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The Hedge Fund Manager
Have you been the victim of hurtful and untrue comments online? We are here to help.
DEFAMATION BY A WEBSITE BEING SET UP ABOUT CLIENT
The Hedge Fund Manager
Our client was the manager of a large hedge fund. A former aggrieved business partner had made a WordPress website about him to the effect that he had extramarital affairs, was a rogue trader, engaged in sexual harassment and was a predator. Our client suspected it was his former business partner but although he had strong suspicions, he had no firm evidence.
The WordPress website targeting our client used his actual name and was made using word press. This meant that if someone searched for our client, the defamatory website.
appeared at the top of Google’s search results. When we wrote to the defendant, he denied that he had set up the website. We then issued legal proceedings and the defendant continued to deny his involvement in the setup of the website. However, we had obtained evidence by looking behind the website and linking the defendant to this.
When this evidence was sent to the defendant the website was removed immediately although the defendant continued to deny his involvement. The matter was subsequently settled between the parties because the defendant had realised from the evidence, we had proved that indeed it was him who had set up the website, and he would therefore have lost the legal action and had a costs order made against him.
Who Do I Sue for Internet Defamation?
The law is complex. Our focus in every case is to get the offending material taken down as quickly as we can. This includes seeking urgent removal from search engine results.
Our first step is to approach the person who posted the material (if known). We will also approach the publisher – the website operator or host – who may have an interest in removing material because of their potential liability under UK defamation law.
Our initial letter will:
State the precise nature of the defamation
Request the immediate removal of the material from all internet locations in which it appears
Indicate our intention to instigate legal proceedings if our requests are not met
Online Defamation Frequently Asked Questions
What is defamation?
What if the words were said to me?