LOS ANGELES – A Redondo Beach celebrity photograph agency alleges a publisher used two photographs without a license or permission.
AKM-GSI Media Inc. filed a complaint on Sept. 20 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against Gannett Satellite Information Network LLC and Does 1-10 alleging copyright infringement.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that two of its photos of Taylor Swift were used by the defendant's USA Today website without consent or license from plaintiff. The plaintiff alleges it sent a demand letter that identified the infringement on Aug. 30, however, plaintiff has not received any correspondence from the defendants and the infringing photographs remain unabated to date.
The plaintiff holds Gannett Satellite Information Network LLC and Does 1-10 responsible because the defendant allegedly provided a means for users to unlawfully reproduce plaintiff's photographs, acted without permission or license to publicly display plaintiff's intellectual properties and acquired substantial ill-gotten commercial advantage and revenue as a direct result of their actions.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment against defendants, seizure order, accounting of defendants' profits, damages, attorneys' fees, costs, interest and further relief as the court may deem just. It is represented by Peter R. Afrasiabi of One LLP in Newport Beach and Joanna Ardalan of One LLP in Beverly Hills.
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Case number 2:16-cv-07071