Jury awards $11M to ousted CEO of Parler app; his attorney calls it a vindication

Las Vegas jurors ruled in favor of former Parler CEO John Matze on Friday, awarding him $10,830,000 for his shares and an additional $250,000 in punitive damages. The panel found that Rebekah Mercer, the app’s financier, conspired with one or more radicals to unlawfully take his information of the company. Matze’s removal followed the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, during which critics and journalists said rioters used Parler. The platform was plunged into turmoil and subsequently barred from major technology platforms. Mercer and her legal team offered no comment after the verdict. Todd Bice, counsel for Matze, said the outcome demonstrated that his client’s lawsuit bore no responsibility for the events surrounding the company in the wake of Jan. 6. He quoted Matze: “John wanted vindication for what happened and he got it.” Bice added that, given his involvement dating back to 2021, he had anticipated the total owed to the lawsuit would be approximately $16 million. Among other determinations, jurors concluded that NDMAscendant—a company owned by Mercer and a partner—violated the Parler operating agreement, harming Matze; that Mercer entered into an agreement with at least one other person or entity to induce a breach of that agreement, intending to injure Matze; and that she likewise agreed with at least one other person or entity to effect the unlawful aim of converting Matze’s membership units in Parler. The punitive damages were assessed against NDMAscendant, not Mercer personally. This is a developing story; check back for updates.