Daddy Yankee Accuses Raphy Pina of Diverting Millions in Royalties

Daddy Yankee’s Alleged $100 Million Fraud Case Against Estranged Wife Heads to Court in Puerto Rico 
Credit: Instagram/ @daddyyankee

Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez built one of Latin music most powerful careers under the name Daddy Yankee, and that legacy now enters a federal courtroom as his attorneys allege that millions of dollars in royalties were quietly diverted through a coordinated scheme that lasted for years.

As per El Nuevo Dia, 127 page lawsuit filed this weekend in federal court in Hato Rey accuses former manager and producer Rafael Raphy Pina Nieves along with several individuals and corporations of executing a plan that redirected royalty income from Daddy Yankee songs without authorization. The suit seeks 3 million dollars in damages and requests a jury trial under the federal RICO statute.

The Core Allegations

According to the complaint, Pina Nieves used his role as manager and label executive to insert himself into official authorship documents for multiple songs between 2004 and February 2025. Attorneys argue that these insertions allowed him to collect publishing rights and royalty income without contributing to the creation of the works.

The lawsuit names Daddy Yankee former wife Mireddys González Castellanos attorney Edwin Prado Galarza Andrés Coll Fernández and a group of affiliated publishing companies as co defendants. The filing alleges that fraudulent contracts manipulated split sheets and false copyright registrations were used to route money through various domestic and international entities.

Songs and Artists Named

The lawsuit lists 15 Daddy Yankee songs and 36 additional tracks from other artists in which Pina Nieves allegedly inserted himself as author or coauthor. The artists cited include Lito y Polaco, Tony Dize, Don Omar, Ñengo Flow, Natti Natasha, Maldy, Tego Calderón, Chencho Corleone, Wisin, Yandel, Tainy, DJ Urba, and the production duo Luny Tunes.

Attorneys stress that while some unrelated agreements did grant Pina Nieves legitimate royalty percentages none of the songs named in this case fall under those authorizations.

Intimidation and Discovery

The filing further claims that financial information was concealed from Ayala Rodríguez and that Pina Nieves enforced control through financial pressure and intimidation. The complaint describes alleged displays of firearms during meetings and instances of physical threats used to suppress resistance.

The lawsuit states that the alleged scheme came to light after Ayala Rodríguez regained control of El Cartel Records Inc. and Los Cangris Inc. in 2025 and discovered irregularities in publishing ownership and royalty distributions. The complaint also notes a separate ongoing state lawsuit against the González Castellanos sisters for alleged negligent management of those companies.

For an artist whose career has long been tied to ownership and independence the lawsuit places deeply personal business matters into public view. The federal case now moves forward as courts begin to weigh claims that could reshape how royalty disputes in reggaeton history are examined.

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