Then, according to the Florida lawsuit, Swider used Mailchimp account credentials and listserv stolen from Orlando to send an email to ARC II investors in the Truth Social deal on March 5, attacking management. of Orlando from ARC II and DWAC, and their participation in a separate lawsuit. filed against DWAC the previous month.
“Sir. Orlando’s leadership has guided our common interests with DWAC directly into the arms of the SEC, the DOJ, lengthy delays and costly investigations,” Swider wrote. “By filing this lawsuit against DWAC, Mr. Orlando is destroying the value that can be obtained once the business combination is consummated by the Company and its members”.
Swider then invited other investors to join him on a series of Zoom calls to “understand our risk exposure based on leadership that continues to lead us down a path of misinformation, hidden information and self-dealing.” In the same email cited in court documents, Swider added: “I am not disparaging Patrick. I am sure that he is an incredible, honest and hardworking human being. Looking out for his best interest. He is attractive. He is great. I like him. Nothing in this email is intended to be defamatory. He has been a great leader. Patrick, you are amazing!
In the Florida lawsuit, Benessere alleges that Swider attempted to take control of the two companies involved in financing the Truth Social Deal. “And to gain control of ARC II and complete his acquisition of the entire DWAC company, Swider sought to obtain confidential information about ARC II and its investors, information that Benessere kept in a secured electronic storage account at Box.com,” he said. he alleges the lawsuit.
Benessere says in his lawsuit that he paid $6,000 to a computer forensics expert to investigate the alleged hack, and that Swider and Cano have not relinquished access to Box’s account.
Cano is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit. The lawsuit claims Swider “promised” Cano the role of DWAC president and “outsized” compensation following Cano’s involvement in accessing Orlando’s Box account. Canó eventually became president of DWAC. When asked for comment, Cano referred WIRED to Eric Swider.
In an interview with WIRED, Swider denied all allegations in the lawsuit and said publicly available documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission contradict many of his claims. Swider said he never hired Cano as his assistant and that Orlando voted in favor of the compensation Cano received.
“I just think he’ll never let it go. [of] the fact that I replaced it,” Swider tells WIRED. “I don’t know why he offends you so much.”
The Benessere Investment Group lawsuit marks what appears to be a bitter dispute between Orlando and Swider, who were business partners for years. Swider was previously a director at Benessere, according to his LinkedIn profile.
In addition to this lawsuit and Orlando’s separate lawsuit in Delaware, in which ARC II contends it should receive more shares as part of the Truth Social deal, there are several other lawsuits associated with the fledgling company. Early Trump Media employees Wess Moss and Andy Litinsky recently sued the company in a Delaware court, saying the company was diluting their stock. Shortly after, Trump Media countersued Moss and Litinsky in a Florida court, alleging their mismanagement delayed the deal.
Orlando is also currently facing another lawsuit filed by DWAC. That lawsuit, which was filed in March, claims Orlando intentionally delayed the Truth Social deal and should have his stock reduced as a result.
Benessere Group and Orlando did not respond to a request for comment. Swider, Cano and Renatus Advisors, Swider’s advisory firm that is also listed as a defendant, have not yet responded to the lawsuit in court.