A Twin Cities marketing expert accused in a lawsuit of "cybersquatting" on dozens of website domains associated with cycling legend Greg LeMond is claiming innocence, contending that some mystery identity thief must have hoarded the web addresses for future financial gain.
In a written response filed this week in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis on behalf of himself and his son, Frederick H. Stinchfield is denying the allegations leveled by LeMond and wants the lawsuit, which seeks upward of $6.6 million, dismissed.
Stinchfield, 66, of Orono, also is demanding in the court filing that LeMond and his attorney "acknowledge publicly [that the] proceeding against me was erroneous and inappropriate, since these defamatory actions injure my reputation and ability to succeed in business."
One of LeMond's attorneys at the Greene Espel firm, Larry Shapiro, told the Star Tribune Thursday, "We have no additional comment at this time."
In a letter Stinchfield shared with the Star Tribune that is addressed to the presiding judge, John Tunheim, the defendant makes the same denials and further claims that someone he doesn't know has "stolen my identity relating to taking and registering these names. My 32-year-old son, who bears the same name, has told me he did not use my identity."
In any event, the letter continues, the elder Stinchfield said he informed LeMond's attorney that "he can prepare a form where I give up any rights I may have in such marks or names."
In response, Shapiro said Thursday that LeMond "will not make any public comment about any settlement discussions."
The son also is a defendant in the lawsuit, which LeMond filed earlier this month alleging that the two illegally created and bought 66 web addresses using the three-time Tour de France champion's trademarked name and his Grail carbon-fiber technology business. Among the website names are lemondhybrids.com, lemondcomposites.us and lemondgrail.com.