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Selena Gomez seeks dismissal of 'absurd' fraud lawsuit over mental health startup
๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Canada /Health & Science

Selena Gomez seeks dismissal of 'absurd' fraud lawsuit over mental health startup

From Global News · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • Pop star Selena Gomez is seeking to dismiss a fraud lawsuit filed against her by investors of her mental health startup, Wondermind.
  • Gomez's lawyers argue the claims are "completely meritless if not frivolous" and that she was not involved in the company's securities offerings or management.
  • The lawsuit accuses Gomez, her mother, and a co-founder of deceiving investors about the company's infrastructure and leadership.

Selena Gomez is urging a federal judge to dismiss fraud allegations leveled against her in a lawsuit concerning her mental health startup, Wondermind. Investors claim Gomez, along with her mother Mandy Teefey and co-founder Daniella Pierson, deceived them into continuing funding the company.

The notion that Selena engaged in โ€˜fraudโ€™ or any other wrongdoing is absurd, and in addition to filing our motion we are exploring other avenues of relief for Ms. Gomez including sanctions against plaintiffs for improperly including her.

โ€” Mathew S. RosengartSelena Gomez's lawyer, commenting on the lawsuit.

Gomez's legal team filed a motion in Delaware, asserting that the claims against the 34-year-old singer are "completely meritless if not frivolous." Her lawyer, Mathew S. Rosengart, stated that the notion of Gomez engaging in fraud is "absurd" and indicated they are exploring avenues for relief, including potential sanctions against the plaintiffs for improperly including her in the case.

The motion argues that the plaintiffs' allegations are "vague, generalized, and contradictory," demonstrating that Gomez could not have committed fraud, is not liable, and should be dismissed from the lawsuit. Her lawyers contend that Gomez "did not communicate with Plaintiffs, was not involved in Wondermind, Inc.'s (the 'Company') securities offerings, and was not in a position to control the acts and communications of the Company."

The plaintiffsโ€™ โ€˜vague, generalized, and contradictory allegations concerning Selena Gomez demonstrate that Ms. Gomez could not possible have engaged in any โ€˜fraudโ€™ (she did not), is not liable to Plaintiffs (she is not) and, as a matter of law, must be dismissed from the lawsuit.

โ€” Selena Gomez's legal teamStating the basis for dismissing the lawsuit in their motion.

Wondermind was co-founded in November 2021 with the stated goal of providing "doable ways to put your mental fitness first every day." According to the filing, Teefey and Pierson managed the company as co-CEOs and board members. Gomez was reportedly retained as a consultant and held the title of Chief Impact Officer.

Gomez did not communicate with Plaintiffs, was not involved in Wondermind, Inc.'s (the โ€˜Companyโ€™) securities offerings, and was not in a position to control the acts and communications of the Company.

โ€” Selena Gomez's legal teamDetailing Gomez's lack of involvement in the company's financial and operational aspects.

The lawsuit accuses the founders of falsely representing the company's "infrastructure, leadership, and resources necessary for the Company to launch into a profitable, one-of-its-kind mental health and wellness platform." Gomez's legal team maintains that while she supported her mother and invested in Wondermind, she "never agreed to and did not manage" the company.

While the Wizards of Waverly Place actor โ€˜agreed to support her mother Mandy Teefeyโ€™ and invested in Wondermind, she โ€˜never agreed to and did not manageโ€™ the company.

โ€” Selena Gomez's legal teamClarifying Gomez's role and responsibilities within Wondermind.
About this summary

Originally published by Global News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.