A judge has issued a temporary restraining order against a former Raymond James intern whom the firm alleges waged an extreme, malicious and defamatory email campaign, barring him from coming within 100 yards of company offices and two employees, among other restrictions.
Raymond James and the investment banking employees, in a defamation lawsuit filed this month in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, contend 2024 summer intern Paul T. Saba Jr. falsely painted the employees as convicted rapists, suggested firm employees were recruiting for a neo-Nazi bankers club and accused one of insider trading.
After learning he wouldn't be hired, Saba, who interned in the company’s Atlanta office, waged the defamation campaign from early November through early January, the lawsuit alleges.
The complaint alleges Saba impersonated employees to recruit for a fake neo-Nazi bankers group and created fake email threads making accusations of rape, infidelity and insider trading.
On Jan. 17, the court, at the firm’s request, enjoined Saba from coming within 100 yards of Timothy VanBenthuysen and Richard Redvanly, their homes and Raymond James offices, and from creating new email accounts to further the alleged campaign.
Saba also was enjoined from accessing specific existing email accounts to advance the campaign, and from using electronic devices to delete or access electronic files concerning the plaintiffs or any email account used to transmit emails concerning plaintiffs or their significant others.
The court, citing the First Amendment and case law regarding prior restraint, denied Raymond James’ request to broadly enjoin Saba’s speech.
No attorney for Saba joined a telephone conference concerning Raymond James’ temporary restraining order request. Saba’s father, a lawyer, has implied he's representing his son but told plaintiffs’ counsel he wouldn’t accept court filings on behalf of his son, “who was purportedly in the hospital,” the order said.
Saba hasn’t responded to messages sent to the email addresses where Raymond James sent a cease-and-desist letter. His father didn’t immediately answer an email sent to his law firm address.
The court will schedule a preliminary injunction hearing later.
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