Federal Trademark Infringement, Federal Trademark Dilution, Federal Cyberpiracy, Federal Unfair Competition, Common Law Trademark Infringement, Common Law Unfair Competition, Unjust Enrichment, Action to Pierce Corporate Veil
Federal Trademark Infringement, Federal Trademark Dilution, Federal Cyberpiracy, Federal Unfair Competition, Common Law Trademark Infringement, Common Law Unfair Competition, Unjust Enrichment, Action to Pierce Corporate Veil
Federal Trademark Infringement, Federal Trademark Dilution, Federal Cyberpiracy, Federal Unfair Competition, Common Law Trademark Infringement, Common Law Unfair Competition, Unjust Enrichment, Action to Pierce Corporate Veil
AUTOBIDMASTER, LLC, Plaintiff, v. ALPINE AUTO GALLERY, LLC, VEHIKO, LLC f/kla WINDA Y.COM, LLC, EDWARD AGABS, and JOHN DOES 1 through 5, Defendants. CASE NO. COMPLAINT COMPLAINT Plaintiff AUTOBIDMASTER, LLC complains and alleges against defendants ALPINE AUTO GALLERY, LLC, WINDAY.COM, LLC, and EDWARD AGABS (collectively "Defendants"), as follows : PARTIES 1. Plaintiff AutoBidMaster, LLC ("AutoBidMaster" or "Plaintiff') is an Oregon limited liability company with its principal place of business at 6807 NE 79th Court, Suite B, Portland, Oregon 97218. 2. Defendant Alpine Auto Gallery, LLC ("Alpine"), is a New Jersey limited liability company with its principal place of business at 1039-1045 Market Street, Paterson, New Jersey 07513. Upon information and belief, Alpine operates under the assumed business names and/or trade names Alpine Auto Gallery, Win Day, Alpine Rebuildable Cars, and Alpine Salvage. 3. Defendant Vehiko, LLC f/k/a/ WinDay.com, LLC ("WinDay"), is a Connecticut limited liability company with its principal place of business located at 86 Camp Ave. , Darien, Connecticut 06820. Upon information and belief, WinDay changed its business name from WinDay.com, LLC to Vehiko, LLC on or about October 1, 2013. 4. Defendant Edward Agabs is, upon information and belief, a resident of the State of Connecticut. Mr. Agabs is the sole member ofWinDay.
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5. Defendants John Does 1 through 5 are individuals and/or legal entities who participated in the unlawful acts complained of herein, but whose exact identifies are currently unascertained and/or unknown. Plaintiff respectfully reserves the right to amend this Complaint once the identities of said John Does have been ascertained. 6. Defendants Alpine, WinDay, Mr. Agabs, and John Does 1 through 5 are collectively referred to as "Defendants". JURISDICTION AND VENUE 7. This is a civil action for claims arising under the federal trademark laws of the United States, including without limitation 15 U.S.C. 1051 et seq. , and under the common laws of the State of Oregon. 8. This court has original jurisdiction over the subject matter of this action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1331 and 28 U.S.C. 1338(a). 9. The amount in controversy between the parties exceeds $75,000. 10. Venue is proper in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1391(a) and (c). Upon information and belief, Defendants have transacted business in and/or have had continuous and systematic contacts with the District of Oregon. FACTS SUPPORTING PLAINTIFF'S REQUESTED RELIEF 11. AutoBidMaster is an industry-leading membership-based online auto auction marketplace that provides broker services to consumers seeking to purchase used and salvage vehicles. AutoBidMaster is a registered broker for Copart, Inc. ("Copart"). AutoBidMaster's systems and website enable consumers around the world to participate in auto auctions operated by Copart and to purchase used and salvage vehicles through its online marketplace. AutoBidMaster also offers transportation and shipping services around the globe to improve their member's buying experience. 12. AutoBidMaster maintains and operates a website located at 2 Case 3:l4-cv-0l083-AC Document l Filed 07/08/l4 Page 2 of l2 Page lD#: 2 www.autobidmaster.com ("Website") through which it provides its services. AutoBidMaster registered, maintained, and started operating the domain name autobidmaster.com on or about February 23, 2009. 