Papparazzi Named in Lawsuit for Giving Heath Ledger Cocaine - So They Could Film Him Using
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Photo: Laldu
The Splash News and Pictures Agency could be made to forfeit more than a million dollars earned from the sale of a video showing the deceased star talking about his drug use.
LA based Splash News and Pictures Agency is on the receiving end of a million dollar lawsuit for allegedly supplying deceased actor Heath Ledger with cocaine so they could film him using the drug, without his knowledge or consent.
Under California law, proceeds made off an illegal activity can be seized – and the lawsuit alleges that the photo agency has made upwards of a million dollars from selling the video tape of Ledger using and talking about his drug use.
The suit has been filed by a woman who was at the time employed by the photo agency, and participated in the entrapment scheme. She reports that she and two photographers secured the cocaine and invited Ledger to a hotel room to use the drugs after an awards party. She says that while Hedger used the drug, one of the photographers secretly filmed him from the balcony.
The plaintiff's attorney commented on the case, saying, “This is bad stuff. You don’t give drug addicts drugs so you can then tape them.”
The plaintiff is seeking damages, saying that the incident has damaged her reputation, and that she was an unwitting participant in the scheme. She has not been named other than as "Jane Doe".
The Splash News and Pictures Agency had no comment on the lawsuit.
