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Ye will have to pay up after a jury found him liable in a lawsuit filed by a former employee.
On Wednesday, March 11, a judge ordered the artist formerly known as Kanye West to cough up $140,000 to Tony Saxon for medical expenses and lost wages. Saxon was awarded a significantly lower amount than he originally requested. The handyman sued Ye in 2023 for $1.7 million after he was ultimately fired from his position as a project manager of the remodel of his multimillion-dollar home in Malibu. Saxon alleged that he slept on the floor of the home after working 16-hour days under unsafe conditions.
According to TMZ, Saxon was hired in September 2021 and claimed he was only paid once during the seven weeks he worked for Ye. During that time, Saxon served as the project manager, caretaker, and 24/7 security guard for the property. He accused Ye of constantly changing the plans of the remodel. In November 2021, Saxon said Ye ordered him to remove all the windows and electricity from the home. He pushed back after he "expressed concerns about the extreme danger of such actions." Saxon said Ye also tried to get him to move all the generators inside the home, which could've become a fire hazard.
Ye ended their argument over his demands by firing Saxon. The handyman alleged Ye threatened him and called him "an enemy" for not complying with his terms. Saxon also claimed he was severely injured before he was fired. He sued the platinum-selling artist for various labor code violations, unpaid wages, unsafe working conditions, and wrongful termination.
The "Carnival" rapper ultimately denied the allegations Saxon made in his lawsuit. During his testimony last week, Ye gave brief answers and claimed he barely remembered hiring him. He seemed unenthusiastic about testifying and reportedly fell asleep a couple of times while on the stand. His wife, Bianca Censori, also testified, and she only dealt with Saxon for a short time.
Ye bought the Malibu home in 2021 for just over $57 million. He originally planned to remodel the home for his family and even hired famed architect Tadao Ando to design it. The home was gutted to fulfill his wishes; however, his disagreements with Saxon left the property in ruin. He ultimately sold the property in 2024 for $21 million.