Apple Hit With Bizarre Lawsuit Also Naming Sarah Jessica Parker
12:02 pm, November 6th, 2009, Ed Sutherland
Credit: el frijole/flickr
Apple is the defendant in a number of lawsuits, the latest from Nokia. However, a bizarre lawsuit has appeared, naming the Cupertino, Calif. company and ‘Sex in the City’ actress Sara Jessica Parker in a lawsuit claiming the two attempted to steal trade secrets involving the iPhone, iPod and iTunes.
The lawsuit brought by Miami, Fla. resident Franz A. Wakefield claims after a 1989 meeting with Parker, the self-described “trade secret and copyright owner” “made a trade secret deal” with Parker to commercialize the iPod classic, nano, mini, shuffle, video, touch and photo, along with iTunes and the iPhone. As part of the deal, Parker supposedly would get 2 percent of gross revenue. Wakefield, who claims he named all of the products 20 years before their release by Apple, asked the FBI to watch over his security, according to the lawsuit.
Here’s where Apple comes into the picture: Wakefield claims Parker was supposed to meet with Apple CEO Steve Jobs and hammer out a deal, including the concept of $0.99 songs for iTunes. In 2006, Parker’s attorney told the Florida man the actress didn’t remember such conversations about the iPod, according to the lawsuit.
In October, Wakefield wrote to Jobs demanding payment. “Otherwise I will seek legal recourse for the immediate cease and desist from the manufacture, marketing, and sale of all the iPod, iTunes, and iPhone lines; along with pursuing damages from the products sold to date, unjust enrichment caused by the theft, enforcement of the agreed 2% gross revenues on all sales, and any other applicable damages or compensation,” according to the letter filed with the lawsuit in a U.S. District Court in the Central District of California.
In 2007, Wakefield complained to the FBI and mentioned he’d filed complaints against Nintendo and Cordis Corp. with the dating back to 1993.
[Via AppleInsider]
Posted by Ed Sutherland in News | Comment on this article
Wakefield doesn’t sound like a nut-job _at all_.
Craig Grannell, on November 6th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Yeah ok. I don’t buy this at all. Not only does he come off as crazy, I’m sure Sarah Jessica Parker would remember a convo that would have made her A LOT of money.
Nathan, on November 6th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
This man is obviously ill.
Fruityth1ng, on November 6th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Psycho guy fail. LOL.
Obama Pacman, on November 6th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Wakefield is obviously a time traveler from the future hoping to transform is future financial picture by manipulating the time stream. ^_-
Pustoolio, on November 6th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
LMFAO
Alexis, on November 6th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Must be a Windows fanboy. BTW, I came up with the Zune name years ago, but tried my best to forget it…
Ictus75, on November 7th, 2009 at 12:35 am
Wow…Crazy and Nutty…. Sad that the courts would even let someone file paper work like that…. what a waste of time.
Christian, on November 7th, 2009 at 12:37 am
Sir? Rod Serling on line 2.
imajoebob, on November 7th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Another example of abuse of our crazy litigious system being co-opted for the attempted financial benefit of a lune.
Build a better mouse trap and the troglodytes will come out of the wood work and attempt to claim it as their idea.
Will, on November 7th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
I researched this guy. He is sue happy and his suit gets thrown out for lack of evidence.
Jeremy, on November 8th, 2009 at 11:58 am