In the ongoing CryptoZoo dispute, CoffeeZilla has accused YouTuber Logan Paul of using his defamation case not only to preserve his reputation but also to take advantage of discovery materials related to the class-action suit filed against him. The revelation comes from CoffeeZilla's Motion to Transfer and Stay proceedings, filed on April 15 and available via Court Listener. LegalBytes, a YouTube lawyer, reviewed the filing, exposing alarming text conversations between Paul and his associates, which CoffeeZilla used to support their claim.
Notably, Logan Paul's lawsuit isn't about CoffeeZilla's original 2022 three-part exposé on CryptoZoo, most likely because the statute of limitations had expired. Instead, it addresses CoffeeZilla's later statements, accusing Paul of failing to reimburse victims and labeling him a scammer. In response, Logan Paul says that he was just inattentive, not malicious, and that CoffeeZilla was aware of evidence indicating him as an unwitting participant rather than an architect of the scam.
However, CoffeeZilla's motion suggests a deeper motive, that Paul is using the lawsuit to bypass the court-ordered stay on discovery in the CryptoZoo class action case (Don Holland v. CryptoZoo Inc.). Since discovery in that case is frozen pending motions to dismiss, Paul's defamation complaint against CoffeeZilla appears to be intended to gather material he would otherwise be unable to obtain. Texts attached in the filing show Paul telling his friends that he has planned to "Suing this m*ker into the ground" and discussing how public litigation will serve as a warning to future critics, confirming his revengeful intent.
Logan Paul attempted and failed to obtain communications between CoffeeZilla and Tom Kherkher ("Attorney Tom"), the lawyer leading the class action. A judge ultimately found that these were privileged, supporting CoffeeZilla's allegation that Paul's legal techniques are abusive and inefficient.
CoffeeZilla's intention to consolidate the defamation lawsuit with the class action in Austin aims to expose these overlapping motives, potentially compromising Paul's credibility in front of the jury.
If CoffeeZilla's charges hold up, they could seriously damage Paul's already tarnished public image and potentially derail his lawsuit entirely.