Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Wins Another Intellectual Property Case - Another Stupid Auto Dealer Story

Receives Apology From Fred Martin Motor Company and Money for Arnold's All-Stars Program

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 20 -- Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has entered into a settlement agreement with Fred Martin Motor Company of Ohio.

The lawsuit, which was filed in 2002 in the US District Court of Central California, sought damages against Fred Martin Motor Co. for violating Mr. Schwarzenegger's publicity rights by using his name and photograph in a series of newspaper advertisements for Fred Martin Motor Co.'s car dealership in Akron, Ohio.

Fred Martin Motor Co. has acknowledged that it was wrong to use Mr. Schwarzenegger's name and photograph in the advertisements, and issued a written apology to Mr. Schwarzenegger for the improper and unauthorized usage. Pursuant to the settlement agreement, Fred Martin Motor Co. has agreed to pay a substantial sum of money to Arnold's All-Stars, which Schwarzenegger founded in 1991, to give inner-city youth an alternative to drugs and gangs during the critical after school hours.

Mr. Schwarzenegger has always been and continues to be vigilant in protecting his intellectual property rights and pursues those who violate them. Schwarzenegger entered into a settlement agreement last year with the advertising agency involved in the advertising campaign for Fred Martin Motor Co.