Luke Combs shocked by $250K lawsuit against fan, feels sick
Luke Combs Stunned to Learn He’s Suing Fan for $250K: ‘Sick to My Stomach’
When an overly litigious legal team went after a Florida craftswoman for $250,000 over selling $380 worth of merchandise, country star Luke Combs stepped in to make things right.
Combs went viral after he announced that not only was he calling off the legal dogs pursuing Nicol Harness — a congestive heart-failure sufferer who makes money selling homemade gifts on Amazon — but he was going to pay her twice the money that had been frozen by the lawsuit his team had filed, apparently unbeknownst to him.
On Tuesday, WFLA-TV in Tampa, Florida, reported on the case of Harness, whose only employment was selling tumblers and T-shirts she made on the online mega-market.
The Pinellas Park woman, it said, is “a big Luke Combs fan, and says after she went to his concert in Tampa this summer she decided to start offering a Luke Combs-themed tumbler. She says she bought artwork online and sold 18 tumblers for $20 each, for a total of $380.
“Now, she’s learned Combs sued her in federal court in Illinois, along with various others, for selling counterfeit merchandise,” WFLA reported. “The worst part — the case is already closed, and the judge ordered each defendant, including Harness, to pay $250,000 to Combs.”
“It’s very stressful. I don’t have money to pay my bills,” Harness told the station.
“I just want this resolved. I didn’t mean any harm to Luke Combs. I quit selling the tumbler. I pulled it down. I just don’t understand.”
“I sent so many messages to Amazon asking for answers but couldn’t figure it out,” she added.
Harness told the station that an email that got put in her junk folder notified her of the lawsuit in October and gave her just 21 days to issue a response. She said it was an address she barely uses.
“Frankly, to find out that in Illinois they are now allowing email service, this may be the test case for why that shouldn’t happen,” attorney Matt Weidner told WFLA. “I certainly encourage her to communicate with the court and tell her side of the story.”
Combs — known for singles such as “Fast Car” and “Beautiful Crazy” — made that part of the equation unnecessary.
In a video posted to social media on Wednesday, he said the situation “makes me absolutely sick to my stomach.”
“I spent the last two hours trying to make this right,” Combs said in the clip. “Trying to figure out what’s going on, ’cause I was completely and utterly unaware of this.”
Combs noted that he does “have a company that goes after folks — only supposedly large corporations operating internationally — that make millions and millions dollars … making counterfeit T-shirts [and] things of that nature” using his name and image.
“And apparently this woman Nicol has somehow gotten wrapped into that, and that makes me absolutely sick to my stomach,” he continued.
The country star went on to say that he “was able to get Nicole’s phone number, I spoke to her this morning … talking to her, I just — it makes me sick, honestly, that this would happen, especially at the holidays.”
Lawsuit Response@WFLA pic.twitter.com/sbbohDdljT
— Luke Combs (@lukecombs) December 13, 2023
Given that there’s $5,500 frozen in her Amazon account, the first thing that Combs did to set about making things right was send her double the amount, $11,000, on Wednesday, he said, “just so she doesn’t have anything to worry about.”
What’s more, he announced that he’d be making his own tumbler for his merch store, with all of the money going to Harness to help pay her medical bills and expenses.
“She was never supposed to be involved in anything like this,” Combs said apologetically in the clip.
“This is not something that I would ever do. This is not the kind of person that I am.”
Social media users seemed to agree that he was a stand-up guy for his response.
I immediately knew this was something you wouldn’t do, great man. Thanks for helping her.
— iDeviceHelp (@iDeviceHelpus) small business owners and individuals who sell products online. Selling homemade items on platforms like Amazon can be a means of income for many individuals, particularly those with health issues or limited employment options. Harness, who suffers from congestive heart failure, relied on her homemade gifts to make a living. The unexpected lawsuit and the subsequent freezing of her funds caused financial strain and stress for her.
The case also raises valid concerns about the legal system and the impact it can have on small businesses. Harness claimed that she was not aware of the lawsuit until she received an email in her junk folder, giving her only 21 days to respond. This short timeframe and the lack of proper notification meant that Harness had little opportunity to defend herself and present her side of the story.
In light of this incident, it is crucial for legal processes to be transparent and fair, particularly when it comes to cases involving small business owners and individuals with limited resources. Additionally, this story serves as a reminder of the importance of clear communication and collaboration between artists, their legal teams, and their fan base.
Luke Combs’ response to the lawsuit against his fan demonstrates his integrity and dedication to his supporters. By swiftly rectifying the situation and offering financial support to Harness, he has shown that he values his fans and wants to make things right. This act of kindness and empathy serves as an example not just in the world of entertainment, but in society as a whole. It is heartening to see an artist who is willing to take responsibility for the actions of his legal team and prioritize the well-being of his fans.
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