13. AutoBidMaster's business name and domain name "AutoBidMaster" ("Mark") is a mark that AutoBidMaster has used continuously and exclusively in interstate commerce in connection with providing its services since May 13, 2008. From May 13, 2008 until February 28, 2011, AutoBidMaster operated the Website under the registered business name of Vestra Motors, LLC using the assumed business name AutoBidMaster. On or about February 28, 2011 , AutoBidMaster changed its registered business name from Vestra Motors, LLC to AutoBidMaster, LLC. 14. AutoBidMaster filed for registration of the Mark on May 9, 2011 and the Mark was registered on December 27, 2011. 15. AutoBidMaster's continuing use of the Mark is prima facie evidence of the validity of AutoBidMaster's ownership of the Mark. 16. AutoBidMaster has expended substantial sums of money in promoting, advertising, and marketing the Mark in connection with its services and its Website. 17. As a result of AutoBidMaster's promotion, advertising, and marketing of the Mark and its Website, the Mark has become exceedingly well-known to people in the auto auction sales and shipping industry and to internet users in general as a distinctive indication of origin of services offered by and/or through AutoBidMaster and its Website. DEFENDANTS' UNLAWFUL ACTIVITIES 18. Upon information and belief, at all material times herein, defendant Agabs and John Does 1 through 5 acted as the duly authorized employee, representative, and/or agent (actual and/or apparent) of defendants WinDay and Alpine. 19. Upon information and belief, Alpine is a registered broker for Copart. 20. Upon information and belief, Defendants registered, maintained, controlled, 3 Case 3:l4-cv-0l083-AC Document l Filed 07/08/l4 Page 3 of l2 Page lD#: 3 and/or operated the websites with domain names winday.com, alpineautogallery.com, alpinesalvage.com, alpinerebuildablecars.com, through which they operate and/or provide online auto auction and shipping services that are identical and/or substantially similar to those offered by AutoBidMaster. 21. On or about January 12, 2012, Defendants registered, maintained, and started operating a website with the uniform resource locator ("URL") address www.autobidmaser.com, which is inherently and/or confusingly similar to AutoBidMaster's domain name autobidmaster.com and/or the Mark. 22. On or about January 12, 2012, Defendants registered, maintained, and started operating a website with the uniform resource locator ("URL") address www.autobidmater.com, which is inherently and/or confusingly similar to AutoBidMaster's domain name autobidmaster.com and/or the Mark. 23. On or about January 12, 2012, Defendants used the Mark in advertising, promoting, and/or marketing the online auto auction services of WinDay and Alpine, which are identical or confusingly similar to AutoBidMaster's, usmg the websites www.autobidmaser.com, www.autobidmater.com, and www.winday.com. When the consumer typed the URL www.autobidmaser.com or www.autobidmater.com, the consumer was automatically redirected to Defendants' competitive website with the URL www.winday.com. Defendants also operate the websites www.alpinesalvage.com and www.alpinerebuildablecars.com, which, upon information and belief, receive customer referrals from the website www.winday.com. 24. Defendants used deceptive techniques to divert AutoBidMaster's customers from the Website by using websites with domain names and/or URLs www.autobidmaser.com and www.autobidmater.com, which redirected unsuspecting customers to Defendants' competing website with the URL www.windday.com. 25. Defendants pray on consumers who mistype the Website's domain name 4 Case 3:l4-cv-0l083-AC Document l Filed 07/08/l4 Page 4 of l2 Page lD#: 4 and/or consumers who forget AutoBidMaster's domain and/or business name. 26. Notwithstanding AutoBidMaster's well-established prior rights in the Mark, Defendants intentionally and deliberately used the Mark, and/or confusingly similar variations thereof, without AutoBidMaster's authorization and/or permission, to promote Defendants' competing website and services. COUNT 1 FEDERAL TRADEMARK INFRINGMENT (15 u.s.c. 1114) 27. Plaintiff realleges and incorporates herein the allegations contained m paragraphs 1-26 of this Complaint. 