Home : Celebrity Justice : Man to Prince: You Stole My Hard Drives!

Celebrity Justice
Man to Prince: You Stole My Hard Drives!

Posted Oct 17th 2007 7:34PM by TMZ Staff

Prince Rogers Nelson, known to mere mortals as Prince, is being sued by a man who claims the Purple One took 12 AVID hard drives and never paid for them. When nerds cry!
Prince
In a lawsuit filed yesterday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Ian Lewis claims that Prince, named as a defendant (along with his record label and fan club website), took 12 AVID IS SCSI Shuttle Drives worth $12,000, alleging that Prince and his people never had any intention of returning them or paying for them.

In addition, Lewis claims that a $25,000 computer, which was also loaned to Prince, was returned by his people "in a broken and un-fixable condition." Computer blue!

Lewis is seeking damages to be determined at trial and exemplary damages in the amount of $1,000,000. Calls to Prince's reps were not immediately returned.




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16. JOYCE DANELEN IS BEAUTIFUL, CHERYL SHUMAN IS A STALKER.

Posted at 12:18AM on Oct 18th 2007 by yt

17. If the guy is telling the truth and received no satisfaction, why shouldn't he sue? I'm sure if the guy took something valuable from prince, he'd sue him too.

Posted at 12:27AM on Oct 18th 2007 by Amanda

18. Well he sure looks guilty to me in the TMZ pic.

Posted at 12:36AM on Oct 18th 2007 by Suge Knight

19. When U got money people will find any reason to sue U, and for crazy amounts. 12 + 25 doesnt equal 100. If I (an average everyday guy) took it, the case would be a case of possesion. And the court would just order me to give it back and pay court cost. (Just ask Chelsea Rodgers!!!!!!!!)

Posted at 1:11AM on Oct 18th 2007 by Frank

20. Listen here people. Get the word out. Prince has gone, under mainstream music news media radar, copyright wild.

He's been harrassing fans, fan sites, ex-associates, ANYONE EXCEPT big megacorporations like this here AOL and Corbis, AP, etc, etc. over photos of himself that HE DOES NOT OWN.

This keeping of drives is his overzealousness over making sure his raw video doesnt escape.

Very, very unprofessional and paranoic. Dudes on some possibly religious-fueled, copyright-mission thats completely unfair. So even if the photos or video belong to a photographer or media company, he's claiming infringement. At least thats whats going on in the Prince fan world.

And most dont use his photos or old news video footage for profit, its shared and most, NOT his to begin with.

We need more coverage of this in mainstream music news media.

Posted at 2:02AM on Oct 18th 2007 by Prince Fanemy (Fan+Enemy)

21. INTERVIEW AT BUSYFACE.COM

Posted at 3:35AM on Oct 18th 2007 by BUSYFACE

22. Matt Damon

Posted at 6:43AM on Oct 18th 2007 by Matt Damon

23. $12,000.00 + $25,000.00 = $1,000,000.00? Purple Rain, purple pain!!!

Posted at 6:59AM on Oct 18th 2007 by keepingitreal

24. Prince is so sexy, and a musical genius! He can take whatever he wants from me!

Posted at 8:41AM on Oct 18th 2007 by Bel

25. SO WHAT WHO CARES PRINCE IS AN OVER PAID CELEBRITY AS ALL OF THEM ARE SPORTS STARS TOO....PAY THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY DESERVE IT THE MILLIONS ...FIREFIGHTERS COPS AND MOST OF ALL SOLDIERS

Posted at 9:28AM on Oct 18th 2007 by T

26. I think it is shameful when stars financially use and abuse others with less financially mobility. It sickens me. One day the little people will rise up and against the politically connected, rich and famous people and take the law into their own hands because they will get sick of being ripped off. The little people will not be stupid forever! THERE IS POWER IN NUMBERS.

Posted at 9:30AM on Oct 18th 2007 by Roxanne

27. He is so f UGLY...

Posted at 9:31AM on Oct 18th 2007 by o ya

28. GOSH!! I will never, ever buy another Prince CD again!! Tell us something that will save the world!!

Posted at 11:29AM on Oct 18th 2007 by Mom3Boys

29. I had a "friend" who became rich and famous right out of high school. While on tour back in our state, I went backstage. Now mind you, I was working full time as a nanny and she was in the multi million dollar range. She literally stole makeup out of my purse which I collected back before I left. Her reasoning? "You have more time than I do to go to the department store and buy it again." She did not offer to pay me for it! I replied, "I work very hard for my money as I paid to get into your concert and I have to pay for all my incidentals. I have no money in a savings account or a house to call my own." She was clueless and thought I was "being selfish." Well to do people think they are entitled to steal from those of lesser means. That is how they get ahead. The Government backs them!

Posted at 10:17AM on Oct 18th 2007 by Roxanne

30. As for the artist presently known as 'Thief'... Should you really give a crap!? No! When someone intentionally fails to honor an agreement they entered into, should they be held accountable and responsible for their actions? You're damn right they should! Celebrities, in general, always take advantage of folks who grant them favors. How do you think they got where they are today? Talent alone may have been the key to their success back-in-the-day, but those days are long gone. Most, but not all of today's celebrities are of the selfbased mindset that they are above the rules and regulations that govern a civilized society. They are legends in thier own minds and believe in the fantasy world in which they live. You see and hear of this practically everyday in the news. This article on Prince is just one of the many serving the proof positive. If you want to play, you ought to pay!

Posted at 11:02PM on Oct 18th 2007 by ThunderProof

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