California Philanthropist Sues Former Roommate Who Allegedly Buys and Sells Illegal Drugs Using Cryptocurrency
On August 16, 2022, Darryl W. Finkton filed a lawsuit against Samuel Wagner and Emi Komatsu in the Superior Court of California. The case is styled as ‘Finkton v. Komatsu et al.’
According to the lawsuit, Mr. Finkton is a Rhodes Scholar, philanthropist, and investor. After Mr. Finkton indicated he wanted to live a more honorable and purposeful life, Wagner – his former roommate who recently had begun buying and selling large quantities of illegal drugs from unregulated sites on the dark web using cryptocurrency – became fearful that Mr. Finkton might disclose his closely guarded secrets. To protect himself, Wagner conspired to ruin Mr. Finkton’s reputation, derail his career, and poison his professional relationships. Komatsu, a social acquaintance of Mr. Finkton’s, materially assisted Wagner in this scheme.
The complaint states:
“60. Defendants Komatsu and Wagner formed an enterprise to kidnap Mr. Finkton, have him involuntarily committed, and ruin his reputation and career.
61. Defendants demonstrated a pattern of racketeering activity, including the following predicate acts.
62. Defendants committed wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 by utilizing telephone communications to make material misrepresentations to the hospital, ensure that Mr. Finkton would be committed, and defame Mr. Finkton’s reputation with his professional colleagues and personal contacts…
66. Defendants’ racketeering scheme directly injured Mr. Finkton’s business and property – (i) his employment was unlawfully terminated, (ii) his equity in multiple entities was converted, (iii) his career was derailed and (iv) his reputation was severely damaged.”
The complaint continues:
“75. Defendants falsely imprisoned Mr. Finkton.
76. Defendants lured Mr. Finkton into the back seat of Defendant Wagner’s car under false pretenses, by telling him that they were taking him back to his apartment. Defendants sandwiched Mr. Finkton between two large men in the back seat, such that he had no physical autonomy or freedom of movement and could not escape.
77. When Mr. Finkton realized they were not on the way to his apartment, Mr. Finkton explicitly told Defendants he did not want to go to a mental hospital.
78. Mr. Finkton asked Defendant Wagner to pull over and let him out of the car.
79. Defendant Wagner refused to do so.
80. Defendants intentionally and unlawfully detained Mr. Finkton, while driving him to a psychiatric hospital against his will. Defendants also arranged for armed security guards to be in the hospital lobby when Mr. Finkton arrived. The guards violently detained Mr. Finkton.
81. Mr. Finkton was damaged by Defendants’ actions.”
The complaint further alleges:
“83. Defendant Komatsu intentionally published false, unprivileged statements about Mr. Finkton
when she told Mr. Finkton’s mother and sister that he abused drugs and told hospital staff that she lived with Mr. Finkton and had found him walking on the highway. Defendant Komatsu was at least negligent in doing this.”
The complaint additionally notes:
“87. Defendants conspired to kidnap Mr. Finkton and cause him to be hospitalized against his will….
89. Advancing this scheme by telling Mr. Finkton’s mother and sister that he was abusing drugs and
needed to be hospitalized for months and defaming Mr. Finkton’s character among personal and
professional contacts in the small investor community also comprise extreme and outrageous conduct.90. Mr. Finkton suffered severe and extreme emotional distress from being kidnapped, and assaulted by armed hospital security agents, involuntarily committed for more than three days, drugged against his will, and fired without cash compensation, the equity he had earned, or even health insurance.”
Mr. Finkton is requesting a judgment against the Defendants, including damages for pain and suffering, compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, costs of suit, interest, and any other relief that the Court deems appropriate.
Please contact BlockTribune for access to a copy of this filing.
