NY Judges Wary of Straying From Attorney Fee Rule in Akon Case

Singer Akon likely doesn’t owe his former production company attorneys’ fees in connection with the enforcement of a $3.25 million settlement agreement, New York judges indicated during oral arguments Thursday.

Associate Justice Cynthia Kern said Upfront Megatainment Inc. “never sought to enforce” its subsequent debt contract with Akon—whose legal name is Aliaune Thiam—when he failed to make a final $750,000 payment on their $3.25 million settlement agreement.

The 2018 settlement agreement says if Akon failed to make payments, he would have to sign another agreement and pay an additional $1.73 million plus attorneys’ fees. The lower court in December 2022 ...