Attention beautiful women: Have you recently met a dashing young talent agent named Trenton Brungard? Is he tall, handsome and works at UTA, one of the most powerful agencies in Hollywood? And if you give him just a few naked photos of yourself, he’ll totally use his amazing connections to turn you into the next Megan Fox, right?
Sadly, Trenton Brungard might not be as awesome as he says he is. UTA has filed one of those only-in-Hollywood lawsuits claiming that an unidentified person has, since April, “represented himself to be an employee and agent of UTA in order to solicit women, and specifically aspiring models and actresses, to send him illicit photos of themselves” so he can “procure them work in the entertainment industry.”
How far did this guy take the scam? He allegedly created a fake UTA email address and signed his correspondence “Trenton Brungard, United Talent Agency” with UTA’s real address and phone number. He’s also apparently got a Facebook page (though we couldn’t find it) ID-ing him as a UTA agent. He’s allegedly used that to pick up ladies too.
Sure, there’s a long tradition in Hollywood of men using the perception of power to prey on naive women. But did this guy think that none of his fame-hungry targets might call the actual agency to check on him?
UTA doesn’t know who Mr. Brungard actually is, so it sued “Doe” defendants, which will allow it to seek information to locate the real perpetrator. We admit, we’re secretly hoping it’s a CAA or WME agent in disguise.
The complaint for deceptive trade practices in violation of Sec. 17200 of California’s business and professions code was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by Bryan Freedman and Jonathan Genish of Freedman & Taitelman. It seeks unspecified damages and an injunction.
