Mugshot Websites Accused of Defamation

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (CN) - Caribbean-based websites defamed a victim of ID theft as a criminal and refuse to remove the false information and mug shot unless she pays $399 for each post, a woman claims in court.

Sheyrane Sterling sued Unpublish LLC, Whois Privacy Pty. Ltd., Mugshots.com, and Openbare Dienst Internationale on Dec. 26, in Westchester County Court.

Sterling claims she was a victim of ID theft in November 2011, and when Yonkers police arrested the thief two years later, the thief gave them her ID card.

The defendants then published Sterling's name and mug shot as a criminal, she says.

Sterling says she told Mugshot.com of its error in April this year, and that Mugshot and Unpublish know their posting is erroneous, but refused to take it off the Web unless she pays $399 for each posting.

Sterling says the postings are "hateful" and "defamatory."

She seeks damages for defamation.

She is represented by Fraslie Stinvil, of New York City.

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