In a highly publicised and unusual dog-napping case, the court has ruled that Lady Gaga is not obligated to fulfil the $500,000 reward she had offered for the safe return of her cherished dogs.
Back in February 2021, Lady Gaga’s dog walker, Ryan Fischer, was ambushed and shot four times while out with her three French bulldogs. Despite his valiant efforts to protect the dogs, two of them, Gustav and Koji, were abducted, leaving Fischer bleeding on the pavement. However, Miss Asia managed to escape and was later found by police.
To facilitate the return of her pets, Gaga generously announced the substantial reward. Jennifer McBride, the woman who ultimately turned over the dogs, later turned out to be an accomplice in the theft. She was subsequently charged in connection with the robbery and as an accessory to attempted murder.
McBride, seizing an opportunity, sued Gaga when the reward money wasn’t delivered as promised. Claiming she had found the dogs tied to a lamppost, she demanded not only the $500k but an additional $1.5 million in damages. Her legal team argued that Gaga’s failure to pay amounted to fraud and inflicted mental anguish upon their client.
However, the court ruled in July that due to McBride’s involvement in the theft, her case against Gaga lacked merit. McBride was sentenced to probation after being found guilty of receiving stolen goods.
Yesterday, the court made its final decision, affirming that McBride’s amended complaint failed to alter the outcome. The case has been officially closed, leaving McBride no opportunity to revise her claims.
The dog-napping saga came to a close with justice served, as the man who shot Fischer and took the dogs, James Howard Jackson, was sentenced to 21 years in prison for attempted murder.
Lady Gaga can now breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that she won’t have to part with half a million dollars to reward those who committed this act.
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