Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner have filed a defamation lawsuit against Ray J, following claims he made that the pair were under a federal racketeering investigation. Attorney Alex Spiro confirmed the legal action, stating that the allegations were 'blatantly false' and left 'no choice' but to sue.
The lawsuit, filed in a US court, accuses Ray J of a 'sustained campaign of harassment and defamation' over the past two decades. Spiro said in a statement: 'Kris Jenner and Kim Kardashian have never brought a defamation claim before nor have they been distracted by noise – but this false and serious allegation left no choice.' He described the conduct as 'the most malicious defamatory conduct'.
Ray J, 44, initially made the racketeering comments in TMZ's documentary United States vs. Sean Combs, saying: 'If you told me the Kardashians was being charged for racketeering, I might believe it.' He later repeated the claim in a livestream to his 2.8 million Instagram followers, asserting that an investigation had been launched.
The filing states: 'Unable to accept the end of his fleeting relationship with Ms. Kardashian over twenty years ago, Ray J has repeatedly sought to attach himself to Plaintiffs' names and exploit their prominence for personal gain.' It adds that there was 'no credible evidence for these inflammatory accusations'.
The legal action is the latest chapter in a long and difficult history between Kardashian and Ray J, which began with their relationship from 2003 to 2006. In 2007, a sex tape they made together was leaked, leading to a lawsuit against Vivid Entertainment, which was settled for $5 million.
Ray J has previously faced backlash for his 2013 song 'I Hit It First', which critics said implied he made Kardashian famous. He has denied making negative statements, saying he was 'stating facts'. The lawsuit seeks damages for defamation and an injunction to prevent further similar claims.
