Rihanna’s uncle is loyal to no one but the money. 53 year old Leroy Fitzgerald Brathwaite has been charged under the Fair Trading Commission’s (FTC) Consumer Protection Act for selling knock-offs from his nieces Puma line. According to Barbados leading newspaper Nation News, police says, it was not until Rihanna was in Barbados that she noticed the knock-offs of her hugely Puma brand being sold in Swan Street. After reporting her suspicions to her Puma representative, they flew out to the island to check it out in person which led to them filing a police report immediately. Leroy made an appearance in the District “A” Magistrates court yesterday on November 21st where he plead not guilty.
According to Nation News, “he also denied that in trade or commerce, he engaged in conduct, to wit, exposed for sale goods bearing the trademark known as Puma which would mislead the public as to the nature of the goods.”
And to make matters worse, On May 29th, 2017 Brathwaite was charged with
“a view to gain for himself or another, or with intent to cause loss to another and without the consent of the registered owner of a trademark Puma, he exposed for sale goods which bear the sign Puma, and which were likely to be mistaken for the registered trademark Puma,” Looks like this is not his first offense.
Leroy’s attorney Sian Lange pointed out Sections 54, 55, and 56 of the Consumer Protection Act which requires that before any charges are made the FTC is to provide prohibition notice, prohibiting supplying, offering and/ or agreeing to supply. Lange has made claims that her client has not received such notice, “My client has never been contacted by the Fair Trading Commission and has never been served with a warning in accordance.”
After submitting the matter to the courts, the case was adjourned until next Tuesday November 28th. Leroy Braithwaite was released with a 1,000 bail. This would probably cause a strain in the relationship between Rihanna and her uncle.
