TSR Now it’s WotC’s Turn: WotC Moves Against TSR3

I guess after you provoke somebody enough, they’ll eventually bite back. The company has begun trademark cancellation procedures against the newest TSR.

TSR3 briefly filed for a court declaration on Dec 7th as to their ownership of the TSR trademarks — with an IndieGoGo campaign to fund it — and then voluntarily dismissed it a couple of days later on Dec 9th.

This filing is dated Dec 6th, the day before TSR3 launched its campaign.

In WotC’s response, they cite fraud as one of the causes of action, alleging that TSR3 misled the trademark office in its original application.

Mike Dunford, on Twitter, breaks down the action.

TSR - TSR3.5 Voluntarily Dismisses Lawsuit

A lawsuit filed by TSR3 against D&D owners Wizards of the Coast a few days ago was voluntarily dismissed. Dismissal without prejudice means that the suit can be filed again. The suit lasted two days from the 7th to the 9th of December. The IndieGoGo fundraiser to fund it is still running...

www.enworld.org

TSR - TSR3.5 Launches IndieGogo Campaign to "Stop" WotC

The latest in the TSR3 saga, which has gone quiet for a while, is a new IndieGoGo campaign launched to "stop Wizards of the Coast". They cite wrongful bullying of TSR, and refusal to answer requests that WotC show TSR "proof of their claims" (although the campaign page doesn't mention what those...

www.enworld.org

 

[Emrico]

Well, given that this has massive ramifications with both the state and the feds (501(c)(3) status), this would be an ... interesting .... choice, especially given LaNasa's apparent disdain for proper paperwork.

Oh yeah, I don't think for a second he would get away with converting it, even if he could manage to file the correct paperwork. I was mostly just curious to see if he's dumb enough to try. Because there's no way that will go over well in court. It woul be a blatantly obvious attempt at fraud.

 

[Deset Gled]

Oh yeah, I don't think for a second he would get away with converting it, even if he could manage to file the correct paperwork. I was mostly just curious to see if he's dumb enough to try. Because there's no way that will go over well in court. It woul be a blatantly obvious attempt at fraud.

Becoming a 501(c) requires a lot of real work, including actual oversight from a board of directors, financial reporting, etc. Judging from how LaNasa has mis-managed his LLCs, I simply don't think he has the knowledge or business acumen to convert it to a non-profit, even if he wanted to.

On a related note, Tenkar did a short video recently highlighting some of the issues LaNasa has had with LLC paperwork, including the fact that the DHSM apparently wasn't an independent LLC until last December. Earlier in the thread there was some discussion about how LLCs would provide LaNasa some protection against personal loss, as "piercing the corporate veil" is a difficult task. But it's starting to look like LaNasa didn't even bother to don the veil properly.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Becoming a 501(c) requires a lot of real work, including actual oversight from a board of directors, financial reporting, etc. Judging from how LaNasa has mis-managed his LLCs, I simply don't think he has the knowledge or business acumen to convert it to a non-profit, even if he wanted to.

On a related note, Tenkar did a short video recently highlighting some of the issues LaNasa has had with LLC paperwork, including the fact that the DHSM apparently wasn't an independent LLC until last December. Earlier in the thread there was some discussion about how LLCs would provide LaNasa some protection against personal loss, as "piercing the corporate veil" is a difficult task. But it's starting to look like LaNasa didn't even bother to don the veil properly.

Hey Justin, a veil is meant to be worn over the face. It's not a codpiece.


In all seriousness, I'm starting to really think the only reason Justin hasn't already been in trouble is because he's too small for any federal or state prosecutors to care about. but man, if you're doing questionable things (like trying to skirt around campaign contribution limits), I'd think the last thing you want is to bring attention to yourself, and yet here he is, screaming from the rooftop just begging to get scrutinized.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I mean yes, but also ... no.

It's not that perjury never happens in civil matters, but ...

It almost never happens, and there's no way you're going to lock someone up for five years on this. As much as they might deserve it.


Courts, unfortunately, rarely dole out karmic retribution, and you'll usually just have to settle for money.

I have ZERO expectations that he’d get 5 years. He might not even be charged, given the stakes involved and government budgets being what they are.

Still if- and it’s a BIG IF- he faces prosecution under this statute, I’d expect he’d be penalized on the lower end of the penalty options.

...unless this isn’t his first fraud rodeo* with the USTPO.






* Fraudeo? Froadeo?

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I have ZERO expectations that he’d get 5 years. He might not even be charged, given the stakes involved and government budgets being what they are.

Still if- and it’s a BIG IF- he faces prosecution under this statute, I’d expect he’d be penalized on the lower end of the penalty options.

...unless this isn’t his first fraud rodeo* with the USTPO.






* Fraudeo? Froadeo?

Fraudeo. Definitely Fraudeo.

I hear what you're saying, but ... perjury is probably the single most under-prosecuted crime there is. And I include civil infractions like speeding in there.

It is so unusual, especially once you're removed from the criminal context already*, that I would never, ever expect it to happen.


*In other words, not already in an some type of criminal proceeding where prosecutors or investigators might try to leverage it.

 

[overgeeked]

* Fraudeo? Froadeo?

Actually...it's pronounced Frodo-deo.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Wouldn't surprise me at all. I suspect he's going to be twisting in the wind shortly, trying to avoid the consequences of his actions as long as possible.

Presumably LaNasa posted this over the weekend; I don't think it's helping:

I'm waiting to see if Grits Lasagna tries to file paperwork to change the DHS Museum to a non-profit while claiming it's always been a non-profit. Because I do not think that will go well for him at all.

 

[Charlaquin]

Lasagna: A non profit is when you spend all of your profits, right?

 

[Wilphe]

Tenkarpians?

Someone want to stat one of these out?

Are these the same as the lemming people or something else?

 

[Deset Gled]

Presumably LaNasa posted this over the weekend; I don't think it's helping:

Two minor things. First, Ernie has been the one posting as the DHSM recently, and LaNasa has been posting under his own name. No way to be 100% sure, though.

Second, when this was originally posted, it ended with "That's how this works!". Someone edited it sometime over the last day or so specifically to target Tenkar in their response. That seems pretty on brand for NuTSR though. They seem to thrive on having an enemy to fight against.