Oprah Winfrey hit with plagiarism lawsuit from author

Talk show host Oprah Winfrey has been hit with a plagiarism lawsuit by an author who alleges he wrote content she read aloud on her show.

Charles Harris claims he sent Winfrey 10 copies of his political booklet, How America Elects Her Presidents, when she began supporting Barack Obama’s presidential campaign in 2008, the Daily Star reported.

He claims, in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Pennsylvania, he never heard back from her, but in an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show that aired in February 2009, the host asked questions from his political guide.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Harris insists the readings were plagiarism and constituted copyright infringement, which has “damaged (his) business reputation and goodwill”.

He is seeking Winfrey’s profits or maximum statutory damages of up to 100,000 pounds for each unlawful use.