Hunter Biden on Monday accused Fox News of violating a New York law prohibiting the distribution of so-called revenge porn by using nude photos and videos of him in a "mock trial" miniseries.
In a lawsuit filed in New York City, President Joe Biden's son said the cable network illegally included the "intimate images" to "harass, annoy, alarm, and humiliate him, tarnish his reputation, and cause others to view him in a negative light."
"Such outrageous behavior is beyond the limits of decency and is intolerable in a civilized society," according to the 15-page complaint.
Under a law enacted in 2019, New York made the "unlawful dissemination or publication of an intimate image" a misdemeanor punishable by one year in jail and allowed victims to file civil lawsuits over alleged violations.
In his lawsuit, Hunter Biden said the photos and videos that show him naked and engaged in sex acts "were intended to remain private and confidential" but were "unlawfully procured and disseminated" without his consent.
The explicit material apparently came from the laptop computer he allegedly abandoned at a repair shop in Wilmington, Delaware, in 2019.
He's seeking unspecified damages for alleged violation of his civil rights under New York law, intentional infliction of emotional distress and unjust enrichment.
In a statement, Fox News called the legal action "politically motivated" and "devoid of merit," and described Hunter Biden as a "public figure who has been the subject of multiple investigations and is now a convicted felon," according to the Mediaite website.
"Consistent with the First Amendment, FOX News has accurately covered the newsworthy events of Mr. Biden's own making, and we look forward to vindicating our rights in court," the network said.
Hunter Biden was convicted on federal gun charges last month and he faces a trial on tax charges in September.
The six-part series "The Trial of Hunter Biden: A Mock Trial for the American People" presented a fictional prosecution of the first son on illegal foreign lobbying and bribery charges that haven't been filed against him.
"While using certain true information, the series intentionally manipulates the facts, distorts the truth, narrates happenings out of context, and invents dialogue intended to entertain," the lawsuit said. "Thus, the viewer of the series cannot decipher what is fact and what is fiction, which is highly damaging to Mr. Biden."
Fox began showing the six-part series "The Trial of Hunter Biden: A Mock Trial for the American People" on its Fox Nation streaming platform in October 2022.
It removed the program on April 30 after Biden's lawyers sent a letter demanding that it be taken down but the "mocu-series" is still available on unspecified "third-party streaming platforms," according to the lawsuit.
"Clips of 'The Trial of Hunter Biden' containing the Intimate Images of Mr. Biden also remain accessible online and in the public domain," the lawsuit said.
