A Manhattan woman says her boyfriend’s former roommate spread a naked photo of her as revenge in the fallout of an affair, a new lawsuit alleges.
The 25-year-old plaintiff — who filed her revenge porn lawsuit under the initials M. H. — says her boyfriend Adam told her that he once cheated on her with his one-time roommate, according to a Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit from Monday.
The victim grew scared that Adam “would again be unfaithful” and so she told the roommate’s boyfriend Fran on Feb. 12 that the roommate had slept with Adam, the court papers say.
Less than two hours later, the Upper West Side woman was sent naked photos and a video of herself by the roommate on Facebook and Instagram, the court documents allege.
The victim confronted the roommate telling her it would be illegal to share the photos with anybody.
But, the roommate brazenly responded “You’re over 18 babygirl/ You hit up my ex?/ Cute/ Call a lawyer bb,” the suit alleges.
“I was so taken aback that anyone would use that to blackmail or even manipulate someone to get them to do what they want,” victim M. H. told The Post of the roommate’s threat.
Then on June 23, she received an Instagram message from her and the roommate’s mutual friend Taras, which included another racy picture of the victim, the court papers claim.
The victim believes that the roommate took Taras’ phone and “taunted plaintiff” writing “I like em … Can you send better ones?” the court filings allege.
“That night and many nights thereafter, Plaintiff cried herself to sleep, heartbroken that Taras had seen her naked body,” and she has been “depressed and withdrawn” ever since, the court papers say.
The victim told The Post that since months had gone by before she learned anyone else had seen the snaps, “I thought it was brushed under the rug.”
Now, “Months later I’m still feeling like I have to hide or [I am] not be able to use social media,” M.H. said.
The victim carries the additional worry that the roommate will share the pictures with other people, the court papers say.
And especially during the coronavirus stay-at-home order when everyone has been cooped up inside with their electronics, the victim says she “has grown terrified of her devices as she is always fearful that she will open her phone or computer to find another message from defendant or learn of another third party with whom defendant has shared the content,” the court papers say.
The victim is also anxious that she might see the defendant — who Adam no longer lives with — in the street as the victim’s new job is in the same neighborhood as the ex-roommate’s home, the court filings say.
The victim’s lawyer, Daniel Szalkiewicz, told The Post, “E.M. is a bully who is using intimate images of our client to harass her.”
“Revenge porn laws were created to prevent people like E.M. from engaging in this conduct,” Szalkiewicz added.
When reached by phone E.M. told The Post, “I never sent anything to anyone. It sounds like he-said she-said drama.”