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Former Dictator Manuel Noriega sues for 'Black Ops II' for image misuse

by on17 July 2014



Because evil drug barons have a reputation

In one of the more dafter court cases we have seen, the former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega, who was convicted on eight counts of drug trafficking, racketeering, and money laundering in April 1992 claims he has been defamed by the game “Black Ops II.”

The filing claims that Noriega, the plaintiff in the suit, is portrayed "as a kidnapper, murderer and enemy of the state. An objective of one portion of 'Black Ops II' is solely to capture plaintiff."

The lawsuit also claims that Activision's use of Noriega in the game "caused damage" to him and created "the false impression that defendants are authorized to use plaintiff's image and likeness. This caused plaintiffs to receive profits they would not have otherwise received."

In other words the image of Noriega is a money spinner and by associating it with a kidnapper, murderer and enemy of the state it prevents him from his lucrative modelling career.

"Defendants deliberately and systematically misappropriated plaintiff's likeness to increase revenues and royalties, at the expense of plaintiff and without the consent of plaintiff," the suit continues.

In the game, the characters in Black Ops II refer to Noriega as "a piece of shit," "asshole" and "old pineapple face himself, Manuel Noriega." He is suing the game makers for lost profits. He could be on a hiding to no-where. Our guess he would have to prove that he had a reputation after being convicted for drug trafficking, racketeering, and money laundering and being a CIA employee.

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