Metro Boomin Beats $3.7 Million Sexual Assault Lawsuit After Explosive Trial
By Erin Whitten
A Los Angeles jury has acquitted hip-hop producer Metro Boomin of civil liability in a sexual assault trial that stemmed from 2016 allegations. The jury returned the verdict on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, after deliberating for less than two hours. A five-man, three-woman jury unanimously found in favor of the defendant, Grammy-nominated producer Leland T. Wayne. The jury’s decision means that the plaintiff, Vanessa LeMaistre, did not meet her burden of proof in the civil case and did not convince jurors that her claims against the Atlanta producer were true.
LeMaistre, 39, had been a friend of Metro Boomin’s for years before their alleged 2016 encounter in Los Angeles. According to her complaint, LeMaistre and the Grammy-nominated producer left a recording studio session together, with the producer providing her with Xanax and alcohol. Later that day, she passed out and awoke in a Beverly Hills hotel room as Wayne was allegedly raping her. LeMaistre said she became inebriated, incoherent and unable to consent, and she alleged that she blacked out and came in and out of consciousness as Wayne penetrated her with his fingers and then his penis. LeMaistre later discovered she was pregnant and terminated the pregnancy in November 2016. She sued Metro Boomin in October 2024, alleging emotional distress, mental pain and suffering, and demanding millions of dollars in damages.
Wayne has long denied the accusations against him, calling them “false accusations” and a “pure shakedown.” On the witness stand this week, the producer said that the sex was consensual and that he only found out about the alleged attack and accusations against him years later when LeMaistre filed her lawsuit in October 2024. Wayne’s attorneys emphasized medical records in which LeMaistre initially told doctors she wasn’t coerced and had not been sexually assaulted, as well as notes that LeMaistre had made for herself during an ayahuasca retreat in Peru. In the notes, which she later shared publicly and deleted, LeMaistre said she was “carefully plotting” how she would use her experience with Wayne “to publicize and milk for millions” as well as communicate the allegations to the public.
Metro Boomin released a statement following the verdict stating, “I’m grateful and thankful to God that I can finally put all of this nonsense behind me,” he wrote. “Never in a million years would I have thought I could be accused of such a disgusting and heinous act. Today I took a victory in court, but in reality there is a long list of losses I stacked up in this year-long process of clearing my name and reputation.” The producer added that the case “absolutely” destroyed him, drained his bank account, wasted “precious” time, and cost him career opportunities. “I plan to use all my strength to get back to work on music and reclaim my life from this hellhole,” he said.
LeMaistre did not speak publicly after the verdict but her attorney, Michael J. Willemin, said that while he was disappointed in the decision, he would continue to fight for his client. “Though the legal system is often stacked against survivors, our client showed unwavering fortitude throughout this trial,” he said in a statement. “We are disappointed in the outcome but are proud to represent Ms. LeMaistre and believe that the verdict will ultimately be overturned on appeal.”
Metro Boomin has become one of the most important and influential music producers of the modern era. Working with the likes of Future, Drake, The Weeknd, Migos, 21 Savage, Post Malone and so many others, he has also released successful solo albums, high-profile collaborative works, and executive produced the Grammy-winning soundtrack for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
