A New York judge has dismissed a $20 million defamation lawsuit brought against pop superstar Mariah Carey by her brother, Morgan Carey, following a multiyear legal battle over the singer’s 2020 memoir.
In a ruling issued Monday, Oct. 19, Judge Leslie A. Stroth of the New York Supreme Court determined that Morgan Carey failed to prove his sister acted with “actual malice” when she wrote about their childhood and his alleged past in her bestseller, “The Meaning of Mariah Carey.”
The judge found that the plaintiff did not provide sufficient evidence that the singer knowingly published false information or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. The dispute began in 2021, shortly after the memoir topped the New York Times bestseller list. Morgan Carey, 66, took legal action over several passages in the book, including allegations that he had dealt “powdered party favors”—a colloquialism for cocaine—and claims that he had “been in the system,” implying a criminal history.
“Plaintiff fails to provide any proof that Defendant made such statements with knowledge of their falsity,” Stroth wrote in the decision. The judge further noted that Morgan’s arguments regarding the “commercial viability” of the book were not enough to meet the high legal bar required for defamation cases involving public concerns.
John Rosenberg, an attorney for Mariah Carey, said the singer was “gratified” by the court’s decision to throw out the claims in their entirety. Rosenberg added that the ruling serves as a broader victory for authors, confirming they deserve “broad protection when they speak out on matters of public concern.”
However, the legal saga may not be over. Richard Altman, the attorney representing Morgan Carey, told reporters he respectfully disagreed with the ruling, calling it inconsistent with earlier decisions in the case. Altman confirmed that his client plans to file an appeal.
The memoir, which details Mariah Carey’s rise to fame and her turbulent family life, has been a lightning rod for litigation. In addition to the suit from Morgan, the singer’s sister, Alison Carey, previously filed her own legal challenge regarding the book’s contents.
As of Tuesday, the Grammy-winning artist has not released a personal statement regarding the dismissal.