Viacom has been slapped with a lawsuit by a photographer who says that the company jacked his photo of model-actress Ratajkowski, according to court papers obtained by TheWrap.
In the suit, filed in federal court in New York on Wednesday, New York-based photographer Steve Sands says that Viacom made unauthorized use of his photo of a lingerie-clad Ratajkowski.
According to the suit, the photo was published on the website MTV.it, in an article titled “Emily Ratajkowski: HOT Pictures.”
The lawsuit contends that the photo is hot in more ways than one.
“Sands is the author of the Photograph and has at all time been the sole owner of all right, title and interest in and to the Photograph, including the copyright therein,” the suit reads. “Viacom did not license the Photograph from Plaintiff for its website, nor did Viacom have plaintiff’s permission or consent to publish the photograph on its website.”
A spokesman for Viacom had no comment on the suit.
Alleging copyright infringement, the suit seeks unspecified damages and Viacom’s profits from the photo, or, alternatively, “statutory damages up to $150,000 per work infringed.”
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.
Emily Ratajkowski Gets Naked, People Get Angry: A Puzzling Timeline (Photos)
When model/actress Emily Ratajkowski ditches her clothes, things heat up -- including it seems, people's tempers. Read on for a history of Ratajkowski's tendency to spark anger with her nudity.
The Bare Facts: Ratajkowski busted onto the scene big-time in 2013, loaning her breasts to the video for the Robin Thicke tune "Blurred Lines." And unlike the song itself, nobody doubted their authenticity.
So Who's Complaining? A lot of people, actually. Like the song, the video was branded by some as sexist.
The Bare Facts: In a show of naked sisterhood with Kim Kardashian, Ratajkowski posed for a topless selfie with the reality TV queen in March, featuring both women sans blouses and flipping the bird.
So Who's Complaining? Media personality Piers Morgan, who took to Twitter and hissed, “Just a thought @KimKardashian @emrata – but you could always try wearing a little dignity?" The pundit added, "RIP Feminism."
The Bare Facts: In July, Ratajkowski appeared nude in a photo shoot as Lady Godiva for Harper's Bazaar. The spread was acompanied by an interview with Ratajkowski by feminist author Naomi Wolf.
So Who's Complaining? Morgan, again, who tweeted in response to the photos, "Do you want me to buy you some clothes? You look freezing.”
The Bare Facts: Photographer Jonathan Leder prepares to release a book of photos he shot of Ratajkowski in 2012. The book, slated for a Dec. 2016 release, features numerous photos of Ratajkowski in various states of undress.
So Who's Complaining? In a shocking twist that perhaps nobody saw coming, Ratajkowski herself. In a multi-part Twitter vent, Ratajkowski groused that the photos are being used without her permission, and called the book "a violation."
The Bare Facts: Viacom was hit with a lawsuit after a photo of Ratajkowski was published in an article on the website MTV.it titled "Emily Ratajkowski: HOT Pictures.”
So Who's Complaining? New York-based photographer Steve Sands filed the lawsuit against Viacom claiming unauthorized use of the photo. Alleging copyright infringement, the suit seeks unspecified damages and Viacom’s profits from the photo, or, alternatively, “statutory damages up to $150,000 per work infringed.”
The Bare Facts: Ratajkowski showed her love affair with food as we all would in our weaker moments, by wearing some lingerie and writhing around in some saucy spaghetti for Love Magazine.
Instagram @thelovemagazine
So Who's Complaining? Who else? Piers Morgan, and by extension, turn of the 20th Century British suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, who Morgan said in an angry tweet must be somewhere vomiting. Days later on "Good Morning Britain," Morgan called Ratajkowski a "global bimbo," stunned that she posts photos of herself in the name of feminism. Morgan's co-host Susanna Reid suggested he has a "personal vendetta" against the actress.
1 of 13
When the ”Blurred Lines“ beauty’s clothes drop, tempers tend to rise
When model/actress Emily Ratajkowski ditches her clothes, things heat up -- including it seems, people's tempers. Read on for a history of Ratajkowski's tendency to spark anger with her nudity.