Is Famed Trademark Troll Leo Stoller Trying To Stealthily Reclaim Bogus Stealth Trademarks?
from the stealthy! dept
Back in 2005, we wrote about the rather crazy case of Leo Stoller, the "trademark troll," who claimed incredibly broad trademarks on single words (sometimes through questionable means) and then tried to shakedown pretty much anyone who used those words for cash. The key trademark he claimed to hold was on the word "stealth" for "all goods and services." Among those he demanded money from were Columbia Pictures for the movie Stealth, baseball player George Brett for selling a "Stealth" brand baseball bat and (my favorite) Northrup Grumman for making the stealth bomber.One company he threatened, Pure Fishing, fought back hard. Just as he was about to lose, he tried declaring bankruptcy to protect himself, but after the bankruptcy judge found that his "filing contained bogus information and unreported assets," the bankruptcy was converted into a liquidation, including not just Stoller's corporate assets, but his personal assets as well. He was also barred from filing more trademark applications for a while. Following this, a trustee was appointed to liquidate his assets (including his totally bogus and made up claim to have owned a trademark on "Google" since 1981). In his fight against Google, he insisted that at the end, Google will "go out of business." The court trustee dumped that claim pretty quickly. Oh yeah, the court also canceled 44 of Stoller's existing and pending trademarks on "stealth."
We hadn't heard much about Stoller since then (though he did post a comment on one of our posts, saying that in the end he would "come out on top!"). However, The Trademark Blog points us to a report suggesting that Stoller is stealthily trying to get new trademarks on "stealth," though he seems to be somewhat incompetent about it, and the USPTO isn't buying it. Beyond the fact that the application processing fee check bounced, there are all sorts of problems with the Stealth trademark applications, not the least of which is that they don't seem to show any real products, but instead show a bunch of other products with the word "Stealth" sloppily Photoshopped onto the image:
And what is the company? Why it's the Christopher Stoller Pension and Profit Sharing Plan. It appears the USPTO is on to Leo Stoller, and not "fooled" by this new entity.
Applicant indicates that it occupies office space with Leo Stoller, that Leo Stoller does not own any stock/shares or interest in the entity Christopher Stoller Pension & Profit Sharing Plan Ltd, and that the date of formation of Christopher Stoller Pension & Profit Sharing Plan Ltd was on or about 2007. The examining attorney notes that although applicant indicates in its response that it merely occupies office space with Leo Stoller and that "he is NOT associated with this Applicant nor is Central Mfg Co., Stealth Industries, Inc., Sentra Industries, Inc., or any other entity that Leo Stoller was or is associated with," the email address entered for confirmation of the submission of the filing is "LEO STOLLER," ldms4@hotmail.com. It thus appears Mr. Stoller has some connection to the applicant by being named to receive confirmation of the filing. *** Applicant must indicate any position(s) held and title(s) used by Leo D. Stoller (e.g. officer, director, partner, managing executive, employee) in respect to the incorporated or otherwise legally formed entity Christopher Stoller Pension and Profit Sharing Plan LLC , and beginning and ending dates of such pension(s).Yes, so, if you're playing along at home, this attempt to (re?)register "stealth" trademarks by pretending to be someone other than Leo Stoller suffers from a bounced check, a claim of use that predates the company by 26 years, no evidence of actual products other than really weak Photoshop images and a claim to have nothing to do with Leo Stoller, despite the name Stoller, a shared office and the email address used was "LEO STOLLER ldms4@hotmail.com." That's not very stealthy, Leo.
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Filed Under: leo stoller, stealth, trademark
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Jesus...
Why does it seem so many of these morons come from in or around Chicago?
Seriously, all these piddly little schemes aside, this guy was slapped down for illegally operating a charitable organization (1) and also because that charitable organization didn't....you know....give the money it collected TO FUCKING CHARITY!
And the supposed cause for that charitable group? Collecting money for victims of the 9/11 attacks. What an absolute pole smoker....
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Old saying
Funny how he just can't let go...
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IANAL
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Disturbed
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He needs formal recognition for this.
Since they seem to be making new categories we should push for a Pulitzer prize for stupidity and nominate old Leo.
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Future as a trademark...
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I love Leo Stoller
If only there was a Darwin Award in the category of Trademark Abuse.
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spam city!
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Leo Stoller Truth Serum Blog
The USPTO might want to look a little closer at the Petition to Revive for Office Action that was signed on January 11, 2010 with a declaration by "Christopher Stoller" as to its truthfulness. (A link to the document is below.
The problem is, Christopher Stoller was incarcerated in Arizona in early-2009. After being in the local lockup, he was sent to the Arizona Department of Corrections (prison)where, after serving out that sentence, he was to be extradited to Illinois.
Dollars to doughnuts says Christopher Stoller was incarcerated on the date of the declaration dated January 11, 2010. And oddly enough, the contact information in the petition is the same contact information used most often by Christopher's brother who is, of course, Leo Stoller.
If the USPTO were truly on top of things, it may want to verify where Christopher was on the date of this "declaration," and give him a visit to find out if he had anything to do with it. After all, there are TTAB findings after findings, as well as case after case, that note Leo Stoller's penchant for forgery, perjury, fraud, and every other form of lowlife behavior you can imagine.
The USPTO on top of things? Don't think so. Year-after-year they have dealt with Leo Stoller with sanctions and rebukes, which are nothing but a slap on a wrist to a guy who seems to care less. If they were on top of things, it seems the USPTO would have the muscle to bring the proper authorities in and get to the true bottom of things.
Check out the document and others at:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/25348455/CHRISTOPHER-STOLLER-TRADEMARK-OFFICE-PETITION
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He was a good client of ours at one time!
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LEO STOLLER INDICTED ON FEDERAL FRAUD CHARGES
Read the document at http://www.scribd.com/doc/46454179/LEO-STOLLER-INDICTED-FOR-FRAUD
Leo Stoller is not an attorney, but claims to be an expert in many areas of the law, including legal ethics, intellectual property, trademarks, and appellate practice. Leo Stoller represents himself to the public as the director of an organization called the “Americans for the Enforcement of Attorney Ethics” (AEAE), which he claims is an “attorney watch dog group” established in 1974.
The federal defender program has been appointed to represent Leo Stoller against the fraud charges, after the court reviewed his Affidavit of Financial Status and was satisfied that Stoller is financially unable to employ counsel.
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