Vanessa Bryant, Kobe Bryant’s widow, has been awarded $1.5 million in attorney’s fees following a legal struggle with Kobe Inc.’s former president over her late husband’s interest in the sports drink firm BodyArmor.
According to TMZ, the feud began in 2019, six months before Kobe’s death, when Molly Carter, president of Kobe Inc., claimed the basketball star promised her a part of the earnings from his BodyArmor investment.
In 2013, Kobe invested $6 million for a 10% stake in BodyArmor, which was ultimately purchased by Coca-Cola for $5.6 billion. Kobe’s investment returned $400 million as a result of the transaction.
Molly said Kobe promised her 2% of the $400 million, which Kobe denied ever stating.
Molly filed a lawsuit, and Vanessa stepped up to defend the case, even filing a counterclaim against Molly, accusing her of violating the duty of loyalty and non-disparagement clause in her job contract.
Vanessa accused Molly of breaking the agreement by making fun of her family, and she provided numerous examples of foul language purportedly directed at Kobe and even herself.
Vanessa claims Molly called Kobe a ‘dick wad,’ a ‘douche nugget,’ and a ‘a**hole.’ She also said Molly called her the “f***ing devil,” “b**ch,” and “PSYCHO.” Molly is also accused of claiming Vanessa’s newborn daughter has ‘botox lips.’
Vanessa also mentioned an alleged remark made by Molly while she was working and traveling to an NBA All-Star game. Molly apparently complained about ‘a lot of fancy-ass Black people’ on the plane she was on.
Vanessa won both the original lawsuit and her counterclaim once the matter went to arbitration. She was awarded $1.5 million in attorney’s fees.
Kobe’s legal team has asked an Orange County Superior Court judge to approve the arbitration verdict, according to legal documents acquired by TMZ.
Bryant’s initial venture with Kobe Inc. was BodyArmor, which touts itself as a healthier sports drink.
Bryant informed BodyArmor creator Mike Repole, who also co-founded VitaminWater and SmartWater, that he intended to be heavily involved when he first invested in the company.
Bryant wanted to focus on the brand’s marketing and creative features, so he crafted the company’s first-ever television commercial.
The black-and-white campaign, titled Obsession is Natural, was written, directed, and narrated by the NBA legend and featured athletes such as James Harden and Mike Trout.
‘I enjoy storytelling and have always taken an active role in my advertisements throughout my career,’ Bryant said when the ad first aired on Fox Business in April 2017.
‘As a BodyArmor investor, this is additional value I contribute to the brand. As an athlete, I can supply a creative voice to give the product a real and trustworthy voice.’
In January 2020, Kobe perished alongside his daughter Gianna, 13, in a horrific helicopter crash that killed all nine individuals on board. He was 41.
