Former Congressman George Santos has initiated legal action against late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, accusing him of using deceptive tactics to obtain personalized Cameo videos and subsequently misusing them on his talk show.
Santos filed a civil lawsuit on Saturday, alleging copyright infringement, fraud, breach of contract, and unjust enrichment, with a demand for damages exceeding $750,000. The lawsuit, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, also includes Disney and ABC as defendants.
The lawsuit contends that Kimmel solicited Cameo videos under false pretenses, utilizing fictitious identities and narratives through fake user profiles. Furthermore, Kimmel allegedly selected personal use licenses for the videos with the intent to violate them by broadcasting and commercially exploiting the content on national television.
Kimmel began featuring Santos’ Cameo videos on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in December, notably showcasing them during a segment called “Will Santos Say It?” Additionally, Kimmel reportedly made jests about a potential lawsuit from Santos on a December 11 episode of his show, humorously raising the price of Santos’ videos and suggesting that Santos should appreciate the increased demand.
