Static-X, bassist/vocalist Tony Campos and current vocalist/manager Edsel Dope have collectively filed a lawsuit against Matt Zane, accusing him of copyright infringement, false light and betrayal. The suit comes as Zane, also known as Zicari, promotes his own unauthorized documentary on the late Wayne Static and Tera Wray while publicly criticizing the band.
The lawsuit details Zicari’s departure from an official Static-X documentary project titled “Evil Disco.” It outlines allegations that he has since misused confidential footage and materials belonging to the band.
“This suit arises roughly a year after Zicari’s voluntary exit from work on an official Static-X documentary film project, Evil Disco, which the band and its manager independently developed and funded,” the filing states. “In addition to other generous concessions, Static-X LLC paid Zicari more than $75,000 for his efforts on the developmental movie.”
The suit goes on to accuse Zicari of exploiting private footage for personal gain following his departure from the project.
“After growing impatient with the process and voluntarily withdrawing from participation, Zicari betrayed Plaintiffs and is now weaponizing valuable, confidential Static-X digital property against them on a daily basis. Among other things, Zicari is maliciously posting unauthorized video segments that he stole directly from the copyrighted audiovisual recordings of the Evil Disco Static-X documentary, using deliberate and deceptive editing techniques to exploit those private clips outside of important context with the deliberate intent to do harm. Having been shot in private spaces (which include dressings rooms and bathrooms), some of the clips Zicari has posted show the individual Plaintiffs and other innocent bystanders in various stages of undress.”
The document also alleges a financial motive behind the posts.
“Zicari is deliberately using these exploitive tactics to seek viral moments at the expense of Plaintiffs, while proving his intention to monetize by attaching payment links and blatantly asking fans for monetary contributions to his projects,” the filing states.
The lawsuit alleges that Zicari’s conduct extended to publicizing private details about band members and gaining unauthorized access to official social media accounts.
“Zicari has further been taunting Plaintiffs by publicizing private information about plaintiff Brian C. Ebejer (“Ebejer”) and his residence, where Ebejer quietly lives with his fiancé and their young daughter. Zicari also unlawfully accessed and published his rhetoric on the official Static-X account on X (formerly known as Twitter), OfficialStaticX. Zicari’s illicit posts included disparaging remarks concerning Ebejer and band members including plaintiff Antonio Campos, professionally known as Tony Campos (‘Campos’). Zicari then highlighted those posts through his own social media accounts in an attempt to legitimize and draw attention to them.”
The plaintiffs further argue that Zicari’s actions are unjustified given the financial and professional support he previously received from the band.
“Zicari’s relentless online attacks on Plaintiffs, for whom he worked for many years, are unwarranted and cross lines of both legal and ethical proportion. Plaintiffs financially compensated Zicari, as mutually agreed, and have always treated him fairly. In addition to the above-mentioned $75,000 related to Evil Disco, Static-X and Ebejer also paid Zicari tens of thousands of dollars for additional video projects and also graciously allowed Zicari’s band to share the stage at several shows during the virtually sold out Rise of the Machine tour that Static-X headlined in 2023.”
The lawsuit also points to past footage of Zicari expressing support for the band as evidence of a shift in his behavior.
“Zicari was recorded in 2023 (within the unreleased copyrighted footage of the Evil Disco Static-X documentary) expressing his full support for Static-X, Campos and Ebejer. It is only now—in his selfish pursuit of Internet fame and fast money—that Zicari has made an abrupt about face and is egregiously exploiting Plaintiffs’ own digital property against them.”
The plaintiffs are asking the court to intervene against what they describe as an ongoing campaign against them.
“Plaintiffs come to this Court respectfully seeking protection from the aggressive offensive by which Zicari is targeting them using credentials, footage, documents and other data that he unlawfully misappropriated from Static-X.”
Beyond the allegations laid out in the complaint itself, additional details have emerged about the legal filing and the broader dispute driving it.
The lawsuit was filed on August 20, 2026, in a California court. The complaint lays out claims for copyright infringement, false light, breach of an unwritten contract, breach of confidence, and violations of California Penal Code § 502(c), which addresses unauthorized computer access. Plaintiffs are seeking damages exceeding $1 million along with injunctive relief to stop Zicari’s ongoing use of the disputed material.
The dispute traces back to Zane’s separate project chronicling the life of Wayne Static and his wife, Tera Wray. That documentary, which has not been authorized by the Static-X camp or by the Wayne Static and Tera Wray estates, has fueled much of the friction now playing out in court. Zane has continued pushing the project forward despite mounting public criticism, sharing footage he claims supports his account of events within the band.
Static-X and its representatives have pushed back forcefully against Zicari’s public narrative, characterizing his social media posts as manipulated and misleading. Edsel Dope has specifically addressed clips involving Wayne Static and Tera Wray that Zicari circulated, arguing they were taken out of context and used to construct a false storyline. The band’s camp maintains that the footage Zicari has drawn from was never meant for public release. They argue his editing choices distort what actually took place.
The case remains ongoing. Further legal proceedings are expected as both sides continue to spar publicly over the competing documentary projects and the underlying footage at the center of the lawsuit.
