Kanye West Ordered to Pay $140,000 After Jury Rules in Malibu Mansion Renovation Dispute

A jury has ordered US rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye, to pay $140,000 (£104,415) to a handyman who sued him over unpaid work linked to renovations at the artist’s beachfront mansion in Malibu, California.

The verdict was delivered in a trial at the Los Angeles Superior Court after handyman Tony Saxon accused the rapper of failing to properly compensate him and dismissing him unjustly during construction work at the property.

Saxon had originally sought $1.7m (£1.267m) in damages. However, the jury on Wednesday awarded him $140,000 along with attorney and court fees.

West’s legal team argued during the trial that Saxon was an unlicensed contractor and claimed he had damaged the property, which they described as an “architectural gem.”

The court proceedings included testimony from both West and his wife, Bianca Censori, who spoke about the renovation work carried out at the oceanfront home.

Saxon first filed the lawsuit in 2023, alleging unpaid wages, unsafe working conditions and wrongful termination. He also sought compensation for medical expenses after claiming he suffered neck and back injuries while working at the residence.

According to Saxon’s testimony, West had agreed to pay him $20,000 (£14,916) per week for his work. However, he told the court he received only one payment of $20,000 and an additional $100,000 (£74,582) intended for construction costs.

Saxon also claimed that the rapper imposed unusual working demands, including allegedly telling him he could not leave the property. He further testified that West once woke him at about 03:00 local time to question why he was not working.

During the trial, jurors were shown a photograph of a small mattress placed on a concrete floor, which Saxon said he slept on while staying at the Malibu property.

The beachside mansion, purchased by West in 2021 for approximately $57m (£40.27m), became the focus of the dispute as renovation work progressed at the high-profile residence.