Lady Gaga Sued Over $500,000 Reward by Woman Charged in Dog Theft

Jennifer McBride, the woman charged in connection with the theft of Lady Gaga’s French bulldogs, has sued the musician alleging she was denied a $500,000 “no questions asked” reward, according to a lawsuit obtained by ET. 

In the suit, filed on Friday, McBride not only wants the $500,000, but she also wants the court to triple the damages to $1.5 million from the singer for posting the allegedly misleading reward. 

McBride cites Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, announcing the half-million-dollar reward through her social media accounts and news outlets.

In February 2021, James Howard Jackson, 20, and two others were allegedly roaming through West Hollywood, California, and the San Fernando Valley, looking for French bulldogs and other expensive breeds of dogs to steal for profit.

The group came across Ryan Fischer, who was walking the pop star's three dogs. The group dognapped two of the French bulldogs and Fischer was shot in the chest, by Jackson, in the course of the robbery.

Gaga then released a "no questions asked" reward offer for the return of the dogs, named Koji and Gustav.

The suit alleges Gaga never intended to pay the "no questions asked" reward money. Instead, law enforcement asked McBride questions about the return of the bulldogs. As a result, McBride claims she has endured pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life.

McBride reported that she found the dogs and responded to the reward email to return the dogs. She also ultimately brought the dogs to LAPD Olympic Station. McBride also said she responded to the email about the $500,000 reward money that Gaga said she would give to the person who returned them. Detectives claim they have been able to establish McBride had a relationship with the father of one of the suspects, Jaylin White.

McBride was one of five co-defendants charged in connection with the theft of the prized French bulldogs in 2021.

"This case is quite simple," McBride's lawyer said in a statement. "Lady Gaga made a reward offer to induce performance. She desperately wanted her dogs returned and my client took action to fulfill Lady Gaga’s wish. My client had absolutely no involvement in the theft of the dogs. She loves dogs and was glad to participate in their safe return. She is legally entitled to and deserves the reward."

In response to the arrest of the dognappers, Gaga's father, Joe Germanotta, exclusively told ET, "That's fabulous news. I hope the L.A. prosecutor doesn't let them go. It's taken a while and I'm proud of the police department out there for sticking with it. As I said, I just hope that the DA doesn't let them go now. I'm going to give my daughter a call. I'm sure she'll be happy."

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