Diplo sued, accused of distributing revenge porn over 5 years
An unnamed woman has sued Diplo, claiming she is a victim of revenge pornography distributed by the Grammy-winning DJ and music producer.
In a complaint filed in California federal court Thursday and obtained by USA TODAY, Jane Doe — a New York resident — accused 45-year-old Diplo, whose real name is Thomas Wesley Pentz, of distributing intimate images of her and engaging in gender violence.
The accuser claims to have started a sexual relationship with Diplo over Snapchat in 2016, when she was 21, and exchanged intimate photographs until October 2023. Jane Doe alleges that "on some occasions" she gave him permission to record their sexual encounters but did not consent to him distributing the footage.
Doe accuses Diplo of sharing sexual videos of her between 2018 and 2023 without her knowledge or consent. After a third party allegedly reached out to Doe in November 2023 claiming to have received sexual videos and images depicting her, Doe says she reported Diplo to the New York Police Department for disseminating intimate images, per the lawsuit.
USA TODAY has reached out to the NYPD as well as representatives for Diplo for comment.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
Vanity Fair was first to report the news.
The DJ — known for collaborating with celebrities such as Beyoncé ("All Night," "Hold Up"), Justin Bieber ("Where Are Ü Now") and Tiësto and Busta Rhymes ("C’Mon") — is also part of the supergroup Major Lazer and one-half of the duo Jack Ü, which he formed with Skrillex.
Other accusations against Diplo
According to Jane Doe's filing, she seeks "to recover for the emotional and physical injuries she endured because of Diplo’s actions and to make sure no one else is forced to suffer the privacy invasions and physical and mental trauma she felt and continues to feel to this day."
She is seeking compensation for damages and a jury trial, per the lawsuit.
One of Jane Doe's attorneys, Helene M. Weiss, said in a statement shared with USA TODAY, "Tragically, this is not the first time the defendant has shamed and violated a woman by disseminating intimate images without her consent.
"Diplo's alleged illicit pattern of behavior illustrates the harm he's caused Jane Doe, and other young women just like her. Our client deserves justice, and she’s hopeful that this litigation may serve as a catalyst in ending the defendant's repeated victimization of women once and for all."
Diplo has been in a legal battle in Los Angeles court with a woman named Shelly Auguste since 2020. According to court documents reviewed by USA TODAY, in November of that year, August filed for a domestic violence restraining order against Diplo. The following month, the DJ asked the court to grant him a restraining order against Auguste.
According to a 2021 Buzzfeed News report, both restraining orders were granted. In April 2021, Diplo sued her, alleging stalking and trespassing. Nearly two months later, Auguste filed a new lawsuit against him, in which she reportedly accused him of sexual battery and assault.
In September 2022, an arbitrator reportedly recommended the court award $1.2 million in damages to him after Auguste allegedly violated the terms of the restraining order, per Billboard and Pitchfork.
Court records reviewed by USA TODAY show Diplo filed a civil harassment petition against Auguste in August 2023. The following month, according to Pitchfork, Auguste filed a lawsuit against Diplo accusing him of revenge porn. Court records show several different ongoing cases between the two.
Diplo has denied previous misconduct accusations
In response to Auguste's accusations, in October 2021 Diplo posted on Instagram detailing his denials of her various claims. He called her "an obsessed fan of mine."
After I relinquished all contact with her, it appears that her only purpose in life has been to disrupt my work, my business, harass me and my close friends and attack me and threaten my family."
He said they had "a night of consensual sex" then exchanged texts for a few months after. He added that in April 2021, he sued Auguste accusing her of stalking, trespassing and distributing revenge porn.
In a 2023 statement to Pitchfork, one of Diplo's attorneys, notable Hollywood lawyer Bryan Freedman, described Auguste's police report claiming revenge porn "an ongoing smear campaign" against Diplo.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
