In recent news, Guns ‘N’ Roses have been sued for alleged sexual harassment and copyright infringement.
As per court documents, Katarina Benzova, a photographer, has taken to file a complaint against the band for copyright infringement as well as sexual assault.
In the lawsuit, the photographer has taken to especially accuse Fernando Lebeis, the manager of the band, of allegedly perpetrating the entire thing.
In the complaint, Benzova talked about how she had opted to photograph the band on a freelance basis for no less than 364 concerts. All of these opportunities occurred between 2010 and 2022.
The court documents further explained that the band committed the crime of copyright infringement on the pictures taken by the photographer by reproducing, distributing, and publicly displaying them.
She further accused the band of creating derivative works from her photographs and using her images for licenses or sale to third-party publications after she terminated the band’s right to do so.
In the lawsuit, Benzova further claimed that the popular band took to altering the pictures she took to cover up their infringement. Thus, the members also tried to claim ownership over them.
Later in the suit, the photographer further alleged that Lebeis made several unwanted sexual advances toward her. In her words, this began shortly after he started managing the band in 2016.
But she claims that when she repeatedly rejected his advances, his behavior turned hostile. She recalled him calling her names, ridiculing her, and passing demeaning remarks.
According to Benzova, the manager went out of his way to lie to, humiliate, and bully her. She also alleged that he lowered her fee without giving her any notification and withheld her payment.
Moreover, the photographer said that when she tried to use written contracts with the band, he ignored her efforts.
Recalling even more acts of hostility, the creative artists claimed that Lebeis put her in cheap hotels during travel on purpose and demanded she pay out of pocket for various travel expenses that Team Brazil had agreed to cover.
In her words, he also refused to give her the credit she deserved for taking the pictures of Guns ‘N’ Roses.
Benzova took to adding that in October of last year, Lebeis cut ties with her, saying that there were budgetary concerns.
The photographer speculated that the firing and discrimination, as well as all his hostile acts, were only a part of the revenge that he exacted on her for rejecting his sexual advances.
According to Benzova, there was another photographer for the band who was not treated in the way that she was and had superior treatment to her.
In the lawsuit, she listed Team Brazil, the band’s holding company Gundam LLC, and the business, as well as Guns ‘N’ Roses itself, as the defendants.
As of now, neither the members of the band nor their manager have made any comment on the lawsuit or any allegations that have been made against them.
Meanwhile, the court has yet to make an announcement regarding the proceedings.
No comments:
Post a Comment