles court Oct. 10 and obtained by E! News, the plaintiff—identified as John Joe—states that while working as the rapper's "director of intelligence," his duties included "investigating the Kardashian family and supposed various criminal links Ye believed they had with criminal enterprises, including alleged sex trafficking."
E! News has reached out for comment from reps for Kanye and the Kardashian-Jenner family and has not heard back.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiff, who is identified as John Doe, states that the rap artist hired him in late 2022 and that he was made to conduct investigations, "including those involving attorneys and parties that have filed suit" against Kanye.
"Doe" alleges that in addition to being tasked to investigate the Kardashian-Jenners, the music producer also had him "hire private investigators to follow and 'tail' his current wife, Bianca Censori, when she was travelling alone to visit family in Australia, without Ms. Censori’s knowledge."
Kanye has been married to Bianca since December 2022. The two wed less than two months after he finalized his divorce from Kim, with whom he shares kids North West, 11, Saint West, 8, Chicago West, 6, and Psalm West, 5.
"Doe" also alleges in his lawsuit that this past May, he received a call from an employee of Donda Academy—a private school Kanye founded in 2021 and which closed in June, according to public records—informing him that "abuse of children had occurred at Donda and that supposedly nothing was done to correct or report the problem."
The man said he "immediately informed the remaining Yeezy leadership of the report about the Donda student(s)," and that later that day, Kanye himself called him "to yell, curse and threaten" him with "great bodily injury, including death," if he repeated the information.
"Doe" alleges that the rapper told him, "You’re f--king dead to me!" and also played a "recording of scary voices that were threatening to harm" him. He added that in the next few days and weeks, he also received threats from Kanye's associates.
"Doe" states in his lawsuit that as a result of his "lawful reports of violations of law" and "his refusal to engage in unethical activities," Kanye retaliated against him "through a campaign of threats, intimidation, and harassment," which caused him "severe emotional distress and exacerbated his PTSD" that he suffers from as a military veteran, "resulting in both emotional and financial harm."
The plaintiff adds that he is still owed wages for work done on Kanye's behalf. He is seeking punitive and other damages relating to loss of earnings and a jury trial.
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (93346)
Related
- Realtor group picks top 10 housing hot spots for 2025: Did your city make the list?
- Soot is accelerating snow melt in popular parts of Antarctica, a study finds
- The world's insect population is in decline — and that's bad news for humans
- Kuwait to distribute 100,000 copies of Quran in Sweden after Muslim holy book desecrated at one-man protest
- Former Syrian official arrested in California who oversaw prison charged with torture
- Elton John testifies for defense in Kevin Spacey's sexual assault trial
- Large swaths of the U.S. set daily temperature records
- Fed nominee Sarah Bloom Raskin withdraws after fight over her climate change stance
- Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
- Coco Austin Shares Risqué Dancing Video With Her and Ice-T’s Daughter Chanel
Ranking
- Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
- An estimated 45,000 people have been displaced by a cyclone in Madagascar
- A sighting reveals extinction and climate change in a single image
- See an Iceland volcano erupt for 3rd time in 3 years, sending bursts of lava in the air amid seismic swarm
- Tom Holland's New Venture Revealed
- Gas stoves leak climate-warming methane even when they're off
- Gunman in New Zealand kills 2 people ahead of Women's World Cup
- How to keep yourself safe during a tornado
Recommendation
The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
Save 30% on NuFace, StriVectin, First Aid Beauty, Elizabeth Arden, Elemis, and More Top Beauty Brands
Vanderpump Rules’ Tom Sandoval Says He Broke Up With Ariana Madix Before Cheating Made Headlines
Biden lauds NATO deal to welcome Sweden, but he may get an earful from Zelenskyy about Ukraine's blocked bid
From family road trips to travel woes: Americans are navigating skyrocketing holiday costs
As carbon removal gains traction, economists imagine a new market to save the planet
20 Stylish Dresses That Will Match Any Graduation Robe Color
Home generator sales are booming with mass outages, climate change and COVID