Latest news with #Sloane
Hindustan Times
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Justin Baldoni's $650 million lawsuit tossed out: Judge sides with Blake Lively and other defendants
Justin Baldoni faced a major legal blow as a judge dismissed his countersuit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist, along with his defamation lawsuit against The New York Times. The court's decision on June 9 ends the director's $650 million legal battle, accusing them of extortion and defamation. Also Read: Is Cardi B dropping a diss track on Offset? Here's what she said In the opinion and order filing obtained by PEOPLE, Judge Lewis J. Liman stated, 'The Wayfarer Parties have not alleged that Lively is responsible for any statements other than the statements in her CRD complaint, which are privileged.' It further read, 'The Wayfarer Parties have alleged that Reynolds and [publicist Leslie] Sloane made additional statements accusing Baldoni of sexual misconduct and that the Times made additional statements accusing the Wayfarer Parties of engaging in a smear campaign.' He continued in the filing, 'But the Wayfarer Parties have not alleged that Reynolds, Sloane or the Times would have seriously doubted these statements were true based on the information available to them, as is required for them to be liable for defamation under applicable law." The judge also added, 'The Wayfarer Parties' additional claims also fail. Accordingly, the Amended Complaint must be dismissed in its entirety." Also Read: Billie Eilish and Nat Wolff spark dating buzz: How her rumored boyfriend's net worth compares to the singer's fortune Lively's attorneys, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, described the decision a 'total victory and a complete vindication' for the Gossip Girl alum and others whom 'Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties dragged into their retaliatory lawsuit, including Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane and The New York Times." In a statement they said, 'As we have said from day one, this '$400 million' lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it,' adding that they 'look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys' fees, treble damages and punitive damage' from the Watferer Parties who they say 'perpetrated this abusive litigation, as reported by People. Lively's publicist, Slonae's lawyer, also reelased a separate statement. Sigrid McCawley said in the statement, '"Leslie Sloane has consistently said that she never defamed Baldoni or the Wayfarer Parties and she was wrongfully dragged into this lawsuit because the Wayfarer Parties wanted to actively harm Sloane's reputation. Today's decision by the Court makes clear that Sloane did nothing wrong. Sloane stands fully vindicated, and justice has been served."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Justin Baldoni's $400 million lawsuit in jeopardy after reporter admits texting mistake
Justin Baldoni's $400 million defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and publicist Leslie Sloane may be in jeopardy because of a journalist's text message using the wrong choice of words. Baldoni's filing largely centered on a text sent by a reporter claiming that Sloane said Lively was 'sexually assaulted' by Baldoni. His legal team cited the 'unsubstantiated accusation' as evidence that Sloane pushed a 'false narrative' to 'destroy Baldoni and his reputation.' The journalist who sent the text in question, identified as Daily Mail reporter James Vituscka, has since come forward and clarified the message, admitting that he used those words in error. 'In those text messages, my use of the phrase 'sexually assaulted' was a mistake. I meant to say, 'sexually harassed.' I regret this error,' Vituscka says, according to a signed declaration shared with the Daily News on Friday by law firm Boies Schiller Flexner, which is representing Sloane. 'Ms. Sloane never told me that Ms. Lively was sexually harassed or sexually assaulted by Justin Baldoni or anyone else,' Vituscka says. 'I regret that private text messages were made public.' What's more, Vituscka's text — which he claims he did not authorize to be used in Baldoni's filing — was 'not in reference to any conversation that I had with Leslie Sloane' but to the allegations made in the complaint Lively filed against Baldoni in mid-December, he says. In the initial complaint filed with the California Civil Rights Department, the 'Gossip Girl' star, 37, accused her 41-year-old 'It Ends With Us' director of sexual harassment on the film's set and a retaliatory smear campaign. She formally sued Baldoni at the end of the year. Two weeks later, Baldoni filed his countersuit, accusing Lively, Reynolds and Sloane of defamation and civil extortion. In part using that message from Vituscka, his lawyers claimed Baldoni was targeted in a 'character assassination plot' orchestrated by Sloane at 'Lively's direction.' Sloane has maintained that said she never used the phrase 'sexually assaulted,' and has sought to be dismissed from the case. 