Wayne Gretzky sued for $10 Million for lying about gum.

[nuckin_futz]

Hockey Legend Wayne Gretzky Sued for $10 Million After Allegedly Lying About Weight Loss Gum

The former Edmonton Oilers star is being sued by Steven Sparks, the creator of OMG Gum

Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky is being sued for millions by a gum maker who claims the former Edmonton Oilers star lied about its weight loss benefits.

 

In court documents filed in Los Angeles and obtained by PEOPLE, plaintiff Steven Sparks claimed he hired Wayne's wife, Janet Gretzky, as a spokesperson for his OMG Gum, which he says is a "natural gum used to manage weight."

 

Wayne, helping to support the product that his wife was asked to promote, allegedly said he lost 35 lbs. in six to eight weeks thanks to OMG Gum — a statement that was repeated by Janet, according to the filing. The weight loss claim prompted Sparks and other investors to provide more funding to the parent company BuChew.

 

But in early 2020, Wayne allegedly admitted the claim was false.

 

"The statement that [Wayne] 'lost 35 lbs.' as a result of 'OMG gum' was the motivation for [Sparks] and other shareholders to invest and/or re-invest in BuChew, by either providing capital investments and/or services," the filing reads.

 

"[Wayne's] motivation for misrepresenting the truth was to increase the value of BuChew's stock which he surreptitiously purchased under his family's name," the documents continue.

PEOPLE has reached out to Wayne's agent for comment.

 

Sparks also accused the couple of trying to remove him from his position at BuChew, then informing the company that they could no longer use Wayne's image or name to promote OMG Gum.

 

Because he re-invested money and services into BuChew after Wayne's alleged "35 lbs.," statement, Sparks says he is owed $10 million in damages.

 

"As a direct and proximate result of the Defendant's statement that he 'lost 35 lbs.,' [Sparks] has been damaged in an amount of $10,000,000.00."

 

"Plaintiff is entitled to special damages for the damage done to his, investment, business, trade, profession, occupation, or reputation including the amounts of money Plaintiff expended as a result of [Wayne's] assertions," they continued.

 

Sparks also requests $500,000 for attorney fees and other expenses related to the suit with 10% interest.

Edited August 17, 2022 by nuckin_futz

[Playoff Beered]

I'm gonna sue too, I ate some of this and I never became a pro star.

[Nuxfanabroad]

Hope they take this scheister to the cleaners!

[-AJ-]

Sounds a lot like "x person is rich, let's find a reason to sue him".

[Elias Pettersson]

So he created a product and marketed it as a "natural gum used to manage weight", which is code word for lose weight but he can't really say that without direct scientific evidence or else he will get sued.  He hires a spokesperson to promote the gum and the spokesperson tells him and others that he lost a bunch of weight.  So he pumps all this money into said product only to find out the claim is false.

 

And he's suing the spokesperson for his own product that apparently doesn't work?  This guy knew from day 1 that his product never made you lose weight, so now he has to sue the spokesperson for his own failed product to try and recoup his money.  Pretty much a slimeball if you ask me.

[Hamhuis Hip Check]

46 minutes ago, -AJ- said:

Sounds a lot like "x person is rich, let's find a reason to sue him".

If wayne did actually lie intentionally to mislead investors then he should be sued. Im tired of these scam artists promoting these fake remedies constantly. 10 million may very well be overkill i admit but the company should be punished for this.

 

 

Edit: apparently i skipped the first bit about how the plaintiff is ghe owner of the company so i retract what i said. I do maintain that these companies should be run out of business though

Edited August 17, 2022 by Hamhuis Hip Check

[Ballisticsports.]

2 minutes ago, Hamhuis Hip Check said:

If wayne did actually lie intentionally to mislead investors then he should be sued. Im tired of these scam artists promoting these fake remedies constantly. 10 million may very well be overkill i admit but the company should be punished for this

I'm sorry, but anyone stupid enough to think short cuts work and you can eat as much as you like  don't exercise but chew gum to lose weight has bigger issues than weight loss

Seems like the guy suing is looking for a short cut to get rich too

[nuckin_futz]

32 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

So he created a product and marketed it as a "natural gum used to manage weight", which is code word for lose weight but he can't really say that without direct scientific evidence or else he will get sued.  He hires a spokesperson to promote the gum and the spokesperson tells him and others that he lost a bunch of weight.  So he pumps all this money into said product only to find out the claim is false.

