“Moneymaker” Lawsuit against PayPal Goes Global

The lawyer fighting the “Moneymaker” lawsuit against payment giants PayPal has found a cunning way to expand the class action suit worldwide, involving Justitia DAO and their novel blockchain technology in the proceedings...

The new partner in the fight now means that alleged victims of Paypal’s “outright theft”, as Chris Moneymaker described it, can add their names to the complaint from anywhere in the world.

Lawyer Eric Bensamochan recently told Poker.org:

“We will be hitting PayPal with a mass arbitration after having partnered with a third firm. We take our commitment to the community very seriously and are prepared to take this to the fullest extent possible.”

A new global intake form at paypalclassaction.net allows each registered claimant to receive a free blockchain token that adds them to the class-action lawsuit. An independent manager will then fight on their behalf at arbitration.

The background

PayPal opened a can of worms for themselves when they seized $12,000 of the 2003 WSOP Main Event champs funds last year, Moneymaker launching legal action through the Bensamochan law firm.

That was enough to get Moneymaker his funds returned, but it was too little too late, with Moneymaker vowing to help others fight the sticky-fingered payment provider to teach them a lesson.

Bensamochan, who represented Todd Witteles in the $330million Postlegate defamation case, continued the class-action lawsuit on behalf of others. It included Poker League of Nations founder, Lena Evans, as the lead plaintiff.

According to the complaint, “Evans claims PayPal deducted $26,984 from her account six months after it got frozen without providing a valid reason.”

However, PayPal were able to get the lawsuit sent to an arbitrator rather than to trial, but Bensamochan didn’t idly sit by while appealing this decision.

“We promised Chris Moneymaker that we would not stop fighting for all of those who have been victimized by PayPal’s practices of keeping people’s hard-earned money,” Bensamochan said. “We have now found the way. Visit the website for an updated contribution form. There is no amount too big or small, and geographic location is not an issue for this.”

Bensamochan told Poker.org’s Haley Hintze that he expects the revised action plaintiffs to number between 10,000 and 15,000 with tens of thousands more expected to join.

“So far, we have close to 8,000 just in China,” Bensamochan said, adding: “We will be issuing ‘tokens’ via a blockchain technology to anyone and everyone who signs up. Basically, we are having those with money taken assign their claims to a third party entity who in turn, will bring a mass arbitration on all of their behaves (sic).”

The website for Justitia DAO states:

“JUSTITIA DAO utilizes a ground-breaking business model in handling large legal claims and disputes that have the potential to bring financial rewards and make positive impacts on the respective industries and beyond. Through blockchain technology, we make it possible for our members and partners to participate in this innovative endeavor across the globe.”