Three more California counties joined the Los Angeles County District Attorney's lawsuit against the man formerly known as Kanye West this week.
Prosecutors allege Kanye West's signature shoe brand for violating the state's business code.
District attorneys from Alameda, Napa, and Sonoma counties signed on to a state civil lawsuit – filed Friday by L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón – alleging Ye's Yeezy and Yeezy Apparel companies failed to inform customers why their purchases hadn't shipped within 30 days. The suit contends Yeezy failed to offer refunds when requested. Both are required by the law.
In the complaint, obtained and first published by The Fashion Law, prosecutors also alleged that Ye's pair of companies misled consumers about their ability to "ship products within a certain timeframe, particularly where customers paid an additional charge for expedited shipping. Attorneys said the Ye brands had not been transparent abount logistical limitations with customers.
Prosecutors asked for a judgment – including assessing fines up to $2,500 for each violation of the California business code – restitution for impacted customers, and permanent restraint of the companies from continuing the alleged practices.
Since launching his shoe collaboration with Adidas in 2013, Ye's Yeezy sneaker line has become incredibly popular among collectors and aficionados, leading to products that sell quickly before fetching higher prices on resale websites and apps. Yeezy sneakers retail for more than $200.
An attorney representing West's California-based companies filed a notice of appearance on Tuesday, Los Angeles County court records showed.
A pretrial conference is scheduled for Feb. 2022 at a Los Angeles courthouse.
Related
