Kim Kardashian Sued After Mistakenly Identifying US Man As Death Row Inmate In Instagram Post

Kim Kardashian is facing a slander lawsuit from a New York resident whose photo was mistakenly used in her Instagram post concerning a Texas death row inmate with an identical name, the New York Post reported.

Kardashian, a 44-year-old aspiring lawyer, posted about the death penalty sentence of convicted murderer Ivan Cantu as part of her advocacy for criminal justice reform.

However, instead of sharing a photo of the Texas inmate, she mistakenly posted an image of a different Ivan Cantu- a project manager from Westchester- to her 350 million-plus Instagram followers.

As a result, he has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against the Skims founder, alleging that the mix-up subjected him to "hatred, contempt, and/or ridicule," leading to emotional distress and anxiety, according to NBC News.

Cantu seeks unspecified damages, arguing that the mix-up has damaged his reputation.

Michael Rhodes, attorney for The Kardashians star, told the outlet that Kardashian made a "simple mistake" in her Feb. 28, 2024, post while trying to support her "longstanding commitment to the cause of criminal justice reform."

"The State will execute Ivan Cantu in 2 days. Please sign the petition to demand that Collin County DA Greg Willis request to withdraw the execution date," Kardashian had written, sharing a black-and-white photo of Cantu along with a link to a MoveOn.org petition.

According to Rhodes, the mistaken photo "was taken down almost immediately" once Kardashian realized the error. While she had hoped to resolve the issue outside of court, she is prepared to defend herself if necessary, he added.

Cantu's lawyer, Greg Sobo, argued that Kardashian, of all people, should understand the "power of social media."

"For too long, we have seen social media cause devastating injuries to innocent victims," Sobo said in a statement. "Social media is too often abused to bully the innocent, incite harm, and injure our communities. Just like those who cause physical harm should be held accountable, those who cause injuries to innocent victims through social media must also be held responsible."

Describing Cantu as a father of two and a "very private family man," Sobo said that at the time of the erroneous post, his client had been mourning.

"Mr. Cantu's privacy was destroyed at a most critical and sensitive time, and he has suffered a very real trauma that will last a lifetime," Sobo said, adding that he had repeatedly tried to contact Kardashian's team before filing the lawsuit.

Meanwhile, the Texas inmate Ivan Cantu was executed on Feb. 28, 2024, following his 2001 conviction for the murders of his cousin James Mosqueda and Mosqueda's girlfriend, Amy Kitchen, who were shot in their home the previous year.