YouTuber ‘Omi in a Hellcat’ ordered to pay Nike $8 million for trademark infringement
NEW YORK - A trademark infringement case involving Nike and Bill Omar Carrasquillo, also known as YouTuber ‘Omi in a Hellcat,’ has come to a pricey end, according to official court documents.
Back in November 2022, court documents showed Nike, Inc. filed a complaint against defendants Reloaded Merch LLC and Bill Omar Carrasquillo (the "Reloaded Defendants"), alleging claims of trademark infringement of Nike’s Air Jordan 1 High, the Nike Air Jordan Low OG, the Nike Dunk Low and the Nike Air Jordan/Dunk Outsole design.
On February 20, 2024, the Court granted a request from the counsel representing the Reloaded Defendants requesting permission to file a formal motion to withdraw as their counsel due to their "prolonged failure to pay their substantial outstanding balance for legal services and costs owed," and the Reloaded Defendants’ communication to their counsel regarding "their financial inability to afford continued representation in defense of their interests."
On March 5, 2024, the Court granted the counsel’s formal motion to withdraw from the case and noted no other attorneys have filed a notice of appearance on behalf of the Reloaded Defendants.
Court documents say the counsel stated that they advised the defendants to seek new counsel "and that their failure to do so may result in a default judgment against them."
Because the defendants missed the deadline to file an answer to the complaint, Nike was able to move forward with a default judgment against Carrasquillo and Reloaded Merch LLC.
Reloaded Merch LLC and Bill Omar Carrasquillo (the "Reloaded Defendants") were ordered to pay Nike Inc. $8 million as of Friday, April 19.
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The news comes five years after the FBI raided Carrasquillo’s home on the 100 block of Fox Chase Court in Swedesboro, seizing cars, pricey jewelry, all the money in his bank accounts and more.
After a two-year investigation, a 62-count federal indictment was released in 2021 and Carrasquillo was charged with conspiracy to commit copyright infringement, tax evasion and fraud in 2021.
The indictment outlined what federal prosecutors called one of the largest illegal TV pirating rings they’ve ever seen.
It claimed that from 2016 to 2019, Carrasquillo and two partners created an illegal multi-million dollar TV streaming empire.
It claimed his company stole and retransmitted cable signals from companies like Comcast and Verizon FIOS. Subscribers would pay a $15 a month subscription for access to premium cable channels, on-demand movies, and pay-per-view events, according to the indictment.
In March 2023, Carrasquillo was sentenced to 5.5 years in prison and was also ordered to forfeit $30 million in assets and pay $15 million in restitution to the cable companies involved and the IRS.
Carrasquillo, a former drug dealer from North Philly turned millionaire, gained internet fame by showing off his collection of high-end cars and expensive jewelry to hundreds of thousands of followers.