Pele to File a $3 Billion Lawsuit against Samsung Electronics

Pele, the emperor of football, has filed a US$3 billion lawsuit against Samsung Electronics.

According to the Chicago Tribune on March 29, Pele claimed that Samsung infringed on his portrait rights.

Pele claimed that Samsung’s TV commercial used an image of a black male model resembling himself doing a scissor kick last fall. Pele’s accusation was that since the model looks like himself, the commercial gives the wrong impression that he himself appears in it.

Public sentiment seems to be tilted toward Pele’s side. In the past, star basketball player Michael Jordan had a similar case with a supermarket commercial and filed a lawsuit against the supermarket. Michael Jordan received a large sum in compensation for the case. Pele is known to be proceeding with the case using the same lawyer who worked for Michael Jordan’s case.

Industry watchers say that the fact that Samsung Electronics attempted to hire Pele as a model and negotiated with him will work against the company.