Big-Game Hunter Says He’s Been Defamed

"The parties reached an agreement at this meeting whereby BCeV would continue to be a member of FACE," the lawsuit states. "Pursuant to the agreement, BCeV would collect 2015 FACE dues from the European Chapters and pay the amount by the end of May 2015, with the remainder of the collected annual dues to be paid in ascending order at the end of June, July and August, respectively."

Ullmann says that his Bavarian Chapter "attempted to collect dues from the European chapters, but some chapters expressed confusion regarding prior indication of a return of the past dues and, to add further confusion, some chapters were advised by SCI that they were not required to pay the dues to BCeV," the lawsuit states. "As a result, BCeV did not collect adequate dues prior to the end of May 2015 from the European SCI chapters to make the promised payment to FACE."

Since German law prohibited the Bavarian Chapter from using the dues collected between 2012 and 2014 to pay the 2015 dues, the chapter held that money in trust, the lawsuit states.

"Consequently, on June 17, 2015, SCI paid the full amount of dues owed by SCIF to FACE for the years 2012 through 2015," the lawsuit states. "SCI then asked BCeV to reimburse SCI for these dues by remitting the dues BCeV had collected from the European Chapters for the years 2012 through 2015 to SCI."

Agreeing to do so by July 2015, "BCeV ... provided SCIF with a bank statement indicating that the required funds were being held in BCeV's bank account and remained available to pay the FACE dues," the complaint continues. "SCIF, however, refused to sign the contract, citing a boilerplate confidentiality provision contained therein that SCIF found 'offensive.'"

Ullmann says that this hitch left him in a quandary, so he "sent payment for the 2012 through 2014 dues, and the amounts collected for the 2015 dues - including the substantial amounts plaintiff caused to be donated to make-up the difference for non-contributing European chapters - directly to FACE," the lawsuit states.

Ullmann "personally remitted the balance of the 2015 dues owed to FACE by making a donation from the Ullmann Award for European Big Game Trophy Animals Family Foundation to make up the dues shortfall for 2015 to FACE," the lawsuit states.

This allegedly caused the federation to receive a double-payment of the dues owed by the Safari Club International Foundation for 2012-2015. And while Ullmann says the federation has since returned the double payment, the complicated "misunderstanding" has led to his expulsion from Safari Club International.

In July 2015, Safari Club International suspended Ullmann's membership based on "100 pages of emails containing only a few instances of innuendo and speculation as to any wrongdoing on plaintiff's part," the lawsuit states.

"This dispute is ostensibly the culmination of a gross misunderstanding arising from plaintiff's role with regard to a European Chapter of SCI," the lawsuit states. "As the result of back-room, petty political maneuvering within SCI's inner circle, SCI wrongfully and publicly accused plaintiff of unethical and illegal behavior and ousted plaintiff from the organization in violation of SCI's bylaws and internal ethics rules and in breach of SCI's duty of good faith and fair dealing owed to plaintiff a long-time, dedicated member of the organization."

Then, Safari Club International allegedly published notice of Ullmann's suspension in the Safari Times, a club newsletter. Ullmann claims that the "publication was made by SCI to its 50,000 members with actual knowledge that it was false and with an intent to harm and defame Mr. Ullmann."

"SCl took the actions described above with knowledge that such actions violated SCI's own internal policies, procedures and rules, and for the sole, predetermined purpose of excluding Ullmann from SCI and damaging his reputation within the hunting community and beyond," the lawsuit states.

"SCl and one or more Defendant Does have, in addition to the false and defamatory statements that evidence existed of any financial malfeasance or nonfeasance, published false and defamatory statements that Plaintiff's business is suffering and that plaintiff stole and embezzled the funds from BCeV," the complaint continues.

Ullmann is represented in Tucson by Corey Larson, who did not immediately respond on Monday to an email requesting comment.

Safari Club International attorneys did not immediately respond to emails and a phone message left at the organization's Washington, D.C. office.

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