Lady Gaga is facing a legal battle over the reward money she offered for the safe return of her two stolen French bulldogs in February 2021.
As per court documents obtained by PEOPLE, the woman who returned the dogs, Jennifer McBride, is now suing the pop star for not paying the $500,000 reward she promised.
McBride was one of five people taken in custody in connection to the dognapping, which occurred in Los Angeles and left Gaga’s dog walker, Ray Fischer, critically injured.
After the incident, Gaga offered the reward for the safe return of Koji and Gustav, with “no questions asked.” McBride returned the dogs to the police department two days after the incident, and was subsequently cleared of any involvement in the attack.
However, in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, McBride’s attorney alleged that Gaga committed a breach of contract, fraud by false promise, and fraud by misrepresentation by not paying the reward.
The suit claims that McBride only learned that she was entitled to the reward after the police department informed her, and that she had been hesitant to come forward due to fears of being accused of the crime.
The suit also alleges that Gaga’s offer of “no questions asked” was misleading, as McBride was required to provide information and evidence to the police to claim the reward. Furthermore, the suit claims that Gaga’s representatives informed McBride’s attorney that the reward money would be donated to charity, but no evidence of such donation has been provided.
Representatives for Gaga have not yet commented on the lawsuit. The singer has previously spoken out about the incident, expressing her gratitude to Fischer for his heroism and thanking the LAPD for their efforts in apprehending the suspects.
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Lady Gaga Reward Conflict
However, the story doesn’t end there. According to a recent lawsuit filed by Jennifer McBride, one of the individuals involved in the theft of Gaga’s dogs, the reward offer was made “with the intent to defraud and induce members of the public, such as Plaintiff, to rely upon it and to act upon said promise by locating and delivering Lady Gaga’s bulldogs to Defendants.”
McBride was arrested in April 2021 and charged with one count of being an accessory after the fact and another for receiving stolen property. In December, she pleaded no contest and was sentenced to two years probation.
James Howard Jackson, the man who shot Fischer, pleaded no contest to one count of attempted murder and was sentenced to 21 years in prison the same month. Harold White, another accomplice, pleaded no contest to one count of ex-convict in possession of a gun and is set to be sentenced sometime this year.
The lawsuit filed by McBride is seeking unspecified damages for emotional distress and lost wages, alleging that she was not able to collect the reward money because the police had already arrested the suspects by the time she came into possession of the dogs.
It remains to be seen how the case will unfold, but it raises important questions about the use of reward money in criminal cases.
Reward offers can be a powerful tool in solving crimes and bringing perpetrators to justice. They can incentivize members of the public to come forward with information and lead to the recovery of stolen property or missing persons. However, as this case demonstrates, they can also be a source of controversy and potential fraud.
The Kidnapping Incident
In 2021, the incident happened.
“My beloved dogs Koji and Gustav were taken in Hollywood two nights ago. My heart is sick and I am praying my family will be whole again with an act of kindness,” she wrote on Instagram, alongside photos of the dogs.
The news of the theft spread quickly, and Gaga’s fans and the public rallied to help find the missing dogs. The LAPD also launched an investigation into the theft, and a $500,000 reward was offered for the safe return of the dogs, no questions asked.
Days went by with no news of the dogs, and Gaga made an emotional plea on social media, begging for their safe return. “If you bought or found them unknowingly, the reward is the same. I will pay you $500,000. You can email me to let me know,” she said in a video message.
Then, on February 26, five days after the theft, the LAPD announced that Koji and Gustav had been found and safely returned to Gaga’s representatives. A woman had turned the dogs into a police station after recognizing them from the media coverage of the theft.
The LAPD later confirmed that the woman had no involvement in the theft and was not eligible for the reward money.
In a statement, Lady Gaga expressed her gratitude to the LAPD and the woman who had returned her dogs. “I continue to love you Ryan Fischer, you risked your life to fight for our family. You’re forever a hero,” she wrote on Instagram. “And to our beloved Koji and Gustav, I miss you both so much. I will always love you.”...Read More
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Source: Music Observer