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Joseph R. Meehan, known professionally in the world of pro wrestling as Joey Ryan, filed a lawsuit on 9/24 in California against three women in the United States District and Central Court of California, alleging that they used social media postings to defame him, hurting his ability to make money as a professional wrestler through his performances, merchandise, Patreon account, the loss of his Bar Wrestling independent wrestling promotion, his Twitch channel and Cameo video messaging.
In the 39-page lawsuit, Ryan alleged that the accusations have cost him monthly losses of of $500 per month from Cameo video messages, $1,000 per month in merchandising revenue, $1,000 per month plus additional tips and "subscription shares" from his Twitch account, losses of $1,500 a month from his Bar Wrestling promotion no longer receiving streaming and distribution earnings, $2,000 in losses per month from Bar Wrestling events, $3,000 per month in loss of revenue from his Patreon account, and losses of $8,000-$10,000 per month in lost wrestling bookings. He also cited losing three Bar Wrestling venues, including The Bootleg Theatre in Los Angeles, American Legion Hall in Baldwin Park, CA and Glass House in Pomona, CA. Ryan also alleged that he has lost substantial social media followers and is no longer on pace to add 1,000 new followers per month, as he had prior to the allegations being made public.
Ryan’s lawsuit is specifically filed against three women, all of whom would be known publicly based on their work in professional wrestling. Due to the nature of the allegations against Ryan, PWInsider.com will identify them by the first letter of their place of residence, although their names are readily available on the lawsuit itself.
Ryan’s lawsuit alleges that a woman, W, used her Twitter account to print allegations from two other women, we are identifying as F and G. F alleged that Ryan flew her to California for a booking and that after drinking in a bar, Ryan allegedly sexually assaulted her. G also alleged that Ryan sexually assaulted her. The lawsuit specifically quotes specific Tweets made about Ryan.
Ryan's lawsuit states that W "was fully aware that Plaintiff lived in Southern California and was intending to damage the reputation of a person that lived in California”, therefore California was the correct venue for the lawsuit to be heard. He claims the allegations against him were amplified by the use of the hashtag “speaking out.”
Ryan's lawsuit states that the allegations against him were "false" and that he did not assault either woman "in any way shape or form, sexual or otherwise." It also stated any "intimate acts" were made with "clear consent” from the women involved.
The lawsuit notes:
“Prior to publishing the defamatory statements, defendants were fully aware that Twitter and the other social media websites used to publish defendant’s defamatory statements described above and incorporated by reference herein had members and subscribers located worldwide and were connected to the professional wrestling industry, because defendants were users, subscribers, account holders of Twitter and had Twitter handles and thus understood how Twitter and social media websites worked.
Prior to publishing the defamatory statements, defendants were fully aware that Twitter had a membership of approximately in excess of three hundred million persons and that by publishing the defamatory statements, the defamatory statements would be read by hundreds to thousands of Twitter’s membership, because defendants were users, subscribers, account holders of Twitter and had Twitter handles and thus understood how Twitter and social media websites worked.
Prior to publishing the defamatory statements, defendants were fully aware that publishing the defamatory statements described above and incorporated by reference herein would reach the eyes and ears of at least hundreds to thousands of persons, and that after defendants did publish the defamatory statements described above and incorporated by reference herein that the published defamatory statements did reach the eyes and ears of at least hundreds to thousands of persons, because defendants were users, subscribers, account holders of Twitter and had Twitter handles and thus understood how Twitter and social media websites worked.
Defendants published the defamatory statements described above and incorporated by reference herein fully aware that Plaintiff lived in Los Angeles, California and that Plaintiff was a professional wrestler and promotor (sic) in the state of California. Defendants were fully aware that Plaintiff was a principal of Bar Wrestling and that Bar Wrestling promoted wrestling matches in bars in Southern California.
Defendants were fully aware that Defendants defamatory statements described above and incorporated by reference herein would cause a negative effect on Plaintiff as a professional wrestler and wrestling promotor, i.e., defendants intended that the defamatory statements would prevent Plaintiff from practicing as a professional wrestler and further wrestling promotions. In addition, defendants were fully aware that because of the defamatory statements, Plaintiff’s reputation would be damaged in the community in California and the virtual community located in the world-wide-web that were related to Plaintiff’s as a professional wrestler and wrestling promotor.’
The lawsuit filing then again stated Ryan’s innocence against the allegations laid out against him on social media, noting, “It was, is, and has always been, untrue, and false, that (1) Plaintiff assaulted [names deleted by PWInsider.com]; (2) Plaintiff committed a sexual battery on [names deleted by PWInsider.com]; (3) Plaintiff committed (1) and (2) in a manner that would be considered a felony;(4) defendants engaged in sexual acts with Plaintiff without Defendants’ consent; and/or (5) defendants were forced by Plaintiff to engage in sexual acts with Plaintiff, forced meaning the use of fear, threat and intimidation.”
Ryan’s lawsuit also alleged that “Defendant’s defamatory statements were not privileged and Plaintiff did not consent to the publication of the defamatory statements. Plaintiff, in fact, implored defendants to stop the publication of the defamatory statements.” Instead, Ryan stated that new statements were instead published.
Ryan then asked the court “ court grant relief in compensatory damages, including those special and general, against each of the defendants and in favor of Plaintiff in the amount of $5,000.000.00, for an order retracting and correcting the defamatory statements, for equitable relief based on principles that are fair and just, and for judgment as also set forth below.”
So, Ryan is seeking $15 million in damages total from the three defendants. He is also requesting $200,000 per defendant per month from June 21, 2020 on for economic damages as well.
Ryan is also asking for a permanent injunction restraining the defendants from "making and publishing the defamatory statements or any iteration of the defamatory statements as set forth above and herein, Ordering defendants to retract the defamatory statements as set forth above and herein” and “ Ordering defendants to direct any, and all, websites that defendants posted the defamatory statements as set forth above and herein, to delete the defamatory statements, Award Plaintiff his actual damages; 5. Award Plaintiff his costs, investigatory fees and expenses to the fullest extent provided by law, Award punitive and exemplary damages against defendants and in favor of Plaintiff in the sum of $10,000,000.00 by reason of defendants’, and each of them, malice, hatred, ill-will, despicable and intentional acts, Awarding Plaintiff such additional and further relief as the Court deems just and proper.”
Ryan has requested a jury trial.
The defendants would have 21 days upon being served to respond to the lawsuit.
Ryan’s work as an professional wrestler and independent wrestling promoter has halted since the allegations first came out. He was released by Impact Wrestling in the wake of the allegations. He has responded to the allegations via Twitter and YouTube videos. It should be noted there were many other women beyond the three this lawsuit is filed against who came out against Ryan during the #SpeakingOut movement. There is no word as to whether Ryan is seeking to file additional lawsuits.
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