E*Trade Sued for Creating ‘Clone’ of Instagram Influencer (1)

A character featured in E*Trade Financial Corp. commercials is “essentially a clone” of Instagram influencer Gianluca Vacchi, an April 19 complaint in the Southern District of New York asserts.

The ads depict “a male character stunningly identical to Plaintiff’s likeness partying and dancing with young ladies on a yacht,” the complaint said. The commercials allegedly infringe Vacchi’s copyrights and right of publicity.

Vacchi is “an international social media celebrity, influencer, fashionista, and disk jockey” with nearly 12 million Instagram followers, the complaint said. He’s best known for his persona as “an extravagant millionaire dancing with beautiful ladies in exotic locations,” ...