Moin Khot
Mar, 13.2024
Syed “SumaiL” Hassan, the renowned Dota 2 player formerly associated with Evil Geniuses, has faced a setback in his prolonged legal dispute against the organization and Peak6. After over two years of legal proceedings, SumaiL has lost on all counts, including breach of contract allegations.
The legal saga, initially brought to light by journalist Richard Lewis in March 2023, revolved around SumaiL's claims that Evil Geniuses exploited him during contract negotiations, company ownership dealings, and subsequent buyouts. However, the verdict delivered on March 1, following a trial in February, ruled in favor of Evil Geniuses and Peak6, absolving them of any wrongdoing as per the jury's decision.
Central to SumaiL's case was the contention that Peak6's acquisition of Evil Geniuses in 2019 adversely affected his 400,000 share ownership, leading to its conversion into mixed options while prioritizing preferred stock for Peak6 members. Moreover, the lawsuit highlighted instances where Evil Geniuses allegedly attempted to use SumaiL's contract against him, particularly after his transition to the organization's inactive Dota 2 roster post-The International 2019.
Among the contentious points raised was the proposal of a "mutual release" option, deemed to impose severe obligations and forfeitures on SumaiL's ownership stake. His legal team further asserted that he was coerced into signing such agreements. Subsequently, when SumaiL departed from Evil Geniuses in January 2020, the organization purportedly offered to purchase his ownership stock for $1 million, contingent upon his retirement from professional competition.
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Despite SumaiL's claims and legal maneuvering, Evil Geniuses refuted all allegations, with the player's refusal to comply with the company's requests for admission further complicating the proceedings. Ultimately, the jury sided with Evil Geniuses on all counts, delivering a blow to SumaiL's pursuit of reparations for his alleged losses.