28. Defendants' actions described above and, specifically, without limitation, Defendants' unauthorized use of AutoBidMaster's Mark, and/or confusingly similar variations thereof, in commerce to advertise, promote, market, and/or sell Defendants' competing website and services throughout the United States including Oregon, was likely to cause and/or has caused actual confusion among consumers who mistakenly believe that Defendants' services are provided by or emanate from, or are otherwise sponsored, approved, authorized, and/or licensed by or otherwise associated with AutoBidMaster. 29. Defendants' use of AutoBidMaster's Mark, and/or confusingly similar variations thereof, constitutes trademark infringement in violation of 15 U.S.C. 1114(1). 30. As a direct and proximate result, AutoBidMaster has suffered damages in an amount to be determined at trial, consisting of, among other things, diminution in the value and goodwill associated with the Mark, and injury to AutoBidMaster's business. 31. Pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 1117, AutoBidMaster is entitled to recover damages in an amount to be proven at trial , profits made by Defendants, and the costs of this action. Furthermore, AutoBidMaster is informed and believes, and on that basis alleges, that the actions of Defendants were in bad faith, and undertaken willfully and with the intention of 5 Case 3:l4-cv-0l083-AC Document l Filed 07/08/l4 Page 5 of l2 Page lD#: 5 causmg confusion, mistake, or deception, making this an exceptional case entitling AutoBidMaster to recover additional treble damages and reasonable attorneys' fees pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 1117. COUNT II FEDERAL TRADEMARK DILUTION (15 U.S.C. 1125(c)) 32. Plaintiff realleges and incorporates herein the allegations contained m paragraphs 1-31 of this Complaint. 33. Defendants' actions described above and, specifically, without limitation, Defendants' unauthorized use of AutoBidMaster's Mark, and/or confusingly similar variations thereof, in commerce to advertise, promote, market, and/or sell Defendants' competing website and services throughout the United States including Oregon, was likely to cause and/or has caused actual confusion among consumers who mistakenly believe that Defendants' services are provided by or emanate from, or are otherwise sponsored, approved, authorized, and/or licensed by or otherwise associated with AutoBidMaster. 34. Defendants' use of AutoBidMaster's Mark, and confusingly similar variations thereof, was likely to cause and/or has caused dilution by blurring and tarnishment in violation 15 U.S.C. 1125(c). 35. As a direct and proximate result, AutoBidMaster has suffered damages in an amount to be determined at trial, consisting of, among other things, diminution in the value and goodwill associated with the Mark, and injury to AutoBidMaster's business. 36. On information and belief, the actions of Defendants described above were deliberate and willful and undertaken with the intent to trade upon the reputation and goodwill of AutoBidMaster, and to dilute the Mark. AutoBidMaster is therefore entitled to recover damages in an amount to be proven at trial , profits made by Defendants, and the costs of this action pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 1117. 6 Case 3:l4-cv-0l083-AC Document l Filed 07/08/l4 Page 6 of l2 Page lD#: 6 COUNT III FEDERAL CYBERPIRACY (15 u.s.c. 1125(d)) 37. Plaintiff realleges and incorporates herein the allegations contained m paragraphs 1-36 ofthis Complaint. 38. The domain names autobidmaser.com and autobidmater.com are substantially the same and/or confusingly similar to AutoBidMaster's Mark, business name, and Website domain name. 39. Defendants' registration and use of the domain names autobidmaser.com and autobidmater.com were in bad faith and were intended to permit Defendants to profit from the reputation and goodwill of AutoBidMaster and/or the Mark. 40. Defendants' use of AutoBidMaster's Mark, and/or confusingly similar variations thereof, constitutes cyberpiracy in violation 15 U .S.C. 1125( d). 