Rick Ross is proclaiming victory over a verdict where he was ordered to pay $300,000 in punitive and compensatory damages to DJ Vlad (Vlad Lyubovni).
The case was resulted in a August 2008 incident where members of Ross’ entourage assaulted DJ Vlad at the Ozone Awards over the deejay posting comedic images of Ross dressed as a correctional officer.
The attack left Vlad with 7 stitches below the eye, fractures to the face, a corneal abrasion, broken nose, and nerve damage.
Court documents from Vlad’s complaint stated that Ross sent text messages preceding the attack, although Vlad believed they were meeting to discuss an exclusive story.
“N##### will learn…trillaaa,” Ross is alleged to have sent to Vlad. “I’m hearing things about me on your website. We gonna make a story. We gonna see each other. We going to talk. Where are you?”
Ross referenced the ruling as a proof of his John Gotti-inspired nickname.
“The Teflon Don strikes again!” Ross told MTV News. “I’ve been fighting a $4 million dollar lawsuit for the past 2 years. My defense was a success. I have to salute my attorney Xavier Donaldson. “
Even though he will pay out a 6 figure judgment, Ross is relieved the sum is far lower than the original $4 million case filing.
“Whenever an artist or anybody is put in a position such as a lawsuit where so much evidence is presented [with] tapes etcetera etcetera, and giving the plaintiff less than 10 percent of what they requested, I consider my defense a success. God bless America,” he explained.
DJ Vlad was satisfied with the judgment, stating he was simply reporting and continuing the discussion on the Smoking Gun website’s original expose that revealed Ross once worked as a correctional officer.
“As an individual that covers breaking news in the Hip-Hop world, I am grateful that the jury punished Rick Ross for setting me up,” Vlad disclosed in a statement. “All I was doing was covering the news and making commentary.”
Rick Ross latest album Teflon Don is expected to be released this summer.
