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James Martin Copa Di Vino Sued by Francis Ford Coppola
James Martin Copa Di Vino Sued by Francis Ford Coppola

Time Business News

time15-07-2025

  • Business
  • Time Business News

James Martin Copa Di Vino Sued by Francis Ford Coppola

James Martin , the founder of Copa Di Vino, gained national attention after his appearances on ABC's 'Shark Tank' in 2011 and 2012, where he pitched his innovative single-serve wine product. Despite the exposure, Martin's journey has been marred by controversy and legal challenges. During his 'Shark Tank' appearances, Martin's confrontational demeanor, non-stop sweating during the business pitch, and refusal to negotiate deals led to friction with the show's investors. Kevin O'Leary, one of the 'Sharks,' expressed his frustration, stating , 'I'm very frustrated with that guy'. In addition to his abrasive negotiations, Martin misrepresented key aspects of his business. He falsely claimed to have created the methodology for bottling the wine and to own the patent. However, the US patent that Copa Di Vino 'founder' James Martin claimed to hold was registered in France ( CA2430159A1 ) and belongs to the French bottler, Pascal Carvin. In 2014, Copa Di Vino partnered with 3G's Vino, a distributor founded by Joseph Falcone. Unbeknownst to Martin, Falcone was orchestrating a fraudulent scheme, using the association with Copa Di Vino's 'Shark Tank' fame to solicit investments. He misappropriated approximately $527,000 for personal expenses, including paying off a Florida mortgage and funding online securities trading. In 2020, Falcone was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay $1.8 million in restitution to seven investors. Although Martin and Copa Di Vino were not implicated in Falcone's fraudulent activities, the association brought negative attention to the brand. Martin stated , 'Joseph Falcone did not pitch Copa di Vino on Shark Tank, nor was he ever an investor in the product… but was very saddened to hear that he was using our Copa di Vino brand to mislead investors'. Further adding to Copa Di Vino's legal troubles, in 2016, legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather Trilogy) sued the Oregon-based vineyard, claiming that its 'Winemaker's Cut' product was a copycat of Coppola's own 'Director's Cut' wine. The lawsuit, filed in California federal court, accused Copa Di Vino of trademark and trade dress infringement, as well as unfair competition. The lawsuit highlighted similarities between the label designs of both wines and claimed that James Martin was fully aware of Coppola's 'Director's Cut' wine before launching his own similarly named product. The filing revealed that Martin had approached Coppola's winery in 2011 with a proposed business venture, further proving his knowledge of the brand. GMYL, the owner of Coppola's wine-related trademarks, filed the claim on August 30, 2016, at the US District Court for the Central District of California, arguing that Copa Di Vino and Martin engaged in unfair business practices. In 2020, Copa Di Vino was sold to Splash Beverage Group in a transaction valued at $5.9 million. Despite the sale, the brand continues to navigate the challenges stemming from its controversial past and the legal issues associated with its former distributor. James Martin's journey with Copa Di Vino serves as a cautionary tale about the complexities of business partnerships and the unforeseen consequences that can arise from associations with unscrupulous individuals. TIME BUSINESS NEWS

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach — The sequel delivers
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach — The sequel delivers

