In the latest development in the FTX Trading Ltd class-action lawsuit, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal was formally served during the broadcast of a Miami Heat versus Boston Celtics game.
In a recent turn of events, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal has been officially served legal papers as part of a class-action lawsuit related to his endorsement of the now-defunct digital currency exchange, FTX Trading Ltd.
Legal representatives successfully served O’Neal amidst the broadcast of a Miami Heat versus Boston Celtics basketball game on Wednesday, May 24, ironically played in Miami’s Kaseya Arena, previously known as the FTX Trading Ltd Arena.
The class-action lawsuit, filed in November 2022, alleges that the “FTX: I Am All In” marketing campaign, featuring O’Neal, misleadingly influenced consumers to use FTX Trading Ltd, in the end leading to financial loss after the exchange’s collapse.
This is not the 1st effort to serve O’Neal in the case.
Lawyers involved in the lawsuit claim a process server had previously served the previous NBA player at his Texas residence, a claim disputed by O’Neal’s legal team, arguing that the papers had been discarded on a public road.
Attempts to serve O’Neal digitally via social media and email were likewise proposed by the plaintiff’s legal team earlier this spring. Nonetheless, these attempts were rebuffed by judge K. Michael Moore overseeing the case.
Judge Moore stated that attempts to serve O’Neal through such unconventional methods were “factually unsupported and legally insufficient.”
He further elaborated that in a case of this magnitude and complexity, involving substantial costs for all parties, the court won’t be allow violations or frivolous arguments.
Ongoing proceedings in this case underscore the challenges of enforcing legal processes with high-profile individuals. As the lawsuit persists to unfold, it’s clear that it will have whole lot of implications for future celebrity endorsements, particularly within the digital currency domain.
