Jennifer Lopez and a man who formerly provided driving and protection services for her have settled his employment lawsuit against the “Selena” star.
(Flickr/Ana Kley)
The accord between the 43-year-old singer-actress and Hakob Manoukian was reached Feb. 6, less than two months after Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Joseph Kalin granted a motion to toss the singer-actress’ countersuit against the plaintiff.
His lawyers alleged Lopez filed the case against their client to punish him for filing his complaint.
Details of the resolution were not divulged in a notice of settlement filed Feb. 8.
Manoukian started the litigation by filing a breach-of-contract suit last April 30 against Lopez and her manager, Benny Medina, alleging deceit, failure to pay overtime and wrongful termination.
According to Manoukian, he began driving for Lopez and her estranged husband, Marc Anthony, in 2005.
Manoukian’s court papers stated that Lopez and Anthony both liked him so much that in August 2011, they persuaded him to give up his own business, La Vie Transportation, to provide driving and security services for them, according to his court papers.
Manoukian maintained he was never provided with all of the bonus pay he was promised when Lopez was filming or involved in other engagements, which would have earned him about $200,000 annually.
The 41-year-old Manoukian alleged he regularly worked more than 40 hours a week and did not receive overtime. He also claimed Medina interfered with his production pay bonuses. He says he was eventually demoted and that Lopez’s managers terminated his contract with her.
Anthony was not named in the suit.
Lopez’s countersuit allegations against Manoukian included claims of extortion, attempted extortion, interference with contractual relations and civil conspiracy.
The 43-year-old actress wanted at least $20 million in damages and an injunction stopping him from harassing her or extorting money from her.
According to Lopez’s court papers, Manoukian became angry when, during production of a music video, Medina recommended that Lopez and the production staff employ a security team they worked with before rather than one preferred by the plaintiff.
After that, Manoukian plotted to retaliate against Lopez and her management and to use his position to “exploit and extort substantial sums from Ms. Lopez,” her court papers alleged.
In an earlier ruling, Kalin dismissed Medina from the Manoukian suit.
The plaintiff alleged Lopez’s manager interfered in the contract he had with Lopez and her company, Nuyorican Productions Inc., by demoting him.
However, Medina’s lawyer, Jeremiah Reynolds, maintained Medina was acting within the authority given him by Lopez.
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