The legal claws are out.
After Pussycat Dolls founder Robin Antin filed a lawsuit against Nicole Scherzinger, alleging breach of contract among other accusations, the Masked Singer judge's attorney Howard King told E! News that Antin's "ludicrous and false claims are a desperate attempt to divert blame for her own failures by trying to impose obligations on Nicole that simply do not exist."
"Robin will fail in her efforts to trade on Nicole's hard-earned success to pull herself out of a deep financial hole she has created by her own poor business and professional decisions. Prior to Nicole's involvement, trading on Nicole's name without her consent, Robin borrowed (and spent) $600k from Live Nation that she won't or can't repay," King further alleged. "Nicole has invested her own funds in excess of $150,000 in support of a potential PCD reunion that has now been made impossible by Robin's actions (including the public release of the group members' confidential financial information)."
He concluded, "Nicole loves and respects the PCD fans and hopes to one day be back on stage performing the group's amazing hits for them. Sadly, this will not happen under these circumstances."
In response, Antin's lawyer Richard Busch told E! News, "This lawsuit is not preventing the tour. It was filed as a last resort. Robin has been trying to make this reunion tour happen for over 7 years. Nicole and the girls had finally agreed to terms and it was scheduled to begin, but then the global pandemic happened forcing the tour to be postponed. Live Nation, promoters and Robin have all been laser-focused on rescheduling dates. The $600,000 from Live Nation went into tour preparation. Nicole, however, has been refusing to cooperate under the terms of the MOU saying via counsel she is not obligated and proposing new terms where she is now demanding 75% of the brand, and that the 49% of the PCD brand that Robin already gave her to participate in the tour (which Nicole accepted) now does not work for her. Nicole even directly states this in an email that she personally sent on May 17, 2021: 'where we stand will not work for me. Sorry, unless we are able to work this out I will not be participating in the tour.'"
"Robin is devastated that it has come to this," Busch concluded, "because she wants nothing more than to save the tour and feels her hand has been forced. The other PCD members, Robin, Live Nation and promoters were all relying on Nicole's commitment for 45 shows."
In the legal documents, dated Sept. 3, Antin alleged Scherzinger agreed to participate in a reunion tour that was anticipated to begin in December 2019. Under the terms of a February 2019 agreement, Scherzinger would receive 49 percent of the shares and profits derived from the newly formed limited liability company PCD Worldwide in exchange for upholding her obligations under the agreement. However, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, tour dates were rescheduled. The lawsuit claims Scherzinger now "refuses" to participate in the tour and allegedly "demanded" to renegotiate the terms of the agreement, citing her personal brand's growth and opportunities she would have to forego to continue with the partnership.
Scherzinger's new demands, according to the lawsuit, included that she own 75 percent of PCD Worldwide and that she get final decision-making authority. "Scherzinger has threatened not to perform on the reunion tour if Plaintiffs do not agree to these demands," the documents read.
The lawsuit further notes, "Tour dates were planned but are unable to be confirmed because of Scherzinger's extortion and Live Nation has demanded the return of its $600,00.00 [sic] investment."
Through the lawsuit, Antin and her Pussycat Dolls corporation are seeking compensatory damages "believed to be in the millions of dollars," the documents state, in addition to other damages and relief.