NEW YORK, N.Y. — The owner of a Manhattan drycleaning business is suing a former customer for defamation after the man posted flyers denouncing the operation’s service and quality.
Todd Ofsink, owner of Todd Layne Cleaners, originally filed the suit against software engineer and documentary filmmaker Evan Maloney last month. After several alleged negative experiences with Todd Layne, Maloney posted several flyers in the apartment building they share reading “Tod Layne Cleaners Sucks And Is Overpriced.” Maloney also established a website, toddlaynecleanerssucks.com, to air his grievances in detail.
Less than a week later, Maloney was served with papers indicating that Ofsink had filed a libel suit against him for $20,000. Osfink increased the suit to $100,000 last Monday, including a request that the website be taken down. The suit indicates that the operation feels it is being targeted unfairly and as a result, is losing business.
Maloney is active in free-speech issues and considers his campaign against Todd Layne among his First Amendment rights. An injuction against his entering the store has been approved by a judge, but no decision has yet determined whether he is free to continue posting flyers and web information against Todd Layne.
“In response to the numerous comments made by Evan Maloney regarding Todd Layne Cleaners, we have no comment other than to state that we have always been and remain committed to our customers,” the drycleaner’s website, toddlaynecleaners.com, says. “We will vigorously defend ourselves against anyone seeking publicity at our expense.”
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