50 Cent is being countersued for $4 million by Michael Caruso, who previously managed Wu-Tang Clan‘s Cappadonna and was a liquor consultant the G-Unit mogul previously labeled a “snitch” amid their ongoing legal battle.
The pair worked together for the launch of 50’s Sire Spirits liquor brand in 2015, but Caruso alleges he was cut out of the deal without being properly compensated nor receiving his promised ownership stake.
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In the lawsuit obtained by AllHipHop on Tuesday (May 14), Caruso’s attorney, Paul J. Fishman, says his client “dedicated his time, expertise, and resources to ensure the success of Sire Spirits,” while also alleging that 50 illegally recorded a phone call with his client.
“This illegal recording was a clear violation of privacy and an attempt to gain an unfair advantage in legal proceedings. Mr. Caruso’s rights were maliciously disregarded, and he suffered damages as a result,” he said.
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50 Cent has been at war with Beam Suntory – Sire Spirits’ parent company – since earlier this year when he accused representatives of the alcoholic drinks manufacturer of fraud.
“@beamsuntory is gonna pay for what they did trust me,” he wrote in a March Instagram post. “These big companies think they can get away with anything. It has cost me millions in legal fees. They are gonna find out I’m not the one you want to play with.”
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The following day, he added Caruso to the matter. Posting a video on Instagram about “Lord Michael,” he accused Caruso of snitching in an unrelated case.
The video is a snippet from a documentary about the infamous Limelight nightclub in New York City which was owned by Peter Gatien, who was suspected of being a drug kingpin. It was reported that Caruso was an informant for the FBI in the case, betraying his friend and employer Gaiten.
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50 captioned the video: “This Fool been snitching since 1942 Don Julio ! [grinning face emojis] you know he gonna tell on everybody.
“LOL @beamsuntory is fucked, they was paying this guy Michael Caruso a half a million a year and him and his partner Julious Grant put this together. @beamsuntory @jimbeamofficial This is gonna make a great Tv show.”
While Caruso denied the snitching allegations, MTV revealed back in 2000 that Caruso did, in fact, become a federal informant.
