Luke Combs sends $11,000 to a fan wrongfully sued by his company

Luke Combs is making amends with a generous payout of $11,000 — and counting — for a fan who was embroiled in a bizarre legal battle with his team.

The country star took to social media on Wednesday to address a recent headline about a Florida woman being sued for selling cups bearing his likeness on Amazon. According to the report of WFLA in Tampa, FloridaNicol Harness was among a handful of sellers who were targeted and ordered by an Illinois federal court judge to pay Combs $250,000 each. Harness said that by the time she was told about the business, it had already been closed.

“I was completely unaware of this,” Combs said Wednesday, saying he only learned of the situation two hours earlier, when he woke up at 5 a.m. to go to the bathroom.

The “Love You Anyway” singer explained that he has a team that targets “big corporations” that “run illegal businesses” and “make millions and millions of dollars” by selling counterfeit goods internationally.

“Apparently this woman, Nicol, got mixed up in that somehow and it absolutely sickens me,” Combs continued. “I was able to get Nicol’s phone number, I spoke to her this morning, she told me she was absolutely shocked by this. I’m so apologetic. Talking to her honestly makes me sick that this would happen.” That can happen. Especially around the holidays. I can’t imagine being in her shoes.’

According to the WFLA report, Pinellas-based Harness suffers from congestive heart failure and her only source of income is selling cups and shirts online. The report states that Harness began selling the Combs-inspired cups after attending one of his concerts and later purchased artwork online. She reportedly sold just 18 cups for $20 each, for a total of $380.

“It’s very stressful. I don’t have any money to pay my bills,” Harness told WFLA. ‘I just want this to be resolved. I meant Luke Combs no harm. I have stopped selling the cup. I took him down. I just don’t understand it.’

On Wednesday, Combs said he was willing to make a payment to Harness that same day with the promise of more to come.

“She told me there’s $5,500 in her Amazon account – I’m going to double that, send her $11,000 today,” Combs said. ‘Just so she doesn’t have to worry about anything. She was never meant to be involved in something like this. No fan should ever be involved in something like this.”

In solidarity, Combs said he would post his own original cup on his merchandise page later today, with all proceeds benefiting Harness and her family in an effort to help cover her medical bills.

“This is incredible,” Combs continued. “I was completely shocked when I saw this this morning. It makes me sick. This is not something I would ever do, this is not the kind of person I am. I am not greedy in any way, shape or form. Money is the last thing on my mind, I promise, and I’ve invited Nicol and her family to a show this year so I can give her a hug and say sorry in person.

Combs recently wrapped up the Luke Combs World Tour, with two nights in Tampa on July 7 and 8. He took his final bow in London, England, on October 20.

He will then kick off the Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour in April 2024.

Meanwhile, Combs is enjoying his first holiday season as a family of four with his wife Nicole gave birth to the couple’s second son in August. Baby Beau Lee Combs joins one-year-old big brother, Tex Lawrence Combs, to initiate their parents into the two under two club.

“Two under two is going to be interesting,” Combs told ET at the ACM Awards last spring. ‘But we have it. I’m excited.’