Lady Gaga sued over Japan relief wristbands

A lawsuit alleging that Lady Gaga misrepresented how funds received from sales of her Japanese earthquake relief wristbands would be allocated raised a few eyebrows on Monday, and now Gaga is speaking out against it.

In a statement, the superstar singer – who's visited Tokyo in an effort to boost tourism – called the suit “misguided” and “without merit.”

Attorneys from the Michigan based 1-800-Law-Firm filed a complaint in Michigan last Friday, alleging that Gaga and affiliated companies haven’t been transparent about where donated funds were going. Proceeds from the Gaga-designed wristbands sold were advertised as going solely to relief efforts, which the suit claims is misleading.

The complaint, available for perusal here, alleges that “a portion of the first five dollars of each donation" was kept by Gaga and those affiliated with the project, in addition to keeping a portion of shipping costs and taxes.

In her statement, Gaga denies keeping a cut of funds raised from wristband sales.

“Unfortunately,” she says, the suit “takes attention away from the kind deeds of the fans around the world who are supporting the people of Japan. “The entire $5 donation made with the purchase of each bracelet is going to support the disaster relief. No profit is being made on shipping costs. Sales tax charges were made in accordance with local legal requirements.”

The statement concludes, “Lady Gaga has personally pledged her own funds to this cause and continues to support the victims of the disaster."

(Via the Marquee Blog)