The East District Federal Court of New York sentenced Haitian musician Dener Ceide and his company Dener Ceide Productions Inc. to pay $1 million for illegal use of the trademark « Zafem », owned by Wiss Joseph and Marie Joseph. A standing injunction now prohibits him from using the name or similar name.
The Zafem conflict has seen a major judicial outcome in the United States. In a judgment of 17 September 2025, the Federal Court of the East District of New York ruled in favour of Wiss Joseph and Marie Joseph, owners of the registered Zafem World Entertainment brand, against Dener Ceide and his production company.
According to the official documents available on law.justia.com (case 1:24-cv-06572), the court found that the artist had violated the Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. S1117), a reference law governing intellectual property and trademark protection in the United States. The judge ordered $1 million in damages for voluntary trademark infringement.
In addition to the financial sanctions, the court issued a standing order prohibiting Dener Ceide and any associated entity from using the name « Zafem » or any other name likely to cause confusion to the public. This decision, unprecedented for a Haitian artist working on the international scene, illustrates the rigour of the American legal system with regard to artistic property.
According to the Konpa Events platform, Dener Ceide never appeared before the court despite a summons from 2024 issued by the judge in charge of the case.
W.A.
