Don Omar has filed a lawsuit against DJ Envy‘s business partner, Cesar Pina, claiming that the alleged real estate fraudster used the reggaeton star’s likeness in his advertising without permission.
According to court documents obtained by HipHopDX, the King of Reggaeton (real name William Omar Rivera) filed the claim on Tuesday (December 19), in which he alleged that the embattled businessman used the “Pobre Diabla” rapper’s photos on his website. Pina is currently embroiled in allegations of flipping fraud. Through his attorneys, Don Omar claimed that using his image and likeness in such a fashion was a form of “misappropriation, violation of the right to publicity, defamation, false light, fraud and number of applicable torts.”
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What’s more, Don Omar claimed that his attorneys initially sent a cease-and-desist letter to Pina on December 4, demanding a removal of the offending images, but Pina refused to comply, thus necessitating the lawsuit.
This is the second suit Omar has filed against Pina. In November, Omar filed suit over real estate deals in New Jersey and Florida, claiming breach of contract, fraudulent inducement, and unjust enrichment.
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In the newest suit, Don Omar’s request for a TRO (temporary restraining order) against Pina to prevent him from using the photos was denied on Wednesday (December 20). Check out the documents below.
DJ Envy himself wasn’t named in Don Omar’s suit, but he has his fair share of legal issues.
According to legal reporter Meghann Cuniff, the Breakfast Club co-host has until January 8 to produce all of the documents requested by a court-appointed trustee overseeing Pina’s company Whairhouse LLC, which filed for bankruptcy in August.
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If he fails to comply, Envy (real name RaaShaun Casey) could be arrested and forced to sit down for a deposition in New Jersey bankruptcy court, and possibly face other sanctions.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Rosemary Gambardella approved a motion from the trustee’s attorneys on Wednesday (December 20) claiming that Envy already missed a November 28 deadline to provide documents related to Whairhouse, as well as the company behind an apartment complex that Pina owns.
Cesar Pina, who also goes by FlippingNJ on social media, was arrested in October for wire fraud in connection to his and DJ Envy’s real estate ventures.
Envy, who has not been charged, has claimed that he, too, is a “victim” of Pina’s alleged real estate scam which allegedly defrauded investors out of millions of dollars.
However, the real estate developer addressed this claim in October and disputed his former business partner’s comments.
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“DJ Envy’s attorney’s defense that DJ Envy is a victim — that’s the dumbest shit I ever heard in my life,” Pina said on Instagram Live. “Me and him were partners in the real estate seminars, we were partners in a couple of real estate transactions. That’s it. He’s not a victim! He was my partner; he was an investor.”
