Kat Von D says Jeffree Star refused to pay artist for logos

LOS ANGELES, July 20 (UPI) — Kat Von D says she cut ties with longtime friend Jeffree Star after he refused to pay an artist who worked on his makeup line.

The 34-year-old celebrity tattoo artist accused the 30-year-old makeup artist of using friend and graphic designer B.J. Betts’ artwork for his logos in a YouTube video Tuesday after publicly ending her friendship with Star on social media.

“I introduced Jeffree to B.J. … B.J. drew up his logos and then Jeffree went forward with them — the logos you guys see now on all of the caps of his lipsticks — and then never, never paid B.J.,” Von D claimed. “B.J. would call him and basically, Jeffree blocked his phone.”

“The way that Jeffree chooses to live his life and treat other people is not something that I personally agree with,” she said. “Being associated with somebody who does do the things that he does, it really makes me nervous, because I don’t want my fans or followers to think that that’s a good example.”

Star, who launched his makeup line, Jeffree Star Cosmetics, in 2014, responded to Von D’s claims shortly after she posted the video. The makeup artist denied stealing the logo, causing Von D to further accuse him of lying.

“There is no beef with BJ. We worked together in 2014 on an idea and someone else took over. Everyone’s been paid. #chillout,” he tweeted. “I never stole my logo. Where’e the receipts??? Where’s the lawsuit?? I created my brand in 2014. The truth is not in her video.”

“Jeffree. Please, do yourself a favor and stop lying,” Von D wrote in response. “BJ texted me that you reached out w a settlement proposal an hour after I posted video so things are not ‘settled’ just yet. Would it be so hard to, for once, sincerely just apologize, make things right and move on?”

Von D also accused Star of “promoting drug use, racism, and bullying” in the initial post ending their friendship. The tattoo artist is known for the reality show L.A. Ink and launched her own makeup line, Kat Von D Beauty, in 2008.