Keeping up with Cantu: Inside Ivan Cantu’s Defamation Lawsuit Against Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian is being sued for defamation after allegedly posting an Instagram photo that incorrectly identified a New York man as a Texas death row inmate.[1]
Kardashian has become an advocate for criminal justice reform since starting her legal education journey in 2020.[2] In January 2024, Kardashian shared a Facebook post telling the story of a Texas man named Ivan Cantu, who was convicted of murdering his cousin and fiancée and was sentenced to death.[3] In the Facebook post, Kardashian wrote there was “false testimony by the State’s star witnesses who later recanted their statements and evidence withheld by the prosecution that would be extremely impactful.”[4] Kardashian encouraged her followers to write to Texas prosecutors’ integrity units to bring awareness to Cantu’s case with the hopes of saving him.[5] Cantu was scheduled to be executed on February 28, 2024.[6]
Shortly before Cantu’s scheduled execution in February 2024, Kardashian shared a black-and-white photo of a man named Ivan Cantu along with a link to “MoveOn.org” to her Instagram story writing: “The State will execute Ivan Cantu in 2 days. Please sign the petition to demand that Collin County DA Greg Willins request to withdraw the execution date.”[7] Rather than sharing the photo of the Texas inmate, Kardashian mistakenly shared a photo of a man named Ivan Cantu, who is a project manager from Westchester, New York.[8]
Cantu, from Westchester, filed a civil complaint with the Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, February 20, 2025, alleging Kardashian’s post to her 350 million Instagram followers subjected him “hatred, contempt, and/or ridicule.”[9] Cantu has pleaded several causes of action against Kardashian, including defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, false light, and negligence.[10] The complaint states that Cantu has suffered anxiety, loss of sleep, nightmares, and loss of reputation after Kardashian’s post.[11] Cantu is seeking compensatory and punitive damages.[12]
Cantu’s lawyer, Greg Sobo, told Law360 in an email on Friday, February 21, 2025, that “litigation will demonstrate that his client is a very private family man with two daughters.”[13] Sobo added, “At the time Kim Kardashian defamed his reputation, he was grieving a very private family loss. As a result of the Kardashian abuse, Mr. Cantu’s privacy was destroyed at a most critical and sensitive time, and he has suffered very real trauma that will last a lifetime.”[14] In regard to litigation, Sobo told Law360 his client “never wanted to litigate this issue” but their attempts to contact Kardashian and her team went unanswered.[15]
In a statement to NBC News, the attorney for Kardashian, Michael Rhodes said the star made a “simple mistake” when she used a photo of a man named Ivan Cantu to promote her “longstanding commitment to the cause of criminal justice reform.”[16] Rhodes said once Kardashian realized the error, the photo “was taken down almost immediately.”[17]. Rhodes added they would “prefer to solve” the matter “without litigation, but of course will defend Kim as needed.”[18].
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