Grammy-winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion emotionally testified in a Miami federal courtroom on Thursday, breaking down in tears while describing the impact of a sexually explicit deepfake video that circulated online without her consent.
The Defamation Lawsuit
The testimony came during a defamation trial against blogger Milagro Elizabeth Cooper, who operates under the name Milagro Gramz. Megan Thee Stallion, whose legal name is Megan Pete, filed the lawsuit alleging that Cooper orchestrated what she described as an extensive "campaign of harassment and cyberbullying" against her.
According to court documents obtained by HuffPost, the lawsuit specifically accuses Cooper of promoting a deepfake pornographic video that used Pete's face without her permission. This type of digitally manipulated content has become increasingly concerning for public figures and private citizens alike.
Emotional Courtroom Testimony
On the witness stand, Pete revealed the profound emotional toll the situation has taken on her. "I still feel defeated," she testified, according to NBC News coverage of the proceedings.
The artist elaborated on her feelings, explaining that "because no matter what, no matter if the video was fake or not... [Gramz] wanted it to be real." She described the humiliation of knowing that people were viewing the manipulated content, stating "I know it's not me, but to be in front of everybody else and they have to watch it — it's really embarrassing."
Connection to Tory Lanez Trial
The current defamation case has connections to another high-profile legal proceeding involving Canadian music artist Tory Lanez. Cooper and other bloggers gained significant attention during Lanez's 2022 criminal trial, where prosecutors successfully argued that Lanez (legal name Daystar Peterson) shot Pete during an incident in 2020.
The outcome of that trial resulted in Peterson being found guilty on three charges:
- Assault with a semiautomatic firearm
- Having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle
- Discharging a firearm with gross negligence
He received a 10-year prison sentence for these crimes.
However, during and after that trial, numerous bloggers spread misinformation that favored the convicted artist and generated what many have characterized as "misogynoir" — a specific form of misogyny directed against Black women — against Pete.
Financial Connections Revealed
Earlier this week, Cooper testified that Tory Lanez himself did not influence or pay for her social media posts. However, she acknowledged that Lanez's father, Sonstar Peterson, had provided her with payments.
According to ABC News coverage, Cooper described these payments as being for "personal" reasons and "promotional" work, though the exact nature of this arrangement remains under scrutiny.
When Pete initially filed her lawsuit against Cooper, she released a powerful statement emphasizing the need for accountability in digital media. "It's time to hold bloggers accountable for years of harassment, cyberbullying and the publication of misinformation about my personal and professional life," she declared.
She further expressed frustration with social media bloggers who "misrepresent themselves as journalists" while spreading false narratives about her character. "It's unacceptable behavior and these individuals need to understand there will be repercussions for recklessly posting lies and defamatory falsehoods," Pete asserted.
The trial continues as both sides present their cases in what has become a landmark legal battle addressing the growing problem of deepfake technology and online harassment.
