FKA twigs and Shia LaBeouf have reached a private settlement in her sexual battery lawsuit, according to legal documents first obtained by Us Weekly. The English musician, whose legal name is Tahliah Barnett, filed to end the case with prejudice, meaning she cannot refile the claims in the future.
Barnett, 37, sued LaBeouf in 2020 for sexual battery, assault and infliction of emotional distress, alleging a pattern of “relentless” abuse. In her complaint and an interview with the New York Times, she said LaBeouf, whom she dated from 2018 to 2019, knowingly exposed her to a sexually transmitted infection, attempted to strangle her and slammed her against a car. LaBeouf denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
In a joint statement, Barnett’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, and LaBeouf’s lawyer, Shawn Holley, said: “Committed to forging a constructive path forward, we have agreed to settle our case out of court. While the details of the settlement will remain private, we wish each other personal happiness, professional success and peace in the future.”
The case had dragged on for years with little movement, with both sides disputing the production of text messages and other evidence. It was originally scheduled for trial last year but was postponed multiple times. In 2024, LaBeouf’s team sought to dismiss Barnett’s claim for $10m as excessive, citing her continued music career and recent work, including a role in The Crow and a Calvin Klein campaign. Barnett’s lawyer responded that any suggestion her emotional distress should be discounted because of career success was “preposterous”.
Barnett previously said she came forward to raise awareness of the tactics abusers use to control their partners. LaBeouf, responding earlier to similar allegations from another former girlfriend, said in an email to the New York Times: “I have no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, only rationalizations. I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years. I have a history of hurting the people closest to me. I’m ashamed of that history and am sorry to those I hurt.”
LaBeouf, 39, has since appeared in Abel Ferrara’s Padre Pio and Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis, as well as the boxing drama Salvable. Barnett’s latest album, Eusexua, was released in January; the Guardian described it as “a hymn to the healing power of the dancefloor”.
