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The U.S. court dismissed in its entirety the lawsuit filed against music producer Emilio Estefan, labeling the accusations as “frivolous,” “unfounded,” and “beyond the improbable.”
The Estefan family released a statement on Tuesday with the details of the case. They stated that the court not only dismissed the lawsuit entirely, but also sanctioned Walker, the attorney for the plaintiff Joseph Manzaro, for lack of diligence and for presenting inconsistent evidence.
In his ruling, the judge concluded that the allegations related to Estefan were so "weak" that they did not support the serious charges of human trafficking, witness tampering, or obstruction of justice.
The Estefan family's statement explains that none of those accusations were directed at the Cuban-American producer. What supposedly implicated him in the case was that "many years ago, they owned a house on Star Island, next to Sean 'Diddy' Combs' residence."
The complaint stated that in 2015, Manzaro was a victim of sexual abuse at a party held at a property linked to rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, to which he was allegedly taken through a secret tunnel connected to the house owned by the Estefans.
However, the house in question was never the usual residence of Emilio Estefan or his wife, Gloria Estefan.
The authorities determined that the alleged tunnel between that home and Diddy's was an "engineering impossibility" due to the artificial nature of Star Island, built on dredged land. "You can't dig very far before hitting water," Estefan explained in his sworn statement.
The court also dismissed other claims made by the plaintiff, such as the alleged attendance of celebrities at the party, including Jay Z, Beyoncé, and LeBron James. Public records confirmed that none of them were in Miami on that date.
The Estefan family, for their part, stated that they never organized parties for Diddy, nor did they participate in any activities at the musician's home, nor did they allow outsiders access through the island's security system.
The Court harshly criticized the plaintiff's lawyer, stating that "none of the evidence" presented was sufficient to support the narrative put forth. Furthermore, it concluded that the attorney could have easily determined the falsehood of the accusations before presenting the case.
The statement from the Estefans assures that Joseph Manzaro has previously been sanctioned for filing baseless lawsuits, and his lawyer Walker has received prior reprimands from the Bar Association for failing to maintain proper communication with his clients.
The Estefan family announced that they will take legal action to demand compensation for the damage caused to their reputation. Emilio Estefan described the accusation as "irresponsible" and stated that it should never have gone to court.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Dismissal of the Lawsuit against Emilio Estefan
Why did the Court dismiss the lawsuit against Emilio Estefan?
The court dismissed the lawsuit because the accusations were labeled as "frivolous" and "unfounded." The tribunal concluded that the claims were so weak that they did not support the serious allegations made. Furthermore, the evidence was deemed inconsistent, and the plaintiff's attorney was sanctioned for a lack of diligence.
What were the accusations against Emilio Estefan?
The accusations included human trafficking, witness tampering, and obstruction of justice, but none of these accusations were directed specifically at Emilio Estefan. The lawsuit aimed to implicate him based on the alleged existence of a secret tunnel between a property owned by the Estefans and Sean "Diddy" Combs's house, which was dismissed as an engineering impossibility.
What actions will Emilio Estefan take following the dismissal of the lawsuit?
The Estefan family announced that they will take legal action to seek compensation for the damages caused to their reputation. Emilio Estefan described the accusation as "irresponsible" and stated that it should never have gone to court.
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