Former Rep. George Santos has filed a lawsuit against TV show host Jimmy Kimmel, alleging that Kimmel deceived him into creating personalized videos on the Cameo platform that were later used to ridicule him on Kimmel's talk show. Santos is seeking at least $750,000 in damages for fraud, breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and copyright infringement. The lawsuit also names Walt Disney Co. and ABC as defendants.
According to the complaint, Kimmel submitted several video requests to Santos using fake identities, and five of these videos appeared on episodes of "Jimmy Kimmel! Live" and the show's social media platforms. The complaint alleges that Kimmel knowingly violated the personal use licenses for these videos by broadcasting them on national television.
Santos, who was expelled from the House of Representatives in December 2023 following allegations of fraud and an ethics report, began selling videos of himself on Cameo shortly after his expulsion. Initially priced at $75, Santos quickly raised the price to $150 and eventually to $500. As of February 2024, Santos is still operating on the platform, with his videos priced at $277.
Representatives for Santos, Kimmel, Walt Disney Co., and ABC did not respond to requests for comment. Kimmel joked about the lawsuit on a December 11 episode of his show, stating that Santos should be thanking him for buying his videos and increasing his rates. The lawsuit is ongoing, and the outcome remains to be seen.