A temporary restraining order was granted in favor of 3M Company by Judge Sue Richard Nelson in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota in 3M Company v. Matthew Starsiak, et al. The litigation was filed by Faegre Drinker against Matthew Starsiak, AMK Energy Services LLC and John Does 1 through 10, for ongoing attempts to claim affiliation with 3M, and alleged unauthorized use of the company’s famous trademarks to perpetrate a false and deceptive scheme on unwitting individuals and companies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lawsuit asserts that Starsiak falsely claimed to be affiliated with 3M, the Gates Foundation and the law firm Dentons as part of a scam to deceive buyers into purchasing billions of fictitious 3M N95 respirators. 3M has no affiliation with the Defendants and Defendants have no access to legitimate 3M-branded respirators.
Judge Nelson ruled that sufficient reason had been shown to grant a temporary restraining order sought by 3M and set a hearing to address preliminary injunctive relief on Aug. 3, 2020. 3M will donate any damages, costs or fees it recovers to COVID-19 charitable relief efforts. 3M has not raised prices on its respirators during the global pandemic.
