Disney failed to protect guests from employee taking ‘upskirt' photos, lawsuit alleges
The lawsuit, filed by a family member of an alleged victim, argues that Disney did not take sufficient action to protect visitors at its Orlando theme parks from former employee Jorge Diaz Vega Jr.
Diaz Vega was arrested in 2023 for allegedly filming up the skirts of over 600 female guests while working in the Star Wars section of Disney's Hollywood Studios.
The 18-page lawsuit, filed by the grandparent of an alleged 14-year-old victim, claims that Disney did not "adequately supervise" Diaz Vega after he was reported to a supervisor for photographing or recording a co-worker without consent.
"Upon information and belief, Disney employees, agents, servants, and/or apparent agents knew or should have known that [Diaz Vega] had committed similar acts of video voyeurism of guests and co-workers over the six years he was employed by Disney as evidenced by the more than 600 images and videos of unwitting victims on his phone," the lawsuit states.
The plaintiff alleges that Disney's choice to continue Diaz Vega's employment following the incident with his co-worker "posed a danger to the public and to the plaintiff's minor grandchild."
In 2023, a deputy with the Orange County Sheriff's Office responded to a call from Disney's Hollywood Studios after a woman alerted security that a man dressed in a Star Wars uniform had taken a photo up her granddaughter's dress, but authorities were unable to identify the man.
The next day, officers returned to the theme park after Diaz Vega was spotted by a security guard taking "upskirt" videos of a 19-year-old female guest, according to court documents.
Diaz Vega was arrested on video voyeurism charges after admitting to recording the videos as a "guilty pleasure," telling police "it is hard to find them online," the affidavit said. He has pleaded not guilty in both cases.
The plaintiff is asking the court for a jury trial and over $50,000 in damages.
Diaz Vega is facing additional video voyeurism charges in a third case after he was arrested at a Kissimmee Publix while out on bond for the incident at Disney's Hollywood Studios. In June 2023, a shopper allegedly spotted Diaz Vega taking a photo up his wife's dress, shortly before witnessing him doing it to another woman, FOX 35 Orlando reported.
According to court documents, when confronted, Diaz Vega said, "I have been fired for this before. Please don't call the police. I promise I will delete the pictures."
Representatives for Disney, and the lawyers for both Diaz Vega and the plaintiff, did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
3 days ago
- New York Post
Tourist charged with child abuse after manhandling teen to get better parade spot at Disney World
A tourist has been charged with child abuse for allegedly manhandling a teen to get a better view of a parade at Walt Disney World. Martha Lucia Zapata-Echeverri, 51, allegedly grabbed a 17-year-old girl and left nail marks on her during Monday's brawl at Disney's Magic Kingdom, according to an Orange County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) affidavit obtained by PEOPLE. The accuser told deputies she was 'standing on the sidewalk of 'Main Street' in front of the castle preparing to watch the parade.' Zapata-Echeverri — a Colombian who now lives in Spain — then allegedly 'put her hand on [the teen] 'trying to make space,'' just for the girl to ask her in Spanish 'not to touch her,' the affidavit continues. Tourist Martha Lucia Zapata-Echeverri was arrested after allegedly fighting a teen at Walt Disney World. Orange County Sheriff's Office Instead, Zapata-Echeverri 'grabbed [the teen] by the arm and pulled her to the side, causing a bruise and abrasion on her right arm,' according to the affidavit. The tourist — who was with her daughter — blamed the teen for starting the fight by pushing into her and saying it was 'her spot' as they all tried to get good spots for the parade. She was unable to explain how the teen had 'nail marks,' the affidavit said, saying the suspect instead 'just pantomimed her 'pushing.'' The fight reportedly broke out over getting a better spot at the Disney parade. satur73 – Zapata Echeverri was uninjured in the incident at around 9:40 p.m., which ended with deputies separating the pair. So far, no video of the fight has been found, the affidavit said. Zapata-Echeverri arrived in the US on a tourist visa on July 2 and was scheduled to fly back to Spain on Wednesday, her attorney told a judge during her court appearance on Tuesday, WESH reported. Her bond was reduced to $2,500 and she was banned from Disney properties, WESH reported. Walt Disney World did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
Tom's Guide
3 days ago
- Tom's Guide
How to watch 'Under The Bridge' online from anywhere in the world
"Under The Bridge" is based on Rebecca Godfrey's book of the same name and tells the story of fourteen-year-old Reena Virk (played by Vritika Gupta) who went to meet her friends at a party and never came home. Godfrey (Riley Keough) and local police officer (Lily Gladstone) are our guides through the distressing hidden world of the young girls accused of the murder... Here's how to watch 'Under The Bridge" from anywhere with a VPN — and potentially for free. "Under The Bridge" has already premiered in U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand but arrives in U.K. on ITV1 on Friday, July 25 at 9 p.m. It will also be available to stream on ITVX. • FREE STREAM — ITV/ ITVX (U.K.)• U.S. — Hulu / Disney+ • Australia — SBS • Canada — CBC Gem • New Zealand — Disney+ • Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk-free Reena's murder and the sustained bullying that had taken place before it became the the focus of intense media coverage and public speculation. There were other factors at play - the suspects were mostly teenage girls, the victim was of Asian heritage and there was a racial aspect to the crime. Virk's parents were Jehovah's Witnesses ("a minority within a minority") and their strict religious views may have led to Leena rebelling at school inn attempt to gain acceptance from the very people who planned and carried out the attack upon her that led to her death. The murder by forcible drowning appears in the first episode the show but Reena's story continues to be told and developed by virtue of the inclusion of fictionalized versions of author Godfrey and police officer Cam Bentland in the script. They lean into the problems surrounding the case and lead us through. Read on to find out how to