T.I. and Tameka "Tiny" Harris have won a landmark $71 million judgment against toy manufacturer MGA Entertainment in a federal court case over intellectual property rights violations.

The judgment includes $17.8 million in compensatory damages and $53.6 million in punitive damages. The unanimous ruling found that MGA Entertainment's L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. doll line copied the likeness and trade dress of the Atlanta-based OMG Girlz group, which the Harris family formed in 2009.

The three-week trial in Santa Ana, California, presented evidence that seven dolls directly violated the Harris' IP rights. Additionally, the court found that some of the 32 dolls in the collection copied other artists' likenesses, including Lady Gaga and Beyoncé.

This successful verdict came after two previous attempts. The first trial ended in a mistrial due to barred testimony about cultural appropriation, while the second initially favored MGA Entertainment. A Supreme Court ruling in June 2023 allowed for a retrial, emphasizing the importance of consumer confusion in infringement cases.

The Harris' legal team, led by Sheppard Mullin partner John R. Keville, had pushed for additional penalties between $35 million and $72 million to "send them a message." MGA's counsel argued that any additional penalties should be limited to $500,000 to $1 million, citing that the $17 million verdict already covered all profits from the dolls.

OMG Girlz members Zonnique "Star" Pullins, Bahja "Beauty" Rodriguez, and Breaunna "Babydoll" Womack all testified during the trial. The group, which has experienced several disbandments, recently reunited and is currently touring.

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