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Author Topic: New Getty CLONE Hits Embroidery Community  (Read 10998 times)

Crafty

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New Getty CLONE Hits Embroidery Community
« on: February 25, 2009, 09:00:15 AM »
George P Reddick representing Imageline Inc has sent me an email saying my website has infringed on his company's images.  The website creates and sells embroidery designs using images available from various sources.  He has identified several images that belong to his company's image library but were purchased by me from either Jupiterimages website (clipart.com) or from a CD-Rom of images.  Both touted "Royalty Free" etc on the front page of the site and on the packaging in the case of the CD.  And their terms of use on the website seemed to indicate that using thier artwork for embroidery designs was acceptable use.  In fact, clipart.com's site still says this on thier home page...  or it did until I went to copy it here.  And it's gone.  (I think I have saved a copy of that)

In checking with friends in our industry it seems that many of them have received the same email and follow-up emails recently.  Others have been dealing with it for as much as 6 weeks now.  Several have paid the extortion money in one form or another. Others are fretting over what to do.  He is claiming $7,500 per image used, but he is such a nice guy that he will accept a fraction of that money (20% to 25%) as long as the person turns over all the embroidery designs created with his images and agrees to also give him additional designs not created with his images that he then credits to their account in the amount of $200 per design, plus agrees to work for him making additional designs.  They can also get a credit for turning in other people that they discover to have used his company's artwork.

His images appear to be legally copyrighted by the documentation sent to a couple of these folks so that won't be a defense in this situation, at least I don't think it will be.  I'm looking for any input from Oscar and others on this new scam.  Also, I wanted to start this thread here for others in the embroidery design business who receive his emails and start searching for what to do next.

Thanks for your help.

Pat


PS:  I forgot to ask...   once someone settles with Imageline, what happens when Jupiter comes knocking on their door?  If the images came from clipart.com (owned by Jupiter) and were copyrighted to Imageline, would these folks then be liable again?

riddickvictim2

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Re: New CLONE Hits Embroidery Community
« Reply #1 on: February 25, 2009, 09:43:47 AM »
There is much information on GR if you Google "George Riddick III."
His targets are not limited to the embroidery community.

riddickvictim2

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Re: New CLONE Hits Embroidery Community
« Reply #2 on: February 25, 2009, 09:50:28 AM »
Mr. Michelen:
Thank you for making this forum available.  Would you consider making your legal services available to Riddick victims?  (Nearly 500 by my last count.)  All documentation available upon request.
Thank you for your consideration.

Crafty

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Re: New CLONE Hits Embroidery Community
« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2009, 11:23:59 AM »
After reading the settlement terms it occurs to me that Riddick must be planning on opening his own embroidery design sales site or he wouldn't be interested in accepting designs from the people making settlements.  When he opens that site, will he then be selling to end users who will later on be victims of his extortion letter?

It looks like this whole thing is a big setup.  Maybe he will be setting those folks up for later income to his business.

Pat

Matthew Chan

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Re: New CLONE Hits Embroidery Community
« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2009, 12:22:56 PM »
Riddickvictim2,

I am not Oscar Michelen but I am the Editor of this website.  If you want, please email or fax your documentation to me and I will begin looking into this on my end.  I feel quite confident that Oscar will be able to assist your situation as he has expanded his assistance to other individuals involved with companies other than Getty Images.

Matthew

riddickvictim2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mr. Michelen:
> Thank you for making this forum available.  Would
> you consider making your legal services available
> to Riddick victims?  (Nearly 500 by my last
> count.)  All documentation available upon
> request.
> Thank you for your consideration.
I'm a non-lawyer but not legally ignorant either. Under the 1st Amendment, I have the right to post facts & opinions using rhetorical hyperbole, colloquialisms, metaphors, parody, snark, or epithets. Under Section 230 of CDA, I'm only responsible for posts I write, not what others write.

riddickvictim2

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Re: New CLONE Hits Embroidery Community
« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2009, 01:10:02 PM »
Matthew:
What email address would you like me to use?

riddickvictim2

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Re: New CLONE Hits Embroidery Community
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2009, 01:12:04 PM »
Crafty:
He does indeed plan to launch his own embroidery website.

Matthew Chan

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Re: New CLONE Hits Embroidery Community
« Reply #7 on: February 25, 2009, 01:13:32 PM »
Send it to submitinfo@extortionletterinfo.com.