'After being wrongfully dragged into this litigation, Leslie Sloane has repeatedly stated that she never used the phrase 'sexually assaulted' which formed the basis of Baldoni's meritless defamation claim against her and today she is fully vindicated by the declaration of James Vituscka that admits she never said those words,' attorney Sigrid McCawley said in a statement sent to The New York Daily News. 'The Wayfarer Parties never even bothered to attempt to confirm whether the outrageous allegations they were launching at Ms. Sloane were true, and they were not.' Legal teams for Lively and Baldoni did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Justin Baldoni's $400 million lawsuit in jeopardy after reporter admits texting mistake
Justin Baldoni's $400 million defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and publicist Leslie Sloane may be in jeopardy because of a journalist's text message using the wrong choice of words. Baldoni's filing largely centered on a text sent by a reporter claiming that Sloane said Lively was 'sexually assaulted' by Baldoni. His legal team cited the 'unsubstantiated accusation' as evidence that Sloane pushed a 'false narrative' to 'destroy Baldoni and his reputation.' The journalist who sent the text in question, identified as Daily Mail reporter James Vituscka, has since come forward and clarified the message, admitting that he used those words in error. 'In those text messages, my use of the phrase 'sexually assaulted' was a mistake. I meant to say, 'sexually harassed.' I regret this error,' Vituscka says, according to a signed declaration shared with the Daily News on Friday by law firm Boies Schiller Flexner, which is representing Sloane. 'Ms. Sloane never told me that Ms. Lively was sexually harassed or sexually assaulted by Justin Baldoni or anyone else,' Vituscka says. 'I regret that private text messages were made public.' What's more, Vituscka's text — which he claims he did not authorize to be used in Baldoni's filing — was 'not in reference to any conversation that I had with Leslie Sloane' but to the allegations made in the complaint Lively filed against Baldoni in mid-December, he says. In the initial complaint filed with the California Civil Rights Department, the 'Gossip Girl' star, 37, accused her 41-year-old 'It Ends With Us' director of sexual harassment on the film's set and a retaliatory smear campaign. She formally sued Baldoni at the end of the year. Two weeks later, Baldoni filed his countersuit, accusing Lively, Reynolds and Sloane of defamation and civil extortion. In part using that message from Vituscka, his lawyers claimed Baldoni was targeted in a 'character assassination plot' orchestrated by Sloane at 'Lively's direction.' Sloane has maintained that said she never used the phrase 'sexually assaulted,' and has sought to be dismissed from the case. 'After being wrongfully dragged into this litigation, Leslie Sloane has repeatedly stated that she never used the phrase 'sexually assaulted' which formed the basis of Baldoni's meritless defamation claim against her and today she is fully vindicated by the declaration of James Vituscka that admits she never said those words,' attorney Sigrid McCawley said in a statement sent to The New York Daily News. 'The Wayfarer Parties never even bothered to attempt to confirm whether the outrageous allegations they were launching at Ms. Sloane were true, and they were not.' Legal teams for Lively and Baldoni did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Daily Mail Reporter Subpoenaed by Blake Lively's Publicist Says He Mistakenly Used the Phrase ‘Sexually Assaulted'
