Following a legal struggle with the former president of Kobe Inc. over her late husband’s interest in the sports drink firm BodyArmor, Kobe Bryant’s wife Vanessa Bryant has been granted $1.5 million in legal expenses.
According to TMZ, the dispute began in 2019, six months before Kobe’s passing, when Molly Carter, the CEO of Kobe Inc., alleged that the basketball player had pledged to give her a share of the profits from his BodyArmor investment.
In 2013, Kobe invested $6 million for a 10% stake in BodyArmor, which Coca-Cola ultimately acquired for $5.6 billion. Kobe earned $400 million from his investment as a result of the sale.
Kobe denied ever having made the 2% of the $400 million guarantee Molly said he had made to her.
Vanessa took the lead in the defense of the case and even went so far as to file a counterclaim against Molly, accusing her of disobeying the duty of loyalty and non-disparagement clause she agreed to as part of her job contract. Molly had filed the complaint.
By making fun of her family, Vanessa allegedly broke the terms of the agreement. She gave numerous examples of what Molly is believed to have said about Kobe and even herself.
Vanessa claims Molly called Kobe a “douche nugget,” a “dick wad,” and a “a**hole.” Additionally, she claimed Molly called her the “f***ing devil,” “a b**ch,” and “PSYCHO.” Additionally, Molly apparently claimed that Vanessa’s infant daughter had “botox lips.”
Vanessa also cited an alleged remark made by Molly when she was traveling to an NBA All-Star game during her employment. Molly allegedly groused ‘a lot of fancy-ass Black people’ were on the jet she was on.
Vanessa reigned victorious in the original lawsuit and her counterclaim after the case was taken to arbitration. She won $1.5 million in attorney’s fees.
In legal documents obtained by TMZ, Kobe’s legal team has requested that an Orange County Superior Court judge ratify the arbitration award.
BodyArmor, which markets itself as a healthier sports drink, was Bryant’s very first investment with Kobe Inc.
When Bryant first invested in BodyArmor, he told Bodyarmor founder Mike Repole, who also co-founded VitaminWater and SmartWater that he wanted to be heavily involved.
Bryant specifically wanted to turn his focus to the brand’s marketing and creative elements, and created the company’s first-ever television ad.
The NBA legend wrote, directed, and narrated the black-and-white ad, which was titled Obsession is Natural and featured athletes like James Harden and Mike Trout.
‘I enjoy storytelling and have always taken an active role in my campaigns throughout my career,’ Bryant told Fox Business when the ad launched in April 2017.
‘As an investor in BodyArmor, this is additional value I bring to the brand. I’m able to provide a creative voice – as an athlete – to give the product an authentic and credible voice.’
Kobe died alongside his daughter Gianna, 13, in a tragic helicopter accident which killed all nine people on board in January 2020. He was 41.