According to legal documents obtained by Billboard, MGA Entertainment is now seeking $6 million from T.I. The news follows T.I. and his wife, Tameka "Tiny" Harris, losing a lawsuit against the company last month. The pair had claimed that the company used the likeness of a teen pop girl group created by Tiny in 2009, the OMG Girlz, as inspiration for their popular doll collection. Tiny called the verdict "horrible" following the news.
Now, MGA is firing back. The company's lawyers claim the lawsuit was handled improperly, and they are looking to be reimbursed for hefty legal fees. “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 $6.1million in fees spent litigating this matter,” the lawyers wrote.
T.I. And Tiny Sued MGA Entertainment
MGA's lawyers continued, “Both in the manner the OMG Girlz litigated this case, and the weakness of the substantive claims and theories the OMG Girlz presented (as confirmed by the jury), the Court should conclude that this case stands out from others.”
The legal battle saw the pair accuse MGA of modeling their “L.O.L. Surprise OMG Girls” dolls after the group. “The animated OMG Dolls copy the OMG Girl distinctive physical appearance, hair styles and hair colors, dress and mimic the OMG Girl released sound recordings,” T.I. and Tiny's lawsuit against MGA read. The couple also accused the company of racism, attempting to convince a jury that the dolls showcase “cultural appropriation and outright theft of the intellectual property.” MGA's legal team claimed the trial was unfair due to these racism accusations, and it was later ruled a mistrial. MGA’s Chief Executive Officer, Isaac Larian, said that he "feels great" following the verdict.