Shark Tank star and celebrity investor Daymond John has been granted a permanent restraining order from former NFL defensive end Al “Bubba” Baker, his wife, Sabrina and daughter, Brittani.
According to Deadline, who obtained the court docs, the Bakers, who made claims in recent months that John attempted to take over their business — Bubba Q’s Boneless Baby Back Ribs — and cut them out of potential profits, following their appearance on Shark Tank, were ordered Friday by a New Jersey federal court to stop speaking publicly about their experience with John. They appeared in season 5 of the ABC reality series in 2014.
The Bakers were also ordered to clear any “disparaging” posts about John and their business relationship from social media.
The ruling makes permanent the temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction granted by Judge Robert Kugler against the Bakers last month.
According to a report in the Los Angeles Times on May 31, the Bakers claim that they were offered $300,000 for 30 percent of the company when they appeared on the show during season 5 back in 2013. The family then alleged that John revised the terms of the investment, offering $100,000 for 35 percent of the company, and entering the company into business with Rastelli Foods Group.
Additionally, the family claimed that they’ve only seen around 4 percent of the publicly stated $16 million in revenue from the business, and claimed that Al Baker had been intentionally left out of important business meetings and decisions after John came on board.
Last month, Zach Rosenfield, a spokesperson for John, released a statement to ET denying the claims made by the Bakers and explaining their decision to file the restraining order.
According to Rosenfield, there have been “repeated attempts to give the Baker’s [sic] the ability to correct their violations.”
“It is unfortunate that it has come to this,” the statement adds. “This temporary restraining order is due to the Baker’s [sic] 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.”
Additionally, Rastelli Foods Group also filed for a temporary restraining order against the Bakers over their claims.
Following the initial LA Times report, John sent the Bakers a cease-and-desist letter stating that they were “in breach of the agreements” of their contracts and the letter demanded that they stop “making publicly disparaging or defamatory remarks” against him and their associates.
The Bakers allegedly penned a letter to the judge in response to John’s petition, arguing, “Sharing our experience on social media is an honest and truthful account of our journey. We firmly believe that the truth is in the best interest of the public.”
John took to Instagram Saturday following the TRO ruling, calling it a moment of “vindication.”
“Today’s decision against the Bakers, their company, and their false statements is a moment of vindication,” John said in the statement.
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“The actual facts, the record, and the federal Judge’s opinion have confirmed that I did not — and could not have — committed any wrongdoing. I have always upheld transparency and honesty throughout my journey as an entrepreneur,” he continued. “I am grateful for the support that I’ve received during this time and will continue defending my reputation with the same passion I bring to empowering fellow entrepreneurs.”
John thanked his followers for their support in the caption, adding, “Thanks to everyone who has supported me from the storm of false statements and bogus claims that came after me for one of my #SharkTank investments. And thank you to all those that support the truth, not flashy clickbait headlines. I take a lot of pride in my reputation as someone who supports entrepreneurs and I will not have this stop me from continuing to empower and educate entrepreneurs around the globe. We need to stand up for ourselves when the truth isn’t told.”
