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Daily Beast Article on Unruly Agency Lawsuit

Daily Beast Article on Lawsuit Against Unruly Agency

July 26, 2021/in Social Media Litigation /by taulersmith

A recent Daily Beast article details a lawsuit filed by Tauler Smith LLP against Unruly Agency. The article provides significant background on the legal action, including allegations that the social media marketing agency negligently leaked nude videos and photos of one of its clients.

The Daily Beast Publishes Article on Tauler Smith LLP Lawsuit Against Unruly

The Daily Beast article offers a good introduction to the dangers posed by talent agencies like Unruly that take advantage of social media influencers. These agencies often promote themselves as being committed to “female empowerment,” and many aspiring models buy into that marketing slogan – only to later find their lives ruined.

Unruly Agency is a well-known talent agency that represents several prominent influencers on social media platforms like OnlyFans and Instagram. One of those clients, identified in the lawsuit as “Jane Doe,” recently enlisted L.A. social media litigation attorney Robert Tauler to file suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Doe is a 21-year-old model who initially hired Unruly to help build her social media presence before realizing that the agency was actually causing irreparable harm to her brand.

Disturbing Allegations in Legal Action Involving Social Media Talent Agencies Unruly and Behave

Jane Doe’s lawsuit alleges that both Unruly Agency and Behave Agency (a spin-off agency for smaller influencers) use shady business practices to take advantage of young models and online influencers looking for assistance with marketing and reaching their fans through subscription-only services such as OnlyFans.

The following are just a few of the illegal actions that Unruly Agency has been accused of in the Jane Doe lawsuit:

Posting an illicit video of the model to the public section on her OnlyFans page. The nude video was later leaked all over the internet.
Posting a “private” photograph of the model on someone else’s OnlyFans account.
Changing the model’s online payment information and rerouting OnlyFans income from her bank account to the agency’s bank accounts.
Threatening to ruin the model financially when she attempted to leave the agency.

Doe’s attorney, Robert Tauler, said that the people running Unruly and Behave “are basically pimps” who try to squeeze as much money as possible out of social media influencers. Tauler noted that in his client’s case, Unruly Agency even included a provision that allowed the company to take out a life insurance policy on the young model – something that Tauler had never encountered before in his legal career.

Despite the obvious allure of hiring a high-profile agency like Unruly, doing so could ultimately be harmful to a social media influencer’s career, financial bottom line, and emotional wellbeing. That’s one reason why it can be highly beneficial to consult with a qualified social media lawyer before signing any contract with an agency.

Contact the Los Angeles Social Media Litigators at Tauler Smith LLP

Tauler Smith LLP is a Los Angeles law firm that represents clients nationwide in social media litigation, business fraud disputes, and intellectual property matters. If you are a social media influencer who has been victimized by a talent agency, our experienced attorneys may be able to help you. Call 310-590-3927 or submit the firm’s contact form.

Model Accuses Unruly Agency of Exposing Nudes & Threats

July 24, 2021/in Press /by taulersmith

Unruly Agency reps some of the biggest influencers on Instagram and OnlyFans. But content creators are warning others to stay far away, and one model is suing the agency.

With the likes of influencer Tana Mongeau, YouTuber Daisy Keech, Too Hot to Handle cast member turned TikTok provocateur Harry Jowsey, the Clermont Twins, and dozens of other social media stars and models on its roster, the Unruly Agency seems to be the place that could take an influencer’s brand to new heights.

But clients and contractors who worked with Unruly and Behave Agency—Unruly’s spinoff for smaller influencers—are warning others against signing with either of the firms, citing sketchy business practices and a ruthless cash-grab attitude.

Read the full article on The Daily Beast.

Tauler Smith LLP Files OnlyFans Lawsuit Against Unruly Agency

July 16, 2021/in Social Media Litigation /by taulersmith

Tauler Smith LLP, a Los Angeles law firm that represents clients nationwide, recently filed a lawsuit against Unruly Agency and Behave Agency, two marketing firms for aspiring models and social media influencers. At the heart of the case is an allegation that the talent agencies took advantage of a young model by exerting undue control over her finances and by threatening her when she wanted to leave the agencies.

Unruly Agency and Behave Agency Accused of Exploiting OnlyFans Model

The model bringing the legal complaint against Unruly and Behave is being identified in court documents as “Jane Doe” to protect her privacy. According to Jane Doe, she hired the talent agencies to assist her with marketing her content on the OnlyFans social media platform, which allows fans of a model or influencer pay a monthly fee to subscribe and access exclusive content from that model.

After enlisting Unruly and Behave to help her sell content on OnlyFans, Jane Doe reported that the talent agencies quickly took complete control of her finances. The agencies also allegedly leaked sexually explicit content of the model without her consent. When she tried to sever the business relationship, they would not allow it: they are accused of threatening the model “with humiliation and financial ruin” if she ever attempted to leave, including the distribution of private sexual materials, videos, and photographs.

The official legal complaint against Unruly and Behave was filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court on July 15, 2021. The lawsuit raises a number of legal claims, including:

Business Fraud
Unfair Business Practices
Negligence
Invasion of Privacy
Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress

Jane Doe is asking the court to award both general and punitive damages in the case, in addition to issuing a preliminary injunction against the Defendants.

