George Clinton submits $100 million lawsuit against ex-business partner

Posted On March 12, 2025March 12, 2025

George Clinton has filed a lawsuit against his ex-business partner, Armen Boladian, and his music group accusing them of illegally taking a significant portion of his catalogue.

The $100 million copyright lawsuit alleges that Boladian and Bridgeport Music, Westbound Records, Nine Records, Southfield Music, and Eastbound Records are fraudulently profiting from his music, and Clinton now intends to claim back the money.

Announced during a conference alongside his attorney, Clinton said he needs to advance with this legal battle for his material and do right by his family. “These songs we’re talking about is my history,” he said. “I have to fight for them, I have to make sure that I did not do all of this my whole life and have my family here, not get what’s due to them, what they inherit,” Clinton added.

He continued, “We don’t have a chance to pass down 40 acres and mules to our families. We do not have the copyrights for the songs. So I’m here along with Ben and partners to make sure that Armen does not get what we worked so hard for.”

The suit alleges that Boladian illegally claimed royalties and engaged in fraudulent practices between 1982 and 1985, including manipulating documents with fake names to ensure he gained royalties. While Boladian has previously filed lawsuits about similar issues regarding Clinton’s music, he failed to include Clinton’s name on the filings, meaning he did not receive any of the money his ex-business partner made at the time.

However, Boladian’s attorney, Richard Busch, claimed that the lawsuits are “the latest in a series of lawsuits [Clinton] has filed” and lost over the years. He added, “He has lost each and every time, including in the very courthouse in which he has filed this latest lawsuit. We will obviously, therefore, be moving to dismiss this lawsuit and will be seeking sanctions,” per Variety.

Alongside his current claims, Cinton has been in legal battles with Boladian for years, including another copyright claim in 2001 and a defamation suit in 2021. However, he remains steadfast in his position that his ex-partner “robbed” him of songs and fraudulently fabricated documents, resulting in a major loss of earnings for his own material.

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