Chipotle Faces $2 Billion Lawsuit For Allegedly Using Photo Of Woman Without Permission
This is probably not the best way for Chipotle start off the year, but the burrito bowl maven is in the middle of another lawsuit. This time, a woman is suing the fast-casual chain for more than $2 billion for using an image of her in a promotional photo she says Chipotle had no permission to use.
According to Grubstreet, Leach Caldwell of California is seeking a least $2,237,633,000 from the company for a photo taken by a food photographer Steve Adams in 2006. Caldwell alleges that Adams took a photo of her eating at a Denver Chipotle.
Caldwell refused to sign a form to use that image after her encounter with him, but discovered eight years later that the image of her was used as promotion at a Florida Chipotle store in 2014. Additionally, alcohol was digitally added to Caldwell’s photo in front of her.
Chipotle founder and CEO Steve Ells and Adams are named as defendants of the suit. The specific amount in her suit is a reflection of the company’s profits from 2006-2015.
