A little over a year ago, there was some buzz about Leo Stoller, a slimey guy who claims to have the intellectual property rights of thousands of words that he claims are his trademarks and brands.
My buddy and hero Kembrew McLeod, who is a professional prankster, tenured professor, and filmmaker, happened to actually own a trademark on the phrase “Freedom of Expression” (for use as a periodical title, now expired). For completely unrelated reasons, I had registered the domain freedomofexpression.org. Turns out, Leo Stoller also claimed to have a trademark on this expression.
Kembrew came up with the brilliant idea of sending a cease and desist letter to Stoller. My friend Julie Gilberg was game for making us some art, we got a couple other domains registered, and soon we had the Freedom of Expression Security Consortium: Regulating Freedom in the Marketplace of Ideas.
People were pretty into the whole thing, and it was even covered on Boing Boing. Whoo hoo!
But Stoller never responded, and the whole thing faded away as a happy memory.
Well, I recently got a nice surprise in the comments section of my post on the stunt:
links cleaned up by me
Stoller has now been enjoined as a vexatious litigant and barred from filing any more lawsuits or trademark oppositions without first getting permission from the court. The bankruptcy judge has also revealed how Stoller’s business scheme was working. See, document 1 (pdf) and document 2 (pdf).
Wow! I don’t know what enjoined means, but it sounds like justice to me! And how cool is it that a lawyer involved in the case found my blog and left an update on the story! (this is why I love blogs and other new media… the simple, powerful ways through which people can connect).
So it seems that Leo Stoller’s racket is shut down. Clearly Kembrew, Julie, and I are at least partially responsible…
nice!
The internet allowed slimey stealthman stoller to make a few bucks, harrass lots and lots and lots of nice people, but – hey, hehe – the internet is the means that also brought him down. I love it!
I met Stoller a couple of years ago, and he immediately started bragging about how he owned “stealth.” I didn’t know his last name, but with only a first name, city, and the word “stealth” found volumes, including the Freedom of Expression cease and desist letter (haha Leo, I googled it!). I found it so amusing I bought McLeod’s book.
Stoller deserves what’s happening to him now – he really asked for it.
If you or your readers happen to be in Chicago on July 24, 2007 the bankruptcy court will be conducting an auction of Stoller’s trademark portfolio and corporate stock. A newly formed company, The Society for the Prevention of Trademark Abuse LLC, has tendered a bid. All are, however, invited to attend the show and try to take home a piece of IP history.
Isn’t Leo Stoller in jail?
I’ve attached a link to the site and court record that shows where Leo’s twin brother and partner, Christopher, \ has been brought up on weapons charges in Arizona and is now claiming incompetency “Rule 11″ in Maricopa County Superior Court, all during the time he’s trying to pull his stunts off scamming on real estate.
Case Number: S-0700-CR-2008124797 Case Category: Unknown Case Title: St of AZ Vs. Christopher Stoll
Court: Maricopa County Superior Judge: UNKNOWN Filing Date: 04/22/2008 Disposition Date: 06/09/2008
Party Name: CHRISTOPHER STOLLER Party Type: D 2 – DEFNDT/RESPNDT Date of Birth: 12/29/1948
Party Name: UNKNOWN Party Type: P 1 – PLNTIF/PETITNER Date of Birth:
Event Date Event Description Party
11/20/2008 Trial P 1
11/20/2008 Trial D 2
