In a major legal twist shaking the Haitian music industry, acclaimed guitarist and producer Dener Ceide has been ordered by a U.S. federal court to pay $1 million in damages and immediately stop using the name “Zafem” for his popular band.
The ruling—issued in September 2024 but only recently surfacing—stems from a trademark infringement lawsuit filed by Haitian-American entrepreneurs Wiss and Marie Joseph, founders of Zafem World Entertainment. The case underscores the growing intersection of creativity, branding, and business in the Haitian Music Industry (HMI), where names tied to cultural identity increasingly carry commercial weight.
Founded in 2015, Zafem World Entertainment specializes in organizing concerts and events celebrating Haitian music, including konpa. The Joseph siblings registered a stylized “Zafem World Entertainment” trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in 2021, granting them exclusive rights to the name within the entertainment sector.
Meanwhile, Brooklyn-born prodigy Dener Ceide—whose guitar work has been featured on songs by Wyclef Jean and Eminem—teamed up with Haitian singer Reginald Cangé in 2023 to form the band Zafem. Their fusion of konpa, R&B, and jazz quickly gained traction after the release of their debut single “Dlo Dous” in May 2023 under Zafem Inc.
However, Ceide’s trademark application for the name Zafem was denied by the USPTO, citing a conflict with the Josephs’ prior registration. Despite receiving cease-and-desist letters, Ceide’s team continued using the name—a decision that ultimately led to the court’s finding of “willful infringement.”
On September 18, 2024, the Josephs filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York (Case No. 1:24-cv-06572-BMC), naming Ceide, Dener Ceide Productions Inc., and Zafem Music as defendants. The complaint alleged trademark counterfeiting, false designation, and unfair competition under the Lanham Act, asserting that the band’s use of Zafem misled fans and damaged the Josephs’ brand.
After Ceide’s team failed to respond, Judge Brian M. Cogan issued a default judgment on September 17, awarding $1 million in statutory damages and issuing a permanent injunction barring any future use of “Zafem” or similar marks. The ruling emphasized the need to prevent “irreparable injury” and to protect the public’s interest in clear branding.
The decision serves as a stark reminder to artists navigating the business side of music: creative expression alone isn’t enough—intellectual property matters.
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