Funimation filed a lawsuit against Miller Isaiah Timmons and 10 unnamed people associated with his businesses for alleged copyright infringement.
According to documents filed, “Funimation is seeking damages and injunctive relief against Timmons for repeated sales of counterfeit and unauthorized merchandise at the Animeland Wasabi convention.” Timmons manages the convention and other operations through his Think Art Media and Animeland businesses.
According to Funimation’s documents, Timmons sold vinyl decals featuring characters from Funimation’s licensed properties through Think Art Media’s “Stuck-on-Anime” business. The company also alleges that Timmons knowingly allowed counterfeit merchandise to be sold at the convention by other vendors, including “pocket watches depicting characters and symbols from Fullmetal Alchemist along with a toy box including ‘Dragon Balls’ in the distinct Dragon Ball Z yellow with arrangements of red stars.”
Funimation is asking for statutory damages up to $150,000, delivery of all of the infringing merchandise at Timmons’ expense, attorney fees, and other costs.
Funimation’s legal department offered the following statement:
“Sales of unlicensed and counterfeit goods happen at almost every convention. Sometimes convention management is extremely proactive in preventing this. Other times, we have to get involved and be rather demanding about compliance. With Animeland, even the fans and dealers were reporting infringement to convention staff, but the head of the convention refused to do anything whatsoever to remedy the problem. That’s where we have to draw the line.”
Like Funimation said, counterfeit goods get sold at every convention. (We run across it a lot) Do you think this will scare a couple of sellers away? Animeland Wasbai is getting very bad feedback for the convention they had this past weekend, I wonder how this lawsuit will affect it next year?