PHILADELPHIA - Online slander, institutional racism and a Philadelphia power-trip are among the accusations in five recently filed lawsuits in Pennsylvania.
AtNight Media, et al., v. Stephanie Jo Trude and Jessica Lynn Seng
Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, Oct. 18
Duane Chapman, also known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, and several individuals involved in the missing person case of Sebastian Wayne Drake Rogers bring racketeering and cyberbullying claims against the defendants in an 83-page complaint.
Rogers, 15 years old, went missing in Hendersonville, Tenn., in February and has yet to be found. His father Seth is among the plaintiffs in the case.
The suit claims Seth's ex-wife and her husband, plus some so-called content creators, have a goal of "destroying the lives of anyone who dares to search for answers or help locate the missing teenager."
The two defendants, Trude and Seng, live in Pennsylvania. Trude is accused of interfering with the investigation and using GoFundMe campaigns to deceive the public.
Seng uses social media to twist Seth Rogers' words during interviews to make him seem insincere, the suit says.
There are plenty of other accusations in the lengthy complaint, which can be read here.
Ian Ewing v. City of Philadelphia and John Sabatina, Register of Wills
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Oct. 16
Ewing says he was fired from his position in the Register of Wills office because he refused to support Sabatina's campaign in the 2023 election. It is alleged Sabatina replaced him with his own political supporters.
"This 'Tammany Hall' style use of political office is unlawful and caused Plaintiff substantial harm," the suit says.
Sabatina assumed office this Jan. 2 and fired Ewing two days later, even though Ewing had been there fore more than three years and had an "excellent" performance history, the suit says.
Carol Callahan v. Encore Series, Inc., d/b/a The Philly POPS, et al.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Oct. 16
More litigation from the fallout of The Philly POPS being evicted from Verizon Hall over an allegedly unpaid debt. While the POPS went to court against the Kimmel Center, concerts were canceled in 2023.
Callahan hopes to represent a class of consumers who weren't given refunds for tickets purchased in advance for these shows.
"The effefctive cancellation of the POPS' Feb. 18 and May 20, 2023, concerts and failure to return Plaintiff's money is without excuse or justification, but was rather the result of an unlawful scheme by the Kimmel Defendants and Defendant (Frank) Gioradano to force the POPS out of business for the benefit of the (Philadelphia) Orchestra," the suit says.
Michael Iacobucci, et al. v. Lori DiGioia
Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, Oct. 17
Iacobucci, his wife and their business, MB Home Builders, are suing DiGioia over online hate directed at them.
DiGioia created the Facebook page "No More Iacobucci," which features a "repeated, consistent and continuing campaign of publishing knowingly false information," the suit says.
One post cited says MB Home Builders will "ruin your lives" and calls the Iacobuccis "scammers." DiGioia claims MB defrauded her mother out of $500,000 and stole valuable coins.
The case alleges defamation.
Billy Boy Real Estate, et al., v. Upper Merion Township, et al.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Oct. 20
The case alleges a "sad history of government discrimination against Black landowners." The plaintiffs, who also include Billy Boy Construction and Eddie Hendrick, say Upper Merion swooped in to purchase a 1.13-acre parcel on Allendale Road in King of Prussia after they had agreed to buy it for $1.5 million.
After learning Billy Boy had bought the property and spent nearly $900,000 on payments and improvements, town manager Anthony Hamaday contacted the seller to see if he would rather sell to Upper Merion, the suit says.
The seller directed that inquiry to Hendrick, who refused to sell. On March 22, defendants filed a declaration of taking and condemned the property, the suit says.
"In the Declaration of Taking, the Township alleged it condemned the Property for the recreational use and benefit of the public," the suit says.
"However, in the Declaration of Taking, the Township failed to state how annexing the Property to its existing real estate would benefit the public, what recreational purposes the Property would be used for, what improvements would be performed on the Property, or when the improvements or the recreational use would commence on the Property."
Hedrick says the real reason wasa to keep a Black-owned business out of the predominantly white town.