A USC journalism professor has dropped her lawsuit against an unspecified number of still unidentified “Does” who she alleged defamed her on social media by falsely linking her to the “Operation Varsity Blues” scandal.
Plaintiff Courtney Pade is a researcher and educator who is employed as a clinical associate professor of communication in the graduate school at USC’s Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism. Pade also is co-director of USC’s Communication Management Program.
On Thursday, Pade’s attorney filed court papers with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kevin C. Brazile asking that her case be dismissed “without prejudice,” meaning it can be refiled. Pade’s lawyer further stated that the “Does” are “unknown cybercriminals who have deliberately concealed their identities by posting about plaintiff anonymously across multiple online platforms.”
The Varsity Blues scandal was allegedly led by William “Rick” Singer by operating a college admissions consulting company and a fraudulent charity, then working with upscale families to get their children into top schools, in part through the manipulation of SAT and ACT score results.
In late October 2024, Pade became the focus of a “coordinated and malicious harassment campaign” by the “Does” who, according to her lawsuit filed Dec. 20, posted anonymously across multiple social media platforms that Pade was accused of “heinous criminal activity,” including involvement in the Varsity Blues scheme.
“Plaintiff was never implicated in any way in connection with `Operation Varsity Blues,”’ the suit stated.
The alleged harassment campaign began when the “Does” purchased the domain courtneypade.com from Namecheap.com, then created a YouTube channel, calling it “Stand Against Courtney Pade USC,” then earlier in December created an anti-Pade podcast on iHeart Radio, the suit alleged.
The lawsuit cites numerous other allegedly false messaging regarding Pade, including that she is “corrupt, dishonest and (a Hollywood) elitist” and that she is “being exposed for “corruption, racial discrimination and nepotism” as well as “malpractice, corruption, and discrimination.”
Pade sought unspecified compensatory and punitive damages as well as an injunction against further false social media postings about her.