Several DraftKings staffers are facing a civil lawsuit surrounding allegations that they leaked personal information of an unnamed plaintiff to a prominent bettor as part of an ornate extortion plot, according to the New York suit.
The plaintiff, according to the lawsuit, received disturbing warnings in March 2023 with threats on his life unless he paid a six-figure sum to Gadoon “Spanky” Kyrollos, one of the nation's most recognizable sports bettors. According to the lawsuit, several DraftKings staff members provided the plaintiff's address, sports betting history, personal information, and financial history to Kyrollos.
Under the lawsuit, the plaintiff states he allegedly began being extorted that February by Kyrollos, who claimed he was owed hundreds of thousands of dollars. On March 30, 2023, the plaintiff claims he was approached by a “masked man,” on a subway platform in Long Island City at approximately 8:45 a.m. ET. The man allegedly grabbed a hold of the plaintiff, spun him, and threatened to kill him unless he paid $500,000 to Kyrollos, the plaintiff alleged. Attorneys for the plaintiff claim there is video evidence of the man standing outside their client's apartment for several hours before the alleged altercation.
Described in the lawsuit as “John Doe,” the plaintiff initially sought damages in Supreme Court, Queens County, for negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and abetting assault and battery. The plaintiff also reported the incident to the New York Police Department, according to Next.io, which first reported the story on Tuesday. By Tuesday afternoon, the lawsuit was moved to federal court under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of New York.