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The call girl involved in the scandal that brought down former New York
Gov. Eliot Spitzer sued Joe Francis, the founder of "Girls Gone Wild"
series, claiming he exploited her image and name to promote the sexy videos.
Ashley Alexandra Dupre, who is now 22, said she was only 17 at that
time, therefore she "did not understand the magnitude of her actions, nor
that her image and likeness would be displayed in videos and DVDs.”
The lawsuit also says she did not have the appropriate age to sign
legally binding contracts.
Francis declared he was very surprised by the lawsuit, as his company
had not released any new video of Dupre, "due to corporate policy of not
using footage of individuals younger than 18." He also said Dupre gave her
consent on the video and provided identification.
"She's seeking $10 million
for topless photos taken in front of a room full of people, including two
newspapers and multiple crews we had in the room," said Francis, according
to People magazine. "These images were taken in public places and contain
no sexual contact. We expect to triumph in this matter."
After Dupre became famous due to the scandal involving Governor Spitzer,
Francis offered her $1 million to appear in a "Girls Gone Wild" video
and go on a promotional tour, but he withdrew his offer when he realized he
already had video material from 2003 featuring Dupre. Francis said Dupre spent
one week on a "Girls Gone Wild" bus and made several videotapes after
signing release papers.
Francis became famous for creating a soft porn empire using footage of
young girls in sexually provocative situations, usually exposing their breasts.
Dupre gained notoriety in March, after she was identified as an
expensive call girl named "Kristen," who was hired by Governor
Spitzer several times. The ex-governor was known as "Client 9" in the
documents and resigned a few days after the scandal occurred.
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