Flo Rida is awarded $82.6 million in a lawsuit against Celsius Energy Drinks … which he says hid finances from him
- The 43-year-old rapper was awarded a sum by the jury after a lawsuit over a settlement
- He initially filed the lawsuit in May 2021 over a 2014 contract
- He initially claimed he was owed $30,000 for violating the agreement, but the sum swelled as the company’s fortunes grew
Flo Rida was awarded $82.6 million Wednesday by a jury in Broward County, Fla to hide from him.
The 43-year-old rapper first filed the lawsuit in May 2021, saying the beverage company’s parent company Celsius Holdings Inc. breached previously agreed terms of a deal dating back to 2014, TMZ reported.
A native of Carol City, Fla., real name Tramar Dillard, initially claimed he was owed $30,000 for violating the agreement, but the sum swelled as the company’s fortunes grew.
UPDATE: Flo Rida, 43, was awarded $82.6 million by a Broward County, Fla. jury Wednesday in his breach of contact lawsuit against energy drink maker Celsius. Pictured in Fort Lauderdale, Florida last month
He told the AP: “Basically, I helped start this business and all we were looking for was some trustworthy people who acted like they were family. And when it comes to today’s success, they just forgot about me.’
Lawyers for the beverage company said its success came after the endorsement deal was struck with the Right Round artist and was due to other factors affecting the deal.
The company has yet to appeal the jury’s verdict.
Flo Rida’s attorney, John Uustal, said the whistle artist was willing to take a 1% interest in the deal he was originally promised, in lieu of the $82.6 million the jury awarded.
The rapper was pictured Tuesday at the court case against the energy drink maker
The Right Round artist was spotted performing at a Denver Broncos halftime show in 2021
Flo Rida’s attorney, John Uustal, said the whistle artist was willing to take a 1% interest in the deal he was originally promised, in lieu of the $82.6 million the jury awarded
Flo Rida “loved the product and it’s been a very successful four-year relationship,” Uustal said. “There were some benchmarks. He was supposed to get stocks when certain things happened. And there was controversy over whether those benchmarks had been met. So that’s what it was about.’
Flo Rida said he likes the products and remains a shareholder in the organization with whom he would be open to working together in the future.
“I still own the company,” Dillard said, the AP reported. “And when you’ve basically planted the seed of something successful, you can’t help but have unconditional love.”