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$7.3 Million Award For Discovering Lady Gaga

BY Charles Toutant
November 30, 2014

A federal jury in Newark ordered Robert Fusari, a record producer credited with launching the career of Lady Gaga, to pay $7.3 million to a songwriter who claimed she brought the two together. Starland v. Fusari, 2010cv04930 (D.N.J.)

Wendy Starland claimed in her suit that Fusari broke a promise to give her a cut of revenues from the career of Lady Gaga, whose given name is Stefani Germanotta. Following a seven-day trial before U.S. District Judge Jose Linares, the jury granted Starland's request for 50 percent of the roughly $12 million that Fusari earned from Gaga's career. Starland was also awarded a one-time payment of $900,000, which represents half of the record and merchandising royalties Fusari is entitled to receive over the next nine years, as well as 50% of any funds Fusari receives as his cut of future record deals related to Gaga.

The jury made the award to Starland on her claims of breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty. No award was made on her claims of quantum meruit and unjust enrichment.

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