Selena Gomez Seeks Dismissal From Fraud Lawsuit Against Mental Health Startup
A few years ago, Selena Gomez and her mother Mandy Teefey co-founded Wondermind, a start-up company that advertised itself as a "mental health ecosystem." Gomez, a pop star who is famous for her mental health struggles and advocacy, lists herself as Wondermind's "founder/CIO" in the bio of her extraordinarily popular Instagram account . Now, a number of investors are suing Gomez and Teefey for…
Selena Gomez and her mother Mandy Teefey co-founded the mental health startup Wondermind, of which Gomez listed herself as founder/CIO. However, a group of investors have now filed a federal lawsuit accusing Gomez and Teefey of fraud, claiming that the duo misrepresented Gomez's role in the company to attract funding. The plaintiffs argue that Gomez falsely represented the company's structure, portraying her as the face of Wondermind when in reality, her involvement was limited.
Jeffrey Neiman, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, stated that Gomez was the main reason investors were interested in the pitch. The lawsuit claims that investors expected Gomez to promote the company using her social media platform but that she distanced herself once the $1.2 million investment was secured. Additionally, the investors allege that the founders presented a positive image of the company without disclosing its financial and leadership issues.
Selena Gomez's attorney, Mathew S. Rosengart, has now filed a motion for dismissal, arguing that the allegations are "completely meritless, both factually and legally" and that Gomez is innocent of fraud and not liable to the plaintiffs.
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