Netflix sued by alleged Baby Reindeer stalker for $170M: life of “real Martha” is ruined

The alleged real-life Baby Reindeer stalker, Fiona Harvey, is suing Netflix for over $170 million for negligence, defamation, and violations of right of publicity as the series is supposedly a work of fiction.

The lawsuit alleges that Harvey has suffered at the hands of Netflix, as the streamer facilitated the creation of a narrative claiming to be a true story but is actually nothing of the sort.

The series begins by stating that “This is a true story,” something that the plaintiff denies.

The suit calls this “the biggest lie in television history” and claims that “it is a lie told by Netflix and the show’s creator, Richard Gadd, out of greed and lust for fame.”

The show was “designed to attract more viewers, get more attention, to make more money, and to viciously destroy the life of Plaintiff, Fiona Harvey,” the lawsuit reads.

Harvey is suing the streaming giant for defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, gross negligence, and violations of her right to publicity.

These “lies” were supposedly broadcast to over 50 million people and resulted in Harvey receiving abuse and harassment from amateur sleuths who watched the series.

“The lies that Defendants told about Harvey to over 50 million people worldwide include that Harvey is a twice-convicted stalker who was sentenced to five years in prison and that Harvey sexually assaulted Gadd.”

According to the lawsuit, the defendants “told these lies and never stopped because it was a better story than the truth, and better stories made money.”

Supposedly, Netflix did nothing to confirm whether the story was true, and the streaming service never investigated whether Harvey was convicted, which is “a very serious misrepresentation of the facts.”

Netflix allegedly did nothing to verify the relationship between Gadd and Harvey, or to determine whether the facts surrounding sexual assault and stalking were accurate.

Baby Reindeer highlights a supposed sexual assault that takes place in public, where Martha is seen touching Donny’s genitalia without consent. The show also depicts the supposed cyber and physical stalking done by Harvey.

“As a result of Defendants’ lies, malfeasance and utterly reckless misconduct, Harvey’s life had been ruined,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit states that Netflix and Gadd destroyed her reputation, her character, and her life.

After the show became public and rose in popularity, Fiona Harvey took matters into her own hands and agreed to an interview with Piers Morgan, in which she discussed the allegations.

“It’s a work of fiction, a work of hyperbole,” Fiona Harvey said in an interview with Morgan.

It didn’t take long for internet sleuths to locate Harvey, and from there, people began sending threats, including one that simply stated, “Fiona Harvey count your days,” which was liked over 7,000 times on TikTok.

The lawsuit seems to cite Gadd as an unreliable source as he is painted as a self-admitted crack, heroin, and meth user while also prostituting himself to further his career as a comedian.

Furthermore, the events that take place in the series, such as the assault on Gadd, Harvey’s stalking of a police officer, and Harvey’s stalking of Gadd, are false, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims that Netflix also defamed Harvey via its website Tudum after it published an article claiming that the “series is a true story” and “it’s important to remember that this isn’t just a story – it’s true.”

Netflix also supposedly defamed Harvey in the House of Commons when a Netflix Executive, Benjamin King, appeared before the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee.

Kind said, “Baby Reindeer is obviously a true story of the horrific abuse that [Richard Gadd] suffered at the hands of a convicted stalker. We did take every reasonable precaution in disguising the real-life identities of the people whilst striking a balance with the veracity and authenticity of the story.”

The lawsuit calls this statement a defamatory lie as Harvey is not a convicted stalker.

Harvey has requested a trial by jury on all claims, and the amount in damages demanded exceeds $170 million.