Daddy Yankee Slams Ex-Manager and Estranged Wife with RICO Lawsuit Over Royalties Theft, Calling It a "Coordinated Attack"
Reggaeton star Daddy Yankee has filed a bombshell lawsuit against his former manager, Raphy Pina, and estranged wife, Mireddys González, accusing them of scheming to steal songwriting royalties through a nearly decade-long racketeering conspiracy. The civil claims brought under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act allege that Pina misappropriated publishing income with the assistance and acquiescence of co-defendants, constituting a "deliberate, sustained, and coordinated attack" on Daddy Yankee's publishing operations.
According to the lawsuit, Pina falsely made himself a co-author to receive royalties on over a dozen of his songs since 2015, including chart-topping hits like "La Rompe Corazones," "Runaway," "De Vuelta Pa' La Vuelta," and "Vuelve" featuring Bad Bunny. Daddy Yankee's lawyers claim that Pina was the "central architect of the RICO enterprise" and that González provided the "administrative backbone" for falsifying split sheets.
The lawsuit also alleges that Pina used similar schemes to steal royalties from other artists he managed, leveraging threats of violence to silence young and vulnerable artists who questioned his tactics. Daddy Yankee's lawyers described the situation as an "atmosphere of constant threat" where artists and associates remained compliant out of fear for their safety and well-being.
The lawsuit seeks a court injunction to restore Daddy Yankee's full publishing rights and financial damages of at least $3 million for the misappropriated royalties. Pina, Coll-Fernández, and Prado-Galarza have not returned requests for comment on the allegations.
This latest development comes as Daddy Yankee and González are still navigating their divorce proceedings, with Daddy Yankee seeking a favorable split of their community property from their over 20-year marriage. In response to the lawsuit, González's attorney, Roberto Sueiro, has described the claims as "all a fabrication" created by Daddy Yankee to gain a tactical advantage in their divorce proceedings.
As this ongoing case unfolds, it remains to be seen how the courts will ultimately decide on the merits of Daddy Yankee's allegations against Pina and González.
Reggaeton star Daddy Yankee has filed a bombshell lawsuit against his former manager, Raphy Pina, and estranged wife, Mireddys González, accusing them of scheming to steal songwriting royalties through a nearly decade-long racketeering conspiracy. The civil claims brought under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act allege that Pina misappropriated publishing income with the assistance and acquiescence of co-defendants, constituting a "deliberate, sustained, and coordinated attack" on Daddy Yankee's publishing operations.
According to the lawsuit, Pina falsely made himself a co-author to receive royalties on over a dozen of his songs since 2015, including chart-topping hits like "La Rompe Corazones," "Runaway," "De Vuelta Pa' La Vuelta," and "Vuelve" featuring Bad Bunny. Daddy Yankee's lawyers claim that Pina was the "central architect of the RICO enterprise" and that González provided the "administrative backbone" for falsifying split sheets.
The lawsuit also alleges that Pina used similar schemes to steal royalties from other artists he managed, leveraging threats of violence to silence young and vulnerable artists who questioned his tactics. Daddy Yankee's lawyers described the situation as an "atmosphere of constant threat" where artists and associates remained compliant out of fear for their safety and well-being.
The lawsuit seeks a court injunction to restore Daddy Yankee's full publishing rights and financial damages of at least $3 million for the misappropriated royalties. Pina, Coll-Fernández, and Prado-Galarza have not returned requests for comment on the allegations.
This latest development comes as Daddy Yankee and González are still navigating their divorce proceedings, with Daddy Yankee seeking a favorable split of their community property from their over 20-year marriage. In response to the lawsuit, González's attorney, Roberto Sueiro, has described the claims as "all a fabrication" created by Daddy Yankee to gain a tactical advantage in their divorce proceedings.
As this ongoing case unfolds, it remains to be seen how the courts will ultimately decide on the merits of Daddy Yankee's allegations against Pina and González.