Matthew

riddickvictim2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Matthew:
> What email address would you like me to use?
I'm a non-lawyer but not legally ignorant either. Under the 1st Amendment, I have the right to post facts & opinions using rhetorical hyperbole, colloquialisms, metaphors, parody, snark, or epithets. Under Section 230 of CDA, I'm only responsible for posts I write, not what others write.

riddickvictim2

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Re: New CLONE Hits Embroidery Community
« Reply #8 on: February 25, 2009, 01:20:29 PM »
Thank you Matthew, will do.  Documentation will be redacted.

Oscar Michelen

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Re: New CLONE Hits Embroidery Community
« Reply #9 on: February 25, 2009, 07:54:17 PM »
We absolutely will extend our letter program to Riddick and may even consider trying to help those who have already settled if there's a way to do so.  In the meantime DO NOT SETTLE.  Look for an update on this very soon I have already begun to receive much info on this.

Oscar Michelen

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Re: New Getty CLONE Hits Embroidery Community
« Reply #10 on: March 01, 2009, 06:15:52 PM »
thanks for the info

Matthew Chan

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Re: New Getty CLONE Hits Embroidery Community
« Reply #11 on: March 01, 2009, 06:34:59 PM »
I have deleted other comments about Teri S. because they were found to be unsubstantiated at this point.  Anyone who wants to make a public accusation about anyone (without substantiation) needs to sign their full names to it and it must be directly relevant to the Riddick/ImageLine case.  We want to stick to the directly related facts.

The accusations against Mr. Riddick is irrefutable because I have copies of the actual emails from people who have fully identified themselves to me.  Any other names that may arise on this forum without substantiation will be deleted.  You can say what you will about Mr. Riddick, at least, he identifies himself with his full name.

We don't want this thread to become a mud-slinging one.  If you want to make accusations of someone, have the courage to sign your name to it.  Thank you for your understanding in this matter.  I am trying to be fair to all parties involved.

Matthew
I'm a non-lawyer but not legally ignorant either. Under the 1st Amendment, I have the right to post facts & opinions using rhetorical hyperbole, colloquialisms, metaphors, parody, snark, or epithets. Under Section 230 of CDA, I'm only responsible for posts I write, not what others write.

Matthew Chan

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Re: New Getty CLONE Hits Embroidery Community
« Reply #12 on: March 01, 2009, 09:20:45 PM »
Christine,

At this time, I must ask everyone who posts regarding the Riddick/ImageLine controversy restrict their posts to directly related posts.  This discussion forum is not a platform for other subjects.  I understand the libel and slander issue.  It goes both ways to both parties.  I would simply say that as long as you back what you say with documentation as you provided, you should be fine.

If you feel, you have information that is important AND direct related to the Riddick/ImageLine controversy, you may send it in to me for me to look at or you can contact me.

For now, I have to keep the discussion threads to their intended purpose.  Thanks for your understanding.

Matthew

christinebbd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thank you for creating this website.   I've been
> out of the embroidery world for a couple years and
> am getting back into it.  I'm not up-to-date on
> issues and I plan to read your website carefully.
> (regarding above comment...If the need arises, I
> can provide copies of actual letters, emails with
> header information, etc.)
>
> I'm interested in becoming involved with any
> online group that is actively addressing the
> racketeering problem in the machine embroidery
> design industry.  While I don't have financial
> means (yet) to contribute to this effort, I do
> have experience with lobbying, and have been
> successful in helping one bill get passed through
> the legislature in North Carolina, it became law
> in 1996.
>
> I'm currently lobbying for a new law, one that
> could address one way competitors put others out
> of business...NC Senator Steve Goss has entered a
> bill that would address online libel/slander as a
> criminal offense and would require the person to
> post a retraction within 10 days of posting said
> libel/slander.  Although this bill would cover
> only the state of North Carolina, the
> repercussions would affect all 50 states. If a
> libelous email or web post were created outside
> North Carolina, it would come under the
> jurisdiction of the law as soon as it arrived on a
> computer within North Carolina.
>
> http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2009/Bills/Se
> nate/PDF/S46v1.pdf
>
> Christine Chamberlain
> Durham, NC
I'm a non-lawyer but not legally ignorant either. Under the 1st Amendment, I have the right to post facts & opinions using rhetorical hyperbole, colloquialisms, metaphors, parody, snark, or epithets. Under Section 230 of CDA, I'm only responsible for posts I write, not what others write.

 

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