Lady Gaga sued over fundraising effort for Japan

by cexline | June 28, 2011 at 11:21 am

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A lawsuit filed in Detroit on Friday claims that Lady Gaga is scamming fans with an online pitch to purchase wristbands, in which 100% of the proceeds will be donated to victims of the Japan earthquake.

Gaga is selling $5 wristbands that say “We Pray for Japan” on her website. The website also allows fans to make additional donations, stating that all proceeds will go directly to Japan relief efforts.

The Michigan law firm that filed the complaint, 1800LAWFIRM, claims that not all of the proceeds have been donated to Japan. Attorney for the law firm, Alyson Oliver stated:

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 are in fact true…Our intention via this lawsuit is to uncover any improprieties committed by Lady Gaga and appropriate the full donations assumed to the victims in Japan.

Along with claiming that not all of the wristband proceeds have been donated to the Japan relief effort, the law firm also claims that the $3.99 in shipping that was charged on bracelet orders more than the amount necessary to mail the wristband.

Ari Kresch, another 1800LAWIFRM attorney, said that the firm became suspicious because of the fact that sales tax was being charged on a charitable contribution. He states:

I’m suing Lady Gaga simply to hold her accountable for giving the money that she was raising for charity to the cause that she was trying to raise it for.

Gaga isn’t the only one named in the claim, as Bravado International Group Merchandising Services, Universal Music Group, House of Gaga Publishing and Live Nation Merchandising are also included as defendants.