L.A. Business Fraud Lawyer Robert Tauler Represents Artists, Models, and Influencers in Social Media Litigation

Attorney Robert Tauler is one of the founders of Tauler Smith LLP, and he has extensive experience representing clients in litigation involving social media, business fraud, and intellectual property disputes. Mr. Tauler is the attorney representing Jane Doe in her lawsuit against the powerful talent agencies. Tauler did not mince words when discussing the behavior and actions of Unruly and Behave, calling them “modern day pimps” who “operate in the shadows of the cloistered COVID economy.”

You can view the legal complaint that was filed in L.A. County Superior Court.

Contact the Los Angeles Social Media Lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP Today to Discuss Your OnlyFans Case

Artists, models, and social media influencers who use the OnlyFans platform may find that they need a qualified attorney to protect their interests. If you are the victim of an unscrupulous talent agency, or if you simply need a lawyer to review your OnlyFans contract, call 310-590-3927 or fill out the contact form.

Tauler Smith LLP Sues Chase Bank & SBA for PPP Loan Fraud

April 20, 2020/in Business Disputes /by taulersmith

The business fraud attorneys at Tauler Smith LLP recently filed a lawsuit against Chase Bank for PPP loan fraud. The civil suit alleges that JPMorgan Chase committed fraud by helping its rich clients at the expense of small business owner clients. Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds made available in response to the coronavirus pandemic were supposed to be distributed on a “first come, first served” basis. But that’s not what happened. Instead, Chase Bank gave preferential treatment to their larger clients, while making misrepresentations to small businesses that ultimately resulted in loans being delayed and denied when the funds ran out. Tauler Smith LLP is representing the plaintiff in this case, as well as other small businesses who were denied PPP loans.

To learn more about the PPP fraud lawsuit filed against Chase Bank, keep reading.

Tauler Smith LLP Files Lawsuit Against Chase Bank for PPP Loan Fraud

The plaintiff in the civil suit is Outlet Tile Center, a California business with six (6) employees. Outlet Tile Center provides flooring for homes and businesses, and they do their banking with Chase. The business fraud lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP filed this lawsuit on behalf of the plaintiff, who was denied an opportunity to receive much-needed financial help because of the defendants’ fraud.

Click here to view the lawsuit.

Chase Bank Accused of Unfair Business Practices

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the United States Congress passed several laws that affected businesses. For example, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) and appropriated $340 billion in funds to be distributed to small businesses who needed help covering payroll. According to the lawsuit, by the time Chase Bank’s online portal opened to small businesses, the bank had already personally solicited and submitted all of the loans for its rich clients.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. received significant fees for all PPP loans they processed, so they had an incentive to push through loan applications of their rich clients. In just two (2) weeks, Chase made over $700 million in fees. Moreover, Chase had no incentive to review any of the applications and verify if the information was accurate. According to a government report, the average approved loan for Chase through this program was over $500,000. These were not the kinds of small businesses that were supposed to be receiving help through the CARES Act.

U.S. Small Business Administration Accused of PPP Loan Fraud

The other named defendant in the case is the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), a federal agency that exists for the purpose of supporting small businesses throughout the country. One of the ways in which the SBA provided financial assistance to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic was through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which received additional funds through the CARES Act. The SBA allowed companies to apply for emergency PPP loans so that they could maintain their workforces even as coronavirus was causing many offices to shut down for an extended period of time. The idea was that the companies would use a certain percentage of the funds to pay their employees, and then the federal government would relieve them of the need to repay the loans.

Billions of dollars were allocated for the loans, and they were meant to help small businesses. Unfortunately, a lot of larger companies found ways around the restrictions and ended up taking a lot of that money – at the expense of the smaller businesses for which the loans were originally intended. In fact, just two (2) weeks after the PPP loans were made available, the funds had already been exhausted. This meant that many small business owners never had an opportunity to get the financial assistance they desperately needed during COVID. A lot of those small businesses were forced to close permanently, and their workforces were laid off.

Contact the California Business Fraud Lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP

If you are a small business owner who was defrauded by Chase Bank or any other entity committing unfair business practices, the attorneys at Tauler Smith LLP can help you. Call 310-590-3927, or send an email to schedule a free consultation.

Payment Protection Program (PPP) Lawsuit

April 17, 2020/in Business Disputes /by taulersmith

California law firm Tauler Smith LLP is representing small businesses that did not obtain funding through the Payment Protection Program (PPP). These PPP loans were intended to benefit small businesses impacted by COVID-19, but many small business owners did not receive the funds they were promised. If you were denied a PPP loan, our experienced business fraud attorneys can help you file a lawsuit.

Small Businesses Denied PPP Loans May Be Able to Sue

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was supposed to distribute PPP loans to small businesses who needed the funds to cover payroll and avoid layoffs during the coronavirus pandemic. These loans had favorable terms, and they were administered by the government and banking institutions under the CARES Act. On April 16, 2020, the government announced that the program ran out of funding. In some cases, this was due to fraud by the financial institutions that were processing the loans.

Contact the California Business Fraud Attorneys at Tauler Smith LLP

If you are a small business owner who applied for PPP funding through a lender and have been denied funding, you may have standing to file a lawsuit to obtain the funding that was promised. To learn more about potentially being a plaintiff in class action litigation, fill out the questionnaire below. A member of our team will then contact you. (The information you provide below is confidential and will not be shared with anyone outside Tauler Smith LLP without your prior consent.)

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