‘Teen Mom’ Star Now Being Sued for $4 Million in Updated Lawsuit

Baya Rae Photography "Teen Mom 2" stars (left to right) Aubree Lind-DeBoer, Walker DeBoer, Layne DeBoer, Cole DeBoer, Watson DeBoer, Chelsea DeBoer.

“Teen Mom 2” stars Chelsea Houska DeBoer and Cole DeBoer are now being sued for $4 million after an updated lawsuit was filed in federal court, documents show. The couple, set to debut a new HGTV show in 2023, has denied any wrongdoing in a legal battle that has stretched over two years, according to court records.

The DeBoers, along with their manager, William Dzombak, were sued by Envy Branding LLC in 2020, for $3 million. They countersued their former business partners, seeking $150,000 they say Envy failed to pay them. Both sides have accused the other of withholding money made through social media deals. Envy said in the lawsuit that they signed a contract with Houska and DeBoer to provide consulting in exchange for revenue made through social media.

Envy’s lawsuit also names businesses started by Houska and DeBoer as defendants, and the updated civil complaint adds, Down Home DeBoer, Aubree Says, Dakota Ln LLC and DeBoer Holding Company, along with Dzombak’s firm, The William Gerard Group LLC, and C&A Enterprises as defendants. The companies named in the amended lawsuit are at the center of the DeBoer’s home building, design, renovation and decor businesses, which will be featured on HGTV’s “Farmhouse Fabulous.”

Envy accused the couple of hiding assets in an earlier court filing. The two sides failed to reach a settlement earlier in 2022, court records show. A trial date hasn’t been set. The case is being heard in the Southern District of New York.

Envy Branding’s Lawyers Say the ‘Teen Mom 2’ Stars Told Brands to Pay Them & Their Companies Directly to Avoid Sharing the Revenue With Envy

In the amended lawsuit, Envy’s lawyers wrote, “Through discovery in this action, Plaintiff learned that Defendants failed to disclose the existence of additional entities that appeared to engage in licensing for Chelsea and DeBoer. Dakota Ln was created after Plaintiff threatened the instant litigation for the purpose of putting new licensing agreements in place where there was not an ongoing dispute with Envy.”

They added that the DeBoers, with the help of Dzombak and his firm, “now negotiate their branding and licensing agreements” with brands so that they are paid through their companies. Envy said this was done to avoid paying them a share of revenue from the social media deals.

“Envy provided services to Defendants by assisting the Shared Clients in identifying potential deals and negotiating appearance, endorsement, licensing, royalty and television agreements and related contracts,” the company’s lawyers wrote. “Chelsea and DeBoer, Dzombak, and TWGG continue to receive significant financial benefit from these services. It would be against good conscience and equity to allow Defendants to retain the benefits of Envy’s services without compensating Envy for the value of the services Envy performed.”

The DeBoers’ Attorneys Accused Envy Branding of Making ‘Inflammatory & Unfounded’ Accusations

The amended complaint was filed after an on-the-record exchange between lawyers for the two sides about the discovery process that drew headlines. Envy Branding accused the DeBoers of hiding companies created after the lawsuit was filed. The attorneys for the “Teen Mom 2” stars fired back, denying any wrongdoing.

In their August 30, 2022, filing, Envy’s lawyers wrote that the defendants “failed to disclose the existence” of companies and “failed to produce critical documents related to the concealed entities, including a series of licensing agreements and the resulting revenue.” They said the couple shut down C&A Enterprises LLC and it was “stripped of all its assets” after the lawsuit was filed against them.

Attorneys for the DeBoers responded, “Presumably, Plaintiff decided to depart from the previous path of cooperation and adherence to the rules solely in order to be able to prejudice Defendants by putting inflammatory and unfounded accusations on the public record.”