11/14/2008 Motion D 2
11/14/2008 MOT – Motion D 2
11/14/2008 Motion P 1
11/13/2008 Trial Management Conference D 2
11/13/2008 Trial Management Conference P 1
11/13/2008 MOT – Motion D 2
10/1/2008 027 – ME: Pretrial Conference D 2
9/25/2008 Comprehensive PreTrial Conference D 2
9/25/2008 Comprehensive PreTrial Conference P 1
8/29/2008 194 : Me: Initial Pretrial Conference D 2
8/21/2008 003 – ME: Hearing Reset D 2
8/19/2008 Initial Pretrial Conference P 1
8/19/2008 Initial Pretrial Conference D 2
8/18/2008 Notice D 2
8/18/2008 Notice P 1
8/15/2008 NOT – Notice D 2
8/11/2008 Initial Pretrial Conference D 2
8/11/2008 Initial Pretrial Conference P 1
8/8/2008 RTR – Return Receipt For Official Court Files/Transcripts/Ex D 2
8/7/2008 ANP – Allegation of Aggravating Circumstances Other Than Pri D 2
8/7/2008 DAR – Notice of Disclosure and Request for Disclosure D 2
8/7/2008 ADN – Allegation of Dangerous Nature Felony D 2
8/7/2008 RRF – Release Receipt For Official Court Files/Transcripts/E D 2
8/7/2008 DAR – Notice of Disclosure and Request for Disclosure P 1
8/7/2008 MTR – Motion for Temporary Removal Of Court File/Transcripts D 2
8/7/2008 OFT – Order for Temporary Removal of Court File/Transcripts/ D 2
8/7/2008 ANP – Allegation of Aggravating Circumstances Other Than Pri P 1
7/15/2008 NOT – Notice D 2
7/3/2008 152 – ME: Not Guilty Plea Arraign D 2
6/30/2008 Arraignment Hearing D 2
6/30/2008 Arraignment Hearing P 1
6/18/2008 173 – ME: Arraignment Reset D 2
6/16/2008 CR Admin GJ Review D 2
6/16/2008 Original Arraignment Hearing P 1
6/16/2008 Original Arraignment Hearing D 2
6/10/2008 023 – ME: Order Entered By Court D 2
6/10/2008 179 – ME: Initial Appearance D 2
6/10/2008 Preliminary Hearing P 1
6/10/2008 Preliminary Hearing D 2
6/6/2008 IND – Indictment D 2
6/6/2008 IND – Indictment P 1
6/6/2008 606 – ME: GJ Not/Supervening Indictment D 2
6/6/2008 NSI – Notice of Supervening Indictment P 1
6/6/2008 NSI – Notice of Supervening Indictment D 2
6/5/2008 Status Conference P 1
6/5/2008 NDP – Notice of Discovery D 2
6/5/2008 NDP – Notice of Discovery P 1
6/5/2008 Status Conference D 2
6/5/2008 ORD – Order D 2
5/22/2008 Initial Appearance P 1
5/22/2008 NAR – Notice Of Appearance D 2
5/22/2008 ROR – Release Order D 2
5/22/2008 Initial Appearance D 2
5/2/2008 SAS – Summons & Affidavit Of Service D 2
4/22/2008 DCO – Direct Complaint P 1
4/22/2008 DCO – Direct Complaint
what kind of real estate scams is Christopher Stoller involved with?
Lake County Illinois has issued a felony warrant for Christopher Stoller who is hiding in Arizona. Anyone who knows his whereabouts should contact the Lake County States Attorney in Waukegan Illinois
Christopher Stoller is scamming people in Arizona and was in court last Monday for a competency hearing and the US Marshalls office took him into customy on the warrant from Illinois. It was hilarious…he was almost crying in court. I’m sure he must have soiled his pants.
Yes, it is true that Leo Stoller is in jail in Chicago now. He has been since last Weds. A Court Order issued by the Bankruptcy Judge handling Leo’s bankruptcy made note of that fact. I guess Leo and Chris can swap stories about their adventures in prison. Nice family.
I can’t believe that Leo Stoller and Chris Stoller are in Jail.
Really, Chris Stoller is in Jail ?
And his brother Leo Stoller ?
Wow.
Leo Stoller is currently not in jail. He was, however, incarcerated for nine days a month or two ago. Christopher Stoller is believed to still be in jail, although he was adjudged competent to stand trial (after a long period of being adjudged incompetent) and a $25,000.00 cash bond was set.
