The courtroom win is now turning into a collection fight. The Milagro payment fight has shifted from verdict drama to real-money pressure, with Milagro “Gramz” Cooper asking a federal judge to pause enforcement of Megan Thee Stallion’s $75,000 judgment while she takes the case to a higher court, according to new court documents reported by TMZ.
Cooper’s argument is not just about the appeal. It is about the bill landing before the appeal is finished. TMZ reports that Cooper told the court she is a self-employed media commentator and content creator whose income changes month to month. She also says she does not have major liquid assets, cannot immediately satisfy the judgment, and cannot post a full supersedeas bond. Cooper says she helps support her household and two minor children, while Megan’s legal team opposes the request.
That filing lands right after a major swing in Megan’s favor. The federal docket shows Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga entered an amended final judgment on May 29, 2026, in favor of Megan Pete on Counts I, II, and III against Milagro Elizabeth Cooper. The same docket also shows the court granted in part Megan’s request to reinstate the jury’s verdict on defamation and amend the final judgment.
The case traces back to Megan’s October 2024 federal lawsuit in the Southern District of Florida against Cooper. The lawsuit followed years of online commentary tied to the Tory Lanez shooting case, where Daystar Peterson was convicted in California of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, possession of a loaded and unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharge of a firearm with gross negligence. Peterson was sentenced to 10 years in state prison in August 2023, and a California appeals court upheld his conviction in November 2025.
At trial, jurors found Cooper liable on several claims. The verdict included defamation per se tied to statements accusing Megan of perjury, including calling her a “non-credible witness,” saying, “I could go down the list of all the different shit that was not true,” and asking, “Was Megan Thee Stallion caught trying to deceive the courts again?” Jurors awarded $15,000 in defamation damages and $1,000 in punitive damages on that count. They also awarded $8,000 plus $1,000 in punitive damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress, and $50,000 for promotion of an altered sexual depiction.
Then came the first legal curveball. In December 2025, the court initially entered judgment for $59,000 instead of the full $75,000 because the jury had also found Cooper qualified as a media defendant, which triggered Florida’s pre-suit notice rule for libel and slander cases. Under Florida law, a plaintiff generally must give written notice at least five days before suing over a publication or broadcast in a newspaper, periodical, or other medium.
Megan’s side pushed back, and the judge later restored the defamation award. According to the district docket, the court reinstated the jury’s verdict as to defamation and entered the amended $75,000 judgment. Other outlets have reported that the court found “the trial record establishes Defendant was not entitled to pre-suit notice,” pointing to evidence connected to Cooper’s relationship with Peterson’s side.
The money may not stop at $75,000. Florida’s altered sexual depiction statute allows an aggrieved person to seek civil relief, including monetary damages, injunctive relief, and reasonable attorney fees and costs. That means Cooper could face an even larger total if Megan’s legal team wins fees and costs connected to the case.
Cooper’s appeal is already moving through the Eleventh Circuit. The appellate docket shows the appeal was filed on January 5, 2026, after notices of appeal were filed by Cooper and Crystal Morgan. The docket also shows a briefing schedule was rescinded in February while a motion remained pending in district court.
So now the fight has two tracks. Megan has the amended judgment, a restored defamation win, and the possibility of attorney fees. Cooper has an appeal and a new request asking the court not to make her pay or bond the full amount right away. The question is whether the judge sees Cooper’s financial hardship claim as enough to pause collection, or whether Megan gets to press forward on a judgment the court has now put back at $75,000.
