The Fenty family is feuding.
Rihanna is taking her father, Ronald Fenty, to court for allegedly exploiting her name in an effort “to solicit millions of dollars from unsuspecting third parties.”
Ronald Fenty, who lives in Barbados, is accused in the lawsuit obtained by TMZ and The Blast of establishing Fenty Entertainment in an effort to exploit his superstar daughter’s fame. Rihanna — whose full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty — says that her father has ignored repeated warnings not to seek to do business on her behalf.
The suit alleges that Ronald Fenty tried to trademark the “Fenty” name, claiming that he planned to use it in connection with resort hotels, even though Rihanna’s company has already trademarked it. According to the complaint, he also tried to negotiate a Rihanna tour deal with SBS Entertainment, which was offering more than $15 million for a series of Latin American concerts.
The suit alleges that Ronald Fenty and his partner, Moses Joktan Perkins, preliminarily accepted the offer, though they have no connection to Rihanna’s business. The suit states that until recently, Fenty Entertainment’s social media pages claimed a connection to Rihanna in an effort to solicit investments.
“Mr. Fenty, Mr. Perkins and the Company’s (collectively “Defendants”) fraudulent conduct is particularly egregious because they repeatedly have been told to stop making these misrepresentations, and to cease and desist all activity and efforts to exploit Rihanna’s name and the goodwill associated with the Fenty brand,” the suit alleges.
Rihanna is pursuing claims for false advertising and invasion of privacy. The suit seeks an injunction that would bar Ronald Fenty from using the Fenty trademark or otherwise claiming to represent his daughter.