Judge decides 50 Cent sex tape case will proceed despite the rapper's recent filing for bankruptcy
A federal judge in Connecticut has ruled that a lawsuit over a leaked sex tape can proceed against rapper 50 Cent, despite his bankruptcy filing.
A New York jury awarded Lastonia Leviston $5million last week after determining the rapper, whose real name is Curtis Jackson III, didn't have her permission when he posted online a sexually explicit video she made with her boyfriend.
The jury was to consider punitive damages Monday, but 40-year-old Jackson filed for bankruptcy that day in Connecticut, temporarily stalling Leviston's lawsuit.
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Tough times: A federal judge in Connecticut has ruled that a lawsuit over a leaked sex tape can proceed against rapper 50 Cent, despite his bankruptcy filing
Her lawyer alleged Jackson filed for bankruptcy to evade testifying in the New York case.
According to a Friday report from TMZ, the legal documents the rapper has filed claim that he indeed has tons of money and assets but not enough to cover $20million in recent court judgements.
The gossip site insists that 50 is cash poor and this is all a move by his representation to show his fans that he isn't a failure.
Order: The rapper - Real name Curtis Jackson III - was ordered to pay $5 million to Lastonia Leviston (right) in a lawsuit after she claimed he acquired and intentionally leaked a sex tape in which she was featured
Bankrupt: New legal documents claim 50 Cent - pictured in London on Friday - owes $28 million to creditors
They also report that the documents that he filed are almost biographical as they go back to his growing up in poverty in Queens, New York where his mom was murdered and he was famously shot nine times.
His legal representation explains in the written record: 'In many respects, Mr. Jackson typifies the American dream.'
Leviston's attorney, Philip Freidin, tells The Hartford Courant he's pleased the New York case will be resuming Monday.
It isn't just the sex tape ruling that the In Da Club rapper owes restitution for but several other debts including a substantial amount of money to a member of his own family - his grandfather
Family ties: 50 Cent is said to owe - in addition to other substantial amounts of money - $1,737.33 to his grandfather, after filing for bankruptcy this week
In documents obtained by TMZ, it was revealed that the music star owes his grandfather $1,737.33.
This is in addition to $137,880 to Bentley and $64,909 to American Express, among several others.
He owes in total, as was revealed in a federal Bankruptcy Court filing on Thursday, $28m, with his biggest creditor being Sleek Audio.
The Florida-based headphone company are owed $18,428,257 from the rapper - who is thought to be one of the wealthiest hip hop stars in the world - after winning a judgement over him stealing a design.
What he owes: The rapper owes a total of $28 to a range of creditors, including $18,428,257 to Sleek Audio over a court order in regards to a headphone design
Opening up: 50 Cent - real name Curtis Jackson - touched on her recent bankruptcy filing during a Wednesday appearance on Conan O'Brien's chat show
The In Da Club hitmaker filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday, listing his assets and liabilities at between $10million and $50million to a federal bankruptcy court.
The bankruptcy filing, which would protect 50 Cent from paying creditors, came days after a jury ordered him to pay $5 million to a woman who appeared in a sex tape that went online in 2009.
And he commented about his financial situation during an appearance on Conan O'Brien's chat show on Wednesday.
The rapper was asked about the chapter 11 filing and he replied: 'Yeah, I need protection.'
Not keeping him down! Just hours after the filing 50 Cent made an appearance at an ESPN screening of his new film Southpaw in Los Angeles alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and Miguel Gomez
Fiddy went on to explain the price of fame and the mark that fortune leaves on a person for others to take aim towards.
50 Cent explained: 'You get a bullseye painted on your back when you're successful, and it's public to know you've become the ideal person to have lawsuits for.'
In the aforementioned sex tape, 50 Cent poses as his alter ego Pimpin' Curly, sporting a wig and speaking in an artificially high voice, as he narrates the Florida woman's sexual encounter and mocks fellow rapper Rick Ross, who has a child with her.
New whip: Despite the legal issues, the In Da Club rapper seems to be in good spirits as he recently poked fun of his own bankruptcy crisis by posing next to a compact Smart Car on Tuesday, joking, 'Times are hard'
Staredown: 50 Cent and Jake Gyllenhaal in a scene from Southpaw
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