Update: How To Deal With An Extortionist
So here's the short version: I hired a guy to build a website for me. He couldn't deliver and when I refused to pay him the second half after more than a 2 month delay (based on original 2 week estimate) he attempted to extort it from me by threatening to badmouth me to my clients. Here's the whole story and it's worth reading, not only for entertainment value but also because it demonstrates yet another one of the many reasons why you cannot run a profitable law firm without also being an ethical, professional and honest lawyer.
I received DOZENS of encouraging emails from clients, members and friends around the world with lots of citations to local extortion statutes. So thank you to all of you for all the support. It's great to know I've earned your trust!
Well, here's the latest update:
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details 10:15 PM (11 hours ago) |
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Case No. 2412352
deef (iDeef)
vs.
RJONROBINS (Rjon Robins)
Explanation to the Parties:
The
following is a brief explanation of the facts and evidence from your
hearing that most influenced your arbitrator's decision. It is not
meant to nor will it discuss every issue and every piece of evidence.
The
provider was given every opportunity to demonstrate his software and
promised to do so several times throughout the hearing. In the end
however, he never did demonstrate the software and finally stopped
replying altogether. Logic says he was unable to get his software to
work and then gave up on the hearing as a lost cause.
Having received nothing of value, the client is entitled to a full
refund.
Final Award:
1. The contract for this project is terminated except for any
non-disclosure provisions that may exist.
2. Elance shall return $525 from escrow to RJONROBINS (Rjon Robins).
3. Within 7 days, deef (iDeef) shall refund $525 to RJONROBINS (Rjon
Robins).
4. Property rights to the software and other deliverables shall
remain with deef (iDeef).
The Final Award section of this decision will be forwarded to
Elance so that the escrow may be released accordingly.
Arbitrator: Chris
Dated: June 25, 2010
And then this…
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details 7:30 PM (12 hours ago) |
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Jxxxxx
Kxxxxxxx
507-xxx-xxx
Information: This message contains confidential information and may be
subject to protection by the laws or terms of applicable confidentiality
agreements, and is intended only for the message recipient(s). If you
are not the intended recipient you are hereby notified that any
dissemination, distribution, or copying of this e-mail is strictly
prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient indicated in this
message (or responsible for delivery of the message to such person),
notify [email protected]
immediately and delete this e-mail from your system. Any tax advice
contained in this email was not intended to be used, and cannot be used,
by you (or any other taxpayer) to avoid penalties under the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
forwarded message:
From:
"Paul K." <[email protected]>
Date:
June 24, 2010 4:58:48 PM CDT
To: Jason Kohlmeyer <[email protected]>
Subject:
Re: Not cool with rjon
Jason,
I am almost done with an Rjon 'expose' website . I shall launch it
soon, it will be a site , where this whole ordeal that i have been put
through by Rjon will be displayed. Source code for the
howtomanagealawfirm website will also be made available there for
download, since I was not paid for it , it is still my property. I will
send out a bulk mail to all his clients as well, informing them that
this so called site which he claims he got developed by someone else was
done me and i am yet to get my $525. Rjon made me work twice as much
as agreed and he never paid me , he will see what happens to Ripoffs
like him. Being a lawyer he thinks he can hustle small time developers
like me , he is in for a surprise this time around.
Everytime
someone searches for the howto site or even Rjon, my site will come up
even before the actual rjon site. It will tell the entire story .
I
shall make sure this is bad for his reputation and
business.
only then he will realize that ripping out small timers
like me of my hard earned money , can get ugly at times.
The
scoundrel will only learn his lesson this way. This is the only way i
can put this behind me , i went through a bad phase because he
never paid me when i was actually counting on the payment to come
through. He will wish he had never started this in the first place.
And
he can pull all the lawyer stunts he wants now , i am going to put the
site on a Chinese server, which wont even be brought down through any
US laws either.
Anyways , i am probably blabbering all this to
you because never in my life have i felt this cheated and i am forced to
do something i never would have , but soon it will be Rjon who will
wish he had paid me my small fee in the first place .
Have a
nice day.
Paul
Of course this loyal member of my program replied back to the would-be extortionist in defense of me and with words that were not all too complimentary to the extortionist!
