Ash Pournouri’s Lawsuit Against Avicii Estate Tossed by Court

The long-running legal dispute involving the legacy of Avicii (Tim Bergling) has reached a significant conclusion. On March 4, 2026, the District Court in Sweden dismissed in its entirety the lawsuit filed by Arash “Ash” Pournouri, Avicii’s former manager, against the Avicii family and related entities.

Pournouri, who managed Bergling from 2008 to 2016, initiated the case in late 2025. He alleged defamation and breach of contract, claiming that the 2017 Netflix documentary Avicii: True Stories, the 2021 book Tim: The Official Biography of Avicii, and the 2024 book Avicii: The Life and Music of Tim Bergling misrepresented his role. He argued these works portrayed him as ruthlessly pushing Bergling to his limits, exploiting his career, and contributing to the artist’s mental health struggles and tragic suicide in 2018—narratives he described as inaccurate and damaging to his reputation. Pournouri emphasized that the suit aimed to “set the factual record straight” rather than seek financial gain, though some reports noted potential damages would support charitable causes.

The court ruled to dismiss the lawsuit because it did not meet the legal requirements under Swedish law for such a claim. Thomas Olsson, the lawyer representing the Avicii entities at Fria Advokater, confirmed the dismissal and stated:

“The decision was not entirely unexpected. It was quite obvious that this was a completely unfounded lawsuit and it is only regrettable that Arash Pournouri is trying to squeeze out the last drops of attention that can be obtained from this case. One can only hope that this is a clear message to him to leave this matter behind”

Klas Bergling, Tim’s father and a key figure in managing the artist’s legacy through the Tim Bergling Foundation, had this to say:

“I just want to say how sad it is to see Tim’s name used in this context. This process has raised strong emotions and a lot of discomfort for me and Tim’s mother Anki. At the same time, we cannot understand Arash. We have said it several times since 2018, also in public: neither I nor Tim’s mother have ever blamed Arash for Tim’s suicide. I decline further comments and hope that you respect that”