Legal News

Hells Angels: Trademark suit against Fawn to be filed

By Richard Binder

The Hells Angels motorcycle club is suing a Visalia, Calif., woman in federal court, alleging "cyberpiracy" and trademark infringement. The club says Fawn Myers illegally registered more than 20 Internet domain names associated with the Hells Angels and then placed them up for auction on eBay.

Myers, the club says, registered domain names such as ha-mc.com and 81ca.com through the Internet hosting service GoDaddy.com, which is also named in the suit. It was filed this month in U.S. District Court in Fresno, Calif. The number 81, the suit says, has not only long been an identifier and pseudonym for the Hells Angels, but it also has been used on licensed merchandise such as hats, beanies, bikinis, pins and belt buckles. The letter "H" is the eighth in the alphabet; the letter "A" the first.

In her eBay listings, the Hells Angels allege, Myers specifically mentions the association of the domain names with the motorcycle club. The club says that amounts to trademark infringement and cyberpiracy, among other violations of federal law. The Angels want a court judgment that Myers violated its rights under federal and state statutes. They want the domain names to be transferred to the club. And they want any profits derived from the domain names, as well as $100,000 in damages for each domain name found to belong to the club.

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Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on February 18, 2009 (boomark / email).