Megan Thee Stallion Wins Defamation Case After Jury Sides With Her

If you ever needed proof that online rumors can lead to real-world consequences, Megan Thee Stallion just demonstrated it with a courtroom win that had the music world talking. The rapper, whose real name is Megan Pete, left a Florida courthouse on Dec. 1 with a smile that said plenty. After months of legal back and forth, a jury ruled in her favor and made clear that the truth still counts.

Pete filed her lawsuit in October 2024 against blogger Milagro Gramz (real name Milagro Elizabeth Cooper), accusing her of spreading false claims online, including the accusation that she was “a paid surrogate” for Tory Lanez. NBC News reported that a jury of five men and four women agreed with the rapper and found that Cooper’s comments crossed the line into defamation.

According to NBC News, the jury initially awarded Pete seventy-five thousand dollars. That amount did not stay as is for long. U. S. District Court Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga later reduced it to fifty-nine thousand dollars after determining that Cooper should be treated as a media defendant. A source told PEOPLE that Cooper may also end up covering Pete’s legal fees, which would add even more weight to the outcome.

For Pete, though, the relief was clear and immediate. As she exited the courthouse, she told reporters, "I'm just happy."

Cooper’s attorney, Nathacha Bien Aime, responded with a statement obtained by PEOPLE that raised larger questions about the state of online speech. She said, "While we respect the jury’s decision, today’s verdict raises serious concerns about the future of free speech online. This case highlights the increasing vulnerability of independent commentators, bloggers, and digital creators who discuss public figures and matters of public interest."

She warned that decisions like this could reshape how people participate online: "The First Amendment was designed to protect open dialogue including criticism, commentary, and opinion even when it is sharp, uncomfortable, or controversial. When verdicts like this occur, they can create a chilling effect. Everyday people may become afraid to speak, post, or participate in public conversations out of fear that they will face litigation for their words. We remain proud of the defense we presented and of Ms. Cooper’s willingness to stand up for her voice. Regardless of today’s outcome, the broader questions about protecting online speech, defining the boundary between opinion and defamation, and safeguarding independent creators will continue to be critically important."

This case was not just about a legal principle. It was about the personal harm Pete said she suffered. CBS News reported that she testified in Miami on Nov. 21 that Cooper’s online attacks deeply affected her mental health and even her music career. She told the court she had been pushed into depression so severe that she felt life was not worth living.

The lawsuit detailed how Cooper allegedly fed misinformation about the 2020 shooting involving Tory Lanez. Court documents obtained by PEOPLE said Cooper shared a “deepfake pornographic video” of Pete and falsely claimed the firearm Lanez used had gone missing. Pete’s lawyers explained that the Los Angeles Police Department had the weapon the entire time.

Even after Lanez was convicted and sentenced to ten years in prison for assaulting Pete with a semi-automatic firearm, carrying a loaded and unregistered weapon in a vehicle, and discharging it with gross negligence, Cooper continued to cast doubt on whether it happened at all. This constant questioning became part of the ongoing hostility Pete faced online.

The shooting itself happened in July 2020 in Los Angeles after an argument between Pete, Lanez, and Pete’s former assistant and ex-friend Kelsey Harris. Lanez was convicted in December 2022, but the online fallout stretched on for years and helped set the stage for the defamation case Pete just won.