The Hindu

time27-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • The Hindu

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach — The sequel delivers

The gaming industry seems stuck in an unending loop of repeating the formula of past successes, with few studios willing to try something new, for fear of upsetting shareholders. Which is why Death Stranding's open world was so different, strange and appealing — a walking simulator where one had to deliver packages across a pandemic-stricken landscape. The idea was unique and topical, coming out at the height of the COVID-19 outbreak, where humanity depended on delivery agents for daily essentials. Now, a few years later, Death Stranding 2 is here, and it dares once more to be different in every way, while retaining and building upon its signature of survival horror. After saving the world from annihilation, Sam Porter Bridges and his adopted daughter Lou have vanished, dropping off the grid following the events of the first game. Sam had reconnected a fractured United States, bridging isolated cities through a metaphysical network powered by the Beach, a liminal space between life and death, now used to fuel humanity's chiral tech. However, the sequel dares to ask, was that ever a good idea? Now, Sam and his companions are back in action. This time, they are crossing the vast and dangerous terrain of Australia, tasked once more with stitching together a world that may not want to be connected. Given how complex the worldbuilding and story is, it is highly recommended to start Death Stranding from the first game, specifically the Director's Cut version. No matter how well the marketing tries to recap the game, jumping directly On the Beach will not make any sense, leaving you confused instead of being able to enjoy this excellent game. Death Stranding 2 introduces new characters and ideas while expanding on the strange, symbolic world of the first game. At times, it feels like it is carefully walking in the footsteps of its predecessor, grounding you in the familiar, even as the story grows bolder and weirder. Yet there is a beautiful restraint at play. Beneath the cosmic bizarreness, the narrative remains rooted in what matters most: connection. It is a story about building bridges — across distances, death and broken relationships. At its heart is a powerful, tender exploration of parental love, one that dares to believe in healing a fractured world. It is hard to hype up a game that is about walking across the map, delivering packages to people stuck in vast and small shelters. There are no words to describe the nail-biting experience of balancing a tower of magnetic packages on your back, while hiking down a treacherous trail. If that was not enough, you have invisible ghosts known as BTs and rain that instantly ages you with every drop, eroding at your packages. Add to that high tech bandits and weird earthquakes, and making your delivery feels like a major accomplishment. You will be going well into the night with just another delivery, the gameplay loop is that good. Hideo Kojima, the game's director, has woven into the sequel a few tidbits for Metal Gear fans out there, from the Raiden-like mysterious Red Samurai to an equally mysterious character that looks like Solid Snake, with his signature bandanna. Whether a tongue-in-cheek barb to his former employers or a homage to his past work, they are a welcome addition. In addition to wading through its tar-filled story to deliver packages, Death Stranding 2 brings back the building elements. Where the first game required you to use materials to build roads to connect other players as well, (which is where the multiplayer aspect comes in). You build an elevated tramway to help you traverse long distances and rough terrain of Australia. There is definitely a Max Max vibe going on, so much so George Miller has a large part as a character and in part as a role model. Kojima wears his inspirations on his sleeve, you can even spot a bit of RRR in the storytelling themes and a cameo mission featuring S.S Rajamouli and his son SS Karthikeya. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Publisher: Sony Developer: Kojima Productions Price: ₹4999 - Playstation 5 Horizon's Decima engine has been refined to produce photo-real landscapes that are quite treacherous this time round, with great weather effects that directly impact the player — from dust storms and lightning strikes, to earthquakes that displace rubble. On a clear day, the lighting is exceptional, and there were times I thought it was a well taken video I was playing through. Sound design is exceptional in Death Stranding 2, especially the adaptive music system, which changes the harmonics of the soundtrack based on what you do. In the opening scene itself, as you descend from a viewpoint towards your hideout, the track 'Minus Sixty One' from Woodkid gets more rousing as you get into the flow. But any misstep, and the tune falters, seeming to literally get back on track, as you find the right path. This is a first in gaming and given the soundtrack selection is excellent, kudos to the level of detail the artistes went through to create the extra material. The best part of the original Death Stranding is experiencing this weird walking simulator for the first time. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach understands that it will never be as good, but what it does do, is a fantastic job of upping the spectacle, survival horror and the challenge in its delivery systems. It stands out as an excellent game, with unique mechanics and excellent storytelling. Just make sure to jump into Death Stranding: Director's Cut before you tackle On The Beach, for a complete experience.

3 Tips To Glean From Trump on How To Leverage Other People's Money for Your Benefit
3 Tips To Glean From Trump on How To Leverage Other People's Money for Your Benefit

Yahoo

time26-01-2025

  • Business
  • Yahoo

3 Tips To Glean From Trump on How To Leverage Other People's Money for Your Benefit

President Donald Trump has a lot of money, but he often doesn't use it. Instead, he has a long history of working with investors to fund projects. Read Next: Find Out: How Middle-Class Earners Are Quietly Becoming Millionaires — and How You Can, Too The average American doesn't have the power or money wielded by Trump, but some of his financial moves could still apply. Keep reading to learn about three ways the president has used other people's money instead of tapping into his own fortune. In 2013, Trump co-founded the crowdfunding site Similar to Kickstarter, the company was designed as a way for individuals and groups to create campaigns to raise money for anything. For example, Penn Jillette of Penn and Teller and Adam Corolla each ran a successful $1 million movie campaign to fund their films 'Director's Cut' and 'Road Hard,' respectively, EINPresswire reported. Trump also picked projects from the site to personally fund, according to the press release. The site appears to no longer be in service. You may not have the funds or the desire to launch your own crowdfunding site, but you can use sites like Kickstarter or GoFundMe to ask for contributions to your own projects. Try This: As of Jan. 23, 2025, Trump's net worth is $5.9 billion, according to Forbes. However, he has taken out numerous private loans to fund projects. For example, over two decades — starting in 1998 — Deutsche Bank loaned him more than $2 billion, according to The New York Times Magazine. If you choose this route, carefully review the terms of any loans you take out and be certain that you'll be able to repay the debt. If you use borrowed funds wisely, you could end up making more than you owe, but don't borrow more than you can afford to pay back if you don't end up with a profit. Trump has no problem incurring debt — and he's said it himself. In a 2016 'CBS This Morning' interview with Norah O'Donnell, he explained his position on debt. He said, 'I'm the king of debt. … I've made a fortune by using debt, and if things don't work out, I renegotiate the debt.' When O'Donnell asked how he renegotiates the debt, he explained, 'You go back and you say, 'Hey guess what, the economy just crashed. I'm going to give you back half.'' While Trump may have leverage the average person doesn't, this strategy could be worth a try. Contact your creditors to discuss terms — you could negotiate better repayment terms, a lower interest rate or even a lower balance. More From GOBankingRates3 Things You Must Do When Your Savings Reach $50,0009 Things You Must Do To Grow Your Wealth in 2025 This article originally appeared on 3 Tips To Glean From Trump on How To Leverage Other People's Money for Your Benefit

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