George Santos, a former U.S. Representative, has accused late-night host Jimmy Kimmel of crossing the line with a joke and insists that he should be held accountable for his actions. According to the Associated Press, Santos, who was expelled from the House of Representatives, alleges that Kimmel utilized fake names and paid him to create Cameo videos, which Kimmel then mocked.
The complaint was lodged in Manhattan federal court on Saturday, with Kimmel, ABC, and Walt Disney Co. being named as defendants. The lawsuit claims that Kimmel, under false identities, engaged Santos to produce videos that would exploit and ridicule his outgoing nature.
🇺🇸GEORGE SANTOS SUES JIMMY KIMMEL OVER CAMEO CLIPS
George Santos has accused Jimmy Kimmel of duping him into making Cameo videos for late-night laughs.
Here are a few of the clips in question…
Source: NY Post pic.twitter.com/adze5W87cV
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) February 17, 2024
Kimmel reportedly acquired 14 videos at a price ranging from $400 to $500 per video.
“Santos, who was expelled from the House of Representatives last year after being charged with multiple counts of fraud and stealing from donors, is suing over alleged copyright infringement, fraudulent inducement, breach of contract and unjust enrichment,” the AP reported.
Following his removal from the House, Santos began creating personalized videos known as Cameo videos. He is pursuing a minimum of $750,000 in compensation.
“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,” Santos said to the New York Post.
“‘Frankly, Kimmel’s fake requests were funny, but what he did was clear violation of copyright law,’” Robert Fantone, an attorney for Santos, said in an email, according to the AP.
