CHINA TOPIX

03/28/2024 12:38:45 pm

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Kanye West Emerges Victor in ‘Coinye’ Legal Battle

Nothing - not even digital currency - can stand up to Kanye West.

Rapper Kanye West won the legal battle against the operators of a crypto currency called "Coinye."

A U.S. District Court in New York declared the hip hop star as the victor over most of the creators of the gold cyber coins, which feature a cartoon image of West wearing his signature pair of window shade sunglasses.

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West won by default after the people behind Coinye - some of them named John and Jane Does in the lawsuit - didn't respond to the rapper's complaints.

The electronic currency was announced in January, but Coinye's creators immediately shut it down after West filed a federal court suit seeking an order that will prohibit the use of his name as well as unspecified money damages.

In his lawsuit, lawyers for the hip hop star alleged that the people behind the digital currency "usurped West's name and likeness for the sole purpose of propping up the perceived 'value' of the defendants' 'digital coin mine' and its 'crypto currency.'"

In March, West had to amend his lawsuit to include personal information of some of the defendants, whom he said have been staying hidden by "using Registry privacy services and other means."

The people behind Coinye were allegedly from different places, including the United States, China, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Slovakia.

Out of the 12 named defendants, only four have responded. David McEnery, Harry Wills and Richard McCord have already settled with West and the rapper's company, according to Coindesk.

Robbie Hontele, on the other hand, said he has also signed a settlement agreement with West. Hontele denied being involved in the coin's development, but he admitted that he used the coin.

He was previously misnamed as one of the people behind the crypto currency, which has caused his involvement in the lawsuit.

Despite agreeing to a settlement, McCord's lawyer said he was also not involved in the creation of the digital coin, noting that the whole unfortunate episode was "a parody turned into such an expensive endeavor."

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