Our fighting for the underdog isn’t contingent upon Tweet impressions, but we certainly don’t get mad when we get them.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nYes, a couple of our Tweets about this kerfuffle got more than 1.5 million impressions. Not that we have to make everything about us. Just because we brought an injustice to the attention of the public, selflessly sacrificing our afternoon to write a story that has resulted in a moron getting his comeuppance. That’s just who we are.<\/p>\n
That quote is from our blog, too. It resulted in Resorts World and Zouk changing their policy to avoid such shameful shenanigans in the future. If our selflessness seems boundless, we are not going to disagree with your assessment. If this level of generosity inspires you to DM us nudes, again, what selfless person would discourage such an act of self-expression?<\/p>\n
Back to the lawsuit!<\/p>\n
The smoothest move in the lawsuit has to be this item: “While Resorts World says that its decision to enable some of Ben’s attacks ‘was a mistake’ and did not ‘reflect Resorts World’s values,’ Resorts World was apparently happy to keep the $200,000 they received for their part in Ben’s campaign of intimidation and harassment. The company certainly did not give any of the money they were paid (for what they claim to have been a ‘mistake’) to their victim—Niko.”<\/p>\n
As our fellow youths and their attorneys say, “Boom.”<\/p>\n
There are two claims for relief: 1) Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, and 2) False Light Invasion of Privacy. No, being an idiot isn’t against the law. We’d need much bigger prisons.<\/p>\n
The relief sought by Samarxhiu and his lawyer? 1) An award of damages according to proof, but not less than $2,000,000. 2) An award of punitive damages according to proof. 3) Any further relief the Court deems to be just and proper. 5) An award of costs.<\/p>\n
We misnumbered those intentionally just so see if you’re skimming. We know how you are.<\/p>\n
Which means the rich guy’s daddy will hire an attorney to negotiate a settlement, the over\/under is a cool million, and Niko Samarxhiu’s kids will get to go to expensive colleges.<\/p>\n
We love a happy ending, and Niko Samarxhiu has the receipts.<\/p>\n
The doofus, Ben Ralph, and his high-priced lawyers will claim Ralph was drunk after partying all day and was just joking. The claim will be his threats shouldn’t have been taken seriously because his texts and social media posts appear to have been written by someone with severe head trauma. Ralph may also take a shot at the “I’m in Australia, neener-neener-neener defense.” The lawsuit says Ralph is an Australian citizen but lives in California. Fleeing the country is a common strategy when jerkwads are faced with legal challenges. See also Roman Polanski and possibly Puffy, or whatever he’s called now.<\/p>\n
Once the lawyers see how this case goes, they can take a look at whether Resorts World is complicit in what happened, and don’t be surprised if Resorts World gets slapped with a lawsuit, too.<\/p>\n
Resorts World must not have run their statement by their lawyers, because it says “mistake” in it. The days of “handling things internally” are long gone in Las Vegas, ending right around the time Steve Wynn’s team (including Fontainebleau’s current president Maurice Wooden) handled things internally until the Wall Street Journal<\/a> blew up Steve Wynn’s legacy like Cersei blowing up the Great Sept of Baelor with wildfire.<\/p>\n