Donald Frangipani $5 Million Lawsuit

[bluebirds]

About a year or so ago Donald Frangipani filed suit against a TV show and a laundry list of authenticators and others for defamation/libel (I'm not a lawyer). Haven't heard anything and wondered if any one knows what happened?
Martin Green

[roarfrom34]

curious where you saw that? I certainly would be interested in any updates as well

[bluebirds]

Heard about it through internet but only says suit was filed and did not see any thing re progress or outcome.

[bluebirds]

Here's the particulars of the case but again no outcome details.


Home » News » Hobby News » Frangipani suing HBO, Gumbel, PSA/DNA, Spence and Simon
Frangipani suing HBO, Gumbel, PSA/DNA, Spence and SimonAutograph authenticator Donald Frangipani has filed a defamation lawsuit against HBO and “Real Sports” host Bryant Gumble for $5 million, claiming the show incorrectly tied him to an autograph forgery ring. The suit, filed in Manhattan federal court, accuses HBO of “grossly irresponsible” and “biased” reporting in a “Real Sports” segment that piece described Frangipani as the “authenticator of choice” for the ring. Also named in the suit as defendants are PSA/DNA, and authenticators James Spence and Richard Simon. The complaint says HBO reported that Frangipani signed off on “thousands” of fakes for the ring. Frangipani claims he looked at fewer than 500 items and declared about 60 as fakes. “I had an excellent reputation, and, all of a sudden, I lost it all,” said Frangipani.

[roarfrom34]

I had heard that STAT was going to sue HBO as well....But again, they also said they were going to sue this board and Autograph Magazine as well....

[bluebirds]

Unless someone chimes in with definite info can only assume case is floating around in legal limbo.

[shimozukawa]

.

[RichardSimon]

Speaking from first hand knowledge, the Federal judge has dismissed the case.
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[Leon]

Hey Richard
I think I remember this being dismissed. Nice job!! I hope you don't mind my cut and paste from your very nice site?


"Donald Frangipani Lawsuit Dismissed
HBO, Richard Simon, PSA and James Spence won dismissal of a $5 million defamation lawsuit by a Brooklyn, New York handwriting expert who accused the network and “Real Sports” host Bryant Gumbel of tying him to a forgery ring and accused the authenticating companies of violations against his authentication business. U.S. District Judge George Daniels rejected claims in Manhattan federal court Tuesday by Donald Frangipani, who claimed, in his lawsuit, he had more than 40 years of experience in forensic documents. In his 2008 lawsuit, Frangipani accused HBO of violating New York State defamation law over a January 2006 “Real Sports” segment, “Forger’s Paradise,” in which it portrayed him as the authenticator of choice for a forgery ring broken up by the FBI in 2000. The arrests the FBI made led to over 30 indictments and guilty pleas,though Mr. Frangipani was not indicted by the Federal government. Frangipani also alleged that large authentication companies (myself, PSA and James Spence) violated federal antitrust and racketeering laws by conspiring to keep him out of the market. (If I had that kind of power I guess I would have a lot more business than I do now). Among the defendants were Gumbel, who hosts “Real Sports,” as well as the segment narrator Armen Keteyian and several producers from HBO, Richard Simon, James Spence and PSA. In Tuesday’s 15-page decision, Daniels said that Frangipani failed to show that the authentication companies violated federal antitrust and racketeering laws by scheming to freeze him out of the market, or that customers refused to use his services because of the companies’ actions. This case lasted almost two years. "

[RichardSimon]

I had started a thread here, a couple of months ago, announcing that the case had been dismissed. Guess some people had missed it.
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[tinkereversandme]

Congratulations Richard. Will you be at the National Convention in August?

On a side note, I was looking at www.autographalert.com, wasting time and it is run by Steve Koschal, am I right? There is an amusing story about how he received an award for his excellent work in the hobby and he declined it and mentions all the awards he won. I love the photo of him in some unmade attic somewhere with a bunch of other old white guys. If he does run the site, he makes no mention of it, but does like talking about how great he is and how important he is to the hobby.

Regards,

Larry