Kanye West and his wife, Bianca Censori, claim in a new legal letter that a Beverly Hills dentist recklessly supplied West with “dangerous” amounts of nitrous gas, leading to a chemical dependency that caused neurological damage and “mood instability.”
New York-based lawyer Andrew Cherkasky says his firm outlined the couple’s claims in a letter sent to Dr. Thomas Connelly on Thursday. The letter informs the dentist that a malpractice lawsuit will be filed on behalf of the couple at the end of 90 days. “I can confirm we represent Ye and Bianca, and I can confirm the authenticity of the letter served today,” Cherkasky tells Rolling Stone. (The letter initially was shared by West’s sometimes spokesperson, Milo Yiannopoulos, who posted it on X.)
“Our clients intend to file a lawsuit against you for medical malpractice, professional negligence, and related tortious and contractual violations stemming from your treatment of Ye,” the letter addressed to Connelly and obtained by Rolling Stone reads. “Your conduct fell egregiously below the applicable standard of care and violated both your legal duties and professional obligations, causing substantial harm to our clients.”
Connelly did not respond to a request for comment sent Thursday.
In the letter, the lawyer says Connelly started treating West in early 2024, performing various procedures such as the placement of a custom titanium crown. The lawyer alleges Connelly supplied West with nitrous oxide in “quantities and frequencies that had no legitimate dental or medical justification.” He claims Connelly went on to provide nitrous gas to West for “purely recreational use” and instructed the rapper, now known as Ye, on how to self-administer.
“You went so far as to deliver large ‘surgical-size’ nitrous oxide tanks to Ye’s personal residence, including the residence he shared with Ms. Censori, effectively enabling and encouraging him to inhale nitrous oxide outside of any medical setting,” the letter reads. “By effectively turning a potent medical anesthetic into a take-home drug for the patient’s unsupervised use, you showed a reckless disregard for his health and safety.”
In the letter, the lawyer alleges Connelly observed by May 2024 that West was “showing signs of dependency and neurological harm – including reports that he was frequently wearing an inhaler mask, obsessively discussing nitrous oxide, and displaying other signs of overuse and toxicity.” The lawyer alleges Connelly willfully ignored these “red flags” and continued with the alleged misconduct. Cherkasky claims Connelly even acknowledged in text messages and emails that he made “mistakes” in his treatment decisions. “The fact that you felt compelled to apologize in writing underscores the egregious nature of your conduct and will serve as evidence of your negligence and awareness of guilt,” the letter states.
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The lawyer says Connelly took advantage of West’s vulnerable state to allegedly charge him $50,000 a month for the “continuous supply” of nitrous oxide and related services. In the letter, the lawyer alleges Connelly then abruptly withdrew his services after “fostering” the alleged addiction because “scrutiny was rising.” The letter claims Connelly had a duty to make sure West got help.
“You failed to ensure that Ye received any follow-up medical care, detoxification, or referral to specialists to address the nitrous oxide dependency and neurological damage that you negligently, recklessly, or knowingly caused,” the letter states. “Ye suffered a severe worsening of his mental health due to your actions. He experienced increased confusion, mood instability, anxiety, and depression.”
The letter says West has sought or plans to undergo medical intervention to detoxify and recover, and it blames the nitrous gas dependency for “substantial financial losses” and problems in the couple’s marriage. “Due to the injuries you caused to Ye, Ms. Censori has been deprived of the companionship, support, services, and marital relationship of her husband during the period of his injury and recovery,” it states.
The letter demands that Connelly notify his malpractice insurance carrier so “they may assign counsel and participate in discussions toward resolution.” Cherkasky is representing West and Censori along with, Katie Cherkasky, his legal partner and wife.
West, 47, was once among the most respected and bankable artists in the music and fashion industries, working with other top artists and global brands including Adidas. He has since become known as a cultural and business pariah, making headlines for the far-right and antisemitic tirades he posts on social media.
From Rolling Stone US
