Mariah Carey Wins Dismal Of Brother's $20M Lawsuit Over Bestselling Memoir Claims

Mariah Carey just won a $20 million legal battle against her own brother, and the family drama that fueled it is far from over. A New York judge has thrown out Morgan Carey's defamation lawsuit over explosive allegations in the singer's bestselling memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey, bringing a five-year courtroom fight to a close—at least until Morgan gets his promised appeal underway. In a ruling issued Monday, October 19, Judge Leslie A. Stroth determined that Morgan failed to establish that his sister acted with "actual malice" when she wrote about his alleged drug dealing and criminal history. Morgan argued that Carey published damaging claims without adequately verifying them. But the judge found that his allegations did not meet the legal standard required to keep the case alive. "Plaintiff fails to provide any proof that Defendant made such statements with knowledge of their falsity or with reckless disregard for the truth," Stroth wrote. Carey's attorney, John Rosenberg, celebrated the ruling stating that the singer was "gratified" that the court dismissed her brother's claims in their entirety. Rosenberg also framed the decision as a victory extending beyond his famous client, saying it confirms that authors deserve broad legal protections when addressing matters of public concern. Morgan's attorney, Richard Altman, sees things differently. "We respectfully disagree with today's decision as being inconsistent with prior rulings in the case, confirming plans to appeal. The dispute dates back to 2021, shortly after Carey's 2020 memoir reached No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list. Morgan initially challenged eight passages in which his sister revisited their turbulent upbringing, including a violent confrontation between Morgan and their father and references to his alleged connections within the music industry.

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