[I came across a story where an American man won a lawsuit because someone used his picture without his knowledge. A friend in Johannesburg then told me that the Nelson Mandela Foundation is looking for cases where Mandela’s name or picture were used illegally. He is not sure if they’re looking for lawsuits or to just stop this happening – but if they are going after lawsuits… it could be lucrative… After all… Mandela is the most famous single person in the world. This was the story I spotted of an American man who got a $15 million settlement for his photo being used without his knowledge. Jan]

Model Who Appeared On Coffee Jar Wins Millions From Nestle
POSTED: 6:59 am EST February 1, 2005

GLENDALE, Calif. — There’s been a big jury award for a man whose image was used for years on jars of Taster’s Choice coffee.

Russell Christoff said he didn’t know Nestle was using the picture he posed for in 1986 until he spotted himself on a label in 2002.

During the legal dispute, he declined a company offer of $100,000, while the company nixed Christoff’s offer of $8.5 million.

Now, a jury in Los Angeles has awarded the model-turned-kindergarten teacher more than $15 million for using the image without Christoff’s permission. Nestle said it will appeal.

Why did it take the man so many years to spot his image on the coffee jar? He says he doesn’t drink freeze-dried Taster’s Choice. As he puts it, “I do beans.”