⁠Gypsy Rose Blanchard is suing true crime blogger April Johns for defamation, fraud, and more

Gypsy Rose Blanchard and her family are pursuing legal action against a true crime blogger April Johns, who allegedly defamed Blanchard following the breakdown of their previous partnership. As per The Daily Beast, Gypsy has filed a lawsuit against April Johns a.k.a. Franchesca for charges including fraud, unjust enrichment, breach of contract, defamation, and false light.

Gypsy Rose Blanchard and her family met Johns, who runs a production company, Mad Ginger Entertainment when she was serving her prison sentence. Johns allegedly offered to produce projects highlighting Gypsy’s life, however, in her lawsuit accessed by USA Today, Blanchard and her family claimed that their relationship with her took a turn as she "failed to secure any media projects or produce any marketable content."

The lawsuit also claimed that Gypsy's father Rod and stepmother Kristy shared sensitive information, with the true crime blogger, which she allegedly used "without their consent and for her own pecuniary gain." The lawsuit read:

“For the next two plus years, plaintiffs Gypsy, Rod and Kristy diligently worked with defendant Johns/Macelli. They had countless conversations and interviews with her regarding their lives and the circumstances of the murder.”

Gypsy Rose Blanchard spent eight years in jail for her involvement in her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard's murder and was released last year.

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Gypsy Rose Blanchard alleges that April Johns leaked her medical records online

After the deal between April Johns and Gypsy went sour in 2019, and they cut ties, Gypsy claimed that the true crime blogger continued using her data against the family's wishes, as per USA Today. The lawsuit filed by the Blanchard family claimed that April used videos, interviews, documents, and pictures provided to her by the family.

They alleged that the true crime blogger "posted police reports, police videos, and police photographs; including the crime scene photos of Dee Dee’s body." Several documents provided to her by the family were also reportedly monetized via platforms like Patreon.

Gypsy also claimed in her lawsuit that April Johns allegedly launched a hate campaign against her, and shared confidential information with the masses. The lawsuit reads:

“As evidenced by defendant Johns/Macelli’s conduct, and the conduct of her agents/associates, Johns/Macelli is intentionally and freely utilising the materials she received from plaintiffs pursuant to the agreements signed by plaintiff Gypsy and plaintiffs Rod and Kristy, respectively, without their consent and for her own pecuniary gain.”

Furthermore, the lawsuit also states that Gypsy’s family was falsely accused by April of stalking her and encouraging others to do the same.

“She has stated that she is in fear that someone ‘will take her out.’ She presents no evidence to back up the assertions that she is either being stalked or that the plaintiffs are encouraging such behaviour,” the lawsuit says.

Furthermore, the lawsuit filed by Gypsy and her family also mentioned that they had already sent a letter to Johns requesting her to stop "creating content and saying false, defamatory and harassing things," however, she did not pay heed to this.

Apart from a preliminary and permanent injunction against April Johns, the family is also seeking a temporary restraining order against her, claiming that she has "caused, and continues to cause, immediate irreparable harm" to them.

Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s case has been featured in several documentaries and true crime shows, including Mommy Dead and Dearest and Dr Phil in 2017. Other titles like Gypsy’s Revenge, The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, Gypsy Rose: Life After Lock Up, and more also shed light on her life.