LV website sues former consultants

Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2000 | 10:46 a.m.

A Las Vegas online retailer is seeking an injunction against four former Internet consultants it claims are infringing its trademark and misappropriating proprietary data to create their own competing e-commerce website.

In a Clark County District Court suit, R&S Gifts & Collectibles Inc. alleged the four consultants were hired in September 1999 to register the domain name R&S GIFTS and set up the company's website.

R&S alleged they crippled its ability to do business under the R&S GIFTS mark and this helped the defendants promote their own business through their website Russia Direct.

The defendants include Eugene Tsirulnik, Rena Tsirulnik also known as Rena Kotlyar, Israel Kotlyar and Svetlana Kotlyar doing business as R&S Gifts & Russia Direct.

R&S Gifts & Collectibles, which does business as "Rise N Shine Gifts & Collectibles," "R&S Gifts," "Russianworld" and "Russianworld Vegas," alleged the defendants, while still employed by the company, tried to sabotage its business by submitting fictional bids or "hits" on the company's website.

R&S said this constitutes a violation of its terms of service and was aimed at causing R&S Gifts' domain name to be temporarily suspended.

The defendants could not be reached for comment.