For more than a year, Kanye West has been defending himself against accusations from his former business manager who alleged the rapper broke his contract by refusing to pay retainer fees to the manager. Now, after some back-and-forth, Thomas St. John, the proprietor of TSJ International Accounting Firm, reportedly has dropped his $4.5 million suit.
Reports state attorneys representing St. John and the former billionaire engaged in months-long negotiations. Ultimately, both parties resolved the litigation, as revealed in court documents obtained by RadarOnline. The details of the resolution have no been reported on as of yet.
St. John filed the lawsuit in the fall of 2022, alleging that West not only failed to fulfill 18 months’ worth of fees but also, when confronted about the $300,000-per-month bill, the recording artist-turned-producer became “heated and aggressive,” and cursed him out.
“He screamed at Mr. St. John and made clear he no longer wanted to work with (St. John.),” the complaint stated, according to the Daily Mail.
Adding, “When confronted by the 18-month commitment that had just been made, Mr. West stated words to the effect of ‘The 18-month term was bulls***’ and ‘You’re insane for even thinking I would stick to it.’”
As per the complaint, St. John entered West’s sphere in March 2022 under an 18-month contract.
“By 2022, Ye’s artistic and professional career took a turn for the worse as a result of his various antics and public statements. Ye needed guidance from a respected, sophisticated business manager who could right the ship and guide his career going forward,” the lawsuit explained.
The agreement stipulated that in the event of early termination, St. John would be entitled to receive the full amount specified in the contract. Ye would fire the business manager within three months of him being hired.
Lawsuit After Lawsuit
West, who at the time had lost several billion-dollar deals and mounting problems with his Donda Academy (which St. John was also supporting as CFO), was becoming swamped with debt and lawsuits.
Teachers from his school had sued him. Many of his business partners had severed ties. His real estate properties that required renovation now have had lawsuits attached to them and were later abandoned.
Even a volunteer who worked at a nonprofit that he supported in 2021, filed a civil complaint against him alleging that West appeared at the Los Angeles Mission’s Thanksgiving event on Nov. 24, 2021, and used video from his for promotion for his fashion brand and music endeavors.
The lawsuit states that West profited from these activities without permission.
This legal woe just added to his money woes.
The Chicago native argued he did nothing wrong and that the agreement he made with St. John was invalid and not enforceable because he entered into it through “constructive fraud” and stress. He argued that, during the process of divorcing reality star Kim Kardashian, the media attention surrounding the dissolution of his marriage caused significant stress, asserting that he was not in the right state of mind when agreeing to terms with TSJ.
“And indeed, nobody reviewed the Agreement on Ye’s behalf or advised Ye on the Agreement’s terms before Ye signed the Agreement, which Mr. St. John knew. In fact, Mr. St. John did not even advise Ye on the terms of the Agreement. Instead, Ye signed the Agreement on the spot,” his lawyers added.
West would then countersue St. John for not performing his duties and asking for a return of the $900,000 he was paid while employed.
The two parties continued to lock horns before resolving the dispute.
Neither party has released a public statement regarding the dismissal of their lawsuits.
