Kesha Ordered To Pay $373,000 In Dr. Luke Defamation Lawsuit

Kesha has been ordered to pay $373,000 to her former producer Dr. Luke, after years of fighting.

A New York Supreme Court judge has ordered the Pop singer to pay Dr. Luke almost $374K in late royalty fees. Court documents from the ongoing legal battle reveal that New York State Supreme Court Judge Jennifer G. Schecter made the ruling on Thursday, saying that a text message the musician sent to Lady Gaga back in 2016 qualified as defamation. In the message, Kesha claimed that Dr. Luke had allegedly raped Pop Star, Katy Perry.

“There is no evidence whatsoever that Dr. Luke raped Katy Perry. Moreover, publication of a false statement to even one person, here Lady Gaga, is sufficient to impose liability,” Schecter said. Perry denied that such sexual assault against her ever took place in a 2017 deposition.

As for the $373,000 Kesha was ordered to pay, that was reportedly due to a breach of contract with Dr. Luke’s company, KMI, over late royalty payments. The singer will have to pay $373,671.88 in total, including interest, though her team is looking to appeal the decision. Kesha has been involved in a legal battle with Dr. Luke since 2014, following her allegation that he sexually abused her.