Former Congressman George Santos Sues Jimmy Kimmel over Fake Cameo Requests
Disgraced former New York Representative George Santos has filed a lawsuit against late-night host Jimmy Kimmel for allegedly violating copyright law by generating fake requests on the celebrity video app Cameo.
Allegations of Copyright Infringement and Fraudulent Inducement
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in New York, names Jimmy Kimmel, ABC, and Walt Disney Co. as the defendants. Santos accuses Kimmel of copyright infringement, fraudulent inducement, breach of contract, and unjust enrichment.
In a statement on X, Santos states, “If you don’t stand up for yourself, you will always lose! That’s what I’m doing with this lawsuit. I’m standing my ground and fighting to uphold my legal rights. Jimmy boy thought he could use fraudulent means to violate my copyrights, and now he’s going to face the consequences. It’s really that simple. My legal case is unassailable, there’s no question I am in the right.”
The Origin of the Lawsuit
The lawsuit centers around Santos’ activity on Cameo, a platform that allows users to pay celebrities for customized videos. Santos, who was expelled from Congress due to an ethics scandal, joined Cameo shortly after. Within just two days, he claimed to have earned enough videos to surpass his former congressional salary.
According to the lawsuit, Santos received at least fourteen fake video requests from Kimmel’s fake accounts in early December. These requests included congratulatory messages for cloning a schnauzer named Adolf and for eating “six pounds of ground beef in under 30 minutes.” Kimmel later showcased these videos on his show in a segment called “Will Santos Say It?”
Kimmel’s Response and Legal Action
A lawyer for Santos had previously sent Kimmel a cease-and-desist letter, referring to him as a “sneaky little trickster.” In the lawsuit, Santos accuses Kimmel of violating Cameo’s terms of service and infringing on his copyright. Santos is seeking $750,000 in damages.
During one of his show segments, Kimmel joked about the possibility of facing legal action. He said, “Could you imagine if I get sued by George Santos for fraud? I mean, how good would that be? It would be like a dream come true. So, since I started buying his videos, his rates went way up to $500 a piece. He should be thanking me for buying these videos.”
Santos responded to the news of the lawsuit and said to The New York Post, “Jimmy, sorry that my Christmas gift to you came late, but here’s to making wishes come true. I hope you enjoy reading your lawsuit for fraud that you’ve been looking forward to.”