Update On Candy Cartwright’s Lawsuit Against Matt Riddle; Riddle Files Motion To Dismiss

Matt Riddle has recently filed a motion to have his case dismissed in his owngoing lawsuit from Samantha “Candy Cartwright” Tavel.

PWInsider has reported the motion was filed on December 3rd before the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division.

Riddle’s motion claims Tavel’s lawsuit fails to establish that the Circuit Court of Cook County has jurisdiction over him and that the allegations also fail to meet federal pleading requirements. Riddle states that since he does not live or own property in Illinois, he cannot fall under their jurisdiction. The motion to dismiss also argues the lawsuit fails to claim that his “allegedly tortious activities were purposefully directed at residents of the forum” as Tavel is not and has never been a resident of Illinois and Tavel cannot claim any connection to her “alleged injuries” and the state of Illinois.

Tavel filed the suit in Illinois on the basis that the show in question this happened at took place at a venue in Illinois, and the motion continues arguing that the alleged incident happened “on a bus leaving” said venue, therefore the duties would have been completed by the time of the alleged assault, so any professional connection to the state had been completed.

All of these reasons are why Riddle’s legal team are claiming the lawsuit should be thrown out, as they aren’t strong enough under Illinois law to move beyond speculation, and that given the nature of the claims, the court has no hold over riddle.

Riddle’s attorneys also filed an affidavit from videographer Joseph M. Ranta, who was the driver during the alleged incident, also showing GPS records. The filing noted the following.

Based on Mr. Ranta’s GPS and Ms. Tavel’s June 19, 2020 Twitter post, the earliest time the assault could have occurred was during the 2.5-hour drive between the Denny’s in Portage, Indiana, and Mr. Ranta’s residence in Mason, Michigan. Therefore, it is impossible to state a claim under the IGVA for violence that did not arise in Illinois between nonresidents of Illinois. Even drawing the facts in a light most favorable to Ms. Tavel, the May 19, 2018 assault is inherently implausible and her right to relief is speculative at best. Mohammed v. Sidecar Technologies, Inc., No. 16 C 2538, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 156090, at *20 (N.D. Ill. Nov. 10, 2016) (dismissing claim where court could not draw reasonable inference that defendant violated the statute based on conclusory and speculative allegations). It is implausible that Mr. Riddle would ask to engage in sexual intercourse “in front of other members of Evolve while on a bus,” immediately after performing at a wrestling event, without any witnesses in a small but full vehicle. If that did happen, no matter the size of the vehicle, surely, someone would have noticed the assault and said something. Count I does not plausibly state a claim, and it should be dismissed.

The initial lawsuit by Tavel was filed in Cook County, but WWE successfully got the lawsuit moved to Northern District of Illinois, arguing that Riddle was not a contracted performer to the WWE at the time and they had no involvement in the EVOLVE events that weekend.

Her initial lawsuit was filed against Riddle, WWE, Gabe Sapolsky, and Evolve Wrestling and is seeking $10 million per defendant.

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