Oak Park man ordered to pay $500K in 'revenge porn' suit

Mike Martindale, The Detroit News
·2 min read

Apr. 8—A Maryland woman has won a $500,000 judgment against her ex-boyfriend for posting nude photos and videos of her on a pornography website, according to ruling issued by an Oakland County judge.

Circuit Judge Phyllis C. McMillen ordered a 39-year-old Oak Park man to remove from the Internet any such content published without the woman's consent and destroy any similar material he had in his possession. He had published the 35-year-old woman's nude photographs and videos on a pornography website.

The Detroit News is not identifying the man to protect the woman's identity.

McMillen ruled the woman enjoys copyrights to the photographs and videos and that her ex-boyfriend could be jailed for contempt of court if he doesn't comply with the court order.

The woman's attorney, Kyle J. Bristow of Mt. Clemens-based Bristow Law, has written a book to assist victims of such crimes — "The Revenge Pornography Victim's Guide to Removing Pictures from the Internet."

Bristow has obtained judgments in three similar "revenge porn" cases, ranging from $100,000 to $600,000. Bristow said in a news release that he has represented dozens of people — mostly young women — who have been victimized by revenge pornographers.

"My client is thrilled with the decisive legal victory we achieved," Bristow said. "When I go after a revenge pornographer, I am prepared to use all resources at my disposal to see the matter through to a just and equitable conclusion — and this never ends well for the cowardly punks who victimize women by publishing their nude photographs online."

In her complaint, filed in Oakland County Circuit Court in December, the woman alleged in June 2020 that her ex-boyfriend created a profile on the website PornHub and used it to publish her nude photographs and videos, which he had received from her during their relationship.

mmartindale@detroitnews.com

(248) 338-0319

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