watch 'Under The Bridge" online and from anywhere. "Under The Bridge" arrives in U.K. on ITV1 on Friday, July 25 at 9 p.m. It will also be available to stream on ITVX. All episodes will also be available to stream live and on demand on ITVX for FREE. However, you will need a valid TV license to stream content live. If you're outside of the U.K. when it's on, you can use a VPN to get around the geo-restrictions that will prevent ITVX from working. Scroll down for more information and instructions. Thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network), "Under The Bridge" should be available to Brits no matter where they are. The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you find yourself. Our favorite is NordVPN – and you can find out why in our NordVPN review. NordVPN deal: FREE $50 / £50 Amazon gift card Boasting lightning fast speeds, great features, streaming power, and class-leading security, NordVPN is our #1 VPN. ✅ FREE Amazon gift card worth up to $50/£50✅ 4 months extra FREE!✅ 76% off usual price Use Nord to unblock ITVX and watch "Under The Bridge" online with our exclusive deal. Using a VPN is incredibly simple. 1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite. 2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're in the U.S. and want to view a British service, you'd select U.K. from the list. 3. Sit back and enjoy the show. Head to ITVX and stream "Under The Bridge" for free. "Under The Bridge" first showed in the U.S. in 2024 and is still available to stream on Hulu/ Disney+ Brits traveling in the U.S. who want to use their usual domestic streaming platform could look in to using a VPN to stream for free as they would back home. We recommend NordVPN. "Under The Bridge" first showed in Australia in 2024 and is still available to stream on SBS for FREE. Remember, if you're traveling and geo-blocking won't let you connect to the streaming platforms you use back home, purchasing a VPN will allow you to watch "Under The Bridge" online wherever you are. We recommend NordVPN. "Under The Bridge" first showed in Canada in 2024 and is still available to stream on CBC Gem. Brit abroad in Canada? Signing up to NordVPN will help you access your preferred streaming service when you're overseas. "Under The Bridge" first showed is available to stream on Disney+ in New Zealand. Remember, if you're traveling and geo-blocking won't let you connect to the streaming platforms you use back home, purchasing a VPN will allow you to watch "Under The Bridge" online, no matter where you are. We recommend NordVPN. Episode 1: "Looking Glass" - In 1997, on a quiet island in BC, fourteen-year-old Reena Virk attends a party and never returns home. Her disappearance intrigues a novelist returning to her hometown. Episode 2: "The John Gotti of Seven Oaks" - Cam is thrown by a shocking discovery, and the police rush to unravel what really happened under the bridge. Josephine makes a deal with Rebecca. Episode 3: "Blood Oath" - Upsetting news shakes the small town of Victoria, and as rumors surface, Rebecca and Cam reconnect. In the past, Reena enters Josephine's mafia fantasy world. Episode 4: "Beautiful British Colombia" - In 1979, Suman and Manjit fall in love, setting into motion a series of events that will change their lives forever. In 1997, the Seven Oaks girls come to the Virk house for a dinner to remember, Episode 5: "When The Heat Comes Down" - Tensions rise as suspicions surround the teens. Rebecca and Cam hatch a plan — but an unexpected detour leads Rebecca down a strange rabbit hole, resulting in a new bond. Episode 6: "In the Water They Sink As The Same" - Past and present wounds entwine as Rebecca and Cam's alliance is tested. The Virks discuss taking matters into their own hands, and the teens use a school dance as cover for their escape Episode 7: "Three and Seven" - The unfolding trial pushes Rebecca to the brink as she begins to question who she should defend. Cam's allegiance to the justice system is tested as details from the night of the murder are finally revealed. Episode 8: "Mercy Alone" - The last opportunity for justice arrives as all the participants reckon with their true involvement in the events that transpired. A radical choice of forgiveness allows for closure. Godfrey was a Canadian journalist turned award-winning novelist and non-fiction writer. "Under The Bridge", published in 2005, was her second book. Hollywood star Reese Witherspoon's Type-A production company optioned the rights. In 2017 she wrote an update on the case for Vice Magazine. Hulu announced that they had ordered the 8 part series above a week before Godfrey's death from complications due to lung cancer in September 2022 We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
USA Today
4 days ago
- USA Today
Woman charged after scuffle with teen at Disney's Magic Kingdom
A woman was arrested and is facing a child abuse charge after being accused of injuring a 17-year-old at Disney's Magic Kingdom in Florida. According to an Orange County Sheriff's Office arrest affidavit obtained by USA TODAY, the altercation happened while people were preparing to watch a parade outside Cinderella Castle on Monday, July 21. The teenage victim told deputies that Martha Zapata-Echeverri, 51, placed a hand on her to try and "make space," but she asked the woman "not to touch her." She addressed the woman in Spanish. The situation escalated when the teen was trying to help another person pass, and Zapata-Echeverri "grabbed her by the arm" and "pulled her to the side," documents stated. Crime: Cause of death revealed for Melina Frattolin, 9-year-old killed in NY Teen suffered injuries on arm, officials say According to the affidavit, Zapata-Echeverri said that she was following her daughter through the front of the crowd for the parade when the teen pushed into her, claiming "it was her spot." The officer on the scene asked Zapata-Echeverrii about the nail marks on the teenager's arm, but her response was not clear. The teen suffered from a bruise and abrasion on her arm, the affidavit says. Per the documents, Zapata-Echeverri is a citizen of Spain. During a court appearance on July 22, her attorney said she had been visiting Florida and was scheduled to return home July 23, according to WESH. The judge reduced her bond to $2,500 and barred her from Disney properties, the TV station said. Disney Magic Kingdom Park is located in Bay Lake, a city about 23 miles from Orlando. USA TODAY contacted Disney on Wednesday, July 23, but has not received a response. Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@
