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Monster & CEO Noel Lee Get Beat Again; Award to Beats is ‘Final and Binding’

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A Monster slide extolling the creation of Beats
At CE Week in 2014, Monster takes credit for Beats by Dr. Dre

After Many Years & Many Appeals, This Might Be It

It was eight years ago – all the way back to January 2015 – when I first reported on what looked to be a pretty ugly legal action beginning between Monster, LLC and Beats Electronics, LLC. While the lawsuit filed by Monster took place in January 2015, the actions that led them to that point actually began much earlier than that, all the way back to 2011. And the relationship between the two significant CE brands actually began even further back to 2009, when the two came together to create Beats by Dr. Dre headphones, the wildly popular consumer headphone brand.

But when the relationship ended…it ended badly…

Learn more about this latest loss by Monster, to the benefit of Beats (Apple)

[Read more…] about Monster & CEO Noel Lee Get Beat Again; Award to Beats is ‘Final and Binding’

Appeals Court Rules Against Monster & Noel Lee; They Must Pay Beats $14+Mil

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This long and complex series of intertwined legal actions between Monster LLC (and all other Monster related parties) and Beats Electronics LLC (and all other Beats related entities) seemed to be winding down. Back in 2016, I reported on the lower court ruling in favor of Beats who had filed several motions for summary judgment. It seemed as though this was the end, but in 2018, more actions ensued.

Now, 5 years in, have we reached the end?…

[Read more…] about Appeals Court Rules Against Monster & Noel Lee; They Must Pay Beats $14+Mil

Monster Sales Declines & Losses Continue

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Sales Drop 30% But Losses Narrow in Recent Fiscal Quarter Report

Monster logoMonster Products Inc. (formerly Monster Cable) filed their latest quarterly results with the SEC showing that sales for their fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2018 declined to $9.1 million or 30.3% below the $13.1 million booked in the same quarter a year earlier. However, thanks to aggressive cost cutting, the company’s net loss narrowed to ($6.9 million) in the quarter as compared to a net loss of ($7.3 million) in the same period last year.

Monster’s declines continue, although at a slowing pace… [Read more…] about Monster Sales Declines & Losses Continue

It’s Official – Monster Money is Dead

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Monster Money logoBack in June, Strata-gee reported that Monster Products, Inc. (the former Monster Cable) had filed an S-1 registration document with the Securities and Exchange Commission, laying out its plans to launch a new cryptocurrency known as Monster Money. In addition to this, the company would offer shares in the company as well. The filing got a lot of attention at the time, in part because if successful, it would be the largest cryptocurrency launch ever to that point.

Now, I’ve learned that this initiative has been officially rescinded by the company.

See what we know about the retreat of Monster Money… [Read more…] about It’s Official – Monster Money is Dead

SEC Rejects Monster Cryptocurrency Filing, Notes ‘Serious Deficiencies’

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Monster Changes: Prez/COO & Auditor are Terminated, Three-Man Board is Now Only One

Photo of Noel LeeIn June, after significant outreach by many Strata-gee readers, we posted our take on the Monster Products, Inc. (Monster) S-1 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in which Monster sought to launch its own Monster Money cryptocurrency in a major shift in the company’s direction. This SEC filing by Monster was at the end of May, and our story [see: Is Monster Money a Massive Mistake?] was posted June 13th.

We have just discovered that days after our story appeared, Monster received an SEC staff letter dated June 15th titled “SERIOUS DEFICIENCIES.” But that’s not all we discovered…

See more on Monster’s S-1 rejection and other major news we’ve uncovered… [Read more…] about SEC Rejects Monster Cryptocurrency Filing, Notes ‘Serious Deficiencies’

Is Monster Money a Massive Mistake?

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Monster Money logoEarlier this month, news broke – erupted really – that Noel Lee and Monster Products had filed a Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to launch an ICO or initial coin offering. Their plan is to mint a new cryptocurrency called Monster Money, with an initial authorization of 500,000,000 Monster Money Tokens, of which, 300,000,000 will be offered to investors at a dollar each. This move, which seems out of the blue, caused a lot of speculation as to just what is going on at Monster – is this desperation…chutzpah…or something even darker?

Initially, Strata-gee was just going to let this story pass by. However, so many readers reached out asking for our perspective on the story that it was impossible to ignore it any longer. See our take below…

Is Monster Money a major opportunity…or a massive mistake?…

[Read more…] about Is Monster Money a Massive Mistake?

Far From Legally Dead, Monster Slugs Back at Beats

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Beats Gets More Awarded; But Monster Wins a Key Ruling Too

Photo of Noel LeeWhen we last visited this legal clash of the titans, a jury had just found that Monster must pay Beats nearly $8 million to reimburse them for the legal expenses in fighting the lawsuit that Monster had brought against them in 2015. Now, we have learned that the judge in that case has increased the judgment with an additional “directed” verdict. And in the matter of a separate case, Beats vs. Monster filed late last year, Monster has filed a countersuit and won a key ruling.

This Beats and Monster slugfest goes on… [Read more…] about Far From Legally Dead, Monster Slugs Back at Beats

Monster Throws a ‘Hail Mary,’ Pays Millions for Super Bowl Ad

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Monster logoMonster, Inc. (formerly Monster Cable) announced this week that it is launching its first ever television ad during the NBC broadcast of Super Bowl LII this Sunday, February 4. Usually the biggest TV event of the year, Super Bowl commands a king’s ransom in fees for advertisers, reportedly $5 million for a 30-second spot according to Sports Illustrated. Monsters ad? A full 60-second spot.

See more on Monster’s super expensive Super Bowl ad… [Read more…] about Monster Throws a ‘Hail Mary,’ Pays Millions for Super Bowl Ad

Monster & Noel Lee Must Pay Beats Nearly $8M in Legal Fees

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On a Roll, Beats Files New Lawsuit Against Monster Seeking $100 Million

Photo of Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine
Dr. Dre & Jimmy Iovine of Beats

While you were drinking your eggnog or otherwise enjoying your holidays, the Grinch stole all the good cheer from Monster LLC and owner Noel Lee when a jury in the case of Monster LLC v. Beats, et al agreed with Beats and ordered Monster and  Lee to pay them $7,916,201.64 as reimbursement for their legal expenses.

And Beats has more bad news for the Monster camp… [Read more…] about Monster & Noel Lee Must Pay Beats Nearly $8M in Legal Fees

Beats Wins; Monster Loses Lawsuit Over Alleged Dirty Dealing

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Trial is Now on Defendants’ Efforts to Recover Lawyers Fees

Photo of Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine
Dr. Dre & Jimmy Iovine of Beats

The fat lady hasn’t sung yet, but it’s pretty much all over for Monster LLC and Noel Lee’s lawsuit against Beats Electronics LLC, Andre Young (a/k/a Dr. Dre), Jimmy Iovine, Paul D. Wachter (a Beats director), HTC America Holding, Inc and Does 1-25 (defendants to be named later). LA Superior Court Judge William F. Fahey has dismissed Monster’s lawsuit in its entirety, and has scheduled a trial that is now only on the claims by the defendants against Monster for attorneys fees and other costs.

See more on this stunning defeat for Monster… [Read more…] about Beats Wins; Monster Loses Lawsuit Over Alleged Dirty Dealing