{"id":1873489,"date":"2024-02-08T13:37:57","date_gmt":"2024-02-08T18:37:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/plato-data\/michael-hermalyn-strikes-back-calls-draftkings-claims-false-and-fabricated\/"},"modified":"2024-02-08T13:37:57","modified_gmt":"2024-02-08T18:37:57","slug":"michael-hermalyn-strikes-back-calls-draftkings-claims-false-and-fabricated","status":"publish","type":"station","link":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/plato-data\/michael-hermalyn-strikes-back-calls-draftkings-claims-false-and-fabricated\/","title":{"rendered":"Michael Hermalyn Strikes Back; Calls DraftKings\u2019 Claims \u201cFalse and Fabricated\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
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On February 5, DraftKings allegedly submitted a lawsuit<\/a> against its previous executive, Michael Hermalyn, over his \u2019secret plan\u2019 to aid Fanatics, which included purloining clients data prior to taking a job at Fanatics as the Fanatics wagering executive a week ago.<\/p>\n

But the legal battle doesn\u2019t stop there; because yesterday, February 7, Hermalyn reportedly parried in a written statement submitted in Federal Court, saying the claims are \u201ccompletely false and fabricated,\u201d as reported by Front Office Sports<\/em>.<\/p>\n

16-page filing by Hermalyn:<\/strong><\/p>\n

In his 16-page filing<\/strong>  in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts<\/a><\/strong>, he wrote: \u201cWhen I decided to leave, I knew from past experience with DraftKings that they would likely come after me<\/strong> aggressively<\/strong> and malign me as they have done with others. However, I am shocked and disappointed to see that they would go so far as they have and actually make so many completely false and fabricated accusations against me in court.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

However, DraftKings<\/strong> refused to provide a comment on the aforementioned filing when contacted by Front Office Sports<\/em>.<\/p>\n

On a related note, Hermalyn contradicted the allegation<\/strong> in the original lawsuit<\/strong> that he was in Los Angeles, more specifically at the offices of Fanatics in Los Angeles, on January 29th, following an email sent to his co-workers that he\u2019d be taking 2 days off due to the death of his friend. Additionally, he provided the name of the aforementioned friend<\/strong> who died of cancer on January 27 in the filing.<\/p>\n

Reportedly, commenting on that, he said according to Front Office Sports<\/em><\/a>: \u201cDraftKings\u2019 accusation that I falsely claimed to be mourning the death<\/strong> of my friend \u2026 is both wrong and disappointing. [That] week \u2026 was particularly difficult for me emotionally. In addition to grieving the death of my friend, I was contemplating an opportunity<\/strong> to make a significant advancement in my career by joining Fanatics VIP<\/strong>.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

A job offer from Fanatics arrived on January 27:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The job offer<\/strong> from Fanatics officially came on January 27<\/strong>, and he encountered Rubin<\/strong>, CEO of Fanatics<\/strong>, in PA<\/strong>, not California<\/strong>, as claimed by DrafKings. In addition, he completed his transfer<\/strong> to the aforementioned Fanatics<\/a> on Thursday<\/strong>, February 1<\/strong>, based on the declaration.<\/p>\n

In that regard, he parried DraftKings\u2019<\/a> allegation: \u201cI did not discuss joining Fanatics<\/strong> or any of its affiliates with Mr. Rubin or anyone else during 2023<\/strong>. Nor have I ever encouraged any of my DraftKings colleagues to do so, or put any of my colleagues in touch with Fanatics\u2019 CEO or any other Fanatics executives.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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