14 DAY TRIAL // Chris Brown has finally spoken out on ongoing allegations that he is in some way involved in the leak of several personal photos of Rihanna, which continue to make the rounds on the Internet despite sustained efforts from Def Jam, her label. Brown has nothing to do with the leak, a publicist for him sets the record straight in a press statement to Essence.
“This is both a false and defamatory statement. Chris has not released or ‘leaked’ any photos of Rihanna (or anyone else for that matter).” reads the statement just made public, following intense speculation that, if anyone was to have had a hand in the matter, that could have only been Brown. Until this moment, camp Rihanna has failed to make any comment regarding the situation, save for the cease and desist warning issued over the weekend and sent to the websites hosting the pictures in question.
As fans must already know, over the weekend, several photos of a woman bearing a striking resemblance to Rihanna surfaced on several websites. Except for two of them, who had the singer fully clothed and with her face easily recognizable, the others were only believed to be of the “Umbrella” star. No tattoos or other distinguishable marks were visible, which made many say that this was nothing but a hate campaign meant to ruin Rihanna’s good girl reputation.
Within hours after the photos hit the net, Def Jam, Rihanna’s label, was busily trying to pull them down from the websites by sending cease and desist letters claiming a violation of copyright was the case with them being posted online. Of the sites contacted by the record label’s attorneys, most complied with the order – but some still have the pics in question available, having refused to pull them down until they at least get confirmation that the woman pictured is Rihanna.
“TMZ has learned the legal department at Island Def Jam Music Group, RiRi’s label, sent a letter to at least one website that published the photos. The letter refers to ‘unauthorized photos purported to be... Rihanna,’ demands that the photos be removed from the site, and calls the photos a violation of ‘the Artist’s rights’.” TMZ was saying over the weekend. Speaking of confirmation of the identity of the woman, the same source says that the lawyers’ approach on the matter is the closest thing we’re going to get a confirmation (also known in the industry as a confirmation by not denying).