In a recent court ruling, Lady Gaga has been granted victory in a legal battle involving the theft of her two French bulldogs, Koji and Gustav. The incident took place in 2021 when Gaga's dog walker, Ryan Fischer, was shot and the dogs were stolen during a violent robbery on a Los Angeles street. Jennifer McBride, the woman who returned the dogs, filed a lawsuit against Gaga, claiming that the singer had not fulfilled her promise to pay a $500,000 reward for their safe return. However, a Los Angeles County Superior judge ruled in favor of Gaga, stating that McBride was connected to the robbery and therefore not entitled to benefit from her wrongdoing.

According to court documents obtained by CBS News, Judge Holly Fujie decided that since McBride had pleaded no contest to knowingly receiving stolen property in connection to the crime, she could not seek to enforce the contract and receive the reward. The judge highlighted that McBride's alleged motivation to protect the bulldogs and collect the money did not justify her guilt in knowingly receiving stolen property. Fujie further emphasized that McBride had "unclean hands" and should not profit from her actions.

Furthermore, the judge ruled that McBride could not submit another revised complaint, effectively closing the case. This decision brings an end to the legal battle between Gaga and McBride over the reward money.

In her lawsuit, McBride claimed that Gaga had announced on social media that she would offer a reward for the safe return of her dogs, "no questions asked." McBride returned the dogs to a Los Angeles Police Department station, expecting to receive the $500,000 reward. However, she alleged that she did not receive the money and sued Gaga for breach of contract, fraud by false promise, and fraud by misrepresentation. McBride sought over $1.5 million in damages, including compensatory damages, mental anguish, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.

The theft of Gaga's bulldogs drew significant media attention in 2021. It was reported that the dogs were not specifically targeted because they belonged to the singer but rather because French bulldogs can sell for high prices. Following the robbery, three men involved in the crime, along with two accomplices, including McBride, were arrested. McBride was charged with being an accessory after the fact and receiving stolen property. She allegedly told the police that she had found the dogs and responded to an email about the reward.

In December 2022, McBride pleaded no contest to a single count of receiving stolen property and was sentenced to two years of probation. One of the robbery suspects, Jaylin White, pleaded no contest to second-degree robbery and received a four-year prison sentence.

Gaga's attorney did not respond to requests for comment regarding the recent court ruling. McBride's attorney also did not immediately provide any comments on the matter. The outcome of this legal battle brings some closure to the unfortunate incident that unfolded in 2021, as Lady Gaga can now move forward without the burden of fulfilling a reward she deemed unwarranted due to the circumstances surrounding its return.