Kim Kardashian demands six-figure legal reimbursement from man who sued her over emotional distress.
Kim Kardashian is requesting payment from a man who recently lost a lawsuit against her for alleged emotional distress. She is demanding he reimburse her legal expenses with a six-figure amount, according to an exclusive report from Us Weekly.
The businesswoman, whose net worth is estimated to surpass $1 billion, submitted court filings on Tuesday, December 16. She requires Ivan Cantu, who recently lost his case against her, to pay for the $145,000 in attorney fees and associated costs she incurred while preparing her defense.
Emil Petrossian, Kardashian's lead attorney, billed $900 per hour for work on the matter, a reduction from her standard rate of $1,100 per hour. Another associate, Alina Gatto, charged $600 per hour.
A decision on Kardashian's plea for reimbursement has not yet been made by the judge.
This request follows a ruling on November 14 where a judge favored Kardashian by rejecting all of Cantu's accusations.
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Us previously reported that Cantu, who resides in New York, filed a lawsuit against Kardashian in February.
Cantu alleged that the reality star mistakenly posted his pictures on social media instead of images belonging to another individual also named Ivan Cantu, a Texas man convicted of murder in 2001 and sentenced to death.
Kardashian, 45, began publicly advocating for the prisoner early in 2024, requesting a stay of his execution.
Kardashian's lawyer clarified: “[Kardashian] was significantly involved in advocating for Mr. Cantu. For around ten days in February 2024, [Kardashian] and her team shared a sequence of 'stories' about Mr. Cantu, totaling about 16 posts, on [Kardashian's] Instagram page. Out of these 16 stories, one posted just two days before Mr. Cantu's execution incorrectly displayed a photo of the plaintiff in this case, a project manager living in New York who shares the name Ivan Cantu.”
The prisoner in question, for whom Kardashian was advocating, was executed on February 28, 2024.
In his legal filing, the New York resident Cantu asserted that Kardashian's posts containing his image led to emotional distress and sleep deprivation. He additionally stated he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.
The reality mogul argued in her defense that the lawsuit was baseless. Kardashian stated her team realized the error within hours of publishing the post and promptly removed it. She also mentioned she issued an apology to the New York individual for the situation.
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Kardashian strongly denied any fault on her part. Her legal response contended: “This lawsuit represents an attempt to profit from an error that happened as a direct result of [Kardashian's] use of her constitutional rights to free speech and petition.”
The reality mogul submitted a declaration supporting her motion. She stated, “For the past eight years, I have utilized my platform and resources to campaign for changes in criminal justice and a more equitable legal framework, focusing on clemency and the exoneration of individuals who were unjustly convicted or given excessive sentences.”
She further explained, “My efforts in criminal justice reform are driven purely by my personal commitment to amplify the voices of those who lack one and to instigate systemic change. I participate in this work out of genuine passion, without seeking any commercial gain or purpose.”
In a separate court declaration, Kardashian detailed her reasons for getting involved in supporting the prisoner.
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“I was touched by Mr. Cantu's narrative and his firm assertion of innocence. I was additionally concerned by what appeared to be significant issues with Mr. Cantu's conviction,” she stated.
Kardashian also discussed the incorrect image appearing on her Instagram feed.
She stated, “The inclusion of the Plaintiff's image in the February 26 Story was an error and completely unintentional. I would not have utilized the picture featured in the February 26 Story if I had realized it depicted the Plaintiff rather than Mr. Cantu.”
As Us previously reported, Kardashian is simultaneously involved in a separate legal conflict with her former partner, Ray J.
