We hope there isn’t a bit of truth to this accussation, but we are sad to report that Lady Gaga is being sued over claims she profited off charity wristbands sold to help victims of the Japanese earthquake.
According to the Michigan legal network 100LAWFIRM, Lady Gaga (real name: Stefani Germanotta) and the companies involved in the sale of the wristbands are accused of inflating the shipping charges for the them and profiting off the charity sales. The bracelets go for $5.00, but sales tax and a $3.99 shipping charge are tacked on to the purchase.
The lawsuit against Lady Gaga claims the singer and her partners overcharged for the shipping, added sales tax to a charity item when they should not have and pocketed cash from the sales that did not belong to them.
According to Lady Gaga’s website, all proceeds for sales of the “We Pray For Japan” wristbands “go directly to Japan relief efforts. Detroit area attorney Alyson Oliver believes some of the money has gone into Lady Gaga and her partners’ pockets instead. The lawsuit filed Saturday is seeking class-action status and refunds for those who bought the wristbands.
“The recent events here really affected me, not just because I have so many fans in Japan, but because it’s hard to watch a country struggle,” Lady Gaga told Us Weekly on Saturday while performing as part of the MTV Music Video Aid Japan Show in Chiba City. “But I can’t let myself cry — I have to be strong because [everyone in Japan] has been so strong. No one gave up for a second.”
“While we commend Lady Gaga for her philanthropic efforts, we want to ensure that claims that ‘all proceeds will be donated to Japan’s earthquake’ are in fact true,” said Oliver, an attorney for 1800LAWFIRM.
“Our intention via this lawsuit is to uncover any improprieties committed by Lady Gaga and appropriate the full donations assumed to the victims in Japan.”
