Strip club stole photos of models from social media, portrayed them as dancers, suit says
.png "A Pennsylvania adult gentlemen’s club is being sued after 14 women say the business stole photos of them from social media and falsely advertised that the women worked there as dancers.")
An adult gentlemen’s club is being sued by 14 women who say the establishment stole their photos from social media and used them to promote the business by portraying them as dancers, according to a lawsuit.
Kandy’s Adult Playground, in Waterford, Pennsylvania, offers food and alcohol in an environment where nude or semi-nude women “entertain the business’ clientele,” according to a lawsuit filed against the business Oct. 24.
McClatchy News reached out to Bison Beer, Inc., which is listed as the defendant in the case, but did not immediately hear back.
The 14 plaintiffs are all women who work as professional models, the lawsuit says.
The women earn their livelihoods by “modeling and licensing (their) Images to companies, magazines, and individuals for the purpose of advertising products and services,” according to the civil complaint.
Without the models knowing, Kandy’s Adult Playground took photos from their social media accounts and used them to make it appear that the women worked at the club or was affiliated with it, the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit said that by using images of the models, it damaged their careers and deprived them of income they would have been owed for use of their photos. This is partly because the models use their social media accounts to market themselves and their brands, and several of the models have millions of followers online.
“Defendants have used, advertised, created, printed and distributed the Images of (the models),” the complaint said. “... At no point have any of (the models) ever been affiliated with or employed by Kandy’s and at no point have any of (the models) ever endorsed Kandy’s, or otherwise been affiliated or associated with Kandy’s.”
The lawsuit is asking for an undetermined amount in damages.
Waterford is about a 120-mile drive north of Pittsburgh.
