Kanye West Ordered to Pay $140K After Malibu Mansion Renovation Dispute

A Los Angeles jury has ordered rapper and fashion entrepreneur Kanye West, also known as Ye, to pay $140,000 in damages following a legal dispute with a handyman who claimed he was not properly compensated for renovation work at the artist’s Malibu property.

The verdict comes after a civil lawsuit filed by Tony Saxon, who alleged unpaid wages, unsafe working conditions, and wrongful termination while working on the beachfront mansion.

Although Tony Saxon initially sought $1.7 million in damages, the jury awarded him a significantly smaller amount after a trial lasting roughly 10 days.

Dispute Over Work at Malibu Property

Saxon filed the lawsuit in 2023 after performing renovation work at West’s Malibu beachfront mansion, a property the rapper purchased in 2021 for approximately $57 million.

According to Tony Saxon, Kanye West agreed to pay him $20,000 per week for his services. He told the court that he received only one payment of that amount, along with a separate payment of $100,000 meant to cover construction costs, leaving him underpaid for the work he completed.

Saxon also claimed he suffered neck and back injuries during the project and sought compensation for medical expenses.

Kanye West’s legal team disputed those claims and argued that Saxon had already been paid $240,000 during the six weeks he worked on the property.

Claims About Working Conditions

During testimony, Saxon described difficult working conditions at the Malibu house, which was designed by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando.

He told the court that the property lacked basic amenities, including a working shower, and that he slept on a mattress placed on a concrete floor while completing renovation tasks.

Tony Saxon also alleged that Kanye West sometimes demanded work at unusual hours and that the artist once woke him at 3:00 a.m., questioning why he was not working.

In one unusual claim, Saxon testified that West wanted to redesign the home to operate off-grid, including removing electricity and plumbing and installing unconventional features such as replacing a staircase with a slide.

Defense Challenges Claims

Kanye West’s legal team strongly challenged Saxon’s testimony during the trial. His attorney described the handyman as an unreliable witness and argued that the accusations were exaggerated.

Defense lawyers also presented evidence they said contradicted Saxon’s injury claims, including video footage showing him performing energetically with a band.

West himself took the stand during the proceedings and said he did not recall many of the incidents Saxon described, although he acknowledged commenting on the handyman’s hygiene at one point.

Media reports noted that the rapper appeared disengaged during parts of the trial, though his lawyer said he was simply bored rather than asleep.

Outcome and Broader Context

After hearing testimony from both sides, the jury ultimately ruled that Saxon should receive $140,000 in damages, along with legal and court fees.

The Malibu mansion at the center of the dispute was heavily altered during the renovation process and later sold by West in 2023 at a financial loss.

The case is notable because it is the first of several lawsuits filed by former employees against Kanye West to go to trial, highlighting the ongoing legal challenges the artist has faced in recent years.

While the verdict brings closure to this specific dispute, it adds another chapter to the increasingly complex legal and public controversies surrounding the high-profile rapper and entrepreneur.