Fat Joe Settles Long-Standing
Big Pun Lawsuit with Late Rapper’s Widow
Page | 26
Following years of both social and legal back and
forth, Fat Joe and Big Pun’s widow, Liza Rios, have
finally settled out of court in her breach of contract
case, according to Bossip.
In 2014, Rios filed a lawsuit against Fat Joe seeking
more than $1,000,000. The late rapper’s widow
claimed that she had struck a deal with Fat Joe to
split any money made by Big Pun following the
rapper’s death, however later alleged that despite
the deal, she hadn’t received any money since
2005. Joey Crack and his co-defendant, music
publisher John “Jellybean” Benitez of Jelly’s Jams,
made a deal with Rios to prevent the case from
going to trial.
The deal was announced Wednesday morning
(June 22) during a status hearing at Manhattan
Federal Court. Fat Joe, nor John “Jellybean” Benitez
were present at the hearing.
“Your honor, the parties have settled,” Fat Joe’s
lawyer, Benjamin Stranzl, said.
Although the terms of the settlement remain
confidential, one music royalty expert claims Big
Pun was fleeced more than $2,000,000.
“Based on information provided and my professional
industry knowledge, I have determined that Big Pun has been
underpaid by at least $2,076,093,” Ali Adawiya, who testified
on behalf of Rios in the lawsuit, wrote, according to court
documents obtained by Bossip back in March. Following
yesterday’s announcement, Rios’ lawyer, Lita Rosario, spoke
to Bossip to offer her reaction to the settlement.
“We are pleased with the settlement,” Rosario said. “We
think it was fair, and we’re pleased.”
Fat Joe’s lawyers, Benjamin Stranzl and John Cain, refused to
pass comment after the hearing. Last year, Rios and her
attorney discussed the aforementioned lawsuit in a threepart interview with AllHipHop.com.
“He loved Joe and the squad,” Rios said during the interview.
“That was his heart. So for him to give so much to them, and
give so much to Terror Squad, and make Terror Squad what
it was, because he made it what it was…for them to turn their
backs on his family, his kids… he’d be heartbroken.”
Big Pun passed away in February, 2000 at the age of 28. At
the time of his death, the rapper weighed nearly 700 pounds.
by MMML
Lawless Entertainment Magazine – www.llemag.com