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here is another bit about the Couture / Affliction fight
Lawsuit Filed in Couture-Affliction Dispute
November 12, 2008
MMAPayout.com has learned that a lawsuit was filed this morning in Las Vegas by Kim Couture, wife of Randy Couture, against Affliction owner Todd Beard. The suit alleges that Beard threatened Couture and seeks a restraining order preventing Beard or others working in concert with Beard from interacting, communicating and/or having any contact with Couture, including attending the events surrounding UFC 91 this weekend at the MGM Grand. A temporary restraining order was granted by a judge this morning.
In support of this request, the complaint includes a summary of a private background check on Beard. The background check allegedly discovered Beard to be a five-time felon with prison and jail time served. Among the offenses Beard allegedly committed are forgery, fraud, domestic abuse, and DUI. The complaint also alleges that Beard appeared in a Los Angeles court room just last week on a charge of threatening another’s life.
The alleged threat to Couture took place on Friday, October 17. The following Monday the infamous Affliction-UFC conference call took place during which Beard and Lorenzo Fertitta were reportedly involved in a shouting match. The next day Beard made a highly publicized appearance on the Scott Ferrall show on Sirius Satellite radio.
Randy Couture is business partner of Beard and Affliction as co-owners of the Xtreme Couture clothing mark. However, the relationship has become increasingly hostile since Couture’s decision to return to the
UFC. This suit appears to mark the beginning of the end of that relationship.
More Details on Couture v. Beard
November 12, 2008
MMAPayout.com broke the story of Kim Couture’s lawsuit against Todd Beard this morning. More details are now available thanks to court filings obtained by MMAPayout.com. Couture’s application for an order of protection against stalking, aggravated stalking, or harassment confirms that the Coutures business partnership with Beard is at the heart of the current dispute.
Couture alleges that Affliction, through its President, Todd Beard, has failed for the last 12 months to honor its obligation to provide timely accounting statements of the Xtreme Couture clothing line.
“Not only has Beard refused to cooperate, but instead, he has resorted to a series of threats and acts intended to intimidate me and otherwise coerce me to ‘back off’ on my insistence that he and his company give proper accountings,” Couture stated in her application for a protective order obtained by MMAPayout.com.
“These threats culminated in a series of calls to me and my attorney, Sam Spira, on October 17, 2008,” the application goes on to state. “During those calls, Todd Beard, in the most profanity laced and obscene filled rants, literally screamed at the top of his lungs that he would “get” us and otherwise make us regret that we had persisted in our efforts to get proper accountings.”
In an interesting twist, MMAPayout.com has learned that Donald J. Campbell is serving as Couture’s local attorney in the matter. Campbell is a highly respected Las Vegas attorney who became familiar in MMA circles last year for his representation of the UFC in its dispute with Randy Couture. His involvement is sure to raise eyebrows.
The application is supported by an affidavit from James Perry, former FBI agent and personal investigator. Perry alleges that “a nation-wide criminal records search has revealed Mr. Beard to be a career criminal.”
“As the Court can readily see from a reading of [the] Affidavit, my fear of Mr. Beard is well-founded given his extensive criminal history,” Couture stated in her application. “Not only has he been convicted of numerous state and federal felonies relating to fraud (a grave concern given his refusal to provide me with proper accountings) but further, he apparently has engaged in numerous acts of violence, including violence against women.”
The supporting affidavit alleges that Beard has been arrested for desertion, drunk driving, under the influence of cocaine and disorderly conduct, and theft. Beard is also alleged to have pleaded guilty to five felonies including forgery, illegally operating a telemarketing boilerroom without a license, conspiracy, mail fraud, and wire fraud.
Beard was also allegedly subjected to a previous temporary restraining order for domestic violence that resulted in him being compelled to attend a certified batter’s program from twelve months and enroll in AA.
Most recently Beard was allegedly charged with making a criminal threat on October 3 in California.