“I’m lovin’ it” - Man sues McDonalds for $3Mn over wifes nude photos

An Arkansas man on Friday filed a lawsuit against McDonald’s, alleging a restaurant location uploaded nude photos of his wife onto a web site. Philip Sherman says he was promised by staff at the burger restaurant in Fayette, Arkansas, that the handset would be turned off and securely stored until he could retrieve it.

In the suit, Phillip Sherman said he left his phone at a McDonald’s location in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and that a manager promised the phone was secured for him to retrieve it. After picking up his iPhone, photos of Sherman’s wife Tina Sherman made their way onto a web site — along with her name, address and contact information, the suit claims. Next to the photographs, the miscreants added the McDonald’s logo, together with its slogan "I’m lovin’ it" and a caption describing Tina as "hot like McDonald’s’ coffee".

The staff also provided her name, address and contact details, prompting dozens of unwelcome letters, phone calls and emails that apparently forced the couple to move home.

The Shermans are seeking $3m (£2m) for emotional distress, embarrassment and damage to their reputations. They also allege loss of earnings, and want to reclaim the cost of their change of address.

Mrs Sherman says in the lawsuit that she began receiving threatening and offensive calls and text messages about the pictures shortly after her husband visited McDonald’s on 5 July. She was then shocked to discover that several private images she had sent to him had been posted online. The lawsuit holds the McDonald’s Corporation, together with the local franchise owner, responsible for what it claims were the reckless and abusive actions of its staff.

The affair has sparked heated debate in online forums, with many correspondents expressing surprise at the quality of the allegedly private photographs.

Some wondered if the couple might have somehow engineered an elaborate compensation scam, a suggestion they are likely to reject.