An influencer has landed herself in serious trouble after a judge ruled she stole content from another creator — and now she’s been fined $12,000.
The online star, known as Lena Rae to her 1.8 million followers, was accused of copying an independent creator’s video idea, editing style, and even the captions word-for-word. The original creator, Tom Willis, decided to take her to court after repeated attempts to get credit went ignored.
During the hearing, the judge reportedly called Lena’s actions “a blatant case of content theft” and ordered her to pay Willis $12,000 in damages — plus remove all versions of the copied clips from her platforms.
Fans were quick to react online, with many saying it’s about time influencers face real consequences. “Finally someone’s holding them accountable,” one comment read. Another added, “Twelve grand for stealing videos? She got off easy.”
Lena has since issued a short statement on Instagram Stories, saying she “never meant to cause harm” and that the situation has been “blown out of proportion.”
Meanwhile, Willis posted a video thanking his followers for the support, saying:
“It’s not about the money — it’s about creators getting the respect we deserve.”
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