Kim Kardashian and her mother Kris Jenner have filed a defamation lawsuit against Ray J, the singer and former boyfriend of Kardashian, over claims that they were under a federal racketeering investigation. Attorney Alex Spiro confirmed the legal action, stating it was prompted by 'the most malicious defamatory conduct'.
Ray J, whose real name is William Ray Norwood Jr, initially made the allegation 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 reiterated the claim in a livestream to his 2.8 million Instagram followers, asserting that an investigation had been launched.
In a statement to People, Spiro said: '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.' The lawsuit accuses Ray J of 'a sustained campaign of harassment and defamation' spanning two decades, describing his comments as 'blatantly false' and made with 'a fundamental disregard for truth'.
The legal filing marks the latest chapter in the turbulent history between Kardashian and Ray J, who dated from 2003 to 2006. Their relationship ended amid the leak of a sex tape filmed in Cabo in 2003, which was later distributed by Vivid Entertainment. Kardashian sued Vivid for invasion of privacy in 2007, settling for $5m.
Ray J has previously drawn criticism for his 2013 song I Hit It First, which he defended as 'stating facts'. In 2022, he denied quotes attributed to him by The Sun in which he made explicit claims about Kardashian; she responded by calling him a 'pathological liar'.
