In the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico
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Case 3:21-cv-01374 Document 1 Filed 08/15/21 Page 1 of 10 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF PUERTO RICO LUIS ADRIAN CORTES-RAMOS * CIVIL NO. 21-1374 ( ) Plaintiff * * ABOUT: v. * Copyright Act of 1976 * Torts, Diversity ENRIQUE MARTIN-MORALES a/k/a * RICKY MARTIN, JOHN DOE, * RICHARD ROE, and their respective * insurance companies * JURY TRIAL REQUESTED Defendants * ************************************* COMPLAINT TO THE HONORABLE COURT: Comes plaintiff, through the undersigned attorney, and very respectfully states, alleges and prays: I. JURISDICTION: 1. This Honorable Court has jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1331 and 1338(a); 28 U.S.C. § 1332 (a) 1, (c) and (d). 2. This is also a civil action seeking damages and for direct and vicarious copyright infringement under the Copyright Act of the United States, Copyrights Act of 1976, 17 U.S.C.. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this copyright infringement action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331 and 1338(a). 3. This Court has personal jurisdiction over defendants because, among other things, defendants are doing business in Puerto Rico and in this judicial district, the acts of infringement complained of herein occurred in Puerto Rico and in this judicial district, and Defendants have caused injury to Plaintiff and his intellectual property within Puerto Rico and in this judicial district. Case 3:21-cv-01374 Document 1 Filed 08/15/21 Page 2 of 10 COMPLAINT CIVIL NO. 21-1374 ( ) Page 2 4. Plaintiff and defendants are of diverse citizenship and the award requested exceeds $75,000, exclusive of costs and interests. Plaintiff Luis Adrian Cortés-Ramos is resident of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, USA. Co-defendant Enrique Martín-Morales a/k/a Ricky Martin is resident of State of California, USA; 28 U.S.C. § 1332 (a) 1, (c) and (d). 5. Trial by jury is hereby requested. II. PARTIES: 6. Plaintiff, Luis Adrian Cortés-Ramos, of legal age, single, citizen of the United States of America and resident of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, USA. His address is Urb. Palacios del Prado, 148 Pacífico St., Juana Díaz, PR 00795. 7. Defendant Enrique Martín-Morales a/k/a Ricky Martin is married, artist, singer, citizen of the United States of America and resident of California, USA. His last known address is Malibu, California 90265. 8. John Doe and Richard Roe are defendants who’s names are unknown to this day and those other unknown to this day, and who are responsible or contributed in any way to the events that give rise to this complaint. We also designate as unknown co-defendants the insurance companies and policies of all co-defendants in this complaint. III. FACTS: 9. On or around August 2013 Enrique Martín Morales (Ricky Martin) and others posted and published several advertising, videos, and messages about the SuperSong’s Contest. They claimed that they were sponsors or co-sponsors of the advertising and the SuperSong’s Contest. 10. The song was to be use at the Fédération Internationale de Football Association Case 3:21-cv-01374 Document 1 Filed 08/15/21 Page 3 of 10 COMPLAINT CIVIL NO. 21-1374 ( ) Page 3 (International Federation of Association Football) 2014 FIFA World Cup (TM). The SuperSong was a song to be sing by Ricky Martin on the grand opening of the 2014 FIFA World Cup (TM). In Ricky Martin promotions/advertises, he promoted and invited people to compose the song (the World Cup Theme, the official song) for the 2014 FIFA World Cup (TM). He said that the song would be recorded and then performed on the 2014 FIFA World Cup (TM). Finally it was informed that the composer would be knowledge and credited for the composition. The news were covered by several newspapers, TV news services and magazines worldwide like; Latin Times August 21, 2013. Fox News September 6, 2013. 11. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (International Federation of Association Football) is the international governing body of association football, futsal and beach soccer. FIFA is responsible for the organization of football's major international tournaments, notably the World Cup which commenced in 1930 and the Women's World Cup which commenced in 1991. 12. The 2014 World Cup/FIFA SuperSong’s Contest was a competition (contest) where contestant create and/or compose a song; both music and lyrics in one or a combination of any of the following languages: English, Portuguese, and/or Spanish. The song has to be submitted in or accompanied in a video format showcasing the performance of the composer. 13. Plaintiff saw the advertising of the contest while surfing the internet and immediately became interested. The SuperSong’s Contest was a competition (contest) where contestant create and/or compose a song; both music and lyrics in one or a combination of any of the following languages: English, Portuguese, and/or Spanish. The song has to be submitted in or accompanied in Case 3:21-cv-01374 Document 1 Filed 08/15/21 Page 4 of 10 COMPLAINT CIVIL NO. 21-1374 ( ) Page 4 a video format showcasing the performance of the composer. 