Casino in North Carolina accused of portraying bettor as a criminal in viral video, alleges lawsuit
In a surprising turn of events, Emmanuel Kromah, a popular sports betting influencer known as Fort Manny, has filed a federal lawsuit against Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort and related companies. The lawsuit, which seeks damages exceeding $75,000, alleges defamation, racial discrimination, and unfair business practices.
The lawsuit stems from an incident that occurred at the Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort in North Carolina on June 30, 2024, when Kromah visited the casino to collect his winnings after the Boston Celtics won the NBA championship on June 14, 2024. The winning ticket was worth $500,500.
According to the lawsuit, Kromah was met with hostility by casino staff who refused to pay him and accused him of fraud. This led to a confrontation that resulted in security being called to escort him off the premises, and local police were also involved. A viral video of the incident made it appear as though he was being arrested, which severely damaged his reputation in the sports betting community.
Kromah believes the incident was racially motivated, claiming that the treatment by casino staff was not only unfair but also discriminatory. He has over 26K subscribers on his YouTube channel and over 207K followers on Instagram, making the defamation all the more damaging to his career.
Although the casino eventually paid Kromah his winnings on July 10, he has been permanently banned from all Caesars-owned properties. This ban further exacerbates his claims of unfair treatment.
The lawsuit alleges that the casino's actions constitute tortious interference with a business contract and unfair and deceptive trade practices. Kromah and his consulting company, FortManny, are seeking a jury trial to resolve the matter.
This lawsuit highlights the allegations of racial discrimination, defamation, and unfair business practices that Emmanuel Kromah experienced during the collection of his sports betting winnings at Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort. The case is currently making headlines and is being closely watched by the sports betting and legal communities.
[1] Source: https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/02/us/emmanuel-kromah-lawsuit-harrahs-cherokee-casino/index.html [2] Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35476831/emmanuel-kromah-files-lawsuit-harrahs-cherokee-casino-alleging-discrimination-defamation [3] Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonabrams/2024/07/03/emmanuel-kromah-files-lawsuit-against-harrahs-cherokee-casino-alleging-defamation-and-discrimination/?sh=6f6a29ca2f40 [4] Source: https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/emmanuel-kromah-files-lawsuit-against-harrahs-cherokee-casino-alleging-defamation-and-discrimination
Despite the incident at Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort resulting in Kromah's winnings being paid, his sports-betting career has been significantly impacted. The defamatory accusations of fraud and the viral video of the altercation have tarnished Kromah's reputation within the sports-betting community.
