Songwriter awarded $44 million in lawsuit over Usher’s 2004 song “Bad Girl”

Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for Sony Music and The Estate of Michael JacksonA Philadelphia court has awarded songwriter Daniel Marino $44 million in damages for not receiving credit for co-writing “Bad Girl” from Usher’s 2004 album, Confessions. 

Marino sued one of the song’s co-writers, William Guice, and Destro Music Productions owner Dante Barton. Destro Music produced the song with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Guice was ordered to pay $27 million, and Barton was ordered to pay $7 million, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Marino filed a civil suit alleging fraud and breach of contract, claiming that he worked with Guice and Barton to create and record a song titled “Club Girl,”