The Game must pay over $7 million in damages to a reality dating show contestant who accused him of sexual assault.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Compton rapper was denied a new trial by a federal appeals court in Illinois.
In 2016, Game lost the $10 million lawsuit filed by Priscilla Rainey, who accused him of sexual assault. An Illinois court ordered him to pay $7.13 million to Rainey, a former contestant on his VH1 reality show, “She’s Got Game.”
Game took Rainey on a date to a sports bar in Chicago in 2015. During their date, which was not filmed, she claims he was “out of control,” drunk, and on drugs, and sexually assaulted her several times, repeatedly lifting her skirt and groping her. Game fired back on social media, calling Rainey a “thirsty Gatorade mascot of a transvestite.”
Rainey confronted him about it on camera on a tour bus in front of other contestants, and in August 2015 sued for sexual battery.
Game appealed the initial ruling, but the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday upheld the lower court’s ruling. The 7th Circuit found the damages awarded to Rainey to be “fair and reasonable” and affirmed the $7.13 million judgement.
“Taylor did not take the litigation seriously,” writes Circuit Judge TK Sykes. “He evaded process, trolled Rainey on social media, dodged a settlement conference, and did not bother to show up at trial. His attorney asked for a continuance, but the judge denied that request, dismissing Taylor’s proffered excuse as an elaborate ruse.”