Playa Solutions/Playa DRM co-founders Jason Tucker and Oystein Wright are entering the legal realm after Wright and the company hit Tucker with a lawsuit May 5, alleging that Tucker diverted at least $75,000 from Playa to himself and the other defendants, including his wife, Gail Harris.
The complaint, which also names Tucker’s other company – Falcon Foto – as a defendant, alleges the actions took place during Playa’s deal with Protected Media, which Playa had acquired a 50 percent share in. The suit also charges Tucker, Harris, and Falcon Foto with a laundry list of other complaints.
Tucker has been locked out of Playa for the past two months, with his email being frozen and his company cell phone and credit card being shut off, he said. He also said he has no access to the data center or accounts.
In an email circulating adult industry inboxes today, Tucker explained his situation, at first without mentioning the lawsuit. Several hours later, he issued a slightly revised statement mentioning the lawsuit.
“It’s very sad. [Oystein] has chosen not to communicate, he’s chosen to take malicious action, and he’s chosen to attempt to cause irreparable damage to my reputation to conduct business,” Tucker tells AVNOnline.com.
Tucker also said that Playa DRM’s software license is set to expire tomorrow and that company as it is known is through.
“I can’t see what’s recoverable,” he says.
Wright acknowledged that Playa’s software license might be terminated, but that it wasn’t a certainty. At the very least, the future of the company is up in the air.
“I can’t say at this point. I just don’t know [what is going to happen],” Wright tells AVNOnline.com.
Wright tempered his comments on the legal matter.
“The truth will come out in court,” he says.
Meanwhile, Tucker is preparing for his next move, which he says would be announced within the week.
“I helped forge DRM into what it is today. I’ve created and cocreated some unique business models through the use of DRM technology. I’ll continue to champion the technology,” he says.
“My energy will not change. It’s just the people around me will be different, but nothing else is going to change. This isn’t the first time this has happened in this industry and it won’t be the last.”
To view a copy of the lawsuit, click " target="_new"\n > here.
