Multi million pound law suit against Kim Kardashian shows dangers of court reports for social media stars too

Kim Kardashian is facing a lawsuit after mistakenly sharing the wrong man’s photo in a death row appeal, highlighting the serious risks of misidentifying individuals in criminal cases—a problem not just for journalists, but also for social media influencers with vast audiences.

The reality star, who has become an outspoken advocate for criminal justice reform, is being sued for libel, slander, emotional distress, and invasion of privacy after she wrongly linked an innocent man’s face to a convicted murderer.

The case was filed in California state court by Ivan Cantu, a senior project manager from New York, after Kardashian used his image in a February 2024 Instagram post urging followers to sign a petition to stop the execution of Texas death row inmate Ivan Cantu.

Instead of using the correct image of the condemned man, she posted a photo of the wrong Ivan Cantu—a private family man with two daughters—who had no connection to the case.

The mistake, broadcast to over 350 million followers, wrongly identified an innocent man as a convicted killer, drawing attention to the growing dangers of misidentification in criminal reporting, whether by journalists or social media personalities.

Cantu’s lawyer Greg Sobo said his client was already grieving the loss of a close family member when the error occurred, making the impact even more devastating.

The lawsuit alleges that Kardashian’s negligence and recklessness caused Cantu serious harm, leaving him with anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and the need for counselling.

His lawyers argue that few things could be more damaging to someone’s reputation than being falsely linked to a double murder.

The complaint claims Kardashian’s actions exposed Cantu to hatred, contempt, ridicule, and obloquy by incorrectly associating him with a convicted criminal.

After discovering the mistake, Cantu had to take to Facebook to publicly deny the claims, stating: “To all my friends and family, I am not getting executed. Some idiot who runs @kimkardashian used my picture of Ivan ‘Abner’ Cantu.”

The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages and a jury trial, arguing that Kardashian should be held accountable for misusing social media in a way that inflicted serious harm.

Kardashian’s lawyer Michael Rhodes has responded to the lawsuit, calling it a simple mistake that was quickly corrected.

He said the image was taken down almost immediately once the error was discovered and suggested that the issue should be resolved without litigation.

Cantu has not specified how much he is seeking in damages, but with Kardashian’s estimated net worth at $1.7 billion, any settlement could be significant.

The case highlights the wider problem of image misidentification in criminal reporting, an issue that traditionally affects journalists but is now a growing risk for high-profile social media figures who weigh in on criminal justice cases.

Kardashian, who has been studying law and played a key role in securing the release of prisoners such as Alice Marie Johnson, has been vocal about wrongful convictions.

She made the Instagram post as part of a campaign to prevent the execution of the real Ivan Cantu, who was sentenced to death for the 2000 murders of his cousin and his cousin’s fiancée.

Despite maintaining his innocence and gaining the backing of campaigners such as Sister Helen Prejean and actor Martin Sheen, Cantu was executed just days later in Texas.

In his final words, he insisted he had been wrongly convicted, stating: “I never killed James and Amy. If I did, or if I knew who did, you would have been the first to know.”

Following his execution, Kardashian took to X to say: “Ivan Cantu was executed. Someone I believe is an innocent man. My prayers go out to his family and loved ones and everyone involved.”

The lawsuit now raises critical questions about responsibility in criminal case reporting and whether social media personalities should be held to the same standards as professional journalists when identifying individuals in high-profile legal cases.