Feb 17, 2024,01:32pm EST
Former Representative George Santos (R-N.Y.) Sues Jimmy Kimmel, ABC, and Disney Over Cameo Prank Videos
Former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), who was ousted from Congress, filed a lawsuit against Jimmy Kimmel, ABC, and Disney this week. Santos accuses the late-night host of fraud and copyright infringement after Kimmel’s team orchestrated a prank using personalized videos made by Santos on the app Cameo, where he claims to have earned hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Here are the key details:
In December, Kimmel introduced a segment called “Will Santos say it?” on his show. He aired videos of Santos responding to requests made by Kimmel through fake user profiles on Cameo, where fans pay for personalized messages.
Santos alleges that Kimmel’s use of these videos infringed on his copyright, as the terms of service on Cameo do not permit users to broadcast videos on national television.
Kimmel is accused of fraud by misrepresenting himself to obtain the videos for the purpose of capitalizing on and ridiculing Santos’ personality.
Santos seeks an injunction on the use of future videos, $150,000 in statutory damages for each alleged copyright infringement (totaling $750,000), and other unspecified actual and punitive damages.
ABC and Disney have not yet commented on the matter.
Santos’ lawyer, Andrew Mancilla, criticized Kimmel’s team for disregarding Santos’ rights, stating that it was unexpected behavior from a late-night comedy program.
In contrast, Kimmel previously joked about the possibility of being sued by Santos. He mentioned that Santos had demanded $20,000 in compensation after the first round of videos and joked about being sued for fraud.
Background:
Santos was expelled from Congress in December amid controversy over allegations of lying about his personal life, federal fraud charges, and a House ethics report accusing him of campaign finance violations.
Santos denies any wrongdoing and claims to have earned more money from Cameo than he did in Congress, where he earned a $174,000-a-year salary.
Notable:
- Democrat Tom Suozzi won Santos’ vacant seat in a special election, narrowing the GOP’s House majority.