Overview
- - Tony Saxon testified he was told “stay here now, you can’t leave,” describing round‑the‑clock living, 3 a.m. wake‑ups, and on‑site security duties during the 2021 gutting of Ye’s Tadao Ando–designed Malibu house.
- - He said Ye directed removal of plumbing, wiring, windows, fireplaces, and other fixtures for an off‑grid, ultra‑minimalist redesign, and he claims he suffered a severe back injury dismantling chimney stacks.
- - Ye’s lawyer argued Saxon was an unlicensed independent contractor who worked about six weeks, was paid roughly $240,000, voluntarily quit or caused damage, and has no medical records tying any injury to the job.
- - Jurors reviewed text messages showing frequent updates, efforts to keep work “under the radar” without permits, and Saxon’s claim he was fired after warning generators posed carbon‑monoxide risks.
- - Outside court, Ye spokesman Milo Yiannopoulos said Saxon was “overpaid and underqualified,” as the first of more than a dozen employee suits against Ye reaches a jury; Ye and Bianca Censori are expected to testify later.