$115 million verdict in Hulk Hogan sex-tape lawsuit could wipe out Gawker
(credit: ^ndrew)
A Florida jury today ordered Gawker Media to pay $ 115 million for publishing a sex tape showing Terry Bollea, also known as Hulk Hogan, having sex with his friend’s wife.
The stunning sum, which may have punitive damages added to it, is a life-threatening event for the New York-based network of news and gossip sites. Gawker media was one of the first successful, large digital-only news companies. The final sum is even more than the $ 100 million Bollea was seeking. Bollea also sued Gawker founder Nick Denton and former editor Albert Daulerio, and the jury found those two men personally liable as well.
The sex tape was made about a decade ago, during a period in which the professional wrestler Hogan testified that he was going through a difficult phase with his then-wife. Todd Clem, a Florida radio personality who later legally changed his name to Bubba the Love Sponge, encouraged Hogan to sleep with his wife Heather.
Read 11 remaining paragraphs | Comments
STRATEGIES FOR A COMPANY’S INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. IP protection is a part of your business strategy and matches your commercial goals. A simple IP strategy is to protect your product and service by getting patent, trademark and copyright certificates.
U.S. COMPANY REGISTRATION. We help our foreign clients with registering U.S. business to support moving their innovations to U.S. market. We assist in navigating the process of setting up a new business and support while it grows.