Lil Uzi Vert is heading to trial after taking legal action against a California rehab facility and one of its employees, alleging that confidential therapy sessions were secretly recorded and later circulated online.
According to documents obtained by PEOPLE on Wednesday (July 1), Uzi initially filed suit against Oro House Recovery Center Acadia Malibu in June 2024, along with employee Lynn Tumpa and her minor nephew.
The lawsuit accuses Tumpa of secretly recording a segment of one of Uzi’s therapy sessions during their stay in rehab in 2022, then later sharing it with her nephew before it ultimately ended up being circulated on social media platforms, including X and Instagram in 2024. Uzi participated in weekly group and individual therapy as they worked toward their sobriety, according to the filing.
In an exclusive interview with XXL, Uzi’s attorney, David Moreno, shared how upset Uzi was when the video initially leaked.
“I don’t want to speak for Uzi per se, but I know that they were extremely disappointed,” Moreno tells XXL. “Trust was broken. I would go so far as to say they were distraught by it. Obviously, you think about a rehab facility, which is supposed to be a very secure place, and medical treatment with medical professionals, that should also be very private. So, needless to say, for that to come out publicly was beyond disappointing for them.”
The suit claims the alleged actions violate federal and state privacy laws, as well as the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act. The suit also includes claims for breach of contract, negligent hiring and supervision, invasion of privacy and intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
“Uzi wanted to pursue legal action because they suffered real harm,” Moreno adds.
The complaint further alleges that Tumpa was the source of the leaked recording, either directly or indirectly, though it remains unclear how the footage ultimately spread online.
In addition to Tumpa, the lawsuit names Oro House Recovery Centers, accusing the facility of failing to properly safeguard patient confidentiality and improperly supervising staff.
Lil Uzi Vert is seeking compensatory, punitive and statutory damages, with the final amount to be determined at trial.
“We are looking forward to presenting our case based in the facts and the merits and are hoping that Uzi is compensated fairly and justly for what happened,” Moreno notes.
In a recent ruling, a Los Angeles County court said the rapper could be deposed outside of California or remotely since they are not a state resident.
“Our hand is kind of forced to [go to trial] at this point,” Moreno explains. “The defendants have not come with anything reasonable to satisfy what has happened to Uzi and because of that, we are looking forward to our day in court.”
The case is currently set to go to trial in October.
Moreno used the moment to stress a broader issue of celebrity privacy being eroded when sensitive medical environments are treated as spectacle.
“Anyone that is in a rehab facility, whether they are a celebrity or an average Joe, should be treated with respect and not as a spectacle,” he shares. “I think the level of security and privacy is obviously heightened when you have someone that does have celebrity status because there’s a lot of reputational harm that can happen when things are leaked that were not supposed to be leaked.
“In this specific scenario, the video was of a treatment session that they were having and there were private things shared about medical background and nutrition that should not have been shared with the public,” he continues. “We all have a job to do, but we all need to bring the same dignity and respect to our profession and not treat people like they’re spectacles or like they are something to be gawked at in a way that’s not who we are meant to be.
“It’s not human, it’s not fair and I’m just hoping that Uzi gets their day in court and we get justice.”
XXL has reached out to reps for Oro House Recovery for comment.
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