A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of several models, including two former Playboy Playmates, alleging that a Downey lounge used their images in promotions for the business without their permission.
The Norwalk Superior Court lawsuit alleges misappropriation of publicity and negligent hiring, retention and supervision by management at Bajas Ultra Lounge on Firestone Boulevard.
The suit was brought on behalf of the models by Timed Out LLC, a company that specializes in the protection of privacy and publicity rights of those in the talent and modeling industry.
The suit, filed Wednesday, seeks unspecified damages. A Bajas representative could not be immediately reached for comment.
The models represented by Timed Out in the suit are Andra “Ana” Cheri Moreland, Arianny Celeste Lopez, Brenda Lynn Geiger, Claudia Sampedro, Jessica Hinton, Jessica Burciaga, Marketa Kazdova, Rachel Koren, Rhian Sugden and Sandra Valencia.
Moreland and Hinton were Playboy Playmates of the Month in October 2015 and July 2011, respectively.
The club allegedly began using Hinton's image on the establishment's Facebook page in August 2017. The first Image depicts Hinton in a red, long-sleeve halter dress and was created to promote the club's “Secret Saturdays,” the suit states.
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In August 2019, the club allegedly used Hinton's image on its Facebook page to publicize its “Latin Fridays.”
In February 2018, the club started showing Moreland's image on its Facebook page, including one that depicts her with a “No Work of School” text box imposed over her chest with the alleged intent to promote Bajas' “No Work or School Monday” the suit states.
Bajas also allegedly used Moreland's image in 2019 to promote its “Shlumped Records Sunday Party,” the suit states.
In February 2019, Bajas allegedly used Koren's image in a “sexy, red plaid schoolgirl outfit” to publicize the club's “College Thursdays,” the suit states. Koren's image had the Bajas logo, name and the date of the event, the suit states.
Bajas allegedly used Lopez's image in October 2019 to give attention to an ad it placed in management's search for a new female bartender, according to the suit.
