Heather Hardy says she is legally barred from discussing her $10 million lawsuit against Jake Paul, but she used an Instagram post to claim she is the “first alive person diagnosed with CTE.”
“I’m not allowed to discuss the case,” Hardy wrote, adding that she has five lawyers fighting for her and that the case includes unreleased details she is legally prevented from defending or explaining. She also thanked donors, saying the money is going to “a very good cause.”
Her post did not say which fundraiser she meant. Her GoFundMe, launched in July with a $100,000 target, states that funds go toward rent, daily needs and stability while she focuses on her health.
What The Complaint Alleges
Hardy filed the 54-page complaint on September 23 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, according to Uncrowned and ESPN. It names Paul, Most Valuable Promotions, MVP COO Bryce Holden and Holden Boxing, and seeks more than $10 million over her August 2023 rematch with Amanda Serrano on the Paul vs. Nate Diaz card in Dallas.
The suit alleges MVP exploited Hardy’s financial position to make the fight after her longtime promoter, Lou DiBella, declined to help arrange it over safety concerns. Her claims include gross negligence and a violation of the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act. None of it has been tested in court.
MVP denies wrongdoing. The company told ESPN that DiBella arranged Hardy’s participation, that the athletic commission medically cleared her, and that MVP “followed applicable protocols for the fight.” That account conflicts with the complaint’s description of DiBella’s role.
Hardy has previously described diagnoses of post-concussion syndrome and traumatic brain injury in an April 2025 ESPN feature. None of the reporting on the complaint that we found cites CTE, and Hardy’s post did not say who diagnosed her or when.
