T.I. and Tiny Harris have been awarded the full $71 million they initially won in their lawsuit against doll brand LOL Surprise! before a judge nearly slashed it by 75 percent.
The toy giant MGA Entertainment, which created and owns the LOL Surprise! line, was originally ordered to cough up a staggering $71 million in September after being found liable for infringing upon intellectual property rights by making dolls in the likeness of the OMG Girlz. However, Judge James Selna floated the prospect of reducing the amount payable to the Harrises to just under $18 million in January.
Selna agreed with awarding the couple (who created the OMG Girlz) $17.8 for common law misappropriation – which means unauthorized use of someone else’s property, ideas or efforts for personal gain. However, the other $53.6 was for punitive damages, which “punish the defendant for especially harmful, reckless or malicious behavior,” and Selna felt that there was not enough evidence of bad faith.
But after consideration, Judge Selna changed his mind and has officially awarded the full amount to Tip and Tiny this week.
Sharing the news on her Instagram Story, Tiny wrote, “Don’t play with God’s children! So thankful & grateful to our amazing law team.”
She then commented on The Shade Room‘s post of the news, adding, “God be showing out!!! So thankful & happy for @bahjarodriguez @jusbrezway @zonniquejailee most of all.”
The three women tagged – her daughter Zonnique along with Bahja Rodriguez and Breaunna Womack – make up the OMG Girlz and will seemingly also be receiving a cut of the money.
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!https://t.co/j2RowsXgcy pic.twitter.com/jNQX3JtrIQ
— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) February 4, 2025
T.I. and Tiny’s lawsuit against MGA accused them of copying the likeness of their girl group OMG Girlz – but it took them three attempts at suing before they had a victory.
The successful ruling found that seven of the dolls in the product line copied the likeness of the trio.
MGA had frequently denied allegations of copyright infringement, claiming the dolls were not based on the recently reunited girl group and through their attorneys attacked T.I. and Tiny for pursuing the lawsuit, even labeling the couple “extortionists.”
T.I. criticized MGA in his interview with Rolling Stone after the lawsuit reached its conclusion, saying: “[They were] trying to paint me as the bad guy when really, they were the [bad] ones. They were the ones that came and ripped us off, and [they] expected us to not have the audacity to stand up and speak for ourselves.”
The Hustle Gang honcho added: “That kind of condescension comes from when you’re not really in touch with the reality of culture after you’ve gone so long kind of having it your way and nobody really standing up and speaking against you.”
