Cease-and-Desist Letter Sent to Beyonce

It could almost be a story out of The Onion, but it’s completely true. Shoemaker PMK designed a pair of sneakers for Beyoncé, called “King Beys,” made of calf hair and crocodile, anaconda, stingray, and ostrich skins. The company started marketing the shoes on its website, and, incredibly, told consumers that “[n]o animals were beaten, harmed, or killed” for the shoes. I think the five different species of animals who were most certainly beaten, harmed, and killed for the shoes would beg to differ.

In response, PETA’s legal counsel has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Andre Scott, the CEO of PMK, demanding that the company immediately stop issuing false and misleading statements to customers or face legal action.

If Scott and other executives are in doubt, PETA invited them to watch our video exposé “Cold-Blooded Horrors,” narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, which shows how many of the exotic animals they used are beaten, stabbed, and flayed alive.

PMK isn’t exactly known for being a by-the-book company. On January 23, Ohio’s attorney general filed a lawsuit against it and Scott for violating customer protection laws. The suit alleges that consumers paid for but did not receive products nor did they receive refunds from the company. PMK also received an “F” rating from the Better Business Bureau.

We’re giving PMK an “F,” too—for “false,” “fraudulent,” and “facing a lawsuit.”