What was filed

The complaint is Document 1 in No. 2:26-cv-13031, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, filed and dated November 6, 2026. The plaintiff is Linda Matlow, described as a professional celebrity and music photographer residing in Chicago, Illinois. The defendants are Valnet Media USA, Inc., alleged on information and belief to be a Delaware corporation doing business as ScreenRant, and Does 1 to 10. Jurisdiction is pleaded under 28 U.S.C. 1331 and 1338(a) to (b), and venue under 28 U.S.C. 1391(c) and 1400(a). The plaintiff demands a jury trial. (Compl. paras. 2 to 8; p. 14.)

What the complaint alleges

The complaint says Matlow created and owns a photograph of actor Macaulay Culkin with his family, has registered it with the U.S. Copyright Office, and published it with a credit identifying her as its author, including on her website. It alleges, on information and belief, that ScreenRant reproduced and displayed the photograph on www.screenrant.com, in an article about Culkin family trivia. It says Matlow sued Valnet over the same photograph in No. 2:23-cv-02107 (C.D. Cal.), that the parties settled and Valnet removed that use, that she granted no license afterward, and that she discovered the new use in 2025. It says her attorneys sent a cease and desist demand on March 23, 2026. (Compl. paras. 9 to 17.)

Counts

  • First claim, copyright infringement, against all defendants, alleging on information and belief willful copying and display for commercial benefit, including advertising revenue, and seeking statutory damages of up to $150,000 per infringement under 17 U.S.C. 504(c)(2).
  • Second claim, contributory copyright infringement, against all defendants, alleging on information and belief that Does 1 to 10, such as web developers or vendors, directly infringed and that the defendants knew of and materially contributed to it.
  • Third claim, vicarious copyright infringement, against all defendants, alleging on information and belief that they had the right and ability to stop the infringement and received a direct financial benefit.
  • Fourth claim, violation of 17 U.S.C. 1202(a) and (b), against all defendants, alleging on information and belief removal of Matlow's author credit and the addition of the defendants' own logo, bylines and attribution as false CMI.

Relief requested

The prayer asks for an injunction, including removal of the photograph; the defendants' profits plus Matlow's losses, and/or statutory damages under 17 U.S.C. 504 and 1203; a constructive trust over revenues from the infringement; attorneys' fees under 17 U.S.C. 505 and 1203; costs; statutory damages and/or penalties; pre-judgment interest; and other relief. (Compl. pp. 13 to 14.)

Docket

The docket shows the complaint, civil cover sheet, a notice of interested parties, the AO 121 report on the filing of a copyright action, a summons request, and a notice of related cases.