Aurora James is facing a civil lawsuit in New York Supreme Court after event producer The Gathery Inc. says it was left with $1,082,965.28 in unpaid bills from the 15 Percent Pledge Gala held at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles in February 2026.
According to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital, The Gathery sued James, her nonprofit 15 Percent Pledge and its fiscal sponsor Philanthropic Ventures Foundation (PVF). The plaintiffs are seeking at least $1,082,965.28 in damages, along with contractually owed interest and additional financial damages.
The complaint alleges James’s nonprofit made two initial deposits toward a roughly $1.5 million bill before ceasing payments in November 2025. The suit contends James “personally directed the project and repeatedly induced TGI to continue performing even after payment defaults had begun,” approved change orders that expanded the event’s scope and cost, and signed a Feb. 4, 2026, amendment the complaint describes as admitting breach while assuring The Gathery payment would be forthcoming despite an alleged inability to pay.
Fox News reported the February event’s attendee list included Meghan Markle and Kimora Lee Simmons and said the gala was held to raise money for Black business owners.
Fox News also noted earlier reports from 2021 that James’s company Cultural Brokerage Agency, parent of the Brother Vellies brand, faced tax warrants and claims of unpaid worker benefits, citing The New York Post.
The Fox News article included commentary from legal and political figures who said the allegations — which the complaint must still prove in court — are notable given James’s public advocacy for economic fairness, according to Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital reported it reached out to James’s attorney for comment and did not immediately receive a response.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
