World · North America · 5 hrs ago
Amy Griffin disputes classmate’s claim over abuse story in her memoir
Amy Griffin is defending her account of childhood sexual abuse after a former classmate sued her.
Griffin’s bestselling 2025 memoir, “The Tell,” says she recovered memories of abuse by a middle-school teacher in Amarillo, Texas, when she was about 12 or 13.
She has said MDMA-assisted therapy helped her face experiences she had long tried to push away.
Classmate Joleene Altum alleges Griffin took her story, though the details of the lawsuit are not given here.
Griffin says she had vivid memories of the teacher before taking MDMA and says she wrote the book to help others.
The dispute has reached Griffin’s legal and social circles, with her friends describing the attention as a “hunt” and Altum’s lawyer disputing Griffin’s account of settlement talks.
The lawsuit is still ongoing, and Altum’s lawyer says they look forward to proving their case.
Amy Griffin is disputing former classmate Joleene Altum’s claim that Griffin took her story of childhood sexual abuse.
Altum has sued Griffin, who published the memoir “The Tell” in March 2025.
Griffin says she had vivid memories of the teacher she describes in the book and wrote it to help others.
Griffin’s lawyer met with Altum’s lawyers earlier in the summer in an unsuccessful attempt to resolve the dispute.
The two sides disagree over whether Griffin’s lawyers offered a settlement or demanded that Altum drop the case.
- Who
- Amy Griffin and her former classmate Joleene Altum.
- What
- Altum is suing Griffin over claims that Griffin took her story of childhood sexual abuse. Griffin disputes the claim.
- When
- The memoir was published in March 2025. The article was published on November 8, 2026.
- Where
- The alleged abuse described in Griffin’s memoir took place in Amarillo, Texas. The legal dispute’s location is not stated.
- Why
- Altum alleges that Griffin took her story. The sources do not state why Altum says Griffin did so.
Amy Griffin
Joleene Altum
Allegation
Amy Griffin
Griffin says she had vivid memories of the teacher and experiences described in her memoir.
Joleene Altum
Altum’s lawsuit alleges Griffin took her story of childhood sexual abuse.
Settlement discussions
Amy Griffin
A source said Griffin sought a private resolution and an “off ramp” for both sides.
Joleene Altum
Altum’s lawyer said no money was offered and Griffin’s lawyers demanded that Altum abandon the lawsuit.
Griffin published her memoir “The Tell.
Griffin’s lawyer met with Altum’s lawyers in Los Angeles in an unsuccessful attempt to resolve the dispute.
Griffin confronted Billy Bush at Jennifer Meyer’s wedding, according to Page Six.
Page Six published its account of the dispute.
- Griffin’s age
- 50
- Memoir
- The Tell,” published in March 2025
- Former classmate
- Joleene Altum
- Alleged abuse location
- Amarillo, Texas
- Settlement meeting
- Los Angeles, earlier in the summer
What people are saying
I wrote my book hoping to help others, never imagining I would have to defend my story while reliving some of the most painful experiences of my life.
The suggestion that we rebuffed a settlement offer is misleading, as not a single dollar was offered to resolve the case.
The meeting was an attempt to intimidate and bully.
There is a difference between scrutiny and a hunt. Scrutiny, Amy welcomes, because the record holds up. What she has lived with since the summer is a hunt.