Guy Discovers He Has Been Falsely Painted as a Villain in Shady Cousin’s Self-Help Book

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    Font - AITA for being upset for being unknowingly inclued in a memoir My Cousin wrote a memoir/self help book. Unbeknownst to me, it included a major storyline that was extremely embellished about a conflict we had when I was an early teen and still very much a child. Basically, she made me out to be some kind of homicidal maniac. It's just not the truth. Now she's trying to say it was a major trauma in her life even though for the last 2 decades we have been on many family holidays together and
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    Font - An old family friend stumbled upon it and told me, that's how I had to find out. Her sibling, who I am closest with, gave it a five-star review on Amazon. It is important to note she has built a business on being a 'Phoenix from the Flames' type who lifecoaches people. Her family grew up very affluent and has said things in the media like she has grown up in poverty for attention. Absolute lie. More recently, she has been sued for fraud. She went to jail for assaulting her ex husband. Now
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    Font - this could impact them. Again, I have evidence to show that her description of the events is unequivocally false. My entire family will avoid conflict at every level as much as possible and she even mentions that in her book, so everybody is just kind of looking the other way on the fact that she completely slandered me. I just don't understand how suddenly, after years, it is written in her book that I'm an absolute horrible human for all to see. I honestly think she's just trying to sel
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    Font - tedhanoverspeaches 10 hr. ago NTA. What she did was extremely wrong and unethical. If she was an actual licensed mental health professional instead of some kind of huckster "life coach" she could be in trouble for it. 1.7k Reply Share
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    Font - thatsjustreallymean OP 10 hr. ago Thank you very much for your response. Since this has happened, I''ve been reading a number of articles by professional authors about the 'ethics' of including someone in a nonfiction book and not asking for permission first. I was even reading there could be ramifications for the Publishing company. Although she doesn't use my name, she identifies our family relationship and my age. It could not be any clearer that it's me. I appreciate you mentioning th
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    Font - tedhanoverspeaches 9 hr. ago It sounds like you are identifiable. Lawyer up. If she published it under her real name, all a curious reader has to do is look her up on one of those people finder indexes online and then do a little light sleuthing around the family tree to figure out who the male cousin around the right age is. I have professional investigation experience and I'd be on your Facebook page in about 10 minutes, tops. Don't freak out- most people aren't that curious and won't m
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    Font - thatsjustreallymean OP. 9 hr. ago The overwhelming majority of people who purchased it were her clients and some of our family members. It was clear enough that somebody told me. She has about four things in her book that make me identifiable. She mentions me twice in two different scenarios. I don't want to let it go, but I'm not sure if I have a legal leg to stand on because there is a small element of truth to it. Super appreciate the response. 505 Reply Share
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    Font - Devillitta 9 hr. ago NTA, they using you without your knowledge is an offence, you should sue or at least lodge a police report for defamation and breaching personal privacy depending on your country's laws Reply Share 312
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    Font - thatsjustreallymean OP 9 hr. ago USA. The event she references is true, but it has been embellished significantly. Not sure if that qualifies for defamation. I was also a child when it happened. 149 Reply Share
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    Font - 2 aksnitd 9 hr. ago edited 9 hr. ago She sounds like a real hack, a liar, and a thief. She's selling herself as this self made life coach, while having grown up in an affluent family in comfort. Part of her lies already seem to have caught up to her if she's been sued for fraud. But I do have to ask, how can she be a life coach after having gone to jail? Was it covered up? As for your own situation, if you have proof, you could very well have legal standing to sue her and force her to wit
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    Font - thatsjustreallymean OP 9 hr. ago She was sued for fraud by former student for her coaching business. I was told about these lawsuits by her brother. She only went to jail for the weekend after attacking her husband, I should have mentioned that, but people generally don't ask you those kind of questions when they're signing up for your online Boot Camp or whatever. She's good at leading a double life and covering things up. Reply Share 96 凸
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    Font - Amsen09 9 hr. ago NTA, OP. By writing you as her personal villain in her book she literally put an axe over your Family's head with her lies. You need a lawyer and to sue her. ASAP. Sooner or later your identity will blow up and it will negatively impact your immediate Family. Please don't ever wait for that day to come. To your relatives who looked the other way about this, tell them you are disgusted with their behavior and go No Contact with them. They threw you under the bus without r
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    Font - thatsjustreallymean OP 9 hr. ago The personal villain comment is spot on. We did have a serious conflict when I was a young teen, but it hasn't been mentioned in 20 years and I paid my consequences for it back then. No one was hurt no one was arrested no one went to jail. I am really worried my teenage Sons will read this account of our conflict written by a family member and it could have repercussions for them or me. I'm just very hurt and angry. Thank you for your response. Reply Share
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    Rectangle - Character-Grape520 10 hr. ago Nta but if you receipts of her lies I would just release it all or see if possible for defemation of character
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    Rectangle - thatsjustreallymean OP 9 hr. ago I have receipts for sure! Not sure releasing it will solve much. I'm afraid she'll take the opportunity to blow it up worse. Thank you.

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