Miller Child Image Suit
Federal Lawsuit Accuses Rep. Max Miller, Attorney of Publishing Child's Intimate Image
Key Points
The federal claims rely on 15 U.S.C. § 6851, which defines 'disclose' as transferring, publishing, distributing, or making accessible, and defines 'intimate visual depictions' to include uncovered genitals and the pubic area, forming the basis for the alleged distribution of the image.
TheDropbox link was created and owned by Minc LLC; after Miller livestreamed on X, he directed a public Dropbox folder containing the unredacted image, which remained publicly accessible for about 23 hours and drew hundreds of thousands of views/interactions.
Moreno is identified as the daughter of Senator Bernie Moreno, highlighting the political stakes of the dispute beyond the personal lawsuit.
The filing cites a federal civil-rights claim under 15 U.S.C. § 6851 and Ohio state-law tort claims (including wrongful invasion of privacy, negligence, and civil conspiracy) in a U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, with Moreno seeking $150,000 per image in damages.
Emily Moreno, the ex-wife of U.S. Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio), has filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit against Miller and his personal attorney Aaron Minc after a nude photo of their 2-year-old daughter was posted publicly online. The image remained accessible via a Dropbox link for roughly 23 hours and drew hundreds of thousands of views, according to The Hill.
Moreno is seeking $150,000 per image for each disclosure. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio and names Miller, Minc, and Minc LLC as defendants, according to Tiffinohio.net.
How the Photo Ended Up Online for 23 Hours
Miller gave a large set of documents to his attorney Minc as part of an online defense against domestic abuse allegations. Minc then created a public Dropbox folder and shared a link to it after a livestream on X, according to Yahoo News. The folder contained an unredacted photo of the couple's daughter.
The Dropbox link was created and owned by Minc LLC. It stayed live for about 23 hours before being taken down. A pediatrician who reviewed the image reportedly confirmed it showed the child's genitalia, contradicting claims that the child was partly clothed, according to The Hill.
Federal Law at the Center of the Lawsuit
The lawsuit's main federal claim relies on 15 U.S.C. § 6851, a civil-rights statute that covers "intimate visual depictions." That includes uncovered genitalia and the pubic area. The law defines "disclose" broadly — it includes transferring, publishing, distributing, or simply making an image accessible, according to Tiffinohio.net.
Beyond the federal claim, Moreno also brings Ohio state-law claims. Those include wrongful invasion of privacy, negligence, and civil conspiracy. The $150,000-per-image damages figure applies to each separate act of disclosure under the federal statute, according to Head Topics.
Miller Blames His Lawyer, Calls It an Accident
Miller has publicly apologized for the photo's release. He called it an "inadvertent upload" and placed responsibility on Minc. At the same time, Miller denied Moreno's underlying abuse allegations and framed the entire dispute as a political attack, according to The Hill.
Miller suggested the controversy could hurt his reelection chances. Moreno is the daughter of Senator Bernie Moreno, adding a political layer to an already high-profile case. Her father's connection makes the lawsuit harder to dismiss as a purely private matter, according to Yahoo News.
What Comes Next for Miller and Minc
Both Miller and Minc now face potential civil liability on multiple legal fronts. The federal statute alone carries a $150,000 damages floor per image per disclosure. With hundreds of thousands of interactions recorded, the financial exposure could be significant, according to Tiffinohio.net.
The case is proceeding in the Northern District of Ohio. It adds to a growing list of legal and political pressures on Miller. No trial date has been set. Miller has not said whether he plans to part ways with Minc as his attorney, according to Head Topics.
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