FORT WORTH, Texas -- A Texas woman has reached a settlement with a former business partner who she claims defrauded her of her share of the multimillion sale of the erotic bestseller "Fifty Shades of Grey" and two companion novels.
Citing court records, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram says Jennifer Pedroza will receive at least $1.7 million. The settlement sets aside a judge's earlier ruling that awarded Pedroza $11.5 million in royalties and interest.
The Fort Worth schoolteacher operated an e-book business with others including Australian Amanda Hayward, and that business was the first to publish "Fifty Shades of Grey." A jury last year determined that Hayward cut Pedroza out of her share of the ensuing $40 million sale of the EL James trilogy to Random House.
