Josh Duggar Sued over Ashley Madison Profile: DJ Alleges Duggar's Use of His Picture Cost Him Jobs
Though Josh Duggar is gradually returning to public life, the scandals he faced in 2015 are still hanging over him.
Matthew McCarthy, the Los Angeles-based DJ and photographer whose photos Duggar used on his Ashley Madison profile, is seeking undisclosed damages, PEOPLE has confirmed.
In the filing, McCarthy claims that Duggar's wrongful, "extreme and outrageous" use of his image on Ashley Madison, Twitter and OkCupid profile has resulted in loss of work as well as harassment (nicknames including "DJ Duggar" and "Duggar's boy toy") that inflicted upon him "prolonged pain and suffering, anxiety, depression, embarrassment, humiliation, loss of self-esteem and extreme and severe mental anguish and emotional distress including but not limited to frequent panic attacks, disruption of sleep and insomnia, mood changes, fits of anger, a loss of interest in pursuing both professional and personal endeavors, and a complete loss of self-confidence."
He further claims that Duggar "acted willfully, maliciously and impressively ... with full and deliberate disregard for the consequences [to McCarthy]" and that McCarthy "reasonably fears that he will continue to be shunned, avoided, embarrassed and subjected to ridicule."
McCarthy also alleges his close-knit, religious family has endured harassment as a result of the scandal.
Last August, a large-scale data leak impacted the infidelity website and Ashley Madison thousands of its users, including Duggar.
The revelation that the former 19 Kids and Counting star had a premium, "guaranteed affair" subscription ultimately played a part in Duggar, now 28, confessing that he had developed an addiction to online pornography and been unfaithful to wife Anna.
"I have been the biggest hypocrite ever," he wrote in a lengthy statement on the family's blog. "I am so ashamed of the double life that I have been living and am grieved for the hurt, pain and disgrace my sin has caused my wife and family, and most of all Jesus and all those who profess faith in Him."
Duggar entered a faith-based rehabilitation program that month and checked out in March to return home to Arkansas where he continues to rebuild his life.
