EXCLUSIVE: Ol' Dirty Bastard Estate Targets Global Counterfeiters In Multi-Million Dollar Battle

Ol' Dirty Bastard launched a posthumous legal attack from beyond the grave as his estate filed a sweeping federal lawsuit accusing online counterfeiters of flooding e-commerce sites with unauthorized merchandise bearing his name and image.

His estate is targeting dozens of anonymous sellers allegedly operating under false identities across platforms like Amazon, eBay, Walmart and SHEIN.




The estate claims the defendants have been "knowingly and willfully" selling bootleg ODB-branded products to American customers without any legal right to do so.




The estate of Russell Jones-better known as Ol' Dirty Bastard-says the knockoff items include clothing, posters, action figures and other goods that misuse his registered trademarks. The lawsuit alleges the counterfeiters are causing "irreparable harm" by confusing buyers and weakening the value of ODB's brand.




"These sellers are exploiting the late rapper's legacy for profit," the complaint says, accusing them of creating a "sophisticated web of counterfeit storefronts" that mimic legitimate outlets. The estate argues the sellers are hiding behind aliases and operating from overseas to dodge legal consequences.




The estate is managed by Icelene Jones, ODB's widow, along with his children Taniqua, Bar-sun, Shaquita and Allah McCall.

They are seeking up to $2 million in statutory damages per trademark violation and are asking the court to issue an immediate injunction to stop the sales.




The estate says it holds several federally registered trademarks for both "Ol' Dirty Bastard" and "ODB," covering music, entertainment services and apparel. The lawsuit describes these marks as "famous and valuable assets" that are "instantly recognizable" to consumers around the world.




According to the complaint, the counterfeiters are abusing the reach and anonymity of the internet to siphon money away from the estate's licensed partners. The estate argues that without court intervention, the damage to ODB's legacy will continue to mount.




The estate is also asking the court to order e-commerce platforms to freeze the sellers' accounts and remove the infringing listings. The lawsuit does not name specific individuals but refers to the defendants as operating under various aliases and using tactics to avoid detection.




The estate believes the sellers are based in foreign jurisdictions, making enforcement more difficult without federal court involvement.




ODB rose to fame in the 1990s as a founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan.




His solo hits like "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" and "Brooklyn Zoo" cemented his place in Hip-Hop history, while collaborations such as Mariah Carey's "Fantasy (Remix)" and Pras and Mýa's "Ghetto Supastar" brought him mainstream recognition.




The rap star died on November 13, 2004, after collapsing at a Manhattan recording studio. He was 35. A medical examiner later ruled his death an accidental overdose caused by a lethal mix of cocaine and the prescription painkiller Tramadol.













































via: https://allhiphop.com/news/exclusive-ol-dirty-bastard-estate-targets-global-counterfeiters-in-multi-million-dollar-battle/