FORT WORTH, TEXAS, October 5th 2022 - Self-proclaimed “crowdfunding promoter” Mr. Shane Liddell of XseedR and SmartCrowdfunding LLC, a Florida registered company, has been sued in US federal court in the State of Illinois for $8,000,000 for fraud, defamation, the statement of false facts in the public domain, intentionally misleading investors, and doctoring emails and text messages for republication in the public domain, among other damaging allegations made by a prominent Midwestern tech company that had refused Liddell a business meeting (case # 1:22-cv-05101).
The complaint details multiple fraud counts against Liddell describing how the defendant conspired with known associates Pamela Jean Swinney (Tampa Bay) and Melissa Styles (Miami), to make false public statements about a company they knew nothing about, including fraudulently creating dozens of fake social media profiles that were used to litter the Internet with false statements and defamatory comments about the Midwestern company in the public domain. The accused face over $8 million in fines.
The complaint describes a complex, dark web of fraudulent behaviour masterminded by Mr. Liddell in conspiracy with Ms. Jean, Ms. Styles, and others.
- Implementing an internet smear campaign designed to destroy the company and its leadership
- Doctoring internet messages, texts, and sharing them in the public domain
- Impersonating the CEO of the company in the public domain
- Falsifying financial information to mislead American crowdfunding investors in all 50 US states deliberately and knowingly
- Making public defamatory statements against the company, its management, and sharing them in the public domain,
- Creating multiple fake Internet profiles (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, et al) to distribute and disseminate false information about the Company and its management, including the profiles of individuals claiming to have previously worked for the company,
- Making false statements about
- the company’s financial performance,
- the company’s track record,
- the performance of the company’s fundraising campaign
- the company’s shareholders,
- the qualifications and credentials of the company’s management
Additional charges could be brought against Mr. Liddell in the coming days and weeks
Mr. Liddell is apparently on the run and attempting to elude court service in the UK. He has several different listed residential addresses in the state of Florida. Private investigators in United Kingdom and United States have instituted a coordinated manhunt for Liddell to determine his physical location.
A University of Kentucky Law School student was also sued in the original complaint for supporting false content posted by Liddell and has since removed the false comments. Charges have been dismissed against the law student who cooperated with investigators.
Social media users who made comments on the fraudulent posts are being questioned by investigators for their connection to Liddell, and whether they receive payments from Liddell.
Mr. Liddell’s “business” appears to be an internet scam operation. The defendant’s long-time modus operandi is to entice young companies with the lure of the millions of dollars crowdfunding will bring with his “veteran help”. He then creates multiple fake Internet profiles to disseminate false information about that company to illegally lure investors.
Mr. Liddell changes his location frequently to avoid detection, and his name is attached to almost a dozen properties in the state of Florida. Investigators unearthed multiple counts of rent fraud in Florida against Liddell. At least two different landlords in the state of Florida have taken Liddell to court for rent fraud for properties Liddell leased but did not pay for in Tampa and Hudson, both cities in Florida. Liddell and Swinney were evicted from a 3rd property in Zephyrhills, Florida.
Representatives from the company were unavailable for comment.
Published and distributed by PR FIRE (www.prfire.co.uk)
Published and distributed by PR FIRE (www.prfire.co.uk)
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