SoCal Attorney Faces State Bar Suspension For Photoshopped Celebrity Images, 'Bizarre' Defense Of Charges
LOS ANGELES (CBS SF) -- A Los Angeles attorney is facing a suspension for posting doctored photos that appear to show her mingling with a number of high-profile celebrities and politicians, including President Obama, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Leonardo DiCaprio and Donald Trump.
Svitlana Sangary has featured the Photoshopped images on the 'Publicity' page of her law firm's website. As of Friday, the page featuring the thumbnail-sized images was still active.
A State Bar Court of California judge has recommended a six-month suspension for Sangary for what was determined to be four counts of misconduct.
The State Bar found that the photos ""were created by taking original celebrity photos and then overlaying (Sangary's) image in order to make it appear as though (Sangary) was in the presence of that celebrity."
Judge Donald F. Miles said in his written decision about the images: "These photographs were part of an advertisement and solicitation for future work, directed by Respondent to the general public through her website, and they were false, deceptive, and intended to confuse, deceive and mislead the public."
Download the full statement from the State Bar of California (.pdf)
Sangary represented herself during the trial which began in June. The trial was marked by Sangary more than once offering what Miles called a "bizarre soliloquy" in response to the allegations.
In one portion of her response, Sangary wrote:
Also, with regard to false statements and misleading advertisement, none other than Natalie Portman comes to mind. The online media extensively covers the controversy surrounding Natalie Portman's performance in the film Black Swan. The ballet dancer who performed in the Black Swan, Sarah Lane, has come forward to revel [sic] a "cover-up" and says that Natalie Portman's head was superimposed on to Sarah Lane's body, and that Natalie Portman lied. Please see Exibit [sic] 21, 3 articles that appeared on www.theguardian.com, htttp://news.softpedia.com and www.thehuffingtonpost.com.
Despite the foregoing, Natalie Portman has won an Oscar for her performance in Black Swan.
Sangary was also criticized by the judge for keeping the fake photos on her website despite the State Bar bringing the issue to her attention in 2013, and her "demonstrated lack of insight and her contemptuous conduct during these proceedings."
The decision awaits a final ruling from the California Supreme Court.
