Kenneth Petty said Jennifer Hough’s harassment lawsuit seeks to embarrass him and argued Nicki Minaj’s financials should remain sealed.
Kenneth Petty has rejected a demand to hand over tax records in a civil case tied to his 1994 rape conviction.
Jennifer Hough filed suit in 2021, claiming Petty and Nicki Minaj tried to intimidate her into recanting her statements so Petty could get off a Sex Offender Registry list.
Petty served four years after pleading guilty to attempted rape. Hough says the couple’s harassment caused emotional distress and personal safety concerns.
Nicki Minaj was dismissed from the lawsuit in 2022. Hough is now seeking punitive damages from Kenneth Petty, the remaining defendant.
In a reply filed Thursday (March 27), Petty’s legal team contends that Hough’s discovery request was late and improperly aimed at Nicki Minaj’s personal and financial information.
“[Petty] has not earned any income in tax years 2022–2023,” attorney Steven Isser explained. The reply noted that Petty and Minaj had filed joint tax returns. Petty has not yet submitted a 2024 return.
“There is no basis for [Hough] to obtain [Nicki’s] tax returns. Plaintiff’s counsel has made no such showing,” the filing stated.
Petty’s team said Hough’s attorneys missed multiple discovery deadlines while trying to expand the case beyond its legal scope.
“[Hough] did not seek [Petty’s] tax returns or employment history until after the cut-off for discovery had passed,” Isser wrote.
The filing also attacked Hough’s theory that Petty worked in a paid role for Minaj as a manager, bodyguard, or nanny.
“Plaintiff’s unsupported speculation that [Petty] was Ms. Manaj’s manager entitled to 20% of her gross earnings and/or was a paid security guard for his wife is absurd and is not supported by [Petty’s} testimony at his deposition or any other evidence,” the document said.
Petty acknowledged receiving “allotments” from Minaj’s company but claimed those weren’t professional wages or subject to income reporting.
“I offered to provide [Hough] with a certified list of such payments (an Affidavit), in lieu of production of the joint tax returns,” Isser stated.
Isser blasted Hough’s lawyer, Tyrone Blackburn, who he claimed was once again chasing headlines as opposed to seriously trying to carry out legal discovery.
“[Hough’s] motion papers also are littered with inaccurate statements, in an attempt to garner media attention and to attempt to embarrass [Petty] and his wife,” the reply stated.
A judge has yet to rule.
