Rob Fusari Production v. Team Love Child & Mermaid Music

Lady Gaga aka Stefani Germanotta aged 23 and already worth millions has found herself in the crossfire. Two companies representing Lady Gaga; Team Love Child and Mermaid Music are being sued by Rob Fusari the artist’s ex-producer and songwriter. The Lawsuit is being brought on grounds of breach of agreement and breach of fiduciary duty.
Fusari claims 20 percent (30 million) profit from a contract the above mentioned parties entered into in 2006, 5 million dollars worth of damages and 15% commission fee from Lady Gaga’s merchandising commitments. Fusari alleges that Lady Gaga’s stage name was created by him and that he should be entitled for a percentage of royalties generated.
However, Lady Gaga since the allegations has filed a countersuit in New York State Supreme against two of Fusari’s companies. The artist countersuit is for violation of employment statutes in New York and New Jersey in their business relationships with her.
The case details the love romance between Lady Gaga and Fusari when “the two began spending all their time together as a couple”. The first contract between Fusari and Gaga was signed in May 2006 of which Fusari introduced Lady Gaga to Laurent Besencon who became her manager and ensured a record deal with Island Def Jam which intended to release an album in May 2007. Lady Gaga however was unexplainably dropped by Island Def Jam after three months. By January 2007 Fusari ended any romantic involvement with the artist and remain professional.
Gaga was introduced to RedOne by Besencon which in turn no longer involved Fusari in the creative decisions concerning her music. Fusari argues that he was ‘frozen out’ and that Gaga and her father “stopped taking his telephone calls or answering emails” (http://www.gagafrontrow.net/2010/03/rob-fusari-productions-llc-v-team-love.html ).