A U.S. court awarded Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary $2.8 million in damages after ruling against crypto influencer Ben “Bitboy Crypto” Armstrong in a defamation case.
Failed Attempt to Overturn Judgment
A U.S. court has ordered entrepreneur and television personality Kevin O’Leary to be paid $2,828,000 in damages after ruling against crypto influencer Ben “Bitboy Crypto” Armstrong in a high‑profile defamation case.
The court also rejected Armstrong’s bid to overturn a default judgment, dismissing his claims that “extraordinary circumstances” — including incarceration and mental health struggles — prevented him from attending the hearing. According to the omnibus order issued on Feb. 11, O’Leary accused Armstrong of maliciously publishing falsehoods, including calling him a murderer and alleging he “paid millions to cover up his role in a murder.”
The claims stemmed from a 2019 boating accident involving O’Leary’s wife, Linda, which tragically left two people dead. Linda was later exonerated, but the incident reportedly caused financial fallout for the O’Learys as speaking engagements dried up.
Despite moving on, Armstrong allegedly resurrected the false claims in March 2025, accusing O’Leary of murder and urging followers to harass him by sharing his personal cell phone number. O’Leary argued that Armstrong’s posts damaged his businesses and reputation, while the exposure of his phone number disrupted both his professional and personal life.
“O’Leary has been inundated with inquiries from his business partners and television network partners regarding Defendant’s posts that O’Leary was a murderer and paid millions to cover it up,” the order states.
Business Fallout and Security Concerns
The Shark Tank star also revealed he now spends an additional $200,000 annually on security, with staff pressing him to further bolster protection.
In a motion filed on Jan. 9, Armstrong argued that his incarceration and bipolar disorder prevented him from responding to the case. The court dismissed this, ruling:
“While the Defendant cites to various mental health issues as the basis for his failure to respond, he has failed to provide specific facts and circumstances demonstrating why the illness or disability caused him to miss the original deadline.”
The judgment underscores the court’s stance that Armstrong’s excuses were insufficient, leaving the multimillion‑dollar damages award firmly in O’Leary’s favor.
FAQ ❓
- What did the U.S. court decide? A U.S. court awarded Kevin O’Leary $2.8 million in damages against Ben “Bitboy Crypto” Armstrong.
- Why was Armstrong sued? Armstrong falsely accused O’Leary of murder and claimed he paid millions to cover it up.
- What impact did the allegations have? O’Leary said the false claims hurt his businesses and forced him to spend $200,000 more yearly on security.
- Did Armstrong’s defense succeed? No, the court rejected his motion, ruling his excuses of incarceration and mental health were insufficient.
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
Crypto investment scams are rampant! FBI report: Americans were tricked out of $11.4 billion last year, up 22% year over year
An FBI report shows that in 2025, the United States lost $11.4 billion due to cryptocurrency scams, up 22% from the previous year. Many of the scams are controlled by criminal groups in Southeast Asia. Victims lose an average of more than $60k each, and many even lose their life savings.
区块客56m ago
Insider Trading Suspicion! The White House Bans Staff From Participating in Prediction Market Betting
The White House Office of Management issued a warning on March 23, banning employees from using nonpublic information to participate in prediction markets, saying this constitutes a criminal offense. The report said that 15 minutes before Trump announced a pause in airstrikes against Iran, oil futures saw unusual trading, and three Polymarket accounts earned more than 600k yuan by accurately predicting outcomes, raising concerns about insider trading. The White House emphasized that this behavior violates ethical standards and said there is no specific evidence yet pointing to any individuals who broke the rules.
MarketWhisper2h ago
The White House warns employees not to use policy insider information to place bets on prediction markets
The White House warns staff not to use their positions to bet in prediction markets, especially by engaging in unusual trading activity before policies suddenly change. Accounts that have already profited more than $600k through prediction have drawn criticism, and critics suspect that someone used insider information to profit. The White House confirmed the authenticity of the warning.
GateNews3h ago
A joint enforcement operation by the U.S., the U.K., and Canada froze more than $12 million in cryptocurrency scam assets and identified more than 20,000 victims.
The “Atlantic Initiative” carried out jointly by the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada has ended, successfully freezing more than $12 million in scam assets, identifying more than 20k victims, with scam proceeds totaling over $45 million, focusing on cracking down on authorized phishing attacks. A certain CEX participated in the operation but did not freeze funds.
GateNews11h ago
A certain CEX participated in an international operation led by the UK’s NCA to crack down on authorized phishing scams
A certain CEX participated in an "Operation Atlantic" operation led by the U.K. National Crime Agency to crack down on crypto and investment scams, with a particular focus on authorized phishing schemes. The CEX provided on-site support, helped identify victims and malicious websites, and shared intelligence with law enforcement agencies, protecting thousands of potential victims.
GateNews12h ago
ZachXBT: Spartans co-founder is allegedly behind the Blockdag pre-sale scam, raising over $300 million
On-chain sleuth ZachXBT accuses Gurhan Kiziloz, the suspected co-founder of the casino platform Spartans, of spearheading the Blockdag Network project, allegedly luring retail investors into fundraising with false promotion of $300 million, and withdrawing the funds to the Middle East within two years. Gurhan is also suspected of lavish spending and using public relations to maintain his image.
GateNews13h ago