41. As a direct and proximate result, AutoBidMaster has suffered damages in an amount to be determined at trial , consisting of, among other things, diminution in the value and goodwill associated with the Mark, and injury to AutoBidMaster's business. 42. Pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 1117, AutoBidMaster is entitled to recover compensatory damages in an amount to be proven at trial , profits made by Defendants or statutory damages in the amount of not less than $1 ,000 and not more than $100,000 per domain name, and the costs of this action. Furthermore, AutoBidMaster is informed and believes, and on that basis alleges, that the actions of Defendants were in bad faith, undertaken willfully, and with the intention of causing confusion, mistake, or deception, making this an exceptional case entitling AutoBidMaster to recover additional treble damages and reasonable attorneys' fees pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 1117. Ill Ill 7 Case 3:l4-cv-0l083-AC Document l Filed 07/08/l4 Page 7 of l2 Page lD#: 7 COUNT IV FEDERAL UNFAIR COMPETITION (15 U.S.C. 1125(a)) 43. Plaintiff realleges and incorporates herein the allegations contained m paragraphs 1-42 of this Complaint. 44. Defendants' actions described above and, specifically, without limitation, Defendants' unauthorized use of AutoBidMaster's Mark, and/or confusingly similar variations thereof, in commerce to advertise, promote, market, and/or sell Defendants' competing website and services throughout the United States including Oregon, constitute false designations of origin and false descriptions or representations that Defendants' website and/or services originate from or are authorized by AutoBidMaster, when in fact they are not. Such conduct limits AutoBidMaster's ability to interact with potential customers. 45. Defendants' unauthorized use of the Mark, and confusing similar variations thereof, was likely to cause and/or has caused actual confusion among consumers who mistakenly believe that Defendants' services are provided by or emanate from, or are otherwise sponsored, approved, authorized, and/or licensed by or otherwise associated with AutoBidMaster. 46. Defendants' conduct was willful and was intended to reap the benefit of AutoBidMaster's goodwill in violation of 15 U.S.C. 1125(a)(l)(A). 47. As a direct and proximate result of Defendants' wrongful conduct, AutoBidMaster has suffered damages. AutoBidMaster is entitled to recover damages in an amount to be proven at trial , profits made by Defendants, and the costs of this action. COUNTV COMMON LAW TRADEMARK INFRINGMENT 48. Plaintiff realleges and incorporates herein the allegations contained m paragraphs 1-4 7 of this Complaint. 8 Case 3:l4-cv-0l083-AC Document l Filed 07/08/l4 Page 8 of l2 Page lD#: 8 49. AutoBidMaster has common law rights in the Mark based on its continuous use ofthe Mark in Oregon in connection with its Website and services. 50. Defendants' actions described above and, specifically, without limitation, Defendants' unauthorized use of AutoBidMaster's Mark, and/or confusingly similar variations thereof, in commerce to advertise, promote, market, and/or sell Defendants' competing website and services throughout the United States including Oregon, was likely to cause and/or has caused actual confusion among consumers who mistakenly believe that Defendants' services are provided by or emanate from, or are otherwise sponsored, approved, authorized, and/or licensed by or otherwise associated with AutoBidMaster. 51. Defendants' use of AutoBidMaster's Mark, and confusingly similar variations thereof, constitutes common law trademark infringement. 52. As a direct result, AutoBidMaster has suffered damages in an amount to be determined at trial consisting of, among other things, diminution in the value and goodwill associated with the Mark, and injury to AutoBidMaster's business. 53. AutoBidMaster is entitled to recover damages in an amount to be proven at trial, profits made by Defendants, and the costs of this action. COUNT VI COMMON LAW UNFAIR COMPETITION 54. Plaintiff realleges and incorporates herein the allegations contained m paragraphs 1-53 ofthis Complaint. 