A lawsuit against Kanye West got attention in the media when his former assistant, Lauren Pisciotta, sued him with severe allegations and claims. In June 2024, this case was filed, containing the claims of breach of contract, wrongful termination, and workplace harassment. Kanye has already faced several lawsuits against him filed by his workers. Moreover, several teachers at his school, Donda Academy, claim the institution has multiple health and safety infractions that remain ignored.
This is another one which puts him in facing legal hurdles. However, his ex-worker and assistant, Lauren, sued him for sexual harassment and blackmail. Let’s explore the allegations, reactions, current status of this legal dispute, and the possible outcomes of Lauren Pisciotta’s lawsuit.
Who is Lauren Pisciotta?
Lauren Pisciotta is a fitness model, social media celebrity, and influencer who has become a prominent personality. She is well-known for her work on Instagram, where she gained a significant following. Her workout videos and pictures on Instagram made her an inspiring icon in the media. Her fan following has made her a social media star in no time. Moreover, people like and follow her diet plans and workout styles, and she is also known as a fitness nutritionist.
Moreover, she is a famous content writer on Only Fans, an adult site where she earns almost $1 million per year. However, she joined Kanye West’s company in 2021 and worked as his assistant. In July 2021, she was paid $4 million for assisting the team with three tracks of the album Donda.
Relationship between Kanye West and Lauren Pisciotta
Kanye West is a famous hip-hop singer who has made his name as an American rapper, songwriter, producer, and fashion designer. His popularity and fame skyrocketed when he launched his solo album, “The College Dropout” (2004). Moreover, his net worth reached $1 billion in 2020; in 2021 and 2022, it was estimated to be about $1.8 billion.
In July 2021, he appointed Lauren Pisciotta as his assistant and offered her a $1 million yearly salary. Their relationship was much more than a boss and worker. His offers for her seemed like traps she didn’t realize on time. He also asked Lauren to work for his team 24/7 and delete her Instagram account. For this purpose, he offered her $1 million extra and requested that she work full-time for his company, Yee Fashion. Lauren accepted this offer, deleted her Instagram account, and started working with him.
However, after some time, she received sexual advances and porn videos and texts from his boss, Kanye. Moreover, West started harassing her at his workplace. According to her lawsuit, she was appointed Chief of Staff for his multiple companies at a $4 million salary package in September 2022 but was fired without warning. Moreover, her termination payment of $3 million was never made.
Background of Lauren Pisciotta’s Lawsuit
The lawsuit against Kanye was filed on June 3, 2024, addressing complaints about sexual harassment, a hostile work environment, and unpaid salaries. However, the reasons behind this lawsuit were dirty texts and porn videos; Kanye sent her assistance. Moreover, during phone calls, he engaged in masturbation, asking Pisciotta if she could hear him or guess what he was doing. Furthermore, another worker added; he started a pornography film during a staff meeting and told his workers he was addicted to these things from his boyhood. However, Pisciotta filed this case after her wrongful termination from Yeezy Fashion.
Allegations against Kanye West in this lawsuit
Let’s explore the allegations and claims in this lawsuit against the hip-hop singer Kanye.
Sexual harassment
The first and foremost allegation in this case is about sexual harassment. Kaney is alleged to have sent dirty and meaningful text messages and porn videos to her secretary, Lauren. Furthermore, she described that he sent her a text message, “See, my problem is I want to f–k, but then after I f–k, I want a girl to tell me how hard they have been f–ked while I’m f–king them. Then I want her to cheat on me.” In addition, she alleged that Kaney once sent her a video in which he masturbated with her wife and later asked her about the video.
Wrongful termination
She also sued her boss for wrongful termination. She was appointed Chief of his business companies and offered a four million salary package. But she was terminated without any notice. Moreover, she claimed that her redundancy payment was about three million, and he didn’t pay that.
Unpaid wages
Lauren alleged his boss for her unpaid salaries and termination payments.
Hostile work environment
In addition to the above claims, she accused him of creating a hostile work environment where no worker is comfortable and where there is always controversy and backbite.
Reaction of Kanye to the claims and accusations
In his reply to the Lauren Pisciotta lawsuit, Kanye West describes every accusation as baseless and an apparent attempt at blackmail. He has pledged to defend himself against these accusations in court to show his innocence.
Moreover, it has been reported that Kanye West is suing Pisciotta, alleging fraud and blackmail. He claimed his former assistant filed the bogus lawsuit earlier this week, making false claims and requesting $50 million.
In a statement, he said, “Ms. Pisciotta stole his cell phone before her termination as an assistant to destroy phone records that would contradict her claims, all of which have been preserved.”
Kaney’s response to the wrongful termination was “Pisciotta was dismissed due to “many documented instances of her inappropriate, insane behavior” and “demanding unreasonable amounts of money, such as an annual salary of $4 million.”
Current status of this lawsuit
The case has been filed in court, but the proceedings and hearings are still unclear. Both parties are trying to prove their innocence. However, the final decision from the court will clear the situation. It seems a better option for Lauren and Kanye to settle out of court to save their reputation in the industry. However, there are no clues or signs of such a settlement yet.
The future impacts of this lawsuit
This legal dispute may significantly impact Kanye West’s reputation and career. As a famous hip-hop singer, he has earned a good name in the industry. However, this lawsuit could affect his reputation and good name. Moreover, if Kanye succeeds in proving himself innocent, Pisciotta will have to suffer because West intends to file a lawsuit against her for fraud and blackmail.
Conclusion
Lauren Pisciotta’s lawsuit seems controversial, and misconduct within the music industry. The claims and accusations against West shake his reputation. However, looking at Kanye’s response, we find Lauren’s demands ridiculous. She demands four million as an annual salary, which seems insane. Moreover, she tried to steal his mobile phone to destroy the records, which was not in her favor. Furthermore, Kanye’s explanation about her termination can be justified as she was not experienced in the music industry. However, the final decision has not yet been made, but both parties’ claims have grabbed fans’ attention. We cannot say anything precise about these claims until the court decides.