Megan Thee Stallion’s legal dispute with former photographer is moving forward
A federal judge declined to dismiss the remaining claims in Emilio Garcia’s lawsuit, leaving several disputed issues unresolved.
Megan Thee Stallion’s legal dispute with a former photographer who worked closely with her for several years is continuing after a federal judge declined to dismiss the remaining claims in the case.
U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods denied Megan’s request for summary judgment on Friday (Aug 7), finding that several disagreements over the facts still need to be resolved.
The decision is not a ruling that the allegations made by former photographer Emilio Garcia are true. Rather, it means the court determined that some of the remaining issues cannot be settled based on the evidence currently before the judge.
Garcia first filed the lawsuit in 2024 against Megan, whose legal name is Megan Pete, as well as Megan Thee Stallion Entertainment, Hot Girl Touring and Roc Nation.
He has accused his former employer of wage violations and creating a hostile work environment during his time working as Megan’s personal photographer.
Garcia has also alleged that he was improperly classified as an independent contractor and was not fairly compensated for all of the work he performed.
One of the most widely reported allegations in the lawsuit stems from a 2022 trip to Ibiza, Spain.
Garcia claims he was riding in a moving SUV with Megan and several other women when Megan began having sex with another woman next to him. He alleged that because the vehicle was moving, he was unable to leave the situation. Garcia has also claimed Megan later told him not to discuss what he witnessed.
His complaint also alleges that Megan made comments about his weight and that changes to his pay caused his income to decrease.
Megan and her legal team have denied Garcia’s allegations.
When the lawsuit was first filed, attorney Alex Spiro pushed back against the more sensational claims in the complaint and described the matter primarily as an employment dispute.
The case has changed considerably since Garcia initially filed it in California.
It was later transferred to federal court in New York, where Woods dismissed some of Garcia’s original claims while allowing portions of his hostile work environment and wage-related claims to continue.
Megan’s legal team later asked the court to resolve the remaining claims without a trial. Woods declined to do so, concluding that conflicting accounts and evidence surrounding Garcia’s employment and working conditions remain.
In practical terms, the ruling keeps the case alive while the two sides continue preparing for a possible trial.
Garcia’s attorney, Ron Zambrano, said his client is prepared to continue pursuing the case.
Garcia is “looking forward to having his day in court,” Zambrano said, according to HotNewHipHop.
The lawsuit is one of several high-profile legal matters Megan has faced in recent years.
In late 2025, she prevailed in a federal defamation lawsuit against blogger Milagro Cooper, also known as Milagro Gramz, over online statements connected to the Tory Lanez shooting case.
This case, however, remains unresolved.
No trial date has been announced, and the court has not made a final determination about Garcia’s allegations.