Selena Gomez hits back at 'completely meritless' fraud lawsuit

Brendan Morrow, USA TODAYSun, August 16, 2026 at 6:04 PM UTC

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Selena Gomez is hitting back against a lawsuit accusing her of fraud in connection with Wondermind Global, her mental health startup.

Mathew S. Rosengart, an attorney representing the "Only Murders in the Building" star, slammed the fraud and breach of contract lawsuit that was recently filed against Gomez and her former business partners in a statement shared with USA TODAY on Aug. 16. The statement was first provided to People.

"The allegations that Selena Gomez engaged in any way whatsoever in any purported 'fraud' or other wrongdoing are completely meritless, both factually and legally," Rosengart said. "We will vigorously defend these false allegations and indeed are filing a motion to dismiss the baseless claims against her."

The response came after Wondermind SRS 44 and Bespoke Wondermind SPV filed a lawsuit in Delaware federal court on Aug. 13, accusing Gomez, her mother Mandy Teefey and their former business partner Daniella Pierson of fraud and breach of contract.

According to documents obtained by USA TODAY, the plaintiffs alleged in the complaint they invested almost $1.2 million in Wondermind Global in 2022 because Gomez, Teefey and Pierson "falsely represented that the Company had the infrastructure, leadership, and resources necessary for the Company to launch into a profitable, one-of-its-kind mental health and wellness platform."

Selena Gomez sued for fraud: The lawsuit involves her mental health startup Wondermind

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Among the alleged misrepresentations were that Gomez, 34, would be "actively building the Company as its head of marketing," that Pierson was a "$200 million executive" who had already secured partnerships, and that a "full slate of revenue-generating initiatives" were underway.

But, the suit alleged, "Gomez purported to sign a contract obligating her to perform and then ignored it. The partnerships did not exist. The initiatives never materialized. The app was never built. And for three years, while the Company quietly collapsed around them, not one of its founders, officers, or directors said a word to the investors whose money was funding the collapse."

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The plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial, as well as a return of investments in Wondermind, damages, costs, attorneys' fees and any other relief they are entitled to under the law.

In a previous statement shared with USA TODAY, a representative for Pierson said that she "categorically denies the allegations against her and welcomes the opportunity to present concrete documentation and financial records that establish the facts," adding, "to be clear, she has never used investor funds for personal expenses. Quite the opposite: Daniella invested her own money into the business and did not draw a salary from the company."

Contributing: Liza Esquibias

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Selena Gomez hits back at 'completely meritless' fraud lawsuit

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