Malik Yusef faces legal action from Korean fashion eyewear brand for allegedly forging Kanye West’s signature and faking invoices.
The eyewear brand Gentle Monster names Yusef in a lawsuit filed in L.A. County alleging he used his proximity to Kanye West, Jay Z, and other A-list celebrities to scam their company out of millions. The Hollywood Reporter reports Yusef tricked Gentle Monster into working together on a campaign, sending him over $2 million in wire transfers.
Gentle Monster claims before confirming, they required a handwritten confirmation from Kanye West of his involvement. A letter was then faxed, decorated with Kanye West’s signature however he allegedly did not hold the pen.
According to THR, Gentle Monster also claims Yusef campaigned for a line of sunglasses designed by Kanye West which required a separate deal and an upfront payment of $500,000. The company sent the money to an entity named Donda Social Agency, Inc.
The complaint states “Specifically, they forged Kanye’s signature, created a shell entity named after Kanye’s deceased mother, issued fraudulent invoices made to appear as though they had been issued by legitimate talent agencies, lied about their contacts and work with artists, and, in the end, pocketed more than $2.5 million from Gentle Monster.”
Project 13, the campaign which initiated the collaboration between Yusef and Gentle Monster resulted in one video subsequently pulled by the company. Allegedly, Yusef submitted the music video to Gentle Monster hours before its February 14 début. Although stars such as Vic Mensa and Michael K. Williams both appear on screen, Kanye West and Pharrell Williams received credit.
After the video went public, Kim Kardashian, wife of Kanye West claimed he had no involvement and Gentle Monster immediately took the video down.
Gentle Monster’s lawsuit against Yusef includes his manager Burundi Partlow and Sonja Nutall, with claims of fraud, breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing and unfair competition.
