"Shark Tank" investor Daymond John obtained a permanent restraining order against the contestants behind a business he invested in as part of the show a decade ago.
USA TODAY can confirm that a federal judge in the New Jersey District Court determined Friday that the fashion mogul suffered "irreparable" reputational harm at the hands of former NFL player Al "Bubba" Baker and his family after they alleged via social media posts and interviews that working with John was a "nightmare."
Baker and his daughter Brittani Bo Baker accused John and his associates "of misleading them, trying to take over their business and depriving them of the profits from potentially lucrative partnerships," according to a Los Angeles Times investigation published in May.
This was part of a "social media and news media war" the Bakers waged against John and the Bakers' business partners for Bubba's Q De-Boned Baby Back Rib Steak products, District Judge Robert B. Kugler wrote in court documents obtained by USA TODAY on Monday.
The ruling issued on July 21 prevents the Bakers, including Al Baker's wife Sabrina Baker, from making any further disparaging or defamatory comments about John and the company he formed to work with the Bakers' food company. They were also ordered to remove all of their social media posts regarding John and their business dealings.
Brittani and Al Baker declined to comment when reached by USA TODAY.
Al and Brittani Baker appeared on Season 5 of "Shark Tank" seeking a $300,000 investment in exchange for 15% equity in their company. In the episode, which aired December 2013, they demonstrated how their ribs could be eaten with a knife and fork due to their bones being removed.
John "offered to invest $300,000 for a 30% stake in the venture, contingent on securing a large meat processing company to license the patent. Such ownership was later reduced to 20%," according to the complaint John and his company filed against the Bakers in June.
The complaint, obtained by USA TODAY, said the Bakers breached the terms of the 2019 Settlement Agreement, which in part prevented them from disparaging or defaming any parties involved in their business venture. The judge noted that the Bakers posted written and video content on social media that was "negative, disparaging, or both."
In one TikTok video, Brittani Baker accused John of trying to push the family out of their business.
The judge wrote that the "unmitigated, calculated, and virulent attack on John and his reputation is, as we said in our original order granting temporary injunctive relief, unusual in its vehemence and persistence."
"The largest harm John and DFV have suffered from Defendants' actions, though, is reputational harm," the judge wrote in his conclusion.
He continued: "The amount of reputational harm that Defendants' posts, which have received millions of views and include at least two interviews with major news outlets, have caused is incalculable.
"Defendants' comments and posts refer to John as a master manipulator and a thief, say that he is not to be trusted, say that working with him is a nightmare, that their business is not the only business John has negatively affected, and that John is trying to steal their business. These posts clearly caused reputational harm that John will now have to deal with and counter."
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The "decision against the Bakers, their company, and their false statements is a moment of vindication," said Daymond John in a statement to USA TODAY.
"The actual facts, the record and the federal Judge’s opinion have confirmed that I did not — and could not have — committed any wrongdoing," John said.
