Tyra Banks Seeks Sanctions in D.C. Ice Cream Lease Dispute

Tyra Banks is asking a judge to sanction a Washington, D.C., landlord after he dropped a multimillion-dollar lawsuit tied to her ice cream company, Smize & Dream.

In new court filings, Banks is seeking more than $50,000 in sanctions, claiming the landlord wrongfully sued her in what she calls a “celebrity shakedown.”

The dispute began in October 2025, when building owner Christopher Powell, through his company, sued Banks and her boyfriend and business partner, Louis Bélanger-Martin. Powell alleged the couple signed a 10-year lease in April 2024 to open a flagship Smize & Dream location inside his Washington, D.C., property.

According to the lawsuit, Powell spent thousands of dollars preparing the space and turned away other potential tenants. He claimed Banks later opened a store in Sydney, Australia, instead and abandoned the D.C. location in June 2024 without paying rent. Powell sought more than $2.8 million in damages, accusing Banks of using her celebrity status to discourage legal action.

Banks denied the allegations, saying she legally terminated the lease for valid reasons. She also argued that the landlord knew she lives in Australia — a move she says was widely publicized — and had no meaningful ties to Washington, D.C., where the case was filed.

The landlord voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit in December. Now, Banks wants the court to order sanctions, arguing she should not have had to defend herself against what she describes as an improper and costly legal action.

A judge has not yet ruled on her request.