LOS ANGELES — The legal donnybrook between adult talent agents Shy Love and Mark Schechter took another turn on Friday.
Schechter, the ATMLA operator who was recently sued by Love along with director Barrett Blade over defamation charges, filed a cross-complaint against her charging breach of contract, fraud, unfair business practice.
Schechter' suit, filed at Los Angeles Superior Court, said that ATMLA's books weren't accurate when he bought the business from Love and that she broke the terms of the deal by starting up The VIP Connect agency within the contract's three-year non-compete provision.
He also said that Love committed intentional acts to disrupt his relationship with industry models by "poaching" them and provided defamatory information to an adult industry "gossip blogger."
Schechter said that Love even made attempts to force his removal from "a trade association." Schechter was a board member of the FSC.
In her suit filed last month, Love said that Schechter and Blade spread claims that she was bankrupt and that Schechter contacted four of her models, saying that it was in their best interest to find alternative representation because of her purported misdeeds.
Love also claims that the defendants created a blacklist honored by numerous adult film directors, including Brad Armstrong, Porno Dan, David Lord, Just Dave and Blade.
Love's husband had owned ATMLA prior to selling the business to Schechter, who first made a name for himself in the adult biz as Mark Blazing, a part owner of the Blazing Bucks affiliate program that was acquired by Gamma Entertainment in March 2012.
Schechter officially took control of ATMLA in July 2013, when he and Love released a joint announcement about the change in ownership. Schechter, however, purchased the agency in October 2012, after initially meeting with Love about acquiring the company in June 2012.
Schechter, in a statement this morning, said: "By nature, I am not a litigious person, but after enduring over two years of relentless attempts to cause financial and personal harm to my business and my personal life, and ironically having to answer to the recent ridiculous and frivolous lawsuit against me, it was time to move forward with legal action.
"Prior to being served with the recent ludicrous allegations, I was resolved with not pursuing my legal rights and simply continuing to run my business as I have, and enjoying the results of my efforts growing ATMLA to the status that it maintains today, being one of the top adult talent agencies in the industry," he said. "It's unfortunate that Shy chose not to take advantage of this opportunity to sell her agency for more than it was worth, and be able to open another agency in violation of an agreement and do so without any recourse. Instead, she has chose to open up the lid to Pandora's box.
"I have been an avid poker player for 30 years, and every so often your dealt a hand where you not only have the best cards, often referred to as 'holding the nuts,' but your opponent bets and raises into you 'all in,' and I simply respond with, 'I call.'"
Both suits ask for general, as well as special, damages according to proof.
Schechter has tapped adult industry attorney Karen Tynan to handle the cases.
Love was not immediately available for comment by XBIZ post time.
