Ol’ Dirty Bastard launched a posthumous authorized assault from past the grave as his property filed a sweeping federal lawsuit accusing on-line counterfeiters of flooding e-commerce websites with unauthorized merchandise bearing his title and picture.

His property is focusing on dozens of nameless sellers allegedly working below false identities throughout platforms like Amazon, eBay, Walmart and SHEIN.

The property claims the defendants have been “knowingly and willfully” promoting bootleg ODB-branded merchandise to American clients with none authorized proper to take action.

The property of Russell Jones—higher generally known as Ol’ Dirty Bastard—says the knockoff gadgets embrace clothes, posters, motion figures and different items that misuse his registered logos. The lawsuit alleges the counterfeiters are inflicting “irreparable harm” by complicated consumers and weakening the worth of ODB’s model.

“These sellers are exploiting the late rapper’s legacy for profit,” the grievance says, accusing them of making a “sophisticated web of counterfeit storefronts” that mimic legit shops. The property argues the sellers are hiding behind aliases and working from abroad to dodge authorized penalties.

The property is managed by Icelene Jones, ODB’s widow, alongside together with his youngsters Taniqua, Bar-sun, Shaquita and Allah McCall.

They are searching for as much as $2 million in statutory damages per trademark violation and are asking the courtroom to problem a right away injunction to cease the gross sales.

The property says it holds a number of federally registered logos for each “Ol’ Dirty Bastard” and “ODB,” overlaying music, leisure companies and attire. The lawsuit describes these marks as “famous and valuable assets” which are “instantly recognizable” to customers around the globe.

According to the grievance, the counterfeiters are abusing the attain and anonymity of the web to siphon cash away from the property’s licensed companions. The property argues that with out courtroom intervention, the injury to ODB’s legacy will proceed to mount.

The property can also be asking the courtroom to order e-commerce platforms to freeze the sellers’ accounts and take away the infringing listings. The lawsuit doesn’t title particular people however refers back to the defendants as working below numerous aliases and utilizing ways to keep away from detection.

The property believes the sellers are primarily based in overseas jurisdictions, making enforcement tougher with out federal courtroom involvement.

ODB rose to fame within the Nineteen Nineties as a founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan.

His solo hits like “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” and “Brooklyn Zoo” cemented his place in Hip-Hop historical past, whereas collaborations resembling Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy (Remix)” and Pras and Mýa’s “Ghetto Supastar” introduced him mainstream recognition.

The rap star died on November 13, 2004, after collapsing at a Manhattan recording studio. He was 35. A health worker later dominated his loss of life an unintended overdose brought on by a deadly mixture of cocaine and the prescription painkiller Tramadol.

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