Drake ‘paid $350,000’ to woman who accused him of sexual assault
Canadian star settled a lawsuit against Laquana Morris, also known as Layla Lace, in November last year
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Drake reportedly paid $350,000 to a woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017, during the British leg of his Boy Meets World tour.
In November last year, the hip hop star settled a lawsuit with Laquana Morris, who also goes by the name Layla Lace. He filed against Morris for civil extortion, fraud, emotional distress, abuse of process and defamation.
Drake admitted to having consensual sex with Morris while at a hotel in Manchester, England, in February 2017, but denied all allegations of non-consensual sex.
According to the suit, Morris claimed she booked a flight to see Drake soon after they slept together, but became angry when she did not receive a response and cancelled the flight. Drake ceased communications with her.
The suit alleged that Morris also claimed Drake raped her and that she demanded money from him, even after Manchester police cleared him of any allegations of sexual assault.
After she allegedly refused to do a paternity test, Drake claimed Morris changed the story to accuse him of sexual assault and said her claims were a hoax designed to extort money from him.
“There is no credible evidence of pregnancy, nor any baby, which would have been born last fall,” he said in court documents.
“The filing made by Drake against Layla Lace has been resolved, with Layla avoiding going to trial by agreeing to a stipulated judgment which prohibits her from repeating past statements she made against Drake,” Drake’s attorney Larry Stein said in a statement to TMZ last year.
“Drake and his team are satisfied with this outcome and while Drake appreciates the support he has received, he asks that his fans and the media allow both parties to move on with their lives.”
Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members)
Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members)
Details of the amount reportedly paid to Morris ($350,000) have since been revealed in a complaint she filed against her New York attorney, according to TheBlast.com.
In her complaint, Morris describes what allegedly happened after she and Drake went back to his hotel room following his Manchester concert.
Morris is reportedly aggrieved that the November 2018 settlement with Drake included a statement that she now claims portrayed him as the victim in the situation. She also claims that her attorney worked with Drake’s lawyer against her best interests.
US media reports that Morris may have breached the agreement by revealing details of the settlement, which included a requirement that she not repeat her allegations of sexual assault.
The Independent has contacted Drake’s representative for comment.