Kevin O’Leary recently emerged victorious in a courtroom battle, securing a substantial $2.8 million judgment. The well-known Shark Tank investor obtained a default judgment against former cryptocurrency influencer Ben Armstrong, also known as BitBoy Crypto.
What makes this victory even more intriguing is the fact that Armstrong chose not to mount a proper defense. Following allegations that Armstrong publicly labeled O’Leary as a “murderer,” a federal judge in Florida intervened and granted significant punitive damages.
Judge Beth Bloom ruled in favor of O’Leary, awarding him $2 million in punitive damages along with an additional $750,000 for emotional distress. The court dismissed Armstrong’s claims of mental health struggles and incarceration as excuses for his failure to defend himself.
Armstrong had previously engaged in online taunting towards O’Leary, including posting his personal phone number and insinuating a cover-up related to a 2019 boating incident.
The origins of this legal dispute can be traced back to a tragic boating accident involving O’Leary’s wife, Linda, in 2019, where two individuals lost their lives. Despite Linda being fully acquitted in 2021, Armstrong chose to disregard this outcome entirely. He made public statements accusing O’Leary and his wife of “murdering a couple and covering it up,” escalating the situation by sharing O’Leary’s private phone number and inciting his followers to harass him.
Even when faced with criticism, Armstrong boldly challenged his detractors, questioning whether they would take legal action against him. As fate would have it, that is precisely what occurred, culminating in the court ruling on March 26, 2025.
The judgment included compensation of $78,000 for reputational damage and $750,000 for emotional distress. O’Leary highlighted the heightened security measures and restricted studio access implemented due to concerns stemming from Armstrong’s online following.
The most significant blow came in the form of an extra $2 million in punitive damages, intended to serve as a deterrent. Armstrong had defaulted by failing to respond to the lawsuit in 2025, and his subsequent attempt to reverse the default in early 2026 based on incarceration and mental health challenges was rejected by the court.
This legal decision compounds Armstrong’s existing challenges, having been ousted from the HIT Network and now facing severe financial consequences.
In conclusion, Kevin O’Leary’s triumph in the $2.8 million defamation judgment against BitBoy Crypto underscores the repercussions of spreading false information online. The repercussions of this legal battle serve as a cautionary tale for individuals engaging in defamatory behavior in the digital realm.
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