They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery--or indicator of fame, if you will--but in the case of Taylor Swift, imitation goods simply aren't going to cut it. The singer has been, since last year, secretly fighting a handful of folks selling counterfeit merchandise bearing her image.
According to the Nashville Post, Swift brought a suit against 16 individuals she attested were profiting off of her name without her authorization; specifically selling unlicensed goods (including a shirt with her picture on it) during her powerhouse Fearless tour.
The case, which was filed in May '09, was put under seal--that is, kept under wraps--until now in order to investigate the accused's activities. Therefore nobody's heard anything about it until now, way more than a year later.
However, the good news is that Swift seems to have finally won her battle. A federal judge in Nashville granted a default judgment last week in her favor, permanently barring the people in question from making or selling Taylor Swift merchandise.
The individuals listed in the suit were reportedly caught by what Swift legally termed her "merchandise enforcement team," which found and seized the trademark-violating items in numerous such cases across the country.
The whole matter sounds as if it got rather ugly at times. In one incident, counterfeit goods were spotted being sold a mere six feet from the venue entrance at a Florida concert. Her merchandise manager was also allegedly assaulted by the ripoff artists when confronting them.
According to court records, the accused did not respond to the suit and had no attorneys listed. Heck, I'd be hiding too, if I had one of the most powerful superstar on earth's team after me.
Having this little bit of nuisance filed away and done with surely must come as a relief to Swift, who is busy preparing for the big release of her new album later this month. Regardless, file this one in the "duh" cabinet, folks--don't try to rip off Swift. Chances are you won't win, even if she has to fight you under the radar for more than a year!
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