In Dec. 2023, reports emerged from Tampa, Florida, that country musician Luke Combs had sued a Florida woman for selling unlicensed drink tumblers with his likeness. On Wednesday, Dec. 13, the “Fast Car” singer explained in a social media post those lawsuit reports were also news to him.
According to Tampa news outlet WFLA, Nicole Harness of Florida — a Combs fan — has an online business selling homemade t-shirts and drink tumblers, and was one of several others named in an Illinois lawsuit brought by Combs.
Reportedly, Harness was convicted of selling unlicensed Combs products and ordered to pay the country star $250,000. Harness lives with health challenges, and her only source of income is her online business.
Harness said she was unaware of the suit until after the case was closed, and later found a notice informing her of the matter in her junk email folder. She only learned of the verdict, she said, when she discovered her Amazon storefront income was frozen.
Speaking with WFLA, Harness added, “It’s very stressful. I don’t have money to pay my bills. I just want this resolved. I didn’t mean any harm to Luke Combs. I quit selling the tumbler. I pulled it down. I just don’t understand.”
Neither does Combs, apparently
As news of the lawsuit verdict spread, Luke Combs posted a response on social media explaining that, like Harness, he was surprised by the verdict, and what’s more, he had no idea the lawsuit was even happening.
Here’s what he said:
“I woke up to use the restroom and the first thing I saw was this. I’ve spent the last two hours trying to make this right…because I was completely and utterly unaware of this.” Combs did say he works with a company that goes after large-scale counterfeit sales of his merchandise, but never thought a small businessperson like Harness would be targeted.
” … [A]pparently,” Combs added, “this woman, Nicole [Harness] has somehow gotten wrapped into that and that makes me absolutely sick to my stomach.”
Combs went on to add he would send Harness $11,000, or about twice the amount she was unable to access in her Amazon storefront, invite her and her family to a show so that they can meet in person, and sell an official tumbler with proceeds benefitting Harness’ medical bills. Combs also indicated that the initial $11 grand payment would just be the first of many Harness should expect to receive from him.
Harness sold 18 Luke Combs tumblers for $20 a piece, totaling $380 in sales. As of this report, other defendants named in the Illinois court case were not disclosed.