{"id":291682,"date":"2023-09-28T10:52:32","date_gmt":"2023-09-28T15:52:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=291682"},"modified":"2023-09-28T13:10:39","modified_gmt":"2023-09-28T18:10:39","slug":"bob-baffert-sues-gamblers-alleging-extortion-defamation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/bob-baffert-sues-gamblers-alleging-extortion-defamation\/","title":{"rendered":"Bob Baffert Sues Gamblers Alleging Extortion, Defamation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Racehorse trainer Bob Baffert is suing two New Jersey gamblers he accuses of threatening, extorting, and defaming him via social media and text messaging.<\/p>\n

\"Bob
Bob Baffert, above, claims the mysterious video defendants claim to have in their possession has been \u201cdeceptively edited to cast him and his staff in a false light.\u201d (Image: USA Today<\/em>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In a federal lawsuit filed in San Diego Wednesday, the six-time Kentucky Derby winner alleges that Justin Wunderler and Daniel DiCorcia \u201chave engaged in an escalating pattern of unlawful and threatening behavior directed specifically at Baffert and his family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

They have also \u201curged others to engage in violent behavior towards Baffert and his family, baselessly accused Baffert of criminal conduct, and attempted to extort Baffert and his family under threats to his business, reputation, and occupational license,\u201d according to the lawsuit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The two men each have thousands of followers on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, under the @SwiftHitter (Wunderler) and @barshoelife (DiCorcia) accounts.<\/p>\n

Since early September, they have publicly claimed to be in possession of two damning videos, which, in their words, \u201cwill end Baffert,\u201d and which they claim to have passed to an unnamed reporter.<\/p>\n

Kentucky Derby Scandal <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Wunderler and DiCorcia\u2019s public allegations against Baffert relate to the 2021 Kentucky Derby doping scandal. After winning the race, Baffert-trained Medina Spirit failed a drug test<\/a>, and Baffert was suspended from racing<\/a> at Churchill Downs.<\/p>\n

The 70-year-old categorically denies doping, and claims the controversy arose because Medina Spirit was being treated with a topical ointment for a rash that caused betamethasone to show up in the test.<\/p>\n

Wunderler is a plaintiff in a federal civil lawsuit<\/a> against Baffert that claims the drug scandal caused him to lose gambling revenue.<\/p>\n

The Kentucky Derby controversy deepened when Medina Spirit died of a heart attack six months after the race. Since 2000, at least 74 other horses from Baffert’s stable have died.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Baffert\u2019s attorneys state in the lawsuit that they don’t know the full content of the videos. But they believe they have been \u201cdeceptively edited to cast Baffert and his staff in a false light with the specific intent of manufacturing a scandal, whereas the full context and character of the video would affirmatively refute such characterization.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cash for Clips <\/strong><\/h2>\n

On September 7, Wunderler sent a text message to a third party, whom he asked to forward to Baffert\u2019s representatives, and which was ultimately received by Baffert\u2019s wife, according to the lawsuit.<\/p>\n

My lawyer now has videos,\u201d<\/strong> it stated. \u201cHe like [sic] to reach out to Baffert\u2019s lawyers. He is going to include in message\/email two clips of the video. Payment for clips to be sent to my PayPal \u2026 It\u2019s $1K for those two clips. My lawyer will go thru this with his lawyer. If payment is sent, clips, videos will be sent by tomorrow.”<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In the lead-up to the Belmont Stakes in New York, Wunderler urged his social media followers to bring dangerous objects to the race to hurl at Baffert and his family. Shortly after, he posted an image of Baffert\u2019s house and claimed he \u201cslaughters horses on national TV.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a direct message on X to The San Diego Union-Tribune<\/em><\/a> on Wednesday, Wunderler said: \u201cNever asked for money from Bob Baffert. I want to do what\u2019s best for horse racing.<\/p>\n

\u201cBob Baffert has continued to kill horses,\u201d he alleged.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Racehorse trainer Bob Baffert is suing two New Jersey gamblers he accuses of threatening, extorting, and defaming him via social media and text messaging. In a federal lawsuit filed in San Diego Wednesday, the six-time Kentucky Derby winner alleges that Justin Wunderler and Daniel DiCorcia \u201chave engaged in an escalating pattern of unlawful and threatening […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":291683,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,14577,60],"tags":[84771,88143,83617,88142],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBob Baffert Sues Gamblers Alleging Extortion, Defamation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Bob Baffert alleges Justin Wunderler and Daniel DiCorcia, SwiftHitter and barshoelife on social media, defamed and extorted him.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/bob-baffert-sues-gamblers-alleging-extortion-defamation\/\" \/>\n<meta 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