A Daily Mail reporter admitted to wrongfully characterizing Blake Lively's claims of sexual harassment as sexual assault on the set of 'It Ends With Us' in a declaration filed Thursday. As the Lively-Baldoni legal plot thickens, reporter James Vituscka was subpoenaed by lawyers for Lively's publicist Leslie Sloane to turn over text messages in which he incorrectly framed the 'Gossip Girl' star's sexual harassment claims as assault. 'In those text messages, my use of the phrase 'sexually assaulted' was a mistake. I meant to say, 'sexually harassed.' I regret this error,' Vituscka's declaration read. 'Ms. Sloane never told me that Ms. Lively was sexually harassed or sexually assaulted by Justin Baldoni or anyone else.' Representatives for Sloane said that after being 'wrongfully dragged into this litigation' the Daily Mail reporter's statement fully vindicates the publicist. 'Leslie Sloane has repeatedly stated that she never used the phrase 'sexually assaulted' which formed the basis of Baldoni's meritless defamation claim against her and today she is fully vindicated by the declaration of James Vituscka that admits she never said those words,' Sigrid McCawley, managing partner of Boies Schiller Flexner, said in a statement obtained by TheWrap. 'The declaration also makes clear that the Wayfarer Parties never even bothered to attempt to confirm whether the outrageous allegations they were launching at Ms. Sloane were true and they were not,' the statement continued. Sloane's representatives continued to characterize the text messages as the Wayfarer team's attempts to 'ruin Ms. Sloane's reputation with this vicious and wrongful attack and she has consistently told the truth and justice has prevailed.' On Tuesday, a judge granted Lively's request to remove claims of emotional distress from her legal action against her 'It Ends With Us' co-star and director Justin Baldoni. Judge Lewis Liman denied Baldoni's motion to compel because 'the parties have agreed to dismiss Ms. Lively's 10th and 11th causes of action' without prejudice, meaning the court 'will preclude Lively from offering any evidence of emotional distress' in the future. The post Daily Mail Reporter Subpoenaed by Blake Lively's Publicist Says He Mistakenly Used the Phrase 'Sexually Assaulted' appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
CPA plans more than $500m acquisitions investment
Crete Professionals Alliance (CPA), an accounting platform supported by Thrive Capital, is looking to invest more than $500m to acquire US-based accounting firms over the next two years. The initiative aims to implement OpenAI-powered AI technology to increase operational efficiency, reported Reuters citing company executives. Established in 2023, CPA has rapidly expanded, now reporting more than $300m in annual revenue and incorporating more than 20 accounting businesses. This growth is said to have positioned it as one of the fastest-growing firms in the US accounting sector. The company has a workforce of 900 across 17 offices, and also has a presence in Asia. The firm's expansion has been fuelled by significant investment from backers including Thrive, ZBS Partners, and Bessemer Venture Partners. CPA plans to leverage both its cash flow and external capital to fund further acquisitions, taking majority stakes in local firms and bolstering them with support in recruitment and administration. Co-founder of Crete PA and ZBS Partners, Jake Sloane, has a history of developing roll-up businesses across various industries. In partnership with Thrive since May 2024, he has focused on harnessing AI to empower accountants to grow their client base and manage increased workloads. Thrive's in-house tech team, in collaboration with OpenAI, is crafting customised tools for the accounting industry, ranging from data mapping to memo writing. Reuters reported that Bennie Lewis, president at Assurance Dimensions, a Crete-owned firm in Tampa, Florida, highlighted the practical benefits of AI in audit testing, noting significant time savings for his team, enabling more focus on client engagement. Sloane emphasises that their roll-up strategy differs from conventional private equity models by allowing practices to retain a minority equity stake, ensuring that original shareholders stay actively involved. Kareem Zaki, a partner at Thrive, pointed out the necessity of going beyond merely selling software to add value in the intricate accounting sector, the news publication reported. Zaki stated: "As full-stack operators of the accounting firm, we can take all the software elements, the operational elements, and be able to flow that through into the end customer experience." According to Reuters, Sloane expressed that the objective is not to supplant accountants with AI, but rather to augment service quality while human professionals foster trusted client relationships. Sloane said: "I don't believe AI is something that will fundamentally eradicate the need for accountants." "CPA plans more than $500m acquisitions investment" was originally created and published by International Accounting Bulletin, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Erreur lors de la récupération des données Connectez-vous pour accéder à votre portefeuille Erreur lors de la récupération des données Erreur lors de la récupération des données Erreur lors de la récupération des données Erreur lors de la récupération des données
