June 6 (Reuters) - Netflix ( NFLX ) was sued on Thursday

for at least $170 million by a Scottish woman who said she was

defamed over her portrayal as a stalker in the hit mini-series

"Baby Reindeer."

The plaintiff Fiona Harvey has publicly claimed to be the

inspiration behind the character Martha, played by actress

Jessica Gunning, who shares a physical resemblance and like her

is a lawyer in London.

But in a complaint filed in Los Angeles federal court,

Harvey said Netflix ( NFLX ) and "Baby Reindeer" creator Richard Gadd

went too far by suggesting through the show, which calls itself

a "true story," that she was a twice-convicted stalker who had

been sentenced to five years in prison.

Harvey denied having stalked Gadd, who on the show plays a

fictional version of himself named Donny Dunn, or having been

convicted or imprisoned.

But she said many people couldn't tell the difference, and

thousands of Reddit and TikTok users talk about her as the

"real" Martha.

"Defendants told these lies, and never stopped, because it

was a better story than the truth, and better stories made

money," the complaint said.

Netflix ( NFLX ), in response to the lawsuit, said it intended to

"defend this matter vigorously and to stand by Richard Gadd's

right to tell his story."

The lawsuit seeks at least $50 million each for actual

damages, compensatory damages including mental anguish and

profits, plus at least $20 million of punitive damages.

Harvey sued two days after Netflix ( NFLX ) settled a defamation

lawsuit by former prosecutor Linda Fairstein over her portrayal

in "When They See Us," a 2019 series about the Central Park Five

rape case three decades earlier.

Netflix ( NFLX ) agreed to move a disclaimer that some characters may

have been altered for dramatic purposes to the start of episodes

from the closing credits. It also agreed to donate $1 million to

a nonprofit that helps free wrongfully convicted people.

The case is Harvey v Netflix Inc ( NFLX ) et al, U.S. District Court,

Central District of California, No. 24-04744.