Inquiry investigates documents presented by Universal Music in action involving composer Toninho Geraes
The Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro opened an investigation to investigate suspicions of forgery in documents presented by the Universal Music Publishing in the process in which the Brazilian composer Toninho Geraes62 years old, accuses the British singer Adele36 years old, of plagiarism. The investigation was confirmed after the initial publication of CBN and seeks to clarify the authenticity of Adele’s signature and other documents.
+++ FIND OUT MORE: Court maintains injunction that suspends Adele’s song accused of plagiarism by Toninho Geraes
Toninho’s lawyers pointed out irregularities in a power of attorney presented by the defense of Universal Music and the other defendants, including Adele and the producer Greg Kurstin. According to the complaint, the document contains “erasures and interlines inserted by hand” and presents a mixture of languages, with the date recorded as “São Paulo, 19 December 2024”.
Furthermore, Toninho’s defense highlighted that there is no record of the presence of Adele, Greg or representatives of the record company in Brazil to sign the document on the indicated date. According to the lawyer Fredimio Biasotto Trottathe signatures on the document differ from the singer’s calligraphic patterns.
Procedural incident and investigation
Toninho’s lawyers presented a procedural incident to determine the authenticity of the documents, stating that the falsity or adulteration of the powers of attorney could invalidate the acts carried out in the name of Adele and the other defendants to date.
The police investigation aims to investigate possible crimes such as document and ideological falsification, use of false documents and procedural fraud. “If falsehood or adulteration is confirmed, the defendants are not qualified in the process, which may lead to the annulment of future acts”said Trotta.
Withdrawal of the song and request for compensation
The plagiarism case involves the song “Women”by Toninho Geraes, and the music “Million Years Ago”by Adele. The composer accuses the singer, producer Greg Kurstin, record label XL Recordings and distributor Universal Music of copyright infringement, asking for compensation of R$1 million.
In December 2024, the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice ordered the withdrawal of Million Years ago of digital platforms and stipulated a fine of R$50,000 for non-compliance. Universal Music has not yet responded to requests for clarification.
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
