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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
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Kardashians Aren’t a Suitworthy ‘Terror’

(CN) - A man who filed more than 5,000 frivolous lawsuits cannot get a restraining order against Kim Kardashian to stop her from "attacking" him on theme park rides, a federal judge ruled.

Jonathan Lee Riches aka Gino Romano sued reality star Kim Kardashian and her family, claiming they "terrorized" him on the Tower of Terror ride, a drop tower thrill ride at Disney's MGM Studios theme park in Orlando.

Riches, of Brooklyn, has filed more than 5,000 lawsuits, briefs and motions over the past eight years, asserting a myriad of outlandish claims that courts consistently dismiss as frivolous.

Among the most famous targets of his lawsuits are George W. Bush, Martha Stewart, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and Britney Spears.

Riches was recently released from federal prison after serving time for fraud.

In 2010, the Guinness Book of World Records named him the "Most Litigious Man in the World."

In one of his latest lawsuits, Riches, using his Gino Romano alter ego, said that he faced "imminent danger and bodily harm" from the Kardashians and their mother, Kris Jenner. Riches claimed that he suffered a seizure on the Tower of Terror because the Kardashians startled and Tasered him, just as his elevator cart was dropping from a great height. He also claimed that the Kardashians followed and robbed him, while one of them donned a sumo wrestler suit.

Riches said he planned to visit the Universal Studios theme park in Orlando, and asked for a restraining order against the Kardashians. He claimed he feared being "attacked by the Kardashians on [the] Batman or Transformers" rides.

U.S. District Judge Roy Dalton Jr. dismissed the motion as frivolous on Friday.

"While it may be plausible that more than a few people would be terrorized if they found themselves trapped in the Tower of Terror ride with the Kardashians, the court concludes the motion is frivolous," Dalton wrote. "The allegations consist of what appear to be delusions related to petitioner's fear and apprehension of the Kardashians. He does not attempt to set out an actionable claim and, indeed, does not do so."

Dalton said that Riches had failed to prove the court had jurisdiction and that he never paid the filing fee.

"Petitioner is free to enjoy the theme parks in the greater Orlando area," the order adds. "However, the court invites him to do so without filing another frivolous lawsuit, regardless of whether the Kardashians join him on the rides."

U.S. District Judge James Moody Jr. in Tampa denied a similar request on Friday, after Riches accused the Kardashians of attacking him at Busch Gardens on June 10.

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