Hip-hop legend Dr Dre has been ordered to stay away from psychiatrist Dr. Charles Sophy, after a Los Angeles judge granted Sophy a temporary restraining order.
The psychiatrist, who once provided marriage counseling for Dre and his former wife, Nicole Young, claims that the rapper has been harassing him for more than a year, leading to this legal action.
Sophy, who is also suing Dre for $10 million, alleges that the harassment began following their professional relationship, which started in 2018 when Sophy was retained to counsel Dre and Young through their marital issues.
According to court documents, the harassment escalated after their divorce was finalized in December 2021, with Dre allegedly sending threatening messages and making Sophy fear for his safety.
The psychiatrist claims the situation worsened in February 2023 when the rap legend sent a text message implying that Sophy had been spreading negative information about him.
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The message allegedly included a warning: ‘You’re going to have to pay for that.’ Sophy contends that he continued to send accusatory messages, claiming that Dre was behind sending fake FBI agents to his home. As a result, Sophy says he began wearing a bulletproof vest out of fear for his life.
In addition to asking Dre to stay away from him, Sophy also requested protection for his adult son and two dogs, fearing they might be targeted in this ongoing feud.
However, Dre’s legal team has pushed back against these claims. Through his attorney, Howard King, Dre contends that this lawsuit is merely a diversion from the rapper’s complaint with California’s Osteopathic Medical Board, accusing Sophy of unprofessional conduct during the counseling sessions.
The rapper’s camp alleges that Sophy inappropriately involved himself in their contentious divorce, even encouraging one of their children to make false allegations against Dre in an attempt to secure a financial settlement.
