ATLANTA (Legal Newsline) – A Colorado digital technology company alleges AT&T made false representations to it to induce it to contract for professional services.
My24Hournews.com Inc. filed a complaint on April 18 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division against AT&T Corp., Verio Inc., NTT America Inc., Endurance International Group Holdings Inc. and Genacom Inc. over alleged violation of the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and other counts.
According to the complaint, "In 2011, My24, a technology startup, designed a proprietary first-of-its-kind, cutting-edge, technical schematic of a backend digital platform (broadcast platform) that would allow My24 to deliver, on demand and by customer preference, its interactive live video digital news content to smartphones, tablets, and other internet mediums. ... My24 selected AT&T to develop the broadcast platform, and initiated discussions with AT&T regarding its interest in investing in the company."
"Unbeknownst to My24, however, the individuals providing professional services to My24 were not AT&T representatives but, instead, were employees of third-party independent contractors with no authority to bind AT&T regarding professional services or investment," the suit states.
The plaintiff holds the defendants responsible because the defendants allegedly made false representations "for the purpose of inducing startup companies to enter into lucrative professional contracts and to procure trade secrets from plaintiff" while not performing the agreed services.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks to recover $1.8 billion in damages, prejudgment interest, punitive damages, costs, reasonable attorneys' fees, actual damages, and such other and further relief as may be just and proper. It is represented by Von A. DuBose and Tanya F. Miller of Dubose Miller LLC in Atlanta and Scott A. Griffin and Michael D. Hamersky of Griffin Hamersky LLP in New York.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division case number 1:18-cv-01647-MHC