Lindsay Lohan is in legal hot water again. She and her brother are being sued by the creator of a virtual closet app for stealing his idea.
Lindsay Lohan is no stranger to controversy and legal woes. The actress, who rose to fame in movies like "The Parent Trap" and "Mean Girls," was once touted as the next big thing. But a string of arrests and rehab stints associated with her alcohol addiction derailed her once-promising film career. She famously spent time in jail for violation of the terms of her probation in one of multiple DUI convictions, and was later sentenced to 120 days in jail for stealing a necklace from a jewelry store, although most of that sentence was cleared with community service
Now she is being accused of stealing something else, but instead of physical property, it is intellectual property this time -- an idea for an app. Fima Potik is suing Lindsay, her brother Michael Lohan Jr. and another friend of theirs for $60 million dollars for "breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and loyalty, and unfair competition" after he says they agreed to partner in his app business.
The app, called Spotted Friend, acts as a virtual closet, allowing the user to see into the wardrobes of different celebrities as well as those of their friends and family, and then purchase those same items online. The lawsuit also states that the app is developing "image recognition technology that allows users to identify clothing or accessories in photographs or social media feeds."
The lawsuit alleges that after a disagreement in which Micheal Lohan Jr. texted Potik that they wanted a bigger share of the business, the Lohan group then dissolved the partnership. The Lohans went on to develop a similar, competing app called Vigme using Potik's ideas and investors, including Ariana Huffington, despite the existence of a two-year confidentiality and noncompete clause in their original agreement with Potik.
The lawyer who represents Vigme and the Lohans, Ravi Batra, says the suit has no merit because the apps are not the same. He warned, "I look forward to holding Fima's feet to the legal fire and hope he is wearing fireproof clothing all the way to the appeals court."
