Judge Denies Claim for Lady Gaga’s Dog Reward

UPDATE


Jul 12, 2023 5:40 PM CDT

Lady Gaga has been absolved of the obligation to pay a reward to Jennifer McBride, who was involved in the theft of two French bulldogs belonging to the singer in 2021. The Los Angeles judge ruled in favor of Gaga, dismissing McBride’s lawsuit. McBride, who was romantically linked to one of the dog-nappers, had falsely claimed to have found the dogs tied to a pole. In her lawsuit, she sought the $500,000 reward along with an additional $1 million in damages for the emotional distress caused by not receiving payment. Judge Holly Fujie determined that McBride should not profit from her criminal behavior, as reported by Billboard.

Feb 25, 2023 10:45 AM CST

Jennifer McBride, the woman connected to the theft of Lady Gaga’s two French bulldogs, received a two-year probation sentence after falsely claiming to have discovered the stolen dogs. These events occurred shortly after Lady Gaga’s dog walker was shot and her pets were taken in February 2021. Investigators later found that McBride had a romantic relationship with the father of one of the men involved in the attack.

McBride approached the police station with the dogs, hoping to claim the $500,000 reward offered by Gaga. Now, McBride is suing Lady Gaga to obtain the full reward, plus additional compensation. According to TMZ, McBride is seeking $1.5 million, triple the original amount, claiming that the reward was misleading. The lawsuit accuses Gaga of “defrauding” McBride by making a promise without intending to fulfill it, as stated by BuzzFeed.

McBride’s lawsuit also demands compensatory damages for the emotional distress and suffering she endured due to not receiving the reward. LA County Deputy District Attorney Michele Hanisee disagrees with McBride’s claims. Hanisee argues that McBride, who was familiar with the individuals involved in the attack, knew the dogs were stolen when she returned them. Additionally, Hanisee suggests that McBride and the others involved believed the police would be less suspicious of them due to their race. (Read more Lady Gaga stories.)