Long-time Shark Tank investor Daymond John has been admitted a permanent restraining order against three former contestants for their alleged verbal abuse on social media.
The court filings include John’s claim that the former contestants left the show and publicly bashed their experience working with him, alleging it was a “nightmare”.
The contestants identified in the filing are the former NFL defensive end Al “Bubba” Baker, his wife Sabrina, and his daughter Brittani. The family, who appeared on the famed ABC show in 2014, are now unable to speak out in a public manner about their time John working on their pitch of Bubba’s Q Boneless Baby Back Ribs. John first filed for a temporary restraining order in June.
John’s court order required the family of three to completely wipe their social media clean of any negative comments made about their business interactions, specifically the comments that accused John of taking over the family company, as well as references to Rastelli Foods Group, the partnered manufacturer for the ribs.
US District Judge Robert Kugler alluded to the harm the Bakers caused to John’s reputation in his order. “All the Bakers’ posts are negative, disparaging or both, and certainly could impact DFV’s and John’s reputation, goodwill and credibility. These posts clearly caused reputational harm that John will now have to deal with and counter,” he wrote. In this case, Judge Kugler is referencing DF Ventures, the company John connected the family with.
Furthermore, Judge Kugler found the family had “breached” the non-disparagement clause in their 2019 agreement that promised they wouldn’t defame John or Rastelli. This led to Judge Kugler’s issue to “forever bar” the Bakers from further violations, including social media posts and media interviews.
In the court filing, John testified that the comments made by the Bakers were the direct cause of “a major television network” canceling a show he was set to work on, as well as “a speaking engagement and a ‘major brand’ he was meant to do an activation with stopped all discussions with him while the defendants put out their posts”.
Speaking to The Los Angeles Times, the 54-year-old TV star referred to the court’s ruling as a “moment of vindication”. “The actual facts, the record and the federal Judge’s opinion have confirmed that I did not - and could not have - committed any wrongdoing. I have always upheld transparency and honesty throughout my journey as an entrepreneur,” he continued.
John’s spokesperson Zach Rosenfield spoke to People after the initial temporary filing and explained the intention was to stop the purported efforts of the Bakers to belittle their partnership and “the legal parameters” that they previously agreed to.
“After repeated attempts to give the Bakers the ability to correct their violations. It is unfortunate that it has come to this,” Rosenfield added. “This temporary restraining order is due to the Bakers’ blatant actions to undermine a business partnership and the legal parameters they agreed to four years ago. Their belief that they can unwind poor business decisions through slanderous social media posts and articles will no longer be tolerated.”
John joined Shark Tank in 2009, after previously working with the Kardashian family on their “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” program from 2001 to 2007. He was asked to join the Emmy award winning series first in 2008 but refused the invitation due to his prior commitment to the reality family.
The Independent has contacted a representative for John for comment.
