Rick James's trust was sued for $50 million by a woman who says he raped her at 15 in a Buffalo group home

Rick James, born James Ambrose Johnson Jr. in Buffalo, died in Los Angeles in 2004 at 56^†. He is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo. His estate went on earning. In April 2011 his estate joined Chuck D of Public Enemy as lead plaintiffs in a federal class action in San Francisco against Universal Music Group. They argued that UMG paid them the lower record-sale rate on iTunes downloads when downloads should have been paid as licenses. In 2015 UMG agreed to pay up to $11.5 million and raise future download royalties by 10 percent, without admitting wrongdoing. Judge Susan Illston approved $2.9 million in lawyers' fees from the fund. On 13 February 2020 an unnamed woman filed suit in Erie County Supreme Court against the James Ambrose Johnson Jr. 1999 Trust under New York's Child Victims Act, which opened a one-year window for old abuse claims. She alleges that in 1979, when she was 15 and living in a group home on Richmond Avenue, James raped her in a bedroom while visiting the adults who ran the home. She alleges he told her, "Shut up and quit moving or I'll cut you." She seeks $50 million. A trust representative did not respond to the Buffalo News. No ruling, settlement or dismissal has been reported^†. In 2026 the case's status is unconfirmed.