A former Miss West Virginia has won a $7.2 million verdict against nine Internet companies that tried to sell pornographic videos they falsely claimed featured her.
A jury in U.S. District Court in Clarksburg last week ordered each defendant to pay Allison Williams $800,000 for damaging the 2003 beauty queen’s reputation and invading her privacy.
Williams’ attorney is appealing U.S. District Judge Irene M. Kelley’s decision to dismiss 28 other defendants in the United States, Australia, the Netherlands, Belgium, Cayman Islands, Canada and South Africa that allegedly took part in distributing the bogus videos.
The videos surfaced in the fall of 2004. The videos show a woman that they claim to be, but isn’t Williams, engaged in sex in the back of a television news truck.
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Swiss Re: 100 Years After Miami Hurricane, Similar Storm Would Top $200B in Losses 
Fire, Heat Threaten Parts of US From North Dakota to California 
Deutsche Bank Settles Dispute With Ex-Top Manager Schiraldi 
Edmond de Rothschild Says Client Queries ‘Pouring in’ After Europe’s Wildfires 
Want to stay up to date?
Get the latest insurance news
sent straight to your inbox.