Legal Battle: Youth Wrestling YouTuber Sues Iowa Woman for False Accusations
An NCAA wrestling official who manages a YouTube channel dedicated to youth wrestling is taking legal action against an Iowa woman for allegedly making false accusations against him. Nima Gharavi, the YouTuber and wrestling official, claims that his wrestling videos were pirated by porn websites. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, names Allyson Schwab, a photographer known for producing youth wrestling content, as the defendant.
Gharavi has been creating videos of youth wrestling matches for years, initially for wrestling officials' use. He later decided to share his passion for the sport by creating a public YouTube channel called Midwest Wrestle, which now boasts over 175,000 followers. However, Gharavi discovered that his video content was being copied without his permission and posted on third-party websites featuring objectionable material.
To address this issue, Gharavi submitted numerous take-down requests to websites and served subpoenas to obtain information on those who had pirated his videos. Meanwhile, Schwab allegedly posted on her social media account, warning parents about suggestive videos of youth wrestling matches that were garnering high views. Although Schwab did not mention Gharavi or Midwest Wrestle directly, the details in her posts aligned with the viewership of Midwest Wrestle's content.
Following Schwab's posts, Gharavi was reportedly ejected from a wrestling tournament by Northwestern University's Head Wrestling Coach, Matt Storniolo. Schwab allegedly praised Storniolo for this action, leading to further repercussions for Gharavi. As a result, Gharavi faced cancellations of contracts with athletic organizations, threats, and an attempted home break-in.
The lawsuit filed by Gharavi seeks damages for defamation, invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and tortious interference with business relationships. Schwab has not responded to the lawsuit, and attempts to reach her for comment have been unsuccessful.