Judge Rules Diplo’s Revenge Porn Accuser Must Reveal Her Identity to Proceed With Lawsuit

A Los Angeles federal judge has ruled that a woman accusing Diplo of sharing “revenge porn” must disclose her identity if she wants to move forward with her civil lawsuit against the DJ. The decision came Tuesday (Dec. 31), with Judge Mónica Ramírez Almadani stating that the accuser, known as “Jane Doe,” had not provided sufficient evidence to justify anonymity in the case.

“The court appreciates that plaintiff’s allegations in her complaint are sensitive and of a highly personal nature, and that she may face some public scrutiny,” the judge wrote. “However, absent a demonstrated need for anonymity, there is a prevailing public interest in open judicial proceedings.”

The lawsuit alleges that Diplo, whose real name is Thomas Wesley Pentz, secretly recorded sexual encounters with the plaintiff and shared them on Snapchat without her consent. Doe, who claimed to have had a consensual relationship with Diplo from 2016 to 2023, said she permitted him to record their encounters on occasion but later discovered he had secretly filmed and shared footage online.

Her legal team argued that anonymity was necessary to protect her from “personal embarrassment and social stigmatization” and pointed to threats received by another woman who made similar allegations against Diplo. However, Judge Almadani ruled that these concerns were not adequately supported by evidence and reiterated that legal proceedings in the U.S. are typically conducted in public.

Diplo has denied the allegations and argued that he cannot adequately defend himself without knowing his accuser’s identity. His legal team maintains that the claims are baseless and that revealing Doe’s identity is essential for a fair defense.

The case also invokes the federal Violence Against Women Act, amended in 2022 to prohibit the nonconsensual sharing of intimate images, as well as California’s earlier revenge porn laws.

While denying the plaintiff’s request for anonymity, Judge Almadani warned both parties against harassment or threats, stating that any such behavior should be immediately reported to the court. “This case, like all other cases, shall be handled with professionalism and civility by all sides,” she wrote.