KARDASHIAN WEST SUED IN OKC
Developers say she owes them “KImojI” profits
Celebrity Kim Kardashian West is being sued for $300 million in federal court in Oklahoma City. A local social media developer filed the suit Tuesday against Kardashian West and her company Kimsaprincess Inc. over use of the “Kimoji” animated images and merchandise. David Liebensohn, of Oklahoma City, claims he and two other application developers partnered with the reality TV star to use her likeness for provocative emoji icons. The lawsuit claims Kardashian West breached their partnership agreement and failed to share profits from Kimoji designs and products. Liebensohn also accused her of unjust enrichment and fraud in the case. “It put me into a financial tailspin, really,” Liebensohn said in an interview. “It turned my life upside down.” The suit seeks a jury trial to resolve the lawsuit. Liebensohn said he hopes to reveal evidence in the trial and compel Kardashian West to appear in Oklahoma. “We have emails and screenshots and recordings,” he said. “She should explain in our state why she did what she did.” Kardashian West and her attorney, Martin Singer, did not respond Tuesday to a request for comment. They have not filed a response to the suit. The Kimoji app launched in December 2015 to sell emojis and related products. It used suggestive icons and images of Kardashian West and her family, including her husband, rapper Kanye West. The trademark later spun into a line of fragrances, cellphone cases and accessories. Liebensohn said he and his partners, Narayan Shankar and Daniel Rice, spoke with Kardashian West over the phone and met with her in California to create the Kimoji concept in 2014. They agreed to split profits from the technology, with 40 percent going to Kardashian West and 60 percent to Liebensohn, Shankar and Rice. Kardashian West offered to cover the costs of obtaining a trademark for Kimojis by applying for the rights to the images on her own, Liebensohn said. Once she gained the trademark, she called the developers and said she became aware Shankar had shared personal information about her use of another App Social application, according to court documents. An acquaintance of Shankar allegedly shared a screen shot showing the celebrity's personal use of the app and claimed the image came from the developer himself, according to the suit, and Kardashian West used the screen shot as reason to cancel her partnership with App Social. Liebenson said he learned in 2018 that Kardashian West knew of the screen shot before obtaining the trademark, leading to his recent lawsuit against her. He claimed she used the screen shot as means to force App Social out of their partnership. Robert J. Hantman, Liebensohn's attorney, said the three developers were “outwitted by a very, very smart individual and her excellent lawyer (Singer).” “Once it was all agreed upon that that they were working together as a team, they allowed her to trademark (Kimojis),” Hantman said. “What we want is fair compensation for Mr. Liebensohn for something he helped develop and the Kardashians made a fortune (from).”