It’s a good thing royalties are still rolling in for the Kim Kardashian sex tape.
Because its main attraction may soon need all the money she can earn.
According to TMZ, Kardashian and her company Kimsaprincess, Inc. were hit with a pretty major lawsuit on Monday by someone named Hooshmand Harooni.
He claims he filed for, and was approved for, a patent back in 2013 for an “integrated lighting accessory and case for a mobile phone device.”
Why is this relevant?
Why should this sound familiar if you’re a follower of Kim Kardashian on social media?
Because this might as well be the description of the LuMee.
The LuMee is a product Kim has been pushing for years. It’s a small light that is affixed to one’s cell phone and is allegedly helps one take the perfect selfie.
This is true, based on Kardashian’s very public use of the accessory, whether you’re snapping pictures of your own cleavage…
… or whether you’re posing for a picture with a candidate for President:
In his lawsuit, Harooni claims he licensed his invention to a company called Snaplight, which is now getting destroyed in sales due to Kardashian’s more prominent product.
Snaplight and Harooni claim LuMee basically stole their patented technology and then made it an unfair fight by teaming up someone that possesses Kim’s Instagram reach and general fan base.
The legal documents go on to state that Kardashian is receiving a cut of LuMee’s profits and Harooni believes he deserves the same.
He’s seeking $ 100 in damages and in revenue he says he deserves.
However, a representative for Kardashian says this lawsuit is ridiculous. The reality star plans on fighting it every step of the way.
“The patent lawsuit filed by Snap Light has no merit and is just another attempted shakedown,” the rep tells TMZ, adding:
“Kim has done absolutely nothing wrong.”
That may be true.
It may very well be true that Kardashian had no idea someone else had taken out a patent on this invention when she agreed to help promote it.
Or it may be true that the case it simply without merit as a whole and no one involved with Kim’s company did anything wrong.
Either way, perhaps this will serve as a lesson to anyone who looks up to Kardashian.
She may or may not be guilty of any sort of illegal behavior in this case.
But when she talks about a product or a company in a Tweet or an Instagram message… she isn’t recommending anything out of the goodness of her heart.
She isn’t just a friend of yours, making a suggestion.
She’s a paid spokeswoman. You may want to keep this in mind.