Is it going to be third time unlucky for Rockstar? Today it was revealed that the studio has been threatened with yet another law suit with regards to content that appeared in last year's best selling game, Grand Theft Auto V.
Karen Gravano, the daughter of Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano and recent star of TV show Mob Wives, is attempting to claim damages and compensation to the tune of $40 million from Rockstar after claiming that her life story and her image likeness was ripped off in Grand Theft Auto V.
According to her lawyers, the character in GTAV called Antonia Bottino is based directly on Gravano, and that the in-game character's story closely echoes events that happened to Gravano and her family (her father turned informant to help bring John Gotti to justice, much like Bottino's father in the game). Bottino also appears in a fictional show in the game called Wise Bitches, likely a parody of the show that Gravano appeared in for a time, Mob Wives.
"Notwithstanding the fact that plaintiff has the utmost respect for the writers and creators of the Grand Theft Auto V video game...her story is unique and is hers to tell," said court documents obtained by New York Daily News, and it's also noted in the same documents that Rockstar could have asked permission with "relative ease, which may have (averted) this action."
If previous reports also prove accurate, this isn't the first time that Rockstar has been legally challenged over content appearing in Grand Theft Auto V. Late last year it was reported that Lindsay Lohan was suing the studio for much the same reason as Gravano. Shortly after the game was released, rapper Daz Dillinger also challenged the studio after they allegedly used his songs with proper permission.