Ohlsen v. Hollenbeck [1]

Milton Ohlsen, who runs a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion company, sued Joel S. Hollenbeck and Paul McElligott for defamation and tortious interference after they allegedly made false statements about him on the Internet.

According to the complaint [2], Hollenback operates a website called Who is Milton H. Ohlsen III? [3], which contains statements that Ohlsen is a "federally convicted felon for dealing drugs" and an unethical businessman, among other things. See Cmplt. ¶¶ 10-25.  The website includes photographs purporting to be "police booking photograph[s]" and numberous public records allegedly showing that Ohlsen has a criminal history.

The complaint alleges that McElligott, using the pseudonym "kracker," posted defamatory statements about Ohlsen on a MySpace forum, indicating that he "does not pay his labor" and was under investigation by federal authorities. Cmplt. ¶ 33. It also alleges that McElligot posted a link to Mr. Hollenbeck's website, claiming that the site was a source of "facts about Milton 'Skip' Ohlsen." Cmplt. ¶ 35.

Ohlsen, who claimed the defendants had financially harmed his MMA promotion company and caused his divorce, sued in February 2008 in Missouri state court.  In March 2008, he voluntarily withdrew his claims.