Attorneys from 1-800-LAW-FIRM have filed Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) charges against American singer Lady Gaga and affiliated companies alleging they misrepresented charitable donations from the sale of wristbands intended for Japan’s earthquake relief efforts.
The class action suit was filed by firm partner Alyson Oliver in U.S. Federal Court. The full complaint is now available on the company’s website, www.1800LAWFIRM.com.
Shortly after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan, Lady Gaga marketed and distributed “Lady Gaga Japan Earthquake Relief Wristbands” through her website and claimed that “all proceeds go directly to Japan relief efforts.”
The suit alleges the defendants made materially false and misleading representations by added additional “shipping charges” in excess of the amount required to ship the wristbands based on their weight and retained a portion of the proceeds from each transaction instead of donating all proceeds to the Japan relief efforts.
It also states the defendants artificially inflated reports of the total donations by including the portion of funds retained by defendants in their calculations and used the inflated financials to solicit additional “donations.”
“While we commend Lady Gaga for her philanthropic efforts, we want to ensure that claims that 'all proceeds will be donated to Japan’s earthquake relief efforts' are in fact true,” said Oliver. “Our intention with this lawsuit is to uncover any improprieties committed by Lady Gaga and appropriate the full donations assumed to the victims in Japan.”
1-800-LAW-FIRM is seeking compensations, including consequential and special damages in amounts proved, as well as for statutory damages, including a return of all amounts paid for the products sold by defendants to the plaintiffs and the class members.
© Business Wire
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paulinusa
"1-800-LAW-FIRM is seeking compensations, including consequential and special damages in amounts proved, as well as for statutory damages, including a return of all amounts paid for the products sold by defendants to the plaintiffs and the class members."
While I can't speak to the charges against Gaga, I'm certainly supicious of motives of this law firm. why don't THEY donate 100% of their time and money recovered to earthquake relief.
Serrano
This headline is the latest lawyer joke.
globalwatcher
I hope the Japanese Red Cross reads this. Please read my writing on this warning requesting the Japanese Red Cross to disclose financial statement to the public immediately. They are in the same trouble boat as well as Lady GAGA.
METinTokyo
1-800-LAW-FIRM (formerly known as Dewey, Cheatem and How) lost track of the ambulance they were chasing and ended up in front of a billboard featuring Lady Gaga and their minds went spinning as to their latest potential suit. Inside sources claim that the firm has in the past represented a number of claimants who have slipped on banana peels in front of prestigious offices but the firm have denied all rumors regarding their investments in the Chiquita brand of products.
smithinjapan
I have seen the Lady Gaga wristbands firsthand, and got one from a friend -- they are cheap pieces of &'it and there's no reason people cannot question where the money went (100%). My friend DID say she was overcharged per unit for delivery, so I will point this out to her. Thank you, JT.
gogogo
Perhaps these guys need to also investigate SMAPS CD...
nath
PR value for these lawyers-- priceless !
Also reminds me of a few lawyer jokes..
Laguna
Stories like this add credence to that old riddle: What happens when you give Viagra to lawyers?
They grow taller!
nath
Watch your mouths commenters, or they might figure out a way to sue you!
namabiru4me
I agree with some commenters, I hope the law firm is going to do this pro bono and ensure all damages rewarded find their way to the quake victims, as intended.
haran3375
Lady Gaga also classes Japan as being 'safe'!
Gaga is what she is!
ihavegreatlegs
Jason Lok, u r a joke... I misspelled that. Sorry. Smap, you are losers and should be ashamed. Gaga makes me gag but her donations are very cool, and I hope the lawers get hung. Japanese Red Cross equals fail.
gokai_wo_maneku
Lady Gaga has donated 1 million of her own money to quake relief according to CNN. I'm really sure she is trying to rip off buyers of her wrist band...(sarcasm intended).
Moderators: This is Shinjukuboy. This is the first time I have posted since the makeover, and I get my really old name "gokai wo maneku", which I shared with an ex (and the bad memories). How do I get Shinjukuboy back?