Dame Dash Loses Defamation Case as Judge Calls Him Out for Ignoring Court Orders
Dame Dash just took another legal hit. A judge has ruled against the music mogul in a defamation lawsuit filed by producer Josh Webber, citing Dash’s repeated failure to follow court orders.
According to court documents filed on February 18, Judge John F. Walter issued a default judgment in Webber’s favor after Dash ignored key legal procedures, including mediation and filing pre-trial documents. Now, Webber has until March 3 to present proof of damages, which could lead to a hefty payout.
The case stems from Dash’s appearance on the Earn Your Leisure podcast in March 2024, where he accused Webber of “stealing” from him after winning nearly $1 million in a previous lawsuit. Webber claims these false statements cost him a $4 million contract to direct a film starring Billy Bob Thornton and Scott Eastwood—hence the lawsuit.
This is just the latest chapter in the long-standing feud between Dash and Webber, which dates back to 2016. Dash was initially hired to direct the film Dear Frank but was removed from the project due to alleged unprofessionalism, including claims that he was frequently high on set. Webber and Muddy Water Pictures finished the film without him, but Dash later attempted to market it as his own under the title The List, leading to a copyright infringement and defamation lawsuit in 2019. A jury ultimately ruled against Dash in 2022.
Adding to his financial woes, Dash’s 33.3% stake in Roc-A-Fella Records was recently auctioned off to settle his debts—but Webber hasn’t seen a dime from it. Instead, the winning $1 million bid, placed by an anonymous New York state employee, was used to cover Dash’s outstanding child support and a portion of his $8 million tax debt.
Determined to collect what he’s owed, Webber has since filed to gain ownership of Dash’s media company, Poppington, LLC, and other assets. His legal team even pushed for Dash’s engagement ring to be auctioned off to help cover the debt.
With this latest ruling, Dame Dash’s financial and legal troubles continue to mount, and it’s clear that Webber isn’t backing down anytime soon.