SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A San Diego photographer who has been accused by several women of not following through with their contracts now faces more legal problems.
Since Team 10 firststarted reporting on Lexie Cruz in 2021, more women have come forward saying Cruz violated the terms of their contract. In addition, Cruz is also tangled in legal issues with her landlord.
Ree said she hired Cruz after the photographer contacted her through a Facebook group in 2021.
“She gave me a good deal,” said Ree, who only wanted to use her first name for privacy concerns. “I started paying her, making payments and hired her.”
The contract she had with Cruz and her company, LL Media, showed an agreement of $750 for eight hours. Ree said she should have gotten a flash drive with photos and videos, as well as pictures no later than 60 days after her October wedding. That did not happen, according to Ree.
Ree said Cruz gave her excuse after excuse, from the wi-fi wasn’t working and she was not done editing the photos.
Ree threatened legal action and finally received about one-third of her pictures.
For the first time, the videographer that Cruz worked with is also sharing her story publicly.
Lauren Martin was the videographer for numerous weddings, including Ree’s. Martin had no idea multiple women were saying their contracts were being broken because she said she “was being told complete other things the whole time” from Cruz.
Martin said she found out that people were not receiving pictures or videos when a bride reached out to her in the fall of 2022. “[She] said that she didn’t receive her photos or videos,” Martin said. “I was told that she was sent everything already.”
Martin and Cruz no longer do business together. In the meantime, Martin has been in touch with several brides to give them the videos she has.
“I sent 11 flash drives in the last two months for people. I gave someone a refund that was supposed to have their wedding in 2024 out of my own pocket,” Martin said.
The issues surrounding Cruz extend beyond her former clients and co-workers. Janet Kleine said Cruz was a tenant living on her property. Kleine said she was a “reasonably decent tenant until she started bringing her family and they were squatting in my apartment and causing issues and threats.”
Janet said Lexie’s lease ended on Dec. 31, but she did not move out. Instead, Kleine said Cruz filed a restraining order against her.
Kleine also filed one against Cruz and several family members.
During a court appearance on the restraining order at the end of February, Cruz did not appear. Team 10 spoke to Kleine following the brief hearing.
“It's nerve-wracking, and it's costing me a lot of times costing me a lot of money,” Kleine said.
Although the issues with Cruz as a tenant are unrelated to her photography business, Kleine’s attorney said it is relevant “in that it shows a pattern of harassment by this individual,” according to attorney Alicia Freeze.
“It also goes to her credibility, which is certainly relevant,” Freeze said.
Attempts to reach Cruz by email and phone were unsuccessful.
Her business license for LL Media is still active in California.
In a video explanation posted to YouTube in 2021, Cruz offered an explanation to some previous clients.
Yes, there’s been cancellations. There’s been no deposit back, and I take responsibility for the things that I have done,” she said. “But I also can’t say that I’ve done a lot of the stuff that people are making me out to be.”
Even though Cruz never responded to Team 10, Ree said Cruz sent her all the pictures from her wedding within 90 minutes of Team 10’s email to Cruz.
An attorney not affiliated with the case gave some guidance to people having issues with their contracts. “I'd tell a person who felt like there was a breach in their contract that they should document everything,” said Valerie Garcia Hong, who is not affiliated with this case.
Garcia Hong said the pandemic and a lack of face-to-face meetings amplified contract issues.
Because of the lack of actually meeting with the vendors that we hire, we find problems like this,” Garcia Hong said. “I think the learning lesson from it is that you really need to vet that vendor and get as much information you can about their background before you enter into a contract with them.”
Klein said Cruz finally moved out in early March, but that she still owes her rent money.
For Ree, she’s glad she finally got everything she paid for, but it came with a cost.
“Don’t let this happen to you. It’s a lesson I shouldn’t have learned on a day like that,” Ree said.
