*“Shark Tank” star and celebrity investor Daymond John has been granted a temporary restraining order against three former contestants.
The owners of Bubba Q’s Boneless Baby Back Ribs appeared in a 2013 episode of “Shark Tank” and accepted John’s offer of $300,000 for 30 percent of the company. But after agreeing to the on-air collaboration, owners Al “Bubba” Baker, his wife Sabrina, and daughter Brittani claim John revised the terms of the deal to $100,000 for a 35 percent stake, according to the Los Angeles Times.
In response to the Times article, John sent the Bakers a cease-and-desist letter asking that they stop “making publicly disparaging or defamatory remarks” about him and his co-investors.
John also posted a video response calling the Times piece a “false narrative.”
In several social media posts, the family accused him of cutting them out of profits related to their business.
John sought a temporary restraining order against the entrepreneurs after they repeatedly disparaged him online. The New York Post reports that the order was granted in New Jersey federal court Friday. Baker, his wife, and daughter are banned from speaking out publicly about their experience with John.
The Bakers must also delete the negative posts about the celebrity investor.
“All the Bakers’ posts are negative, disparaging, or both and certainly could impact DFV’s and John’s reputation, goodwill, and credibility,” US District Judge Robert Kugler wrote in his ruling, referring to the DF Ventures entity John set up to do business with the family.
“After repeated attempts to give the Baker’s the ability to correct their violations. It is unfortunate that it has come to this,” John’s spokesperson Zach Rosenfield said in a statement to People.
“This temporary restraining order is due to the Baker’s blatant actions to undermine a business partnership and the legal parameters they agreed to 4 years ago. Their belief that they can unwind poor business decisions through slanderous social media posts and articles will no longer be tolerated.”
READ MORE: Daymond John Seeks Restraining Order Against Former ‘Shark Tank’ Entrepreneurs
