Ye ordered to pay $140K in handyman lawsuit
What's the story
A Los Angeles jury has ordered rapper Ye (formerly Kanye West) to pay $1,40,000 in a lawsuit filed by a handyman. Tony Saxon had alleged that Ye didn't pay him adequately for renovation work at his Malibu mansion and wrongfully terminated his employment. Despite seeking $1.7 million in damages, the jury awarded Saxon $140K plus attorney and court fees.
Testimony details
Details of the case
The trial also saw Ye and his wife, Bianca Censori, testify about the work done at their Malibu home. Saxon initially filed the lawsuit in 2023, alleging unsafe working conditions, unpaid wages, wrongful termination, and seeking compensation for medical expenses related to neck and back injuries sustained on the job. He alleged that the rapper had promised him $20,000 per week but gave him one $20,000 payment and one other payment of $1,00,000 for construction costs.
Allegations
Saxon claimed Ye wanted to make home 'off-grid'
Saxon claimed that Ye asked him to install a system that would convert his urine and feces into fresh water for drinking and bathing. He also claimed that the musician took him to the Nobu Hotel in Malibu for a bath when he smelled bad because there was no shower at the property. The rapper reportedly wanted to "gut" the beach house, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Tadao Ando, to make it off-grid.
Defense strategy
Defense dismissed claims, presented bank records
Ye's lawyer, Andrew Cherkasky, dismissed Saxon's claims as unreliable, presenting bank records that reportedly showed Saxon was paid $240K for six weeks of work. The defense also challenged Saxon's claimed injuries by presenting a video of him performing with a band and rolling on the floor. "The lies are so deep and so wicked that not a thing can be believed that came out of his mouth," Cherkasky said in his closing statements, calling Saxon "a professional victim."
Courtroom conduct
Other details from the trial
During the trial, Ye was seen apparently falling asleep at one point. However, his lawyer denied he fell asleep, telling the jury: "He wasn't sleeping. He was bored. This is beneath him." The Malibu property, which Ye bought for $57 million in 2021, was reportedly stripped out and abandoned before being sold at a loss in 2023.