Overview
- An eight-day Miami federal trial ended Dec. 1 with a jury finding blogger Milagro Cooper liable for defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and promoting an AI-generated sexually explicit deepfake of Megan Thee Stallion.
- The panel initially awarded $75,000, including $50,000 tied to the deepfake claim, $8,000 for emotional distress, $15,000 for defamation, and $2,000 in punitive damages, according to multiple outlets.
- On Dec. 2, U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga reduced the enforceable award to $59,000 after determining the defamation-per-se portion could not stand because Megan had not provided pre-suit notice required for media defendants under Florida Statute 770.01.
- Jurors concluded Cooper qualifies as a media defendant, a designation that shaped the post-verdict outcome even as liability for the deepfake promotion and emotional distress remained intact.
- Megan testified that the online campaign and deepfake caused lost brand deals worth about $1 million each and led to $240,000 in therapy, while the court still must resolve fee issues, injunctive relief, and any appeals.