RE: Canaco is just Scam. It has Nothing!Farallon wins $40,000 defamation award against Arnold
2011-11-15 15:08 ET - Street Wire
by Mike Caswell
Farallon Mining Ltd. has won a $40,000 defamation decision in the Supreme Court of British Columbia against Stockhouse poster Ronald Arnold, also known as "Stonecut." In a judgment handed down on Thursday, Nov. 10, Justice Arne Silverman has found that postings by Mr. Arnold could have caused substantial economic damage to Farallon. One of his messages accused the company of improperly acquiring its Campo Morado property in Mexico while another referred to management as "a bunch of crooks."
Farallon had sought damages of $85,000, arguing that Mr. Arnold inflicted a serious blow to its reputation with his accusations over Campo Morado. He posted the material on Stockhouse, a public forum that attracted both existing and potential investors. In addition, he lied when the company initially asked him if he had written the posts, and only admitted to them after Farallon had traced their source to Internet service in his wife's name.
The award against Mr. Arnold comes 18 months after Farallon and its former management company, Hunter Dickinson Inc., won a $425,000 defamation suit against another Stockhouse poster, Alberta resident Robert Butler. Using the alias "BTaffy," Mr. Butler wrote that Hunter Dickinson had bribed officials in Mexico in connection with the acquisition of Campo Morado. He also called Hunter Dickinson's president, Ronald Thiessen, a "proven and continual liar." A judge found that there was no evidence Mr. Butler's posts were true and ordered him to pay damages to Farallon, Hunter Dickinson and Mr. Thiessen.