A Los Angeles jury has ordered Kanye West to pay $140,000 in damages to a former handyman who sued the rapper over alleged unpaid work and injuries tied to renovations at his former Malibu beachfront mansion.
The verdict was delivered Tuesday (March 10) following about two weeks of testimony in Los Angeles Superior Court and formally read Wednesday before Judge Brock T. Hammond in downtown Los Angeles.
The lawsuit was brought by Tony Saxon, a handyman and construction worker who said he was hired in 2021 to help oversee a major renovation at the oceanfront property — a minimalist concrete home designed by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando.
Saxon initially filed the case in 2023, claiming he was subjected to unsafe working conditions, underpaid for his work and ultimately fired after raising concerns about safety during the project.
According to court testimony, Saxon alleged that Ye agreed to pay him $20,000 per week to manage parts of the renovation project. Saxon said he received only a single weekly payment of $20,000, along with another $100,000 intended to cover construction materials and related costs.
He told jurors he frequently worked extremely long hours — sometimes more than 16 hours a day — and occasionally slept at the construction site on a mattress placed on a concrete floor.
Saxon also described unusual requests and conditions while working at the property. He claimed Ye once woke him around 3 a.m. questioning why he was not working and, at another point, took him to the nearby Nobu Hotel Malibu so he could bathe because the construction site had no shower.
The handyman testified that the renovation plan involved dramatically altering the structure, including removing electricity, plumbing and fixtures in an effort to create a more “off-grid” living space. Among the changes discussed in court were removing a staircase and potentially replacing it with a slide.
The home, which Ye purchased in 2021 for $57 million, had drawn widespread attention because of the scale of the renovations. The property was eventually left largely stripped down and was later sold at a significant loss.
Saxon said he sustained serious neck and back injuries during demolition work on the property and sought compensation for medical costs related to the injuries.
His legal team asked the jury to award more than $1.7 million in damages, including unpaid wages, medical expenses and compensation for pain and suffering.
Ye’s legal team strongly contested Saxon’s account during the trial. Defense attorneys argued that Saxon was not a formal employee but an unlicensed contractor and alleged he had damaged what they described as an “architectural gem.”
Lawyers for the rapper also questioned Saxon’s injury claims, presenting video footage of him performing music and moving energetically after the alleged injuries. They argued the evidence contradicted claims of severe physical limitations.
Attorney Andrew Cherkasky told jurors that financial records showed Saxon received about $240,000 during the roughly six weeks he worked on the project.
Ye briefly testified during the trial, frequently telling the court he could not recall specific conversations described by Saxon. At one point, media reports said the rapper appeared to nod off while seated in court, though his lawyer later denied that he had fallen asleep.
Ye’s wife, Bianca Censori, also testified about the renovation work and conditions at the property.
After the roughly 10-day trial, jurors issued a mixed decision. They found Ye liable for certain claims, including breach of contract and responsibility for injuries Saxon suffered while working on the project.
The jury awarded:
- $100,000 for past and future medical expenses
- $40,000 for past pain and suffering
However, jurors rejected several other claims, including wrongful termination, lost wages, overtime pay and additional penalties. They also declined to award punitive damages.
Although the damages totaled $140,000 — far less than the $1.7 million Saxon requested — Ye must also cover Saxon’s attorney fees and court costs, which will be determined later.
The Malibu property at the heart of the case became widely discussed during the renovation project due to Ye’s plans for a stark, minimalist redesign. The rapper ultimately sold the home several years later for around $21 million, well below the price he paid.
The case is one of multiple lawsuits filed against Ye by former employees and contractors in recent years. It is also the first of those disputes to reach a jury trial.
In the broader public sphere, the artist — known for hits including Stronger — has faced mounting controversies in recent years over inflammatory public statements that led several brands and partners to cut ties with him.
Neither side has yet formally announced whether they will appeal the verdict.
