WEST HOLLYWOOD—On February 24, Jennifer McBride filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Stefani Germanotta also known as Lady Gaga. McBride is suing Lady Gaga over damages purportedly incurred from being denied the founders reward for turning in the celebrity’s two French bulldogs, Koji, and Gustav.
In February 2021, James Howard Jackson and some others were combing the streets of San Fernando Valley, and West Hollywood in search of expensive breeds of dogs to steal for profit when they encountered Lady Gage’s dog walker, Ryan Fischer. He was walking the musician’s three French bulldogs when he was approached and shot in the chest. Two of the singer’s dogs were stolen.
Lady Gaga initially offered a reward of $500,000 for the return of her pups, “No questions asked.”
McBride claims she “found,” the dogs and turned them in to the authorities within two days.
She is now suing Lady Gaga in what she refers to as a breach of contract, McBride is now seeking at least $1.5 million for “pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of the enjoyment of life.”
The Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney, Michele Hanisee, explained what is written in California law.
“It was clear from the evidence presented to the grand jury that Ms. McBride knew the dogs had been stolen in a violent robbery in which Ryan Fischer had been grievously injured. If Lady Gaga suffers a financial loss by paying that reward, she will qualify as a victim of crime under California law, and the people will be obligated by law to seek restitution in court for that loss from each and every defendant in the case.”
McBride was one of five suspects involved in a high dollar dog-theft operation in 2021. She pleaded no contest to charges of receiving stolen property in December 2022. Hanisee reminded the court that McBride was “still on formal probation, still under the jurisdiction of the court.”
Detectives indicated that McBride had known at least two of her co-conspirators, Jaylin White, and one other individual charged in the crime for years.