Leo Stoller Truth Serum
Leo Stoller is back up to his pranks, suing everyone and anyone. Christopher is actually suing a bank et al for the wrongful death of his wife, Beatrice. That has recently been filed in Cook County Court. And all this while he is in the loony bin. Someone should find a way to put both Leo and Stoller in a padded cell for the rest of their lives. They’re morons. I suspect that their parents were brother and sister.
If anyone is looking for Leo Stoller, he’s hiding out in a store front at [removed by JJB -- sorry, don't need my blog getting involved...]. The windows are covered with newspaper and what looks like tin foil. He doesn’t want anyone to know he sleeps and blogs there. I’ve posted this several times on his blog but he deletes it each time. Must be afraid someone may find him.
Lets hope that very soon leo is prohibited from using the courts to torment his ex wife & family.
On February 11, 2010, the Illinois Appellate Court (First District) granted an order taking judicial notice that Leo Stoller had been deceptive.
The Illinois Appellate Court, on its own motion, also ordered that Leo Stoller show cause as to why he should not be held in Contempt of Court regarding sixteen appeals. The Court also ordered Leo Stoller to show cause as to why those appeals should not be dismissed.
The Illinois Appellate Court entered the orders in view of an earlier order entered by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. In that order, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals held that Leo Stoller had been deceptive and referred the matter to the U.S. Attorney to determine whether Leo Stoller should be prosecuted for perjury.
Read the documents at: http://www.scribd.com/ChiliPalmer75
On March 15, 2010, the Appellate Court of Illinois (First Judicial District) entered an order dismissing several appeals filed by Leo Stoller. The matter came before the court on the court’s own rule to show cause why Leo Stoller should not be held in contempt and the appeals dismissed.
In this order, the Appellate Court of Illinois (First Judicial District) noted that it had taken judicial notice of an order entered by the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in the matter of In re Leo D. Stoller, No. 08-4240 (7th Cir., Dec. 4. 2009). In that order, the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit found that Leo Stoller had been deceptive and referred the matter to the U.S. Attorney for determination of whether Stoller should be prosecuted for perjury.
The Appellate Court of Illinois (First Judicial District) also noted that Leo Stoller had filed a response to the matter before it on February 19, 2010, and that Leo Stoller had contradicted himself in his response.
This order follows a long history of sanctions against Leo Stoller. Several courts have noted that Leo Stoller’s “lack of credibility is a matter of public record.”
Read the documents at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/28694929/LEO-STOLLER-S-APPEALS-DISMISSED-EN-MASSE
U.S. DISTRICT COURT BANS LEO STOLLER
In a Memorandum Opinion and Order issued by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Eastern Division) on April 26, 2010, Chief Judge James F. Holderman clarifies the effect of a December 4, 2009 order issed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit regarding the filing ban imposed on Leo Stoller.
The December 4, 2009 order issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit banned Leo Stoller from further filings in that court– in what is commonly referred to as a ‘Mack’ bar– for engaging in deceitful behavior. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ordered that the Mack bar against Leo Stoller is to remain in effect until at least December 4, 2011.
In the Opinion and Order issued by the U.S. District Court for the Northern of Illinois, the Honorable James F. Holderman notes that the Seventh Circuit ordered ”‘the clerks of all federal courts in this circuit… to return unfiled any papers submitted either directly or indirectly by [Leo] [Stoller] or on [Stoller's] behalf.’”
Therefore, the U.S. District Court reasoned, the plain language of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ Order requires that Leo Stoller be barred from initiating any new lawsuits in the Northern District of Illinois, and that the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois cannot permit Leo Stoller to litigate his claims in that court.
Leo Stoller currently represents himself to the public as the executive director of the “Americans for the Enforcement of Attorney Ethics (AEAE)”, which he claims “is a not for profit group that advocates the strict enforcement of attorney ethics since 1974.”
Read the documents at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/31292372/U-S-DISTRICT-COURT-BANS-LEO-STOLLER
i was scammed by him. Big time. I been talkin to an ivestigator from florida to help to try and find him.. And totally lost contact with this case. I want him behind bars cuz of evrything he has done and for what he did to me!!!