Jennifer Lopez is being sued for posting photos of herself taken by a paparazzi photographer who didn’t give the superstar permission to use those images.
Shutterbug Edwin Blanco and his photo agency, BackGrid USA, claim they own the rights to two shots J.Lo posted on Instagram showing her looking glamorous at a Golden Globe Awards after-party in January, according to Billboard.
The plaintiffs’ attorney contends J.Lo’s use of the photos was “commercial in nature” because she used them to promote herself and advantage her brand partnerships. The designer of the faux fur coat Lopez wore in the photos reportedly reposted the image.
A settlement agreement between the 55-year-old Bronx native and the parties suing her was allegedly reached after her team was contacted about the copyright infringement claim. But the photo agency and its photographer claim they never received compensation.
Attorney Peter Perkowski, who represents Blanco and BackGrid, said in his filing that he had a similar dealing with Lopez in 2019 when she allegedly used one of his client’s photos without permission. That matter was reportedly dismissed voluntarily in 2020.
The plaintiffs in this case could by law receive as much as $150,000 per wrongfully used photo, according to Billboard. Lopez hasn’t addressed the claim.
