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Kim Kardashian found herself in the middle of a legal controversy even as she attended one of the year’s most high-profile weddings—Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s lavish ceremony in Venice in late June 2025. While standing among the elite guests, Kardashian was also dealing with the fallout of a lawsuit back in the United States involving mistaken identity in one of her social justice posts.
The lawsuit was filed by Ivan Cantu, a New York-based project manager, who alleges that Kardashian mistakenly used his photo in place of a Texas death row inmate who shares the same name. Kardashian had posted a series of Instagram stories in February 2024, advocating for clemency for the Texas inmate, but included the wrong Ivan Cantu’s image. The post quickly gained viral traction, seen by millions of followers, and linked the innocent man to a capital murder case.
The plaintiff is claiming significant emotional distress as a result of the incident. Legal documents cite damages including sleep loss, PTSD, and invasion of privacy. He also alleges that the misidentification led to reputational harm that has affected his personal and professional life. Although Kardashian removed the image shortly after being informed of the error and issued a public apology, her legal troubles didn’t end there. The legal filings from her response were signed on June 26, just one day before the Bezos wedding began.
In her formal declaration, Kardashian emphasized that her criminal justice reform efforts are sincere and deeply personal, not profit-driven. She expressed regret over the error, stressing that the use of the wrong image was unintentional. Her legal team has described the lawsuit as opportunistic, arguing that the image was taken down quickly and that Kardashian took steps to correct the mistake. Nevertheless, the case remains active and highlights the challenges and responsibilities that come with Kardashian’s high-profile advocacy.
As the legal proceedings continue, Kardashian’s dual identity—as a celebrity and a legal reform advocate—once again places her under public scrutiny. The incident underscores the complexity of her ongoing efforts to balance activism with accountability, especially when working on sensitive legal matters in such a public forum.