February 5th 2025.
In a recent legal battle between T.I. and Tiny Harris and MGA Entertainment, a judge has reinstated the $53 million in punitive damages that were initially taken away. This all began when the couple won a $71 million judgment in September 2024 against MGA for using the likeness of their daughter's girl group, OMG Girlz, without permission. However, their victory was short-lived as the punitive damages were later retracted by U.S. District Judge James Selna due to a lack of evidence.
According to reports from The Los Angeles Daily News, the judge has now reversed his decision after both sides met again on Jan. 6. Along with the reinstated $53 million, T.I. and Tiny also won $17.8 million in profits from the infringement case. The couple had sued MGA for creating seven dolls that resembled the members of the OMG Girlz group, which included their daughter, Zonnique Pullins.
The news of the judge's reversal was shared by journalist Meghann Cuniff on Feb. 4, 2025, through a tweet that read, "The OMG Girlz are getting their $53 million in punitive damages from toymaker MGA over the OMG Dolls! Judge Selna changed his mind! Order issued today!" This marks a major victory for T.I. and Tiny in their ongoing legal battle.
Initially, Selna had ruled that there was not enough evidence to support the punitive damages awarded by the jury. This led to a temporary negation of the $53.6 million and a hearing was set for both parties to present their arguments. During the hearing, the main point of contention was whether the jury's verdict should be considered advisory or if Selna had the authority to determine the amount of the award. In the end, the judge maintained the original ruling, stating that both parties had agreed to a jury trial and there was no indication that the verdict on punitive damages was to be treated as advisory.
According to a report by US Weekly, T.I. testified during the September 6 trial, stating that "you can hold up these pictures and see. Anyone with eyes can see that this picture influenced this doll." On the other hand, MGA's founder, Isaac Larian, referred to the couple as "extortionists" and denied that the dolls were influenced by the OMG Girlz.
This legal victory comes as a relief for T.I. and Tiny, who have been fighting to protect their daughter's image and hold MGA accountable for their actions. And while the couple continues to navigate through this legal battle, they also have something to look forward to as T.I. is set to perform at the National Cherry Festival in 2025. This serves as a reminder that despite the challenges they face, T.I. and Tiny remain resilient and continue to thrive in their respective careers.
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