George Clinton sues former business partner in $100 million copyright lawsuit
Legendary Parliament-Funkadelic singer George Clinton has filed a lawsuit against his former business partner Armen Boladian, claiming that he “capitalised” on Clinton’s success.
The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, March 11, at Florida District Court, accuses Boladian of “fraudulently obtaining the copyrights to approximately 90%” of Clinton’s discography.
The suit alleges fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and copyright infringement against Boladian and his Bridgeport Music company, Music Business Worldwide reports.
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It also accuses Westbound Records, Nine Records, Southfield Music, and Eastbound Records of unlawfully continuing to profit off of Clinton’s music, per Variety.
Clinton spoke at a press conference outside the Apollo Theatre alongside his lawyer, Ben Crump, and fellow counsel, Variety reports. “These songs we’re talking about is my history,” Clinton said.
“I have to fight for them, I have to make sure that I did not do all of this my whole life and have my family here, not get what’s due to them, what they inherit.”
He added: “We don’t have a chance to pass down 40 acres and mules to our families. We do not have the copyrights for the songs. So I’m here along with Ben and partners to make sure that Armen does not get what we worked so hard for.”
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The lawsuit also alleges that Boladian has withheld millions of dollars in royalties from the funk singer. The court filing claims: “Following his initial worldwide success in 1967, defendants developed a decades-long scheme to defraud Clinton and successful artists like Clinton”.
In defence, Richard Busch, attorney for both Boladian and Bridgeport, told Variety that the suit is just “the latest” in a series of lawsuits to be filed by Clinton against his clients in the past three decades, all of which “raise the same issues”.
“He has lost each and every time, including in the very courthouse in which he has filed this latest lawsuit,” Busch said. “We will obviously therefore be moving to dismiss this lawsuit and will be seeking sanctions.”
[Via Variety]
Gemma Ross is Mixmag’s Associate Digital Editor, follow her on Twitter
