Another day, another lawsuit. Yes, it’s a thing we’re going to say every time there’s a lawsuit in the industry. And this one is weird, even for Ye. Okay, a Los Angeles judge has ruled that the man suing Ye can continue his case anonymously, rejecting the artist’s attempt to force him to reveal his name publicly. The plaintiff, identified only as John Doe, alleges he was hired by Ye as “director of intelligence” and assigned to investigate both Kim Kardashian and Bianca Censori.
Here’s where it gets weird. Well maybe for these times it’s just par for the course. According to court filings, Doe says Ye instructed him to track Censori during her time in Australia and dig into Kardashian’s background because Ye believed both women and their families had criminal ties, including alleged sex trafficking. Doe contends he later became a target himself after reporting alleged misconduct at Donda Academy, Ye’s private school. He claims Ye told him he was “dead” to him and says he has faced death threats from others.
Doe argued he needed to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation from Ye and his supporters. He also revealed that a Yeezy operations manager allegedly warned him that his family could be harmed if he stayed involved. Identifying himself as a disabled veteran living with PTSD, Doe stressed that public exposure could threaten his safety and well being.
Judge Holly Fujie agreed, writing that the plaintiff “is not concealing his identity from defendants, he is merely seeking to withhold it from the public.” She noted that Ye and his legal team would still be able to conduct full discovery and depositions without being hindered.
Ye’s attorneys had pushed back, claiming that the anonymity ruling limited their ability to test Doe’s credibility and employment history while also leaving them vulnerable to reputational damage. Along with Ye, Yeezy LLC is named as a defendant.
The lawsuit, first filed in October 2023, accuses Ye and his companies of harassment and retaliation. Doe says the work environment was so toxic that employees resigned in large numbers, and that he too was pushed out after raising red flags about the culture inside Donda Academy.