Luke Combs expresses sympathy for woman hit with hefty bill over unofficial merchandise sales
"I wouldn't do that," said the "Fast Car" singer on TikTok on Wednesday.
Combs spoke out after WFLA in Tampa, Florida, reported that Nicol Harness was being sued by his representatives for selling items with his likeness on Amazon. He had just learned of the lawsuit. Harness said she had sold 18 pairs of glasses with Combs' motif for $20 each and was sued for copyright infringement in federal court in Illinois.
Combs said it shouldn't have happened.
"It's 7:27 AM here in Tennessee. I've been up since 5 AM. 'The first thing I see when I get up is this woman they're suing for $250,000,' she said, adding that she had no knowledge of the lawsuit.
Harness said she received the complaint in her junk mail folder while hospitalized with heart problems. She missed the deadline to respond, was found guilty of trademark infringement, and was ordered to pay statutory damages, according to WFLA.
"It was stressful. I didn't have the money to pay the bills. I just wanted to settle it. I didn't intend to hurt Luke Combs. I haven't sold another pair since," she told the salesperson.
Combs said he spoke to Harness to help.
"We have a company that has apparently targeted big companies, international ones – million-dollar businesses that make fake T-shirts and similar stuff, run illegal businesses, and it seems Nicole is involved in some way," he explained. "It makes me sick."
Combs continued: "She told me she was destroyed by it. I feel sorry. Honestly, I feel sick that it happened, especially during the holidays. I couldn't imagine being in her situation."
"She shouldn't have been involve in something like that. No fan should be involved in something like that," he added.
Combs said he has begun selling similar sunglasses on his website, with the proceeds going towards covering Harness' medical expenses.
"Hopefully it helps," he said.
"I've invited Nicole and her family to a show this year so I can hug her and personally apologize," Combs added.
Further Reading:
Combs showed sympathy towards Harness, stating that the situation was unfortunate and distressing. He also mentioned his plans to sell similar sunglasses on his website, with the profits going towards covering Harness' medical expenses.
After her ordeal, Harness expressed her gratitude, stating that it was a relief to have the situation resolved and she had no intention of infringing on Combs' rights. She also mentioned that she had stopped selling the glasses.
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Relatable Event:
A woman named Nicol Harness was involved in selling unofficial Luke Combs merchandise, specifically tumblers adorned with Combs' face, on Amazon. Here are the legal actions taken against her:
- Lawsuit Inclusion: Harness was included in a mass lawsuit filed against over 200 online entities selling unauthorized Combs merchandise[1].
- Damages and Account Freeze: She was ordered to pay $250,000 in damages and her Amazon account was frozen, all before she had notice of the anti-counterfeiting lawsuit[1].
- Counterfeit Label: The products were deemed counterfeit because they infringed on a valid, registered trademark owned by Luke Combs. This means the products misled and confuse fans into believing Combs endorsed them, even though he did not[1].
This event underscores the wide-ranging efforts by artists and their legal teams to protect their intellectual property rights against counterfeit merchandise. Such efforts often involve mass lawsuits targeting numerous online entities selling unauthorized goods, as seen in the case involving Nicol Harness and other similar cases[1].
