A Miami federal jury’s verdict against blogger Milagro Cooper has exposed the severe consequences of promoting AI-generated explicit content, awarding Megan Thee Stallion damages in a case tied to years of online harassment following her 2020 shooting.
The ruling, one of the first to hold an individual liable for amplifying deepfakes of a celebrity, highlights emerging legal risks for online influencers amid synthetic media’s rise.
The Verdict Unfolds
On December 1, 2025, a nine-member jury in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida found Cooper, known online as Milagro Gramz, liable for intentional infliction of emotional distress and promotion of an altered sexual depiction, along with defamation. Judge Cecilia Altonaga presided over the trial, where evidence showed a pattern of attacks undermining Megan’s credibility.
The jury initially awarded $75,000 in damages. Two days later, on December 3, Altonaga reduced it to $59,000 and dismissed the defamation judgment, ruling that Cooper, as a media defendant, did not receive the required pre-suit legal notice under Florida law. Despite the dismissal of the defamation judgment, the decision carried weight through the sustained liabilities for emotional distress and promotion of an altered sexual depiction.
Origins of the Feud
The conflict traces to July 12, 2020, when Tory Lanez shot Megan in the foot outside Kylie Jenner’s home. Lanez was convicted on felony assault charges on December 23, 2022, and received a sentence of 10 years in prison without the possibility of parole.
Harassment intensified online in the years after. Cooper, with significant followers on X and Instagram, emerged as a key figure. Megan’s legal team presented her as a surrogate for Lanez during his incarceration, amplifying messages that questioned the shooting narrative.
Deepfakes Enter the Fray
Cooper did not create the explicit AI-generated deepfakes of Megan linked to the shooting but directed her audience to them, CBS News reported on November 21, 2025. This promotion escalated the harm, turning distribution into a central issue.
Trial evidence included Cooper’s deposition and filings portraying her as a conduit for Lanez’s influence. Lanez himself walked out of a court-ordered deposition on November 17, 2025, as reported by XXL Magazine, earning a $20,000 fine for refusing questions—a move that bolstered claims of coordination.
Financial and Emotional Fallout
The $59,000 award will be supplemented by Cooper’s obligation to cover Megan’s legal costs and attorney fees under Florida law. Analysts estimated Megan’s legal bills from a year of motions, discovery, and trial exceed $1 million, transforming the verdict into a potential multimillion-dollar burden for Cooper.
Megan testified to profound impacts: $240,000 monthly therapy costs, totaling over $2.88 million annually, tied to anxiety and PTSD from the abuse. Rolling Stone reported on December 1, 2025, that she lost four major brand deals—Google Pixel, Call of Duty, Just Eat Takeaway, and the U.S. Women’s Soccer program—each worth about $1 million, due to reputational damage.
Legal Precedent and Future Risks
This marks one of the earliest federal rulings targeting promotion of explicit AI content, shifting focus from creators or platforms to amplifiers. Cooper’s large audience acted as a multiplier, with every share extending the deepfake’s reach.
Florida’s fee-shifting rule deterred such exploitation, turning a standard dispute into financial ruin for many bloggers. Celebrities, often blocked by the actual malice standard in defamation suits, may now pursue deepfake and distress claims more successfully.
For Cooper, appeals could prolong battles over fee calculations, but the jury’s findings stand. The case signals rising accountability for online influence, where reach amplifies both power and peril, potentially reshaping how courts address synthetic abuse in the digital era.
Sources:
US District Court, Southern District of Florida 01 Dec 2025 (Jury Verdict Form)
ABC News 03 Dec 2025 (Dismissal of Defamation Count Report)
CBS News 21 Nov 2025 (Trial Testimony on Therapy Costs)
Rolling Stone 01 Dec 2025 (Report on Lost Brand Deals)
Florida Senate 2025 (Statute § 836.13 Text)