Woman Sues Author Amy Griffin Over Memoir's Alleged Theft of Sexual Abuse Stories

Lawsuit claims Griffin's bestselling book 'The Tell' used the plaintiff's personal experiences without permission.

Published on Mar. 7, 2026

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A woman has filed a lawsuit against author Amy Griffin, claiming that Griffin's bestselling 2025 memoir 'The Tell' stole details of the plaintiff's own experiences with childhood sexual abuse. The lawsuit alleges that the descriptions of abuse in Griffin's book match the plaintiff's own past experiences, and that Griffin had reason to know about the abuse. Griffin's attorney has called the lawsuit 'absurd' and 'meritless'.

Why it matters

This case raises important questions about the boundaries of memoir writing and the rights of individuals whose personal experiences may be used in published works without their consent. It also highlights the challenges of verifying the authenticity of traumatic memories that surface during therapeutic treatments like MDMA therapy, which Griffin described using in her book.

The details

The plaintiff, who is identified only as Jane Doe in the lawsuit, says the descriptions of childhood sexual abuse in Griffin's memoir 'The Tell' match her own experiences of being assaulted by a teacher at a school dance and in a school bathroom. The lawsuit alleges that Griffin had reason to know about the plaintiff's abuse, including that the plaintiff had borrowed a dress from Griffin that was returned with bodily fluids from the assault, and that the plaintiff had discussed the abuse with a talent agent who then shared details with Griffin. Griffin's attorney has strongly denied the claims, calling them 'absurd' and 'meritless'.

  • The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday, March 7, 2026 in Los Angeles Superior Court.
  • Griffin's memoir 'The Tell' was published in 2025 and became an Oprah's Book Club selection.

The players

Jane Doe

The plaintiff in the lawsuit, who claims that author Amy Griffin stole details of her childhood sexual abuse experiences for the memoir 'The Tell'.

Amy Griffin

The author of the bestselling 2025 memoir 'The Tell', which the plaintiff alleges used details of her own sexual abuse experiences without permission.

Thomas A. Clare

The attorney representing Amy Griffin, who has called the lawsuit 'absurd' and 'meritless'.

Danielle Rhoades Ha

A spokeswoman for The New York Times, which published a story in September raising questions about the reliability of the memories described in 'The Tell'.

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What they’re saying

“We look forward to exposing these meritless claims in court, as well as the deeply flawed New York Times reporting that is at the center of it.”

— Thomas A. Clare, Attorney for Amy Griffin (wbal.com)

“We're confident in the accuracy of our reporting.”

— Danielle Rhoades Ha, Spokeswoman for The New York Times (wbal.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide whether to allow the lawsuit to proceed to trial.

The takeaway

This case highlights the complex ethical and legal issues surrounding the use of personal experiences in memoir writing, and the need for authors to carefully navigate the boundaries of what can be included without violating individual privacy and consent.