Posted by Megan Thee Stallion is heading to court after a former photographer sued her for harassment and unpaid wages. According to documents obtained by XXL, a New York federal judge on Friday (Aug. 7) denied the rapper’s attorneys’ motion for summary judgment and ruled that a lawsuit by her former photographer, Emilio Garcia, must proceed to trial.
As previously reported, Garcia filed a lawsuit in April of 2024 accusing the Houston rapper of alleged harassment and maintaining a hostile work environment. He further accuses the artist of fat-shaming him and failing to provide proper compensation in violation of numerous labor codes. In his suit, the former cameraman claimed that during a trip to Ibiza, Spain in 2022, he was trapped in a car with the rapper while she was having sex with another woman. Garcia further alleges that on the following day, he was ordered to keep the incident confidential.
In court documents submitted on Friday, Judge Gregory Woods found that there was sufficient conflicting evidence regarding the harassment claims, workplace environment, and allegations of unpaid wages to require that the case proceed to trial.
We thank Judge Woods for taking the time to review and consider the evidence which led to his substantive ruling primarily in Mr. Garcia’s favor. Mr. Garcia is looking forward to having his day in court. — Ron Zambrano, attorney for Emilio Garcia
Other entities named in the suit include Megan Thee Stallion Entertainment, Inc., Hot Girl Touring, LLC, and Roc Nation. The artist has vehemently denied Garcia’s allegations, with her attorney, Alex Spiro, previously describing the legal action as a meritless attempt to extract money.
Legal teams for both parties are now expected to submit letters to the court regarding the anticipated length of the trial before a judge sets an official start date.