Spitzer call girl sues 'Girls Gone Wild' for $10 million

[Jenna]

The call girl linked to the downfall of former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer sued the founder of the "Girls Gone Wild" series on Monday for $10 million, claiming he exploited her image and name to advertise the racy videos.

Ashley Alexandra Dupre, 22, contended in the lawsuit that she was only 17 — too young to sign legally binding contracts — and drunk on spring break in 2003 when she agreed to be filmed for "Girls Gone Wild" in Miami Beach.

Dupre "did not understand the magnitude of her actions, nor that her image and likeness would be displayed in videos and DVDs," says the lawsuit filed by Miami attorney Richard C. Wolfe.

The lawsuit filed in federal court in Miami names as defendants "Girls Gone Wild" founder Joe Francis, two of his companies and a man purportedly involved in creation of two Internet sites that the lawsuit contends improperly use Dupre's image to sell DVDs and other products.

Francis, 35, has built a soft porn empire filming and marketing videos of young women exposing their breasts and being shown in other sexually provocative situations, often at public events such as Mardi Gras or spring break beach locales.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Washington | California | Florida | Internet | North Carolina | DVDs | Miami Beach | Mardi Gras | Panama City | Panhandle | New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer | Girls Gone Wild | Joe Francis | Ms. Dupre

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Dupre gained notoriety in March when it came out that she was the high-priced call girl named "Kristen" named in court documents who was hired by Spitzer for at least one tryst at a posh Washington hotel. Spitzer, known as "Client 9" in the documents, resigned as New York governor a few days after the scandal broke.

Francis made a public $1 million offer for Dupre to appear in a "Girls Gone Wild" video and go on a promotional tour, then rescinded the offer after he realized he already had footage of Dupre from 2003. Dupre's lawyer warned she was only 17 when the video was shot, not 18 as Francis claimed.

Francis said in March that Dupre spent a week on a "Girls Gone Wild" bus and made seven full-length tapes after signing release papers. He also said he bought her a bus ticket home to North Carolina.

Francis said he was surprised by the lawsuit.

"It is incomprehensible that Ms. Dupre could claim she did not give her consent to be filmed by Girls Gone Wild, when in fact we have videotape of her giving consent, while showing her identification," Francis said in a statement.

He said the photos were taken "in front of a room full of people, including two newspapers and multiple crews we had in the room." Francis also said he would be happy to discuss the $1 million offer with her again.

The lawsuit claims Dupre is the victim of unfair trade practices, false advertising and unauthorized use of her likeness.

Francis is no stranger to legal problems in Florida. He spent a year in jail and was released in March after pleading no contest to child abuse and prostitution charges for filming underage girls in the Panhandle beach town of Panama City. Four women who claim they were 17 or younger when filmed have filed lawsuits there against Francis.

Francis also faces federal tax evasion charges in California. Prosecutors say companies controlled by Francis claimed more than $20 million in phony deductions in 2002 and 2003 and that Francis used offshore accounts to conceal income.

Spitzer call girl sues 'Girls Gone Wild' for $10 million

By Dan Steinberg, AP

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...l_N.htm?csp=34

[MacLean]

Cry me a river.

She flashed after giving consent and appearing with her ID, and now that she's famous (or infamous) she is upset about them using the tape.

[Wolven]

No lie...hey sweetie...your 15 minutes of fame are over.....

[MacLean]

No lie...hey sweetie...your 15 minutes of fame are over.....

Shrug, so long as I can still watch her video.

[Ducky]

If she wins, I hope they quit making their damn commercials.

[HudsonHawk]

Francis said in March that Dupre spent a week on a "Girls Gone Wild" bus and made seven full-length tapes after signing release papers.

Yeah, I bet she did.

[k-9max]

I think they should let me view that video multiple times, to determine if there is anything there that violates her rights.
i have a feeling that wouldnt be the only on her that got violated.

[Ender]

I was in the bar a couple weeks ago that Spitzer made the proverbial phone call from when he got busted.

They were selling 'Client Number 9' t-shirts, and I friggin forgot to buy one!

[Wolven]

Shrug, so long as I can still watch her video.

DORK

[Ender]

Cry me a river.

She flashed after giving consent and appearing with her ID, and now that she's famous (or infamous) she is upset about them using the tape.

She is suing so she doesn't become just another flash in the pan