Potential libel lawsuit and more?

[alan sil]

What is the name of your state?IL

Here is the situation that I so stupidly got my self into.

This last Thursday I happened to be surfing the web and came across a link to a person’s business site and who along time ago threatened my younger sister and her family if she did not pay back a loan that she did not get from him.My sister borrowed $1,500.00 from him and paid it back, it was her ex-boyfriend that owed him the other portion, $500.00. This person is in Massachuetts not IL

I just found out about this four months ago but the situation happened many years ago and it has been eating at me since. So over the last three days I entered several blogs on his web site stating that he did this and then I posted a few more replies acting like other readers looking for more information on this matter. To add to my stupidity, in one of my postings, I added and I put apologize to her and pay her back and this will end.

I also contacted his sponsors on his site and said I would not shop at their stores or use their services since I knew they were affiliated with him. I also said I would ask my friends and family to do the same. I gave a factious name and created MSN e-mail account to track any requests for further info. The reason why I did not give my real name is because he knows my family up there and I did not want them to get any heat for what I was doing.

Thanks for hearing me out.

Rumor is he is looking to find out who did this and sue, What can I expect from this? any advise will be greatly appreciated

 

[JETX]

What can I expect from this? any advise will be greatly appreciated

Of course, we can't guess what someone else might do. But, based entirely on your post, you could be facing a civil suit for several claims such as: defamation, extortion, etc.

 

[alan sil]

Thanks,
So a civil suit maybe be expecdited more so then a criminal suit?

Even if what I posted was true that he did threaten the lady and her family .e.g. I hate to see one of your family member get hurt for this"?

I guess there is no getting arround the "applogize and pay her back thing"even though I sent it as a guest on his site, basically suggesting that if did it, the annoying posts would end?

 

[alan sil]

What if I published a retraction to his sonsors stating that I would not tell others not to use thier products or services becasue they are tied to him. Would this be a retraction? Or do I need to retract the truth as well?

Is it safe to say that any court heraings would be in Massachuetts and not Illinois? And if so what is their stance on retractions?

 

[betterthanher]

What if I published a retraction to his sonsors stating that I would not tell others not to use thier products or services becasue they are tied to him. Would this be a retraction? Or do I need to retract the truth as well?

Is it safe to say that any court heraings would be in Massachuetts and not Illinois? And if so what is their stance on retractions?

You certainly can, but that is still not a guarantee this person won't do anything. What you wrote could be taken as a threat.

Plus, just because you used a fake email doesn't mean you can not be tracked down. People who run websites have the ability to track ip's (unless it goes to something like AOL, then it's a little more work), but no one is really that hidden on the internet.