BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)-- A defamation lawsuit was submitted Tuesday in State Supreme Court against two podcast hosts who declared to reveal details about alleged regional human trafficking.
Calvin Kern of Grand Island is looking for offsetting and punitive damages, in addition to a retraction and apology, from offenders Kaitlynn "Kait" Gannon and Laurie Krull. Their podcast and social media accounts called The Ugly Truth About The Girl Next Door have actually received millions of views since releasing in February 2022.
" These incorrect allegations versus Cal Kern were, upon information and belief, supposedly conjured from Defendant Kaitlynn (" Kait") Gannon's concealed memory during some kind of hypnosis performed by Defendant Laurie Krull, who is not a physician," the suit states.
Krull is licensed medical social employee with 30 years of experience, according to her site. She has a practice in North Tonawanda.
The podcasts inform Gannon's story of supposedly being sex trafficked as a child, the suit states. Gannon implicated Kern of being a "buyer," which she defines as "a man who has paid cash to abuse Kait as a child." The TikTok video naming him has been viewed more than 400,000 times since last December.
" Cal Kern has never ever sexually mistreated Defendant Gannon or anybody else. Nor has he ever previously been implicated of any such act," the claim states. "… … Defendants know Cal Kern was not a ‘‘ Buyer' and did not abuse Defendant Gannon, but they have posted the allegation, and continue to publish the allegation, on the Website."
The fit also claims that the FBI figured out a minimum of among the threats Gannon apparently got was placed by Gannon herself.
The podcast hosts did not respond to queries from News 4, however posted on social media Wednesday with the caption, "we will not back down."
A representative for the Erie County District Attorney's Office said, "At this time, our workplace has actually not received a problem to investigate the complainant in this suit."
Kern was a top soccer gamer at
Buffalo State in the 1970s and is a member of their sports Hall of Fame. He is likewise a former statewide leader with Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
The claim says Kern has actually been harmed by the allegations in many ways: Churches and other companies have actually withdrawn their sponsorship of his sports ministry, SCORE International; the University at
Buffalo suspended Kern's volunteer visit to the Campus Ministry Association; and Kern and his other half were suspended from their church and ostracized by their neighborhood.
The lawsuit seeks damages from both females, plus attorneys' costs and other relief as the court deems proper. It likewise seeks a long-term injunction that directs the women to get rid of all referrals to Kern from their websites and social media pages and bars them from referencing Kern in the future.
In addition, the lawsuit mentions that the offenders have actually profited off their accusations, offering branded product on their website and raising more than $30,000 through GoFundMe.
Kern's lawyer decreased to comment, stating the suit promotes itself. Gannon and Krull have between 20 and 30 days to address the problem.
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