Krewella Lawsuit: Kris Trindl Sues Yousef Sisters for 5 Million Dollars

Kris Trindl of Krewella is suing Yasmine and Jahan Yousef for 5 million dollars for allegedly forcing him out of the group for financial reasons. Both case files seem convincing in their own ways but in comparison to each other, it's impossible to imagine one side being true as it differs so greatly from the other. In a previous article of mine, Jahan and Yasmine Yousef's case file was dissected and I ultimately came to the conclusion that the sisters really didn't want to have Kris removed from the group, as he was more than just a business partner to them: they had a real, genuine relationship. He was considered a true friend that neither sister wanted to lose over money when they were each already receiving a hefty portion of their total revenue anyway. No amount of money can suffice for a real friendship.

Both files are consistent in that Kris had an addiction problem and checked himself into rehab for the good of himself and the group. However, Kris didn't check himself out of his own initiative as stated in his file. Jahan and Kris's mother and sister had personally asked Kris to get help because they knew that his partying was getting out of control, and Kris agreed. If Jahan and Kris's family hadn't taken the liberty of expressing their concern for him and his health, I'm not fully convinced that Kris would have checked himself into rehab in the first place. That's besides the point, it was just the first significant statement of Kris's file that I disagreed with and it certainly was not the only one.

Many fans believe that the sisters aren't capable of DJing and that they only sing and dance around on stage. Yes, they do sing and dance on stage but that's what makes them real performers as opposed to just standing behind the DJ booth staring out at the crowd without any real interaction, as Kris usually did. Jahan and Yasmine wrote the lyrics to their songs, and they actually DO know what they're doing on the docks since they performed over half of the dates on their tour without Kris. Even in Trindl's documents, it clearly states:

• "Although Jahan and Yasmine were not musicians like Kris, they picked up fast what they needed to learn". (p. 4, paragraph 11)

Yes, the sisters may have not worked with any other exclusive record companies but they clearly had the knowledge and talent to succeed as active members of Krewella and proved that Kris wasn't the only person who was savvy behind the control board. In fact, in the cross complaint files, the sisters had asked Kris to attend DJ lessons to sharpen all of their skills together but since he was active in his addiction he almost never attended and if he did he was either intoxicated or high. That doesn't really seem like true dedication to me, he seemed more dedicated to feeding his unhealthy lifestyle than anything else.

Kris's files continuously state how he was always working on new music when he wasn't actually performing, but the sisters never received any demos or proof that he was actually working on anything even after they repeatedly asked him to. However, he was asked to create a remix to "Alone Together" by Fall Out Boy while he was in treatment for alcoholism in Malibu, which he successfully completed but I can't help but to assume that it was simply because he was stuck in rehab with nothing better to do. His statement also failed to mention that he received roughly $45,000 just to compensate for his month in treatment.

Now, I really don't know why an experienced Lawyer felt that the following statement was necessary and accurate enough to be placed in Kris's statement for LOTS of different reasons:

• "Thankfully, after rehab completed, Kris went back out on the road and was able to stay sober,with two minor and uneventful relapses when he drank some beer from a hotel minibar. He attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and stayed on the wagon. But the Yousaf sisters didn't like the new, sober Kris, who took care of business but did not party or drink anymore. They thought he was depressed, although he explained it was just part of the recovery process. The Yousaf sisters are not alcoholics,and are fortunate to have the innate ability to stop drinking at will. But Kris, like many, needs assistance in stopping his alcohol addiction."- (p. 7, paragraph 23)

1. Saying that Kris was able to "stay sober" and then completely contradicting that in the SAME sentence by saying he relapsed twice is pretty unprofessional. Clearly the author doesn't understand addicts otherwise he or she would be fully aware that relapses are NEVER "minor" or "uneventful". Sure, he may have not caused a scene or harmed himself during these relapses, but it's proof that he couldn't stay sober for very long at all. Unless the addict goes into treatment again following a relapse, chances are their old behaviors will kick back in and their addiction will take off right where it left off. (This is true in Kris's case because he continues abusing alcohol later on as stated in the case files.)
2. An esteemed legal representative would also know and understand the definition of hearsay. Basically, hearsay is synonymous to a rumor. It is information received from other people that cannot adequately substantiate because you don't know the validity of their statements considering you weren't personally there during the specific occurrence. They put words into the sister's mouths when they accused them of not liking the "new, sober Kris". So we can pretty much rule this out as nonfactual evidence.
3. They also cannot assume that the sisters were not considerate regarding Kris's situation by saying that since they aren't alcoholics they are incapable of being compassionate towards Kris's disability. Sure, they're fortunate to not have to suffer through an addiction like Kris but that in no way means they don't understand how hard it is since they were concerned enough to ask if he was stressed or depressed throughout his recovery.

Yousef Sisters Statement: "On March 16, 2014, Kris was to join Jahan and Yasmine at the Electric Daisy Carnival show in Mexico. When Kris arrived at the airport late, Carlson arranged a security escort to quickly get him through the airport security Instead, Kris just left the airport. Carlson then purchased a $600.00 same day flight to Mexico for Kris so that he could still perform at the show; however, Kris did not board that flight either. In his absence, Jahan and Yasmine performed without Kris." (p. 9, paragraph 42)

Kris's Statement: "In March of 2014... he missed a flight to Mexico City to perform at a large EDM festival called the Electric Daisy Carnival." (p. 9, paragraph 30)

Notice any fine details missing in Kris's statement? Sounds like he didn't really emphasize the fact that he blatantly refused to get on the flight... twice. He didn't just "miss" it.

Compared to the cross complaint files, Trindl doesn't report any numbers for financial purposes such as his compensation during treatment and the income he received even when he wasn't even on tour. The Yousef sister's file thoroughly explains the amount of money Kris received even though he was nowhere near being a fully contributing member of the group. If the sisters wanted more money and to be rid of Kris completely, they would have done it with ease back when his addiction started when he actually reported to have told their managers that he wanted nothing to do with Krewella. They woudn't have consistently tried to get him help so he could be healthy and tour the world with them playing the music they have all been so passionate about since day one. The sisters know that Krewella isn't the same without Kris, but they aren't about to let their success go down in flames with Kris's selfishness. They are more than capable of carrying on the legacy they worked so hard to create, and they have been doing it without Kris being 100% committed for a long time now. This trial is worth 5 million dollars all because Kris basically doesn't want the girls to succeed without him, so he, out of pure spite, is making the journey for the girls a living hell now that he is officially not part of their lives.

People may be convinced that Jahan and Yasmine are only in it for the money, but if that is true then they would've fought a little harder for Kris not to receive any kind of income while he sat in LA working on another project (Hunter Square) that has NOTHING to do with Krewella. That in itself is a breach of their contract so why is Kris stirring an insane amount of commotion if he's already moving on? He knows he is able to look like "the good guy" in this case because he's the one leaving the group whether he personally knows if he's being forced or if it's his own decision. He has a lot of control over the trial and he knows it. He can so easily look like the victim to the public but it's crystal clear to me as a reader now that I have analyzed both sides of the case. He's manipulating and greedy, but he's doing a good job bestowing that reputation on the girls instead of himself so far.

Hopefully justice will be served and they can all go back to what they enjoy doing more than anything in the entire world: producing music. If Kris could accept the large amount of money he's already received and move on with his new project, their worlds would be at peace. But until then, the Yousef sisters have to prove their innocence and play along in Kris's dirty game of money and power.