Bo Jackson wins $21M lawsuit against relatives he accused of extortion

Sports activities legend Vincent “Bo” Jackson on February 2 received a $21 million lawsuit towards his niece and nephew after he accused the pair of blackmailing him and attempting to extort cash from him. In line with The Related Press, the 61-year-old former skilled baseball and soccer participant was additionally granted a everlasting protecting order towards the defendants.

The pair, recognized as siblings Thomas Lee Anderson and Erica M. Anderson Ross, have since been ordered to stop pestering Jackson or getting in contact with him or his shut family. The siblings have additionally been ordered to maintain a 500-yard distance from the Jackson household and delete social media posts about them.

Jackson, who’s the one skilled athlete in historical past to be named an all-star in two main sports activities in North America, accused the Andersons of utilizing harassment and intimidation of their try and extort $20 million from him.

“Sadly for these making an attempt to extort $20 million from Jackson and his household, Bo nonetheless hits again arduous,” Jackson’s attorneys mentioned on Monday.

The plaintiff within the lawsuit claimed his niece and nephew started harassing him in 2022, including that they shared threatening posts and messages on social media and likewise tainted his picture. Jackson additional alleged that the defendants publicly shared personal data to topic him to critical emotional struggling, per WSB-TV. The Heisman Trophy winner claimed Thomas Anderson made a Fb submit the place he mentioned he was going to share the plaintiff’s photographs, textual content, and medical data to “present America” he was critical.

Jackson within the lawsuit claimed that the siblings and an Atlanta lawyer informed him to pay up if he wished them to finish their actions. He additionally claimed the Andersons in April threatened to indicate up at a restaurant near his dwelling and trigger a stir at a charity occasion he was internet hosting, The Related Press reported.

The court docket decided the actions of the defendants lacked authorized advantage, including that the siblings didn’t cease their harassment and intimidation even after Jackson’s attorneys served them a stop and desist letter.

Cobb County Superior Courtroom Decide Jason D. Marbutt said that the defendants and their attorneys did not deny Jackson’s allegations and likewise participate within the case after a listening to in Might 2023, per the Atlanta Journal-Structure reported. The choose in the end dominated in favor of Jackson after discovering the defendants to be in default.

“Affordable folks would discover defendants’ habits excessive and outrageous,” Marbutt said in his ruling. “The court docket noticed proof that an lawyer representing defendants claimed his shoppers’ conduct would stop for the sum of $20 million.”