EXCLUSIVE: Legal War Explodes Over Naz Reid’s Cyborg Jesus Pendant

Alex Moss’s jewelry company took its Cyborg Jesus pendant dispute to federal court, accusing a Houston jeweler of copying a design it first made for NBA player Naz Reid.

AMNY Global Inc., which does business as Alex Moss New York, filed the copyright lawsuit in Manhattan federal court. The defendant is Arsh Khusro, also known as Leo Khusro, who operates as leokhusro.

Moss is the company’s founder and designer. The complaint lists Drake, Tyler, the Creator, A$AP Rocky and Chief Keef among its clients.

The business sells custom pieces and jewelry collections through its website, a Mercer Street flagship store and luxury stockists.

The complaint identifies the disputed work as the Cyborg Robot Jesus Pendant and cites copyright registration VA 2-468-075. AMNY said it first created the piece for Reid, then offered it through its website and promoted it on Instagram.

AMNY accused Khusro of marketing products bearing its work or “designs that are substantially similar thereto.” It pointed to promotions on the @leokhusro Instagram account and alleged that several posts tagged Manhattan as their location.

“No one other than Plaintiff is authorized to manufacture, import, export, advertise, offer for sale or sell any goods utilizing the Cyborg Robot Jesus Work without the express permission of Plaintiff,” the company stated.

The filing includes a side-by-side comparison of photographs to support AMNY’s copying claim. The company also alleged that Khusro knew it owned the design and used it to benefit from the brand’s reputation.

“Defendant has been engaging in the illegal and infringing actions, as alleged herein, knowingly and intentionally, or with reckless disregard or willful blindness to Plaintiff’s rights, or in bad faith, for the purpose of trading on the reputation of Plaintiff and the Cyborg Robot Jesus Work,” the complaint alleged.

The design is part of Moss’s take on the Jesus piece, a staple of Hip-Hop jewelry. His futuristic versions have also been known as Cyborg Savior.

AMNY requested a jury trial. It sought its losses and Khusro’s profits or statutory damages, along with legal fees. The company also asked the court to stop the manufacture, promotion and sale of the accused products.

Its requests extended to a recall of allegedly infringing goods from distributors and retailers for destruction. AMNY sought an accounting of the money generated by the products and an asset freeze or trust over proceeds it claimed belonged to the company.

Judge Lorna G. Schofield set an initial conference for December 22 at 3:30 P.M. in Manhattan. Materials for that conference are due December 15.