Grammy-winning DJ and music producer Diplo is being sued by an unnamed woman who claims he has distributed “revenge pornography” over a five-year period.
Jane Doe filed a complaint on Thursday in California federal court accusing Diplo, whose real name is Thomas Wesley Pentz, of distributing sexually explicit images of her and engaging in “gender violence,” according to a complaint obtained by USA Today.
The imagery, known as “revenge porn,” refers to the distribution of sexually explicit photography or videos of someone without their consent, and is sometimes shared by ex partners seeking some type of personal vengeance after a split.
In her lawsuit, Doe reportedly claims that she and Pentz began a sexual relationship over the social media platform Snapchat from 2016 until October 2023, during which time she sent him intimate images.
Doe added that she gave Pentz permission to record their sexual encounters “”on some occasions,” but never agreed to the footage being distributed.
The plaintiff goes on to say in her suit that her relationship with the DJ ended in October 2023, one month before she discovered that he had been disseminating photos and videos of their sexual escapades without her knowledge or consent.
In November, a third party told Doe they had obtained sexual imagery depicting her, after which point the plaintiff reported Pentz to the New York Police Department, according to the complaint.
“There is a criminal complaint on file for unlawful dissemination for a suspect with the name of Thomas Pentz which is currently being investigated by NYPD detectives,” am NYPD spokesperson told USA Today.
Pentz’s lawyers, meanwhile, claim the DJ is being “targeted” by “untrustworthy individuals.”
His attorney, Hollywood lawyer Bryan Freedman, told USA Today the following:
In every case where there has been an allegation of improper conduct made against Wes, the result has been either an immediate dismissal of a bogus lawsuit coupled with an apology, a court-ordered award for Wes in excess of $1.2 million, or the slow demise of an obvious shakedown attempt that has gone absolutely nowhere.
Notably, Pentz — known for his collaborations with stars such as Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Tiësto, and Skrillex, among others — was also sued by another woman in 2021, who claimed the DJ had forced her to perform oral sex. The lawsuit, however, was later dropped.
“Time and again, Wes has been targeted by a group of untrustworthy individuals and their unscrupulous lawyers, cobbling together falsehoods in search of a meritless payday,” Freedman said. “This suit seems to be just more of the same, which is why we have no reason to believe that this will end any differently than all the others.”
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