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Netflix is under fire after a YouTube creator filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday, accusing the streaming platform and two production companies of stealing his original interview with Rex Heuermann — the Long Island architect now charged in the notorious Gilgo Beach serial killings.

The suit, lodged in Manhattan federal court by Antoine Amira, alleges copyright infringement, claiming Netflix used segments of his February 2022 interview with Heuermann without permission in its March-released documentary series Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer.

The Heart of the Claim

Amira, who runs the YouTube channel Bonjour Realty, said his one-on-one video is the only known recording where Heuermann openly discussed his personal life and career before his 2023 arrest. The interview, which became one of Amira’s most-watched uploads, was “shamelessly plastered” throughout the Netflix documentary, according to the complaint.

“Unlike other networks and outlets that reached out to license plaintiff’s work, defendants chose to simply copy it — without paying plaintiff a dime,” the lawsuit states.

Amira’s lawyer, Armin Ghiam of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, said the unauthorized use devalues the work:

“Our client’s original interview was copied without authorization or compensation. Its use after Mr. Heuermann became a household name substantially undermines its value.”

Background on the Gilgo Beach Killings

Heuermann has been charged with seven murders tied to the Gilgo Beach serial killings — a chilling case involving the discovery of multiple bodies, mostly women, along Long Island’s shoreline between 1993 and 2011. He has pleaded not guilty.

The interview footage appeared in episode three of the Netflix series. Amira said major outlets including CNN, ABC, CBS, People Magazine, and even broadcasters in South Korea sought licenses, but Netflix ignored his outreach, including an invoice sent directly to the company’s chief legal officer.

Silence From the Defendants

Representatives for Netflix and the production companies have not responded to requests for comment. Counsel information for the defendants was also not immediately available.

Amira’s lawsuit underscores the growing tension between independent creators and major streaming platforms as the true-crime boom continues to drive demand for exclusive content.