Playboy Enterprises Is Awarded $19 Million Against Play Beverages/CirTran Beverage

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Circuit Court of Cook County in Chicago, Illinois increased the judgment in favor of Playboy Enterprises and against Play Beverages, LLC and CirTran Beverage Corp. to nearly $19 million.

Last October, a jury unanimously found that Play Beverages, LLC/CirTran Beverage Corp intentionally sold energy drinks under Playboy's trademarks knowing the marks were counterfeit.  Following that verdict, the Court issued a permanent injunction against Play Beverages, LLC, CirTran Beverage Corp. and persons associated with them, including their principal, Iehab Hawatmeh, along with their agents and distributors.  The injunction orders them to immediately stop manufacturing, selling, promoting, and advertising all products and services in conjunction with the Playboy brand or any confusingly similar trademark.  The injunction applies to Playboy Energy Drinks, as well as their use of the Playboy brand on any other products and services.

On June 23, 2017, the Court denied the request of Play Beverages/CirTran Beverage for a new trial, upheld the jury's findings and tripled the trademark infringement award in Playboy's favor from $5 million to $15 million.  The Court also awarded to Playboy attorneys' fees and costs of suit.  The enforceable judgment as modified by the Court now totals almost $19 million.

Playboy will continue to strongly enforce its judgment and injunction against Play Beverages/CirTran Beverage to stop Iehab Hawatmeh's companies from engaging in infringing and counterfeiting activities.  In addition, Playboy will continue to defend its trademarks vigorously throughout the world as Playboy has done in this case.

Playboy's trial counsel were Pete Ross of Browne George Ross LLP and Edward Feldman of Miller Shakman & Beem LLP. 

About Playboy Enterprises, Inc.
Playboy is one of the most recognized and popular consumer brands in the world. Playboy Enterprises, Inc. is a media and lifestyle company that markets the brand through a wide range of media properties and licensing initiatives. The company publishes Playboy magazine in the United States and licenses foreign editions of Playboy around the world; operates Playboy.com, a leading men's lifestyle and entertainment site; and creates content for distribution via television networks, websites, mobile platforms and radio. Through licensing agreements, the Playboy brand appears on a wide range of consumer products in more than 180 countries, as well as retail stores and entertainment venues. For more information about Playboy Enterprises, please visit www.PlayboyEnterprises.com.

SOURCE Playboy Enterprises, Inc.

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