In the latest intellectual property legal battle, Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) parent company Yuga Labs won a summary judgment against California artist Ryder Ripps and his RR/BAYC project, according to court documents.
Since December 2021, Ryder Ripps has been investigating BAYC and its creator, Yuga Labs, alleging widespread ties between BAYC and internet Nazi troll culture and launching a RR/BAYC knockoff series.
Last June, Yuga Labs filed a lawsuit against Ryder Ripps, accusing them of copying and selling BAYC NFTs and devaluing their original products. On Feb. 7, Yuga Labs settled with Thomas Lehman, who was creating the website and smart contracts for Ryder Ripps’ RR/BAYC series.
The lawsuit focuses on whether Ryder Ripps’ RR/BAYC project infringes the intellectual property rights of Yuga Labs’ BAYC NFT series. The court ultimately ruled in favor of Yuga Labs, stating that Ryder Ripps had indeed copied and sold the BAYC NFT without permission, which had caused confusion and damage to the Yuga Labs brand.
Yuga Labs’ line of Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs has gained enormous popularity and value in the cryptocurrency market, with some NFTs selling for millions of dollars. The BAYC collection consists of unique and collectible images of digital apes, each distinct and with its own personality.
Yuga Labs’ legal victory is an important milestone for the NFT market, which has been grappling with issues related to intellectual property and copyright infringement. As the market continues to grow and evolve, it is critical for companies to protect their intellectual property and ensure that their creations are not copied or reproduced without permission.
The BAYC NFT series has made an important contribution to the growth and success of the NFT market, and Yuga Labs’ legal victory will undoubtedly help solidify its position as the market leader in this space. It could also warn other artists and creators to be cautious when creating knockoffs of popular NFT series.