NEWARK, N.J. (AP) – A Lady Gaga’s first producer and former boyfriend owes the Hollywood songwriter who discovered her $7.3 million after he promised to split profits with her, a federal judge has ruled, upholding a jury’s verdict.
U.S. District court Judge Jose Linares ruled Wednesday against producer Rob Fusari’s argument to reduce the amount the jury awarded last year to Wendy Starland.
Starland testified during the trial that Fusari, based in Parsippany, had asked her to find an “edgy, bold, confident, charismatic” performer and “someone that you can’t take your eyes off of.”
She brought back Lady Gaga after spotting her during a New York City performance in 2006, when she was simply Stefani Germanotta.
Lady Gaga said in a deposition in 2011 that she believed Fusari and Starland, a singer and songwriter who wrote songs with her, had a verbal agreement to split their share from her career.