55. Defendants' actions described above and, specifically, without limitation, Defendants' unauthorized use of AutoBidMaster's Mark, and/or confusingly similar variations thereof, in commerce to advertise, promote, market, and/or sell Defendants' competing website and services throughout the United States including Oregon, constitute false designations of origin and false descriptions or representations that Defendants' website and/or services originate from or are authorized by AutoBidMaster, when in fact they are 9 Case 3:l4-cv-0l083-AC Document l Filed 07/08/l4 Page 9 of l2 Page lD#: 9 not. Such conduct limits AutoBidMaster's ability to interact with potential customers. 56. Defendants' unauthorized use of the Mark, and/or confusing similar variations thereof, has caused actual confusion among consumers who mistakenly believe that Defendants' services are provided by or emanate from, or are otherwise sponsored, approved, authorized, and/or licensed by or otherwise associated with AutoBidMaster. 57. Defendants' conduct is willful and was intended to reap the benefit of AutoBidMaster's goodwill, and constitutes common law unfair competition. 58. As a result of Defendants' wrongful conduct, AutoBidMaster has suffered damages. AutoBidMaster is entitled to recover damages in an amount to be proven at trial , profits made by Defendants, and the costs of this action. COUNT VII UNJUST ENRICHMENT 59. Plaintiff realleges and incorporates herein the allegations contained m paragraphs 1-58 ofthis Complaint. 60. Defendants have received and/or will receive unjust enrichment from its unauthorized use of AutoBidMaster's Mark. Accordingly, any such enrichment is unjust and should, in equity, be returned to AutoBidMaster. 61. As a direct and proximate result of Defendants' use of the Mark, and/or confusing similar variations thereof, AutoBidMaster has been irreparably harmed, and Defendants have been unjustly enriched at AutoBidMaster's expense and must make restitution. COUNT VIII ACTION TO PIERCE CORPORATE VEIL 62. Plaintiff realleges and incorporates herein the allegations contained m paragraphs 1-61 of this Complaint. 63. Plaintiff is informed and believes, and on that basis alleges, that members 10 Case 3:l4-cv-0l083-AC Document l Filed 07/08/l4 Page l0 of l2 Page lD#: l0 and/or managers of Defendants actively participated in the unlawful conduct complained of herein. As active participants in said conduct, the individual Defendants are not entitled to the limited liability protections of the corporate form. 64. In addition and/or in the alternative, Plaintiff believes and therefor alleges that Defendants have misused the limited liability company form and/or disregarded formalities to a dree where the distinction between the individual and entity Defendants and the distinction among the Defendants has been rendered meaningless, thereby rendering the entity and/or entities a "sham" for purposes of this action. WHEREFORE, Plaintiff prays for relief as follows: (1) An award in favor of Plaintiff and against Defendants for Plaintiffs actual damages and all profits received by Defendants as a result of their unlawful use of AutoBidMaster's Mark and/or confusing similar variations thereof, in an amount to be determined at the time of trial, which is anticipated to be in excess of$75,000; or (2) In the alternative, and at Plaintiffs election, an award in favor of Plaintiff and against Defendants for statutory damages in the amount of not less than $1 ,000 and not more than $100,000 per domain name, as the court considers just, in an amount to be determined at the time of trial , which is anticipated to be in excess of$75,000; and (3) An award in favor of Plaintiff and against Defendants for interest, costs of this suit, and reasonable attorneys' fees; and Ill Ill Ill Ill Ill Ill ( 4) Such other relief that the Court deems equitable, just, and appropriate. 11 Case 3:l4-cv-0l083-AC Document l Filed 07/08/l4 Page ll of l2 Page lD#: ll JURY DEMAND Plaintiff respectfully demands a trial by jury. DATED: July _ _ , 2014. Nathaniel L. Funk Chief Legal Officer AutoBidMaster, LLC 6807 NE 79th Ct. , Ste. B Portland, OR 97218 (503) 298-4300 x300 nate.funk@autobidmaster.com Attorney for Plaintiff 12
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