A jury has delivered a verdict in a lawsuit involving Ye, ruling in favour of a former employee who accused the artist of unpaid wages and unsafe working conditions. The case was brought by Tony Saxton, who worked on Ye’s former Malibu property.
Following deliberations, the jury ordered Ye to pay $140,000 in compensation for medical expenses and lost wages. The amount awarded was significantly lower than the $1.7 million Saxton had originally sought in damages.
Saxton alleged that he was hired as a project manager to oversee work on Ye’s $57 million estate in Malibu, but claimed he was dismissed after about seven weeks and received only one payment during that time. In the lawsuit, Saxton also accused Ye of creating unsafe working conditions at the property and terminating him unfairly.
During the trial, Ye testified as a witness. According to reports from KABC-TV, the rapper appeared disengaged while being questioned and said he had only a vague recollection of Saxton and was unsure who had formally hired him for the project.
Ye’s wife, Bianca Censori, also testified in the case. She told the court that she worked with Saxton briefly during the Malibu property project but only for a short period of time.
The verdict brings the legal dispute to a close, awarding Saxton compensation but far less than the damages he had initially requested.