Cindy Crawford 'un-retouched' photo is a fake, says photographer

The photographer who took the Cindy Crawford "un-retouched" photo says it's not what it seems.

A photo supposedly showing the model unaltered by photo editing circulated widely online last month, garnering praise for Crawford for empowering women. At the time, Marie Claire, the magazine the image was shot for, said that the photo was leaked but real.

John Russo, who took the photo for Marie Claire Mexico more than a year ago, told ABC News that the now famous photo was "stolen or unlawfully accessed and then altered and distributed to the media."

Russo's lawyers have threatened to file a lawsuit against anyone distributing the photo, TMZ reports.

Many are pointing to a photo Crawford's husband posted on Instagram as an example of what Crawford looks like without Photoshop, saying the photo shows that Crawford's real body is more toned than the "un-retouched" photo.

Neither Crawford nor Marie Claire has commented on the latest development.