UFC Octagon Girl Arianny Celeste filed suit in the Southern District of New York against three strip clubs, Diamond Club Gentlemen’s Cabaret, Lace Gentlemen’s Club, and Stiletto’s. Celeste, who is joined by 24 professional models, are claiming deceptive trade practices, defamation, false endorsement, negligence, and unjust enrichment.
The suit centers on the allegation that the clubs used their photos without authorization, and with the implication that the women were strippers or were endorsing the businesses.
While Celeste has appeared in some somewhat suggestive videos like the one below, she has never stripped, nor has she ever endorsed a strip club.
Here is an image from the suit.
Text from the suit was obtained by BloodyElbow.
Celeste is an American model, business woman who is consistently recognized as one of the most popular personalities of the UFC, where she has worked as an Octagon Girl since 2006. Celeste is among the most sought after talents in the modeling world, having appeared on the covers of some of the world’s most famous magazines, including, Playboy, Maxim (United States, Korea, and Philippines versions), FHM (United States and Australian versions), and UFC Magazine. In addition to modeling, Celeste has hosted television shows, including the popular Velocity TV show, Overhaulin’, has appeared in short films, and has recorded original music.
Celeste is in an elite class of Social Media influencers with over 1.8 million Instagram followers, almost a half million Twitter followers and 3.1 million fans on Facebook, combined with her own personal website.
That we know of, Celeste is depicted in the photos in Exhibit X in order to promote Stilleto [sic] Nanuet on its Twitter and Instagram pages. These Images depict Celeste in sexually suggestive outfits, and were intentionally altered to make it appear that Celeste was either a stripper working at Stiletto Nanuet, or endorsed the club. This false appearance is bolstered by the fact that the Image depicts Celeste cooking on a grill, beside the copy: “THIS FRIDAY (and every Friday this summer) Don’t Miss the Stiletto Happy Hour BBQ from 4-7pm. Burgers and dogs on us!”
Celeste has never been employed at any of the Clubs, has never been hired to endorse any of the Clubs, has received no remuneration for Defendants’ unauthorized use of her Image, and has suffered, and will continue to suffer, damages as a result of same.
The other models listed as named plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Brooke Taylor, Cielo Jean, Jessica Burciaga, Dessie Mitcheson, Sara Underwood, Cora Skinner, Rachel Koren, Tiffany Toth, Danielle Ruiz, Clark Gilmer, Camila Davalos, Mariana Davalos, Jaime Edmondson, Laurie Fetter Jacobs, Jessa Hinton, Erica Schwegler, Ursula Mayes, Kim Cozzens, Jennifer Walcott Archuleta, Paola Canas, Rosie Jones, and Melanie Iglesias
