Ye Faces Scrutiny in Malibu Mansion Renovation Lawsuit

Los Angeles, CA – Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, testified on Friday, March 6, 2026, in a civil lawsuit alleging he failed to fully compensate a contractor for work on his Malibu mansion renovation. The plaintiff, Tony Saxon, claims he is owed over $1 million for his services.

Contractor Alleges Unpaid Wages and Unsafe Working Conditions

Tony Saxon, a handyman and contractor, alleges that Ye agreed to pay him $20,000 per week under a 2021 deal, but only provided one payment of $20,000 and an additional $100,000 for construction costs. Saxon maintains he was also forced to sleep on the mansion floor while acting as a security guard and was terminated in November 2021 for refusing to comply with requests he deemed unsafe [Source: ABC7].

According to the lawsuit, Saxon repeatedly voiced concerns to Ye about dangerous conditions during the remodeling process, including unsafe demolition practices without proper safety equipment [Source: ABC7].

Ye’s Testimony and Courtroom Conduct

Ye offered brief answers during his testimony on Friday, responding to questions with limited detail [Source: NBC Los Angeles]. He also requested that the attorney refer to him as “Ye” rather than “Mr. Ye,” a request that is atypical in courtroom proceedings [Source: NBC Los Angeles]. During his testimony, Ye appeared to close his eyes for extended periods and spoke quietly [Source: NBC Los Angeles].

Ye stated he was unsure if he was the CEO of Yeezy Construction [Source: NBC Los Angeles].

Legal Battles and Previous Rulings

In October 2025, Judge Brock T. Hammond ruled that Ye should pay Saxon $3,320 in sanctions due to delays in providing verified responses to Saxon’s interrogatories [Source: NBC Los Angeles]. An interrogatory is a set of written questions used in legal proceedings.

Ye’s lawyer, Andrew Cherkasky, accused Saxon of attempting fraud and requested the case be dismissed, alleging Saxon deleted a case-relevant Instagram video [Source: Rolling Stone]. The judge declined to immediately rule on the request [Source: Rolling Stone].

Background on the Malibu Mansion

Ye purchased the Malibu mansion in 2021 for $57 million. The 4,000-square-foot property, designed by Tadao Ando, was later sold for $21 million to developer Steven “Bo” Belmont, who then relisted it for $39 million [Source: USA Today]. The sale occurred after Ye removed the home’s interiors [Source: USA Today].