Florida Joker slams Rockstar for GTA 6 image theft

The "Florida Joker," Lawrence Sullivan, is accusing Rockstar Games of using his likeness in the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 6 without permission. Shortly after the GTA 6 trailer release, Sullivan spotted a character resembling his distinctive facial tattoos and took to TikTok to demand compensation. In the trailer, a tattooed individual appears briefly at the 1:04-minute mark, sporting facial ink similar to Sullivan's, who garnered public attention following his arrest in 2017 and 2018 for unrelated incidents. Though not an exact match, the resemblance was close enough to raise Sullivan's concern.

While Sullivan argues his case, this is not the first instance of public figures claiming Rockstar used their likenesses. The studio faced previous lawsuits from celebrities like Lindsay Lohan and Karen Gravano, both of which were dismissed by the courts. Rockstar's titles often include parodies and satirical depictions of current events and famous personalities, blurring the lines between inspiration and infringement. The legal outcomes have favored Rockstar so far, emphasizing the creative and fictional nature of their games.

No official determination has been made whether Rockstar Games used Lawrence Sullivan's likeness in Grand Theft Auto 6. Sullivan accuses the game developer of doing so, but the matter has not been legally concluded.