Shocking Allegations: Guns N’ Roses Faces Lawsuit and Manager in Hot Water for Harassment
Guns N’ Roses and its management team are currently entangled in a legal battle with photographer Katarina Benzova, who has filed a lawsuit filled with serious allegations of copyright infringement and workplace sexual harassment.
Benzova’s lawsuit alleges that Guns N’ Roses and its management company, Team Brazil, have been falsely claiming ownership of her photographs, leading to widespread infringement and unauthorized usage in various forms of media such as print, digital, ad campaigns, and more.
Furthermore, Benzova claims that Guns N’ Roses’ manager, Fernando Lebeis, has made numerous unwelcome sexual advances towards her, creating a hostile work environment devoid of any sexual harassment policy, handbook, training, or human resource department.
This lawsuit comes in response to Guns N’ Roses filing their own suit against Benzova, accusing her of improperly registering her photos with the Copyright Office and falsely alleging copyright infringement against individuals and entities. The band seeks to invalidate her registrations and assert that she has no ownership interest in the copyright to the photos and videos in question.
In a statement released to Rolling Stone, Guns N’ Roses revealed that Benzova was originally hired to provide tour photography services in 2010, worked with the band for 12 years, and was compensated and treated well during that time. The band firmly denies Benzova’s claims and views them as categorically false following the termination of her services in 2022.
Benzova, in her lawsuit, details her extensive work history with Guns N’ Roses as a freelancer for 12 years, capturing 364 shows or 30 legs of the band’s tours between 2010 and 2022. Despite only having a formal contract for a fraction of that time, she asserts that she was the sole owner of her photographs during the uncontracted period.
She alleges that Guns N’ Roses and Team Brazil commercially exploited at least 145 of her pictures without her permission, leading to violations of her copyrights and unauthorized usage across various platforms like media outlets, ad campaigns, museums, websites, and more.
Moreover, Benzova claims that Lebeis and Team Brazil have routinely infringed upon her copyrights and those of others. She cites instances where Lebeis admitted to disrespecting her copyrights, failing to credit her in a calendar project, and attempting to confuse and undermine her ownership rights over her works.
On the other hand, Guns N’ Roses counters Benzova’s claims by asserting that she had signed engagement agreements in 2010 declaring the rights to her work were owned by touring affiliates like Waterhead and Gundam Productions. The band alleges that these agreements were extended over the years through oral modifications and new employment memorandums.
Regarding the sexual harassment accusations, Benzova recounts instances of Lebeis making unwanted advances towards her, including trying to force her to kiss him, sending explicit messages and images, and attempting to sexually coerce her in dark alleys. She describes feeling unsafe due to Lebeis’s behavior and asserts that his actions led to her being mistreated and undermined in the workplace.
As Benzova’s lawsuit unfolds, it sheds light on a complex legal battle between a renowned rock band and a seasoned photographer, exposing deep-rooted issues of copyright ownership and workplace misconduct. The outcome of this legal dispute remains to be seen as both parties stand firm on their respective claims and defenses.
