JEFFERSON PARISH, La., Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Law firms Berry & Munn PA and Porter & Malouf have filed a lawsuit in the Eastern District of Louisiana alleging lawyer Tony Buzbee and his Firm stole money from Buzbee’s client, Matthew Ray Thompson Jr. Buzbee is known for filing several Doe lawsuits against Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Buzbee previously represented Thompson in a lawsuit against his employer, Strategic Towing Services LLC. Under federal law, Strategic Towing was required to pay Thompson a series of maintenance and cure payments intended to provide for his family and medical expense during litigation. The payments protect seafaring workers who qualify as “Seaman” under the Jones Act.
According to the lawsuit, Strategic Towing made the required payments to Buzbee’s Firm, who was supposed to pass the payments on to Thompson. Instead, Buzbee’s employees apparently diverted the payments to the Firm’s operating account instead of its trust account and never informed Thompson of the funds. Buzbee’s Firm used Venmo to parse out a portion of these funds to Thompson and his family as high interest loans. Thompson’s lawyers say the Venmo transactions appear to be an effort to sidestep the Rules of Professional Conduct and its safeguards.
According to the lawsuit, Buzbee’s behavior is a pattern directed at vulnerable clients like Thompson. The lawyers reference other former Buzbee clients including Guadalupe Garza and Laquille Tyner, who allege they were similarly swindled by The Buzbee Firm.
Contact:
Kelley M. Berry
[email protected]
SOURCE Berry & Munn PA