Selena Gomez has asked a United States federal court in Delaware to dismiss a fraud lawsuit brought by investors in her mental health startup, Wondermind, arguing the claims against her are vague and contradictory.
The motion, filed Wednesday, comes two weeks after investors filed the federal lawsuit alleging fraud. The investors claim they were misled into investing nearly $1.2 million in the company after a series of false promises about resources and leadership.
Claims and motion arguments#
The lawsuit names Gomez, her mother Mandy Teefey, and former business partner Daniella Pierson. The investors’ claims include:
- common-law fraud
- breach of contract
- securities fraud
Gomez’s attorney, Mathew S. Rosengart, said: “The notion that Selena engaged in ‘fraud’ or any other wrongdoing is absurd, and in addition to filing our motion, we are exploring other avenues of relief for Ms. Gomez, including sanctions against plaintiffs for improperly including her.”
The motion states: “[The] vague, generalized, and contradictory allegations concerning Selena Gomez demonstrate that Ms. Gomez could not possibly have engaged in any ‘fraud’ (she did not), is not liable to plaintiffs (she is not) and, as a matter of law, must be dismissed from this lawsuit.”
The filing also notes that Teefey and Pierson managed the company as co-CEOs and board members, while Gomez was retained “as a consultant” with the title “Chief Impact Officer.”
Gomez’s motion asks the judge to dismiss all four claims against her with prejudice, meaning they could not be refiled.
Other defendants#
Wondermind, Teefey, and Pierson did not respond to requests for comment. Pierson previously denied any wrongdoing and said she “welcomes the opportunity to present concrete documentation and financial records that establish the facts.”
