On February 14, Kevin O’Leary won a default judgment in a defamation case against Ben “BitBoy” Armstrong in the Southern District of Florida Federal Court, receiving a total award of $2.8 million. The court found that the defendant’s posting of “malicious” false accusations and private information on social media constituted serious defamation and punitive damages.
The ruling awarded O’Leary $750,000 in emotional distress damages, $78,000 in reputation damages, and an additional $2 million in punitive damages. The judge noted that as a public figure engaged in media and business collaborations, damage to O’Leary’s reputation would directly impact his performance invitations and business relationships. Expert testimony, based on the viewership of the relevant posts, the size of the affected audience, and repair costs, estimated the reputation loss at $78,000.
The dispute originated from multiple posts made by Armstrong in March 2025, accusing O’Leary of involvement in a fatal boat accident in 2019, and publicly sharing his private phone number in one post, urging fans to “call the murderer in real life.” The court found that O’Leary was only a passenger at the time and was not prosecuted; his wife was also declared innocent after the trial. The accident investigation indicated that another boat had no lights at the time. After the phone number was leaked, O’Leary received hundreds of calls, leading to an annual security expense of approximately $200,000 and changes to his travel and work routines for safety reasons.
Procedurally, O’Leary filed suit on March 26, 2025; service was completed by March 28. Armstrong repeatedly failed to respond within the deadline, despite court extensions and clear warnings, and did not submit a response. The clerk entered a default on May 6. A damages hearing was held on October 30, with Armstrong still absent. He later sought to dismiss the case citing detention and bipolar disorder, but the court found he had been properly notified, delayed nearly a year, and was harming the plaintiff’s interests, and thus dismissed the motion.
This case serves as a warning: spreading false accusations and “doxxing” others on social media can lead to high damages and long-term legal consequences. The parties involved include Kevin O’Leary, Ben “BitBoy” Armstrong, and O’Leary’s public role as an investor on “Shark Tank.”
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
People's Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng: Maintain high-pressure efforts to crack down on illegal financial activities such as virtual currency speculation
People's Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng stated at the National People's Congress that over the past year, China's financial risks have been effectively controlled, and the financial market has operated stably. In the future, efforts will continue to crack down on illegal financial activities, maintain financial stability, assess the impact of external shocks, and implement policy measures to manage risks.
GateNews6m ago
Cryptocurrency lending platform BlockFills seeks restructuring after suspension of withdrawals, faces customer lawsuit
BlockFills seeks restructuring advice from consulting firm BRG and appoints Mark Renzi as Chief Transformation Officer, aiming to complete the restructuring, inject new capital, and implement governance controls. The company recently paused deposits and withdrawals due to market volatility and is facing legal proceedings.
GateNews3h ago
U.S. judge dismisses terror-related lawsuit against a CEX, allowing the plaintiff 60 days to supplement evidence and refile.
A Manhattan judge in the United States dismissed a civil lawsuit against a certain CEX and its founders due to the plaintiff's failure to provide sufficient evidence linking trading activities directly to terrorist attacks. The judge allowed the plaintiff to submit a revised complaint within 60 days.
GateNews3h ago
Prediction Market Kalshi Faces Class-Action Lawsuit Over Unpaid Winnings on Iran War-Related Contracts
Gate News Report, March 8, - Prediction market platform Kalshi was sued collectively. The platform failed to pay appropriate winnings to users of prediction event contracts related to the Iran war. Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour previously stated opposition to profiting from individual deaths and claimed he would refund fees for the "Will Khamenei step down" event contract market.
GateNews3h ago
The U.S. Department of the Treasury recommends establishing a safe harbor mechanism for digital asset freezing, allowing for the temporary freezing of suspicious funds.
Gate News: On March 8, the U.S. Department of the Treasury submitted a report to Congress under the GENIUS Act, recommending that DeFi be explicitly required to undertake anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) obligations, and considering the establishment of a "hold law" mechanism for digital assets, allowing institutions to temporarily freeze assets during investigations of suspicious transactions without a court order. The report also revealed that the scale of crypto crimes continues to grow, with FBI records showing $9 billion in crypto scam losses in 2024.
GateNews3h ago
CFO Gets Prison Time After Losing $35 Million of Company Money in Crypto Side Hustle
Nevin Shetty, a Washington man, was sentenced to two years in prison for diverting $35 million from his employer to a DeFi platform, leading to significant company losses and layoffs. After investments collapsed, he confessed and was subsequently fired.
Decrypt9h ago
