Shark Tank Host Daymond John Seeks Restraining Order Against Bubba's Q
"Shark Tank" offers budding entrepreneurs the chance to get their innovative products off the ground by providing essential financial support. However, even the show's biggest success stories can fall into chaos and lead to massive legal entanglements. As reported by ET, host Daymond John has recently filed a temporary restraining order against the family behind Bubba's Q Boneless Baby Back Ribs due to allegations made regarding John's handling of the business.
The Baker family, which includes Al (also known as "Bubba"), his wife Sabrina, and their daughter Brittani, contend that John altered the terms of their deal after the "Shark Tank" appearance while also failing to provide sufficient revenue based on the product sales. The Bakers also allege that they've been purposely excluded from business dealings. John initially responded with a cease-and-desist letter, claiming the family breached agreements made prior to their appearance on the show by making "disparaging or defamatory remarks" in public. However, when the Baker family continued to discuss the matter on social media and elsewhere, John initiated the temporary restraining order.
The Baker family makes some strong allegations
As explained in a Los Angeles Times article, the Bakers' "Shark Tank" success story quickly eroded. Al Baker claims that the initial offer of $300,000 in exchange for a 30% stake in the business was rescinded soon after he and his daughter Brittani appeared on the show. John's subsequent offer was $100,000 for a 35% share, which the host claimed was a natural outcome of a vetting process that all "Shark Tank" contestants are subject to.
The family is also unsatisfied with the amount of revenue they've received. While Bubba's Q products have earned $16 million, the family has only received $659,653. The Bakers claim to have been persistent in their attempts to be involved in business matters and to have access to financial information, which they state have been thwarted by John and his partners.
This is not the first time John has been subject to accusations regarding business practices. Another former "Shark Tank" contestant, Three Jerks Jerky, claims that John altered its deal after the show while urging the business to accept a 50/50 deal with himself and Rastelli Foods Group (Rastelli Foods is also involved in production, sales, and accounting for Bubba's Q). Ultimately, Three Jerks Jerky founder Jordan Barrocas stated, "My expectations and perceptions of the investment landscape were very different than the reality we experienced." As for John's latest snag, it's likely that the host will be dealing with fallout from Bubba's Q for some time.