This was the key for me from JJC deposition
Rohan Marley reveal that they hatched a transparent plan to
accomplish just that - to take over the business of JJC at all costs...
IT IS SO ORDERED.
exclusive rights to the Bob Marley name, likeness and image. 56HR is owned and
controlled by members of the Marley family including Bob Marley’s children
Defendant Rohan Anthony Marley, Cedella Marley, and David Nesta “Ziggy”
Marley. Relevant here, 56HR owns the rights to the trade name “Marley Coffee.”
23.On information and belief, Plaintiff HRM is likewise owned by the widow and
nine of the ten children of Bob Marley. HRM is a licensee of 56HR, and is the
licensing and merchandising arm of the Marley Family. Complaint ¶ 7.
24.On information and belief, Third Party Defendant Rohan Anthony Marley,
founded the “Marley Coffee” brand in 2007, and served as a Director and Chairman
of the board of JJC from March 2008 until his recent resignation June 27, 2016.
Rohan Marley is an owner and shareholder of JJC. Rohan Marley is also is a part
owner of, and Director of 56HR and is heavily involved in all of the Marley family
businesses including 56HR.
This is a classic case about greed and unabashed self-interest and dealing. The
Plaintiffs are owned by the widow and children of Bob Marley. As Rohan Marley,
who is one of Bob Marley’s children, is one of the founders of JJC’s predecessor, is
an owner in each of the Plaintiffs, and, until just recently, was the Chairman of the
Board of the JJC, has repeatedly told JJC’s management, “the needs of family [the
Marley family, who are the owners of the Plaintiffs] come first.” And the conduct
of the Plaintiffs and Rohan Marley reveal that they hatched a transparent plan to
accomplish just that - to take over the business of JJC at all costs in an effort to make
higher royalties off of Bob Marley’s name, likeness and image. And in doing so,
they have ignored binding contracts, asserted claims that were waived and barred by
Plaintiffs’ prior breaches, usurped corporate opportunities, bullied and fraudulently
induced JJC and its current management to enter into contracts that benefited them
and not JJC, and ultimately sought to destroy a public company, which will force it
to terminate all of its employees, breach contracts with third-parties, lose all
shareholder value, and literally disappear overnight and go out of business. And in
the process, they are disparaging JJC’s management, which has diligently increased
revenues from $400,000 to $12.3 Million in 4 years and build a successful coffee
Padraic I. McCoy
Tilden McCoy + Dilweg LLP
13310 Maxella Ave., Unit D
