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Tyra Banks Seeks Over $50,000 in Sanctions in D.C. Lease Fight

She characterizes the dismissed case as a 'celebrity shakedown' tied to her widely publicized move to Australia.

Overview

  • Banks filed a motion seeking more than $50,000 in sanctions over a lawsuit targeting her SMiZE & DREAM flagship plan in Washington, D.C.
  • Landlord Christopher Powell had sued Banks and business partner Louis Bélanger-Martin in October 2025 for more than $2.8 million.
  • Powell’s complaint alleged a 10-year lease was signed in April 2024, the D.C. site was abandoned by June 2024, and rent went unpaid.
  • He claimed he invested thousands in renovations, turned away other tenants, and said Banks instead opened a flagship in Sydney.
  • Powell voluntarily dismissed his suit in December 2025, while Banks denies wrongdoing and says she terminated the lease for valid reasons.