Breaking Down the George Santos vs. Jimmy Kimmel Lawsuit
George Santos was an American politician until his expulsion from the legislature in December 2023. He represented New York’s 3rd congressional district in Congress. He recently sued Jimmy Kimmel for allegedly deceiving him.
Jimmy Kimmel hosts his late-night show. George Santos sued him for allegedly deceiving the former rep. The lawsuit alleges Kimmel induced Santos to make cameo videos and improperly broadcasted them on his show. Santos also sued him for posting them on social media.
So how did the Jimmy Kimmel lawsuit happen, and did he do what George Santos accused him of? Keep reading to find out.
How Jimmy Kimmel “Deceived” Former Congressman George Santos
A few days following the House’s vote to remove Santos from office, he signed up for the celebrity video messaging service Cameo, where he receives payment for creating customized video greetings. According to the lawsuit, Santos made fourteen Cameo videos in December after Kimmel asked for them, using fake identities and profiles.
The lawsuit also claimed that defendant Kimmel had deceived Plaintiff Santos. He claims he lied about who he was and why he asked him to make the personalized videos. Santos alleged Kimmel did this to make fun of and capitalize on his outgoing nature.
Kimmel boasted about purposefully misleading Santos and capitalized on the irony of facing a fraud Jimmy Kimmel lawsuit from Plaintiff, saying it would be a ‘dream come true.’
More About the Jimmy Kimmel Lawsuit
George Santos filed the Jimmy Kimmel lawsuit in the Southern District of New York last Saturday for copyright infringement, fraudulent inducement, breach of contract, and unjust enrichment, among others.
Defendants include Kimmel’s show producer, ABC, and Disney’s parent company. CNN has contacted Kimmel, ABC, and Disney representatives for comments, but there is no feedback yet.
Is George Santos Going to Win the Case Against Jimmy Kimmel?
Santos faced intense online scrutiny before and after his elections, as numerous news sites reported that he faked a large portion of his biography. According to a news article, he acknowledged lying about his work experience and educational background. After the swearing-in, both parties demanded his resignation.
The House of Representatives decided to remove Santos on December 1, 2023, after an investigation by the House Ethics Committee and also due to the federal criminal charges brought against him. Santos has 23 counts of fraud in two federal indictments, although he pleaded not guilty.
In this case, we don’t know yet because when it comes to legal matters, one cannot be too sure, as anything can happen. Nevertheless, let’s take a detailed look at what the law says concerning the content of the Jimmy Kimmel lawsuit.
The Law on Copyright Infringement
According to the law, any violation of an owner’s exclusive rights under the federal Copyright Act constitutes copyright infringement. This includes unauthorized downloading, uploading, sharing, or posting portions of a work protected by copyright. The penalties for violating copyright are:
- Infringers would pay the actual monetary value of damages and profits.
- Amounts ranging from $200 to $150,000 are provided by law for each infringed work.
- The infringer bears the full cost of court fees and legal fees.
- The infringement acts may be stopped by an injunction issued by the court.
- The unauthorized works may be impounded by the court.
- The violator may face jail time.
According to the civil lawsuit filed by Santos, ‘the defendants, under the pretense of fandom, voluntarily acknowledged misleading the Plaintiff and asking for customized videos, which they later shared on social media and national television for profit. These actions violated the terms of the original agreement and were considered copyright infringement.
So Santos is asking for a trial by jury in his Jimmy Kimmel lawsuit. He requests at least $150,000 in statutory damages for each infringement. There were also additional, undisclosed damages that will be decided at trial. In addition, he is asking for injunctions to prevent the defendants from violating his copyrights.
The Law on Breach of Contract
The law states that any deviation from the contractual terms and conditions of a contract constitutes a breach of contract. This could include a late payment or a more serious infraction, like the inability to deliver a promised asset.
The lawsuit against Kimmel claimed that the Cameo license agreement prohibits airing the videos on national television. According to the Jimmy Kimmel lawsuit, Kimmel’s team shared some of them on his show and then posted them on social media. So, is it a breach of contract? Well, we will know soon.
The Law on Fraud Inducement
For the fraud inducement, the law states that a plaintiff must allege that the defendant made a false or materially omitted factual statement with the intent of deceiving the other party into relying on it, that the other party reasonably relied on the false or materially omitted statement, and that the other party suffered harm as a result of that reliance.
The Jimmy Kimmel lawsuit alleged that Kimmel asked for the videos from Santos by using fake profiles and even boasted about deceiving him publicly. This might be the reason for the alleged fraud inducement against Kimmel.
The Law on Unjust Enrichment
The unjust enrichment definition of the Jimmy Kimmel lawsuit includes when Party A gives Party B a benefit without paying Party A the appropriate compensation as stipulated by law. In other words, Party A Santos is suing Party B Kimmel for allegedly not compensating him properly.
The law also requires the Plaintiff to show that the defendant was unjustly enriched at the Plaintiff’s expense.
Conclusion
As previously stated, one cannot be too certain in legal cases. So from the law viewpoints above, who do you think is at fault, and who will win the case? Stay tuned, as any new information concerning the case will be posted.