Yuga Labs Resolves Dispute with Artists Accused of Lookalike NFTs

A highly publicized lawsuit between NFT creator Yuga Labs and artists Ryder Ripps and Jeremy Cahen has come to an end after nearly four years of legal battles.

The dispute began in June 2022, when Yuga Labs accused the pair of copying its Bored Ape Yacht Club cartoon ape images, selling lookalike NFTs, and profiting millions as users confused the two projects.

Ripps and Cahen had argued that their RR/BAYC NFTs were satire and a parody of the real Bored Ape Yacht Club collection, protected under free speech laws. However, in April 2023, the court ruled in favor of Yuga Labs, finding that Ripps and Cahen had violated copyright laws by creating unauthorized versions of Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs.

As part of the settlement, Ripps and Cahen will transfer control of their project's smart contracts, domains, and remaining NFTs to Yuga Labs within 10 days. The court has also permanently banned them from using Yuga Lab’s imagery and trademarks. The RR/BAYC NFTs are still live on OKX Wallet.