14. In accordance with the videos and the promotion published, Plaintiff understood, like all other people, that the SuperSong was the song (the World Cup Theme, the official song) to be sing by Ricky Martin on the grand opening of the 2014 FIFA World Cup (TM). 15. Plaintiff, Luis Adrian Cortés-Ramos, authored, composed, created and recorded the music video La Copa del Mundo (Brasil 2014) including the lyrics, melody, choreography, video, etc. 16. Based on the information contained in the videos and the promotion published, Plaintiff entered the contest by registering in a website of the SuperSong by late 2013 / early 2014. On January 2, 2014, he upload his music-video to YouTube and later to the SuperSong’s web page/site. 17. Plaintiff Luis Adrián Cortés-Ramos saw an advertising of the contest while surfing the internet and immediately became interested. Plaintiff is a young artist; composer, singer, and musician. Plaintiff Luis Adrián Cortés-Ramos participated in several music tv contest including Puerto Rico Idol (Wapa TV). 18. Plaintiff Luis Adrián Cortés-Ramos also was attending college, University of Puerto Rico. He was completing a college degree in Bachelor in Science, major in Biomedical Science. He graduated on May 2013. He also works part-time with his parents in a family business. Even thought plaintiff Luis Adrián Cortés-Ramos’ artistic, working and college duties keeps him really busy and occupied, he composed a song to participate in the SuperSong’s Contest and created a video for it. 19. Plaintiff Luis Adrián Cortés-Ramos composed the song and recorded the video at the Case 3:21-cv-01374 Document 1 Filed 08/15/21 Page 5 of 10 COMPLAINT CIVIL NO. 21-1374 ( ) Page 5 end of 2013. He utilized several musicians, dancers, and chorus singers. The majority of the musicians, dancers, and chorus singers were relatives or family members. He had to pay for the recording and sound systems. The video was recorded in locations close to his hometown Juana Díaz, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. 20. Plaintiff Luis Adrián Cortés-Ramos entered the contest by registering in a website of the SuperSong by late 2013. On January 2, 2014 plaintiff Luis Adrián Cortés-Ramos upload his music-video to YouTube and later to the SuperSong’s web page/site. On January 8, 2014 defendants selected the twenty (20) finalists. Plaintiff Luis Adrián Cortés-Ramos was selected as a finalist. 21. On or around March 24, 2014 defendant Ricky Martin visited Puerto Rico to promote some charity and non-profit organizations including the Tau Center, Loiza, Puerto Rico. 22. On his visit to Puerto Rico, defendant Ricky Martin promoted his line of books for children and also he promoted the soon to be release new CD that contains several unreleased songs and the song Vida. The promotion tour included several newspapers, tv & radio stations and magazines’ interviews. Also he had several public appearances and visited several public places. 23. Defendant Martin visit to Puerto Rico was part of well established publicity program designated to promoted the release of his next CD Vida, a media tour to promote his CD. 24. Several months later defendant Martin released the announced and promoted new CD VIDA containing the song Vida. 25. The promotional campaign of the CD Vida was all over Puerto Rico. The advertising of the CD covered the entire Island of Puerto Rico including posters, billboards adds, radio, tv and newspapers adds, a promotional campaign at Walgreens of Puerto Rico that includes a poster of Case 3:21-cv-01374 Document 1 Filed 08/15/21 Page 6 of 10 COMPLAINT CIVIL NO. 21-1374 ( ) Page 6 Ricky Martin when buying the CD. It was advertised in all other stores’ shoppers for several months. 26. The CD was sold in Puerto Rico locally at retail stores, department stores, music stores, pharmacies, bookstores, etc. It was sold also via on-line and downloads. 27. The song Vida was utilized for several advertizing and promotional campaigns; the radio station KQ-105 (WKAQ-105) used it as a song theme for advertising the station with adds in the radio and tv stations (Univision). The adds in the TV included the music video Vida. It caused me new damages and worsen my previous damages; economical, emotional and mental anguish. 28. The economical proceeds & economical benefits of the sales of the CD Vida in Puerto Rico and the economical proceeds & economical benefits of the use of the Song in other advertising campaigns as the result of defendant Martin media tour in Puerto Rico on 2014 and the advertising campaign in Puerto Rico on 2014 were caused in Puerto Rico and were directly related to defendant Ricky Martin acts while in Puerto Rico and ordered by him to his agents in Puerto Rico.