Six Ex-Cradle of Filth Members Sue Over Likeness, Royalties

Six former members of the British extreme metal band Cradle of Filth have filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, accusing the band's frontman Dani Filth, its affiliated companies, and management of unauthorized commercial exploitation of their likenesses, unpaid royalties, and other grievances. The suit, initially filed on September 30, 2025, and amended on November 20, names Zoë Federoff, Marek Ashok Smerda, Lindsay Schoolcraft Matheson, Richard Shaw, Paul Allender, and Sasha Baxter as plaintiffs.

The complaint details allegations that Cradle of Filth LLP, Cradle of Filth Touring Ltd., Filth, whose legal name is Daniel Lloyd Davey, and Oracle Management continued to profit from the plaintiffs' images and performances after their departures without permission or compensation. According to the filing, this includes sales of merchandise such as vinyl records, posters, clothing, and VIP meet-and-greet packages featuring the former members' likenesses. The band allegedly licensed these images to third-party vendors under agreements like the Night Shift Master Licensing Agreement, which plaintiffs claim they were never shown despite requests. Baxter,...