 

And he's suing the spokesperson for his own product that apparently doesn't work?  This guy knew from day 1 that his product never made you lose weight, so now he has to sue the spokesperson for his own failed product to try and recoup his money.  Pretty much a slimeball if you ask me.

Sounds like the potential opening statement in a trial from Gretzky's lawyer.

Edited August 17, 2022 by nuckin_futz

[Ballisticsports.]

Just now, nuckin_futz said:

Sounds like the potential opening statement from Gretzky's lawyer.

so does your posting name as another argument

[nuckin_futz]

1 minute ago, ba;;isticsports said:

so does your posting name as another argument

My biggest regret is that I can only +1 this post.

[Gurn]

31 minutes ago, nuckin_futz said:

My biggest regret is that I can only +1 this post.

Added one for you.

[Elias Pettersson]

45 minutes ago, nuckin_futz said:

Sounds like the potential opening statement in a trial from Gretzky's lawyer.

If Gretzky's lawyer reads CDC and decides to use my post as his opening statement then I may change professions from a hockey player to a lawyer.  Seems to be a more secure job with less headaches. 

 

Considering JR/PA drafted another Elias Pettersson nobody would even notice or care anyways...   

[Toyotasfan]

I’d just tell the guy,

if your chewing gum your not scarfing down cheeseburgers you fat fart. 

[Dazzle]

Janet Gretzky is super sketchy. I believe she was involved in that gambling thing down when Wayne was in Arizona. Janet seems like a bad person to be around because she's always getting herself into business trouble.

[IBatch]

10 hours ago, Playoff Beered said:

I'm gonna sue too, I ate some of this and I never became a pro star.

Brilliant.   What judge is going to give this guy any money.   If your that rich and that stupid, it's just a trust fund idiot without anything better to do.   Like seriously.   What a joke.   Naivety and business doesn't go well when it comes to investing.    Maybe we should be selling this guy some Nigerian Prince stuff.    A fool and his money, is soon separated.    Isn't that common knowledge!    Man Wayne's jaws must be ripped!  Lost 35lbs by chewing gum.   Good grief.   Thanks for the laughs though! 

Edited August 17, 2022 by IBatch

[Ghostsof1915]

Can I sue Wayne if I use the MGM gambling app and lose money? 

[JM_]

How do you "surreptitiously" buy stocks under your family name? are there a lot of Gretzky's in LA? If you invented the gum and you only believe in the product because of what 1 person may have said, you're an idiot. 

 

Reminds me of that snake oil Don Cherry walked away from. 

[IBatch]

10 hours ago, -AJ- said:

Sounds a lot like "x person is rich, let's find a reason to sue him".

And that y person is rich too.   Needs to be part of this sequel...

[nux_win]

I don't know if Wayne is guilty or not but lying for profit is a major scar on our society and it causes so much damage.  Rich and famous people are not exempt from being responsible for their actions.  Wayne was a great hockey player and is a decent person but that doesn't give him the right to use deception to pump up his investment portfolio.  He's innocent until proven guilty but did people actually read the allegations before automatically defending him?  If true, it looks pretty slimy.  It could be unfounded claims and going after a rich famous person but maybe, just maybe, he actually committed a crime.  Waiting for the court to do its thing works both ways.  GCG!

[JM_]

5 minutes ago, nux_win said:

I don't know if Wayne is guilty or not but lying for profit is a major scar on our society and it causes so much damage.  Rich and famous people are not exempt from being responsible for their actions.  Wayne was a great hockey player and is a decent person but that doesn't give him the right to use deception to pump up his investment portfolio.  He's innocent until proven guilty but did people actually read the allegations before automatically defending him?  If true, it looks pretty slimy.  It could be unfounded claims and going after a rich famous person but maybe, just maybe, he actually committed a crime.  Waiting for the court to do its thing works both ways.  GCG!

where are you getting "crime" from?