Key Takeaways
- The case accuses Crypto Oracle of resuming activities prohibited by a permanent injunction issued in 2020.
- Oracle contends that unauthorized use of the “CryptoOracle” name could lead to confusion
Oracle Corporation has filed a lawsuit against Crypto Oracle LLC and its founder, Louis Kerner, alleging trademark infringement and violations of a prior settlement agreement. Filed in a California federal court on November 25, the case accuses Crypto Oracle of resuming activities prohibited by a permanent injunction issued in 2020.
The legal dispute stems from Oracle’s 2019 lawsuit, where it accused the crypto company of using the “CryptoOracle” name to market services, allegedly creating confusion with Oracle’s established brand. That case was resolved with a confidential settlement, and a court order permanently barred Crypto Oracle from using the “CryptoOracle” name or any similar variation associated with Oracle’s trademark.
As per Oracle’s latest complaint, Crypto Oracle and Kerner have resumed using the disputed branding, maintained related domain names, and launched new ventures under the “CryptoOracle Collective” name. Oracle asserts that these actions breach the terms of the settlement agreement and the court injunction.
In the lawsuit, Oracle claims trademark infringement, unfair competition, dilution of its trademark, cybersquatting, and breach of the settlement agreement. The firm is further seeking injunctive relief, monetary damages, statutory penalties, attorney fees, and the transfer or removal of any infringing domain names or branding.
Kerner has not publicly responded to the allegations, and no information about Crypto Oracle’s legal representation was available at the time of the filing.
Oracle contends that unauthorized use of the “CryptoOracle” name could lead to confusion among customers and harm Oracle’s brand reputation. The lawsuit seeks to address these concerns through legal remedies.
Trademark disputes are not uncommon in the crypto sector and are in fact very prevalent. In February 2023, blockchain company NanoLabs filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Coinbase, alleging that its Nano Bitcoin and Ether futures products caused confusion with NanoLabs’ trademarks.
The lawsuit alleged that Coinbase had full knowledge of the Nano digital currency before launching its products owing to the correspondence between the two firms starting in the year 2018. Similarly, the Dfinity Foundation filed a lawsuit against Meta in 2022, alleging that Meta’s infinity logo infringed on Dfinity’s own branding.
