Vanessa Bryant has emerged victorious in her legal battle connected to her late husband Kobe Bryant's investment in BodyArmor, resulting in a substantial award of over $1.5 million, according to TMZ Sports.
Vanessa Bryant Wins Big in Kobe's BodyArmor Lawsuit https://t.co/d5tKmvo3C1
— TMZ (@TMZ) June 27, 2023
The dispute stemmed from Coca-Cola's acquisition of BodyArmor in a $5.6 billion deal in November 2021. Kobe Bryant had made an initial investment of $6 million, which translated into an impressive $400 million return upon the sale.
Mike Repole, co-founder of BodyArmor, lauded the basketball legend's contribution to the company's success, recognizing his vision and belief as instrumental factors.
However, prior to Kobe's tragic passing in a helicopter accident in 2020, a legal issue arose when Molly Carter, President of Kobe Inc., claimed that Kobe had promised her 2% of his share. Kobe vehemently denied making such a promise, leading to a lawsuit filed by Molly.
Vanessa Bryant took up the cause and not only defended the case but also filed her own counterclaim against Molly, alleging violations of loyalty and non-disparagement clauses in her employment contract. Vanessa accused Molly of engaging in derogatory trash-talking directed at Kobe and their family.
Among the alleged insults exchanged, Vanessa claimed that she referred to Kobe as an “ahole,” a “douche nugget,” and a “d* wad.” In response, Molly purportedly called Vanessa the “f*ing devil,” “b**,” and “PSYCHO,” even going so far as to mock Vanessa's newborn child by commenting on their “botox lips.”
The dispute ultimately went to arbitration, where Vanessa prevailed on both the lawsuit and her counterclaim, resulting in an award of more than $1.5 million in attorney's fees.
Now, Kobe's legal team has filed documents seeking approval from an Orange County Superior Court judge to validate the arbitration award.
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