MGA is demanding that T.I. pay its company $6 million after they defended themselves in the rapper’s “frivolous” lawsuit that they won.
In a lawsuit that started in 2021, T.I. and Tiny alleged that MGA owed them $100 million for stealing the idea for the dolls from their group OMG Girlz.
MGA is demanding that T.I. and his company repay the $6 million spent on litigation after a jury rejected their claims in a recent trial. The trial was declared a mistrial in January due to jurors being exposed to inadmissible racially-charged testimony.
On Monday, the company’s lawyers wrote in a new court filing that “The OMG Girlz’ litigation tactics, over-reaching claims, and misconduct — including violating one of this Court’s … rulings as to require a mistrial — justify awarding MGA the over $6.1 million in fees spent litigating this matter.”
In 2021, T.I. and Tiny accused MGA of cultural appropriation and intellectual property theft, claiming that the L.O.L Surprise OMG Girls dolls were directly based on the appearance of the OMG Girlz. They provided evidence through side-by-side images showcasing similarities in hair color and clothing styles.
Regardless of the outcome of a dispute, each side normally foots its own legal fees under U.S. law. Federal judges, however, have the authority to order losing parties in trademark lawsuits—like T.I.—to compensate the winner if the circumstances are “exceptional.”
