Bad Bunny Suffers New Legal Setback in $40 Million Lawsuit Filed by His Ex-Girlfriend

• Bad Bunny faces legal setback.
• Ex-girlfriend seeks $40 million.
• Case remains in court.

Bad Bunny has suffered another legal setback in the lawsuit filed by his ex-girlfriend, Carliz de la Cruz Hernández, who is seeking at least $40 million for the alleged unauthorized use of a recording of her voice.

Puerto Rico’s Supreme Court ruled that the lawsuit may proceed, although it has not yet decided the merits of the case.

With this decision, the litigation will return to the Court of First Instance in San Juan, where both parties must present evidence and arguments to support their respective positions.

The case has drawn widespread attention because it involves one of the most recognizable phrases in the Puerto Rican artist’s career and raises questions about image rights, intellectual property, and consent.

Puerto Rico Supreme Court allows the lawsuit against Bad Bunny to continue

The ruling states that the lawsuit filed by Carliz de la Cruz contains plausible allegations regarding the existence of an original creation that may be entitled to legal protection.

Although the Supreme Court did not determine that Bad Bunny engaged in any unlawful conduct, it concluded that there are sufficient grounds for the case to move forward.

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This means the lawsuit was not dismissed and must now proceed through the appropriate legal channels to determine the merits of the claims.

The controversy formally began in March 2023, when the attorney filed a lawsuit alleging violations of her image rights, moral rights, and seeking damages.

The phrase «Bad Bunny baby» is at the center of the dispute

According to court documents, the relationship between Carliz de la Cruz and Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, the singer’s real name, began in 2011 while both worked at a supermarket in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico.

The plaintiff claims that during their relationship, they jointly developed the idea of using the phrase «Bad Bunny baby» as part of the young musician’s artistic identity.

According to her account, the artist asked her to record the phrase on her cellphone, and that recording was later used in the songs Pa Ti (2017) and Dos Mil 16 (2022).

Carliz alleges that the recording was used without her consent, as their romantic relationship ended in 2016 and she never gave written authorization for the subsequent use of her voice.

She also alleges the recording was used during concerts

The lawsuit further claims that Bad Bunny used the recording as an introduction during his live performances.

According to the complaint, the audio was played at concerts in Puerto Rico, the United States, and the Dominican Republic.

The singer’s former girlfriend argues that the widespread use of the phrase has led to constant comments on social media that have negatively affected her emotional well-being.

The lawsuit states that the situation has caused her anxiety, emotional distress, and intimidation, which form the basis of her financial claim.

A settlement attempt failed to prevent the lawsuit

Before the dispute reached the courts, the artist’s team attempted to resolve the matter through private negotiations.

Three days before the release of a new album in May 2022, representatives of Bad Bunny, Noah Assad, and Rimas contacted Carliz.

The proposal included a payment of $2,000 to reach a settlement and avoid litigation, but the negotiations ultimately failed, according to Univisión.

Puerto Rico’s Supreme Court has now allowed the Bad Bunny lawsuit to continue before the Court of First Instance in San Juan, which will evaluate the evidence and determine whether any rights were violated and whether financial compensation is warranted.