USC professor sues over anonymous online smear campaign

A professor at USC's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism sued to stop a person, or group of persons, who are waging an anonymous online campaign that claims she is using her position, and that of her husband, a partner at Clearlake Capital, to "funnel ... mediocre, rich white students" into the university.

According to the complaint, filed by ZFZ LLP managing partner Rachel L. Fiset, the unknown person or group created accounts on YouTube, Medium and a podcast on iHeart Radio to spread claims that Courtney Pade was linked to the "Operation Varsity Blues" scandal in which wealthy parents paid facilitators and university staff to get their children into USC and other selective universities, and that she is still engaged in those activities.

YouTube and Medium have since suspended those accounts, according to Pade's complaint, but a website, courtneypade.com, was still operational Friday and features a series of purported "news articles" alleging she is using her positions at USC and as a trustee at St. Matthew's Parish School in Pacific Palisades to help unqualified students gain admittance to USC.

Pade is an "admissions facilitator for the rich" with "a passion for furthering the gap between the rich and the poor," the website states.

The website also features a crudely edited video that purports to be a TV news story about Pade's activities. The iHeart podcast called "Stand Against Courtney Pade's Podcast" was also still available Friday and features a more polished, apparently AI-generated, discussion between two people talking about the Varsity Blues scandal that seamlessly weaves allegations about Pade into a discussion about real people who were convicted of their activities.

A message sent through the website did not produce a response. Pade also could not be reached Friday.

Pade, who is married to the former professional tennis player James Pade, said in her Dec. 30 complaint that the campaign against her began in October. Despite claims made in the anonymous postings, Pade was "never implicated in any way in connection with 'Operation Varsity Blues,'" the complaint stated.

Pade is a clinical associate professor of communication in the graduate school at Annenberg but, according to the complaint, is not connected with the USC admissions process and is not being investigated by the university.

The website also accused Pade of using her husband's position as a partner and managing director of Clearlake Capital Group to "cover her own tracks." Clearlake, which is based in Santa Monica, has roughly $90 billion under management. James Pade sits on the boards of several of its companies, including the Chelsea Football Club.

In her complaint, Courtney Pade said that she does not know who is waging the campaign against her. "After filing this complaint, plaintiff will seek leave of court to conduct expedited discovery in order to establish each of the defendants' identities and related jurisdictional facts," the complaint stated.

Pade, through ZFZ LLP managing partner Rachel L. Fiset, claimed two causes of action: defamation and false light. Courtney Pade v. Does 1 through 25, 24STCV33818 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed Dec. 20, 2024).

But in an indication of the challenge she faces, the latest purported "news article" posted Dec. 11 on the website courtneypade.com appears to mock her efforts.

"Attempts to silence whistleblowers, however, especially in the digital age, is more often than not impossible," the article states.