…Researched and contributed by Jack Sylva.
The Moskowitz Law Firm, which represents victims affected by the FTX collapse, has publicly appealed to NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal to accept their legal complaint.
The complaint relates to O’Neal’s previous endorsement of the now-defunct crypto exchange.
The law firm has been standing outside O’Neal’s TNT studios in Atlanta “all week” attempting to serve him on behalf of FTX investors, but his security guards have reportedly not allowed them in.
O’Neal the Only “FTX Celebrity” Not to Have Been Served
The Moskowitz Law Firm emphasized that O’Neal is the only one among the “FTX celebrities” who has not yet been served.
This refers to a class action lawsuit filed against several celebrities for endorsing FTX, including Tom Brady, Steph Curry, and Larry David.
The law firm has stated that O’Neal should allow their process servers to deliver the legal complaint on his behalf on April 15, so he can defend himself in the matter.
Unsuccessful Attempts to Serve O’Neal
According to an April 7 court filing, plaintiffs have made numerous attempts in various locations to serve O’Neal, but have been unsuccessful.
The legal courier in Texas received a threatening message after making the “eighth most recent attempt” to serve O’Neal at his Texas residence.
The message mentioned O’Neal’s wife and stated, “shaq lives in the Bahamas u stupid fuck give beth shaw my regards.”
“Finally Time” to Attempt Contact via Other Means
The plaintiffs stated that it is “finally time” to start attempting to contact O’Neal via other means, such as “direct messages to his verified social media accounts,” according to the court filing.
On March 9, U.S. District judge Kevin Moore is considering dismissing both O’Neal and tennis athlete Naomi Osaki from the lawsuit, after pointing out it is unclear whether the two had been served.
A paperless order was issued by Moore, giving FTX customers until December to provide justification on why both stars should be included in the lawsuit.
Commentary
The Moskowitz Law Firm’s appeal to Shaquille O’Neal to accept their legal complaint highlights the difficulties faced by plaintiffs in attempting to serve legal documents.
This case shows the lengths to which process servers must go to deliver legal complaints, including standing outside a celebrity’s workplace for a week.
The threatening message received by the legal courier in Texas is also concerning, demonstrating the risks associated with serving legal documents.
While the plaintiffs in this case are now attempting to contact O’Neal via other means, it remains to be seen whether he will ultimately be served.