Last night I came across a headline on Instagram that a woman who sold tumblers with Luke Combs on them making about $380 on them was being sued for $250,000 for violating country superstar Luke Combs copyright and use of likeness with counterfeit merchandise.
Nicol Harness, she says she bought artwork online and sold 18 tumblers for $20 each, for a total of $380. Nicol learned Combs sued her in federal court in Illinois, along with various others, for selling counterfeit merchandise. It turns out unfortunately the case is already closed, and the judge ordered each defendant, including Nicol, to pay $250,000 to Combs.
Nicol later discovered that she received notice of the lawsuit back in October, but it was sent via email, and got buried in her “junk” folder. Different states means different laws as Florida law requires defendants to be served in person, but in Illinois, where the lawsuit was filed, email is considered efficient.
Nicol Harness suffers from congestive heart failure and her only job is selling homemade tumblers and T-shirts through Amazon.
Well this morning Luke Combs spoke on the issue as he apparently had no idea about the case until he came across the headlines himself. The country singer stated in an Instagram video the situation made him “absolutely sick to (his) stomach.” Combs would go on to explain how this possibly came about, “so, we do have a company that goes after folks, only supposedly large corporations operating internationally that make millions and millions of dollars, making counterfeit T shirts, things of that nature run an illegal businesses,” Combs explained. “And apparently this woman, Nicol, has somehow gotten wrapped into that.”
Luke in the video also stated, he spoke to Harness this morning and promised to send her $11,000, which is double the amount the woman said was locked up in her Amazon account. He also said he would put up a tumbler for sale, with all proceeds going to Harness to help with her medical bills. Combs also plans to fly Nicol and her family to a show next year so he can “give her a hug and say sorry in person.”
“This is not something that I would ever do. This is not the kind of person I am. I’m not greedy in any way, shape, or form. Money is the last thing on my mind.”
The reaction to Luke Combs’s comments are being met with praise. As someone who is fortune to be able to snap photos including at Luke Combs show back in June at Commonwealth in Edmonton Luke never made the media photographers sign waivers like one act did and is something more and more commonplace for larger acts to do. That allowed me to use and post the photos outside of the initial coverage which means I can share them on my own personal socials, websites and use in a portfolio, so you can imagine that his generosity in this situation isn’t a surprise to me.
Here is the post:
– Everett
