Former Congressman George Santos has filed a lawsuit against late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, accusing him of fraud and copyright infringement over the use and obtainment of Santos’ Cameo videos. This legal action, initiated in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, also names ABC and Disney as defendants. The suit alleges fraud, breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and copyright infringement, seeking damages of at least $750,000.
According to the complaint, Kimmel allegedly used fake names and narratives to solicit video requests of Santos’ Cameos, which were then featured on his show. There are claims that Kimmel misrepresented himself as multiple users when making these requests, potentially violating the terms of service of the Cameo app and infringing on Santos’ copyright. The filing asserts that the late-night host aimed to capitalize on and ridicule Santos’ personality, and Santos alleges that he was misled into creating over a dozen personalized videos for Kimmel’s use, which were then showcased on the show.
Santos’ legal action follows his expulsion from the House of Representatives in December, after a year that saw him embroiled in fraud and other charges. The complaint alleges that Santos, following his departure from Congress, began producing personalized videos on the Cameo app, unknowingly fulfilling requests from Kimmel for $500 per video. The lawsuit claims that Kimmel’s actions were intended to ridicule the disgraced lawmaker on the show and capitalized on Santos’ gregarious personality.
After the House Ethics Committee’s report alleging a misuse of campaign funds on OnlyFans, Botox, and Hermes, Santos turned to social media platforms like Cameo to market his image. His lawsuit contends that Kimmel deceived him into making videos that were subsequently used to ridicule him on the late-night show. George Santos is seeking damages for the alleged fraud, breach of contract, and copyright infringement.
The legal battle between Santos and Kimmel underscores the dynamics of the digital age, as public figures navigate online platforms to both promote themselves and protect their image. The outcome of this case could have implications for the usage of personalized content obtained through user-driven platforms like Cameo, and the responsibilities of content creators in ethically and legally sourcing and using third-party content.
As the legal process unfolds, this dispute raises questions about the boundaries of digital content creation, the obligations of hosts and platforms to verify the authenticity of user content, and the potential consequences of deceptive or misuse of personalized digital content. These legal efforts also shine light on the evolving landscape of digital media and the complexities of protecting individual images and intellectual property in the age of online content consumption and distribution.
