Former president of the National Association of Professional Football of Chile (ANFP), Sergio Jadue, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Amazon.com, Inc. and its subsidiaries. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, alleges that the Amazon Prime drama series “El Presidente” falsely portrays Jadue as engaging in criminal activities, causing significant damage to his reputation and business relationships.
Jadue is represented by Giacomo Bossa, partner of Barakat + Bossa. Bossa, Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Business Litigation and Real Estate, is admitted to practice in Florida and New York.
The legal action seeks damages in excess of $75,000.00 and injunctive relief. The complaint names Amazon Studios, Amazon Video Brasil, Gaumont Television USA LLC, Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios, Inc., et al.
Key Claims in the Complaint:
- Defamation and Defamation Per Se: The false statements and depictions in the series have damaged Jadue’s reputation and business relationships.
- Tortious Interference: The false portrayals have interfered with Jadue’s ability to form and maintain business relationships.
- Unauthorized Use of Likeness: Amazon used Jadue’s image and likeness without permission for commercial gain.
- Invasion of Privacy: The series disclosed private facts about Jadue without his consent.
“In the lawsuit, we allege that Amazon’s portrayal of Mr. Jadue in ‘El Presidente’ inaccurately depicts him, and we are seeking to address the inaccuracies and the harm they might have caused,” said Giacomo Bossa.
The first season of “El Presidente” was released in June 2020, followed by a second season in November 2022. The series focuses on the 2015 FIFA corruption scandal, with Jadue’s character, played by Colombian actor Andrés Parra, portrayed as a central figure involved in various criminal activities. Despite the dramatic narrative, the lawsuit claims that many of the depicted events did not occur, and Jadue was not consulted or compensated for the use of his likeness and did not participate in any capacity in the making of the series.
Jadue’s legal team is requesting the removal of the series from Amazon Prime Video and a public retraction of the false statements. The lawsuit also seeks compensatory damages for lost earnings, diminished earning capacity, and reputational harm.
The case is titled Sergio Jadue v. Amazon.com Inc. et al., case number 1:24-cv-22106-JLK, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Barakat + Bossa is an international and Chambers-ranked business law firm where every partner is board certified. Since 2004, the firm has been protecting businesses and their owners in litigation and arbitration, handling non-competes, commercial litigation, partnership disputes, and corporate fraud for clients in Florida and many foreign jurisdictions in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. For more information visit www.b2b.legal.
