Contracts
Lady Gaga failed to pay promised $500K for return of stolen bulldogs, suit alleges; plaintiff was charged in case
Lady Gaga poses at the Shrine Auditorium in September 2018 in Los Angeles. Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Singer and songwriter Lady Gaga promised to pay $500,000 with “no questions asked” for the return of her stolen French bulldogs but did not follow through when a woman later arrested in connection with the theft brought the bulldogs to a police station, a lawsuit alleges.
Jennifer McBride filed the suit in Los Angeles superior court Friday, report BuzzFeed News, USA Today, NBC News, Law & Crime and People.
Lady Gaga’s dog walker, Ryan Fischer, was shot and wounded when the dogs were stolen in February 2021. After McBride turned in the dogs, she was charged with being an accessory after the fact and receiving stolen property. She later pleaded no contest to receiving stolen property and was sentenced to probation.
McBride said she performed her obligation under the unilateral contract, but Lady Gaga didn’t do her part. Instead, the pop star made a promise with no intent to perform, the suit says. The suit alleges breach of contract, fraud by false promise and fraud by misrepresentation, according to USA Today and NBC News.
The suit also says McBride is entitled to damages for pain and suffering, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life.
Four others were also arrested in connection with the crime. The alleged shooter pleaded no contest to attempted murder and was sentenced to 21 years in prison.
If Lady Gaga has to pay a suit award, prosecutors are entitled to seek the same amount from the defendants, Michele Hanisee, the Los Angeles County Deputy district attorney, told NBC News.
“If Lady Gaga suffers a financial loss by paying that reward, she will qualify as a victim of crime under California law, and the people will be obligated by law to seek restitution in court for that loss from each and every defendant in the case,” Hanisee said.
Hanisee also said McBride is still on probation and “still under the jurisdiction of the court.”
