Roxanne 
Uh Oh! Looks like the youngest Manzo boys, Caroline Manzo’s sons, Albie, Chris, are getting sued! Albie, Chris, and their uncle Chris, along with his wife Real Housewives of New Jersey star, Jacqueline Laurita, are in some trouble!
According to
MarketWatch.com,“LOS ANGELES, Dec 15, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Canadian design and marketing company Creative Thinkers, Inc. today filed a lawsuit against several companies and individuals including cast members of the reality television program The Real Housewives of New Jersey for theft of the concept used for the bottled-water product, BLACKWATER(TM), misappropriation of the trademark, and breach of contract.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, names BLK Brands LLC. (“BLK”) and it owners, reality TV stars Chris Manzo, Albie Manzo, and Chris Laurita, as well as Jacqueline and Louise Wilkie, as defendants.
The suit alleges that the Wilkies entered into an agreement with Creative Thinkers to bottle BLACKWATER(TM), a specialty health water infused with a proprietary blend of fulvic and humic acid. Instead of working with Ivan Solomon (the owner of Creative Thinkers), Gordon Jung (Solomon’s partner), and their corporation, Blackwater Innovations Corp., the Wilkies stole the idea and trademark and marketed the product with the Manzo-Laurita family.
A team of Pillsbury intellectual property attorneys, led by Los Angeles partners Bobby A. Ghajar and Mark D. Litvack, represents Creative Thinkers, Blackwater Innovations Corp., Solomon, and Jung.
“One of the core premises of trademark law is the right and ability to protect one’s name against imitations and customer confusion,” said Ghajar. “This case goes to the heart of trademark law.”
In July 2011, Blackwater Innovations Corp. sent a cease and desist letter to BLK. The Wilkies assert that they developed the idea for the product after they witnessed the water heal their sick mother. However, in a November 2009 agreement, the defendants received confidential information about the Blackwater specialty product and agreed to keep information about the health water confidential.
According to court documents, the Manzo-Laurita family inappropriately used reality TV fame to sell a false story about how the idea for a fulvic- and humic-acid infused health drink originated. Creative Thinkers asserts that the family stole the idea after attending a food industry trade show. At the trade show, the Manzo-Laurita family saw the BLACKWATER(TM) product and conspired with the Wilkies to steal the product, marketing, and distribution plan. They are now marketing the product under the name “BLK Water” and “blk. BLACKWATER” on the Real Housewives television show, online, and in grocery stores nationwide.
“We are confident that the evidence will prove that the Manzo-Laurita family and the Wilkies stole the BLACKWATER(TM) specialty concept,” said Litvack, who specializes in entertainment law at Pillsbury. “The Manzo-Laurita family has wrongfully used its fame to steal another’s idea, and this suit seeks to restore ownership of BLACKWATER(TM) to its true originator.”
Creative Thinkers, Inc. seeks to have its stolen property returned, to recover the monies and good will wrongfully taken from it, and to prevent the defendants from wrongfully profiting from their theft, deception and infringement.
Blackwater Innovations Corp., Solomon, and Jung also filed a countersuit responding to claims by BLK that they had infringed the company’s trademark rights. BLK filed the suit in reaction to the July 2011 cease and desist letter.”
Wonder what they’ll have to say about this. Thoughts?
Uh Oh! Looks like the youngest Manzo boys are getting sued! Albie, Chris and there uncle Chris and his wife Real Housewives of New Jersey star, Jacqueline Laurita are in some trouble!
According to
MarketWatch.com,“LOS ANGELES, Dec 15, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Canadian design and marketing company Creative Thinkers, Inc. today filed a lawsuit against several companies and individuals including cast members of the reality television program The Real Housewives of New Jersey for theft of the concept used for the bottled-water product, BLACKWATER(TM), misappropriation of the trademark, and breach of contract.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, names BLK Brands LLC. (“BLK”) and it owners, reality TV stars Chris Manzo, Albie Manzo, and Chris Laurita, as well as Jacqueline and Louise Wilkie, as defendants.
The suit alleges that the Wilkies entered into an agreement with Creative Thinkers to bottle BLACKWATER(TM), a specialty health water infused with a proprietary blend of fulvic and humic acid. Instead of working with Ivan Solomon (the owner of Creative Thinkers), Gordon Jung (Solomon’s partner), and their corporation, Blackwater Innovations Corp., the Wilkies stole the idea and trademark and marketed the product with the Manzo-Laurita family.
A team of Pillsbury intellectual property attorneys, led by Los Angeles partners Bobby A. Ghajar and Mark D. Litvack, represents Creative Thinkers, Blackwater Innovations Corp., Solomon, and Jung.
“One of the core premises of trademark law is the right and ability to protect one’s name against imitations and customer confusion,” said Ghajar. “This case goes to the heart of trademark law.”
In July 2011, Blackwater Innovations Corp. sent a cease and desist letter to BLK. The Wilkies assert that they developed the idea for the product after they witnessed the water heal their sick mother. However, in a November 2009 agreement, the defendants received confidential information about the Blackwater specialty product and agreed to keep information about the health water confidential.
According to court documents, the Manzo-Laurita family inappropriately used reality TV fame to sell a false story about how the idea for a fulvic- and humic-acid infused health drink originated. Creative Thinkers asserts that the family stole the idea after attending a food industry trade show. At the trade show, the Manzo-Laurita family saw the BLACKWATER(TM) product and conspired with the Wilkies to steal the product, marketing, and distribution plan. They are now marketing the product under the name “BLK Water” and “blk. BLACKWATER” on the Real Housewives television show, online, and in grocery stores nationwide.
“We are confident that the evidence will prove that the Manzo-Laurita family and the Wilkies stole the BLACKWATER(TM) specialty concept,” said Litvack, who specializes in entertainment law at Pillsbury. “The Manzo-Laurita family has wrongfully used its fame to steal another’s idea, and this suit seeks to restore ownership of BLACKWATER(TM) to its true originator.”
Creative Thinkers, Inc. seeks to have its stolen property returned, to recover the monies and good will wrongfully taken from it, and to prevent the defendants from wrongfully profiting from their theft, deception and infringement.
Blackwater Innovations Corp., Solomon, and Jung also filed a countersuit responding to claims by BLK that they had infringed the company’s trademark rights. BLK filed the suit in reaction to the July 2011 cease and desist letter.”
Wonder what they’ll have to say about this. Thoughts?
The lawsuit names BLK Brands LLC and its owners, reality TV stars Chris Manzo, Albie Manzo, and Chris Laurita, as well as Jacqueline and Louise Wilkie, as defendants.
The lawsuit alleges theft of the concept used for the bottled-water product, BLACKWATER(TM), misappropriation of the trademark, and breach of contract. It claims that the Wilkies stole the idea and trademark and marketed the product with the Manzo-Laurita family instead of working with the original owners.
Creative Thinkers, Inc. seeks to have its stolen property returned, recover the monies and good will wrongfully taken from it, and prevent the defendants from wrongfully profiting from their theft, deception, and infringement.
