PEABODY — “Baywatch” star Carmen Electra and eight other women are suing the Golden Banana, alleging the Route 1 strip club used their images without permission.
Attorneys for the 47-year old actress said club owner D&B Corp. and its president, Mark Filtranti, pirated the pictures and placed them on their Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages as ads. The photographs make it appear the ladies endorsed or worked at the Golden Banana, the complaint said.
In a 33-page lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Boston, the actresses say unauthorized use of their photographs is a violation of federal law which prohibits the misleading use of a person’s image for commercial purposes.
The complaint also alleged the pictures were doctored. In one photo submitted as evidence, Electra is depicted as a pole dancer.
“This image was intentionally altered to make it appear that Electra was either a stripper working at Golden Banana, that she endorsed the club, or was otherwise affiliated with it,” according to the complaint. “Electra has never been employed at Golden Banana, has never been hired to endorse it, and has received no remuneration for the unauthorized use of her image.”
The women seek an unspecified amount of damages to be determined by a jury, a court order barring D&B from further use of the images, and payment of attorneys’ fees.
In addition to the Golden Banana, D&B owns Ten’s Show Club in Salisbury and the Squire Lounge in Revere.
Electra, the lead plaintiff, whose real name is Tara Leigh Patrick, was joined in the lawsuit by models Cielo “CJ” Gibson, Denise Milani, Julianne Klaren, Rachel Koren, Rosa Acosta, Abigail Ratchford, Keeley Hazell and Kim Cozzens.
They argue the misuse of the pictures hurts their reputations and makes it more difficult to make a living.
“The modeling industry places a high degree of value on their goodwill and reputation, which is critical to maximize their earning potential, book modeling contracts and establish each of their individual brands,” the suit said. “In establishing, and maintaining their brands, the plaintiffs are necessarily selective concerning the companies, and brands, for which they model.”
Electra’s suit in Boston is part of a series of actions by the Los Angeles resident and others against strip clubs nationwide. More than 60 clubs in eight states have been sued in federal courts since last year, according to PACER, the online access service to federal court records.
Electra, once a Prince protege, released a self-titled album for his Paisley Park label in the 1990s. She toured Europe as his opening act on his Diamonds and Pearls Tour. Carmen later returned to work for Prince at his Los Angeles nightclub “Glam Slam” where she performed with the Erotic City dancers.
Electra did not respond to a request for comment.
Paul Sullivan, one of the attorneys representing Electra, did not return a call seeking comment. Her other lawyer, John V. Golaszewski of New York, declined comment.
Filtranti could not be reached for comment.
