Temu, a leading Chinese e-commerce platform, has filed a lawsuit against California-based intellectual property attorney Jeffrey S. Gluck, accusing him of lying during crucial negotiations to secure settlement deals on behalf of his clients, street artist Alec Monopoly and San Francisco apparel store Cookies SF LLC. The settlements involved trademark infringement and copyright claims related to third-party products sold on the Temu platform.
In its lawsuit, Temu, registered under the Delaware corporation name Whaleco Inc., seeks the return of settlement funds issued to resolve these claims. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts on Monday, alleges that Gluck misrepresented key aspects of the settlement agreements and violated the terms of those deals.
According to the complaint, Temu insisted that Gluck sign the settlement agreements based on certain representations that were critical to the negotiations. However, Temu asserts that Gluck later broke his word by advertising on social media for new clients interested in suing the e-commerce platform. The attorney is also accused of threatening to pursue further litigation against Temu on behalf of other clients after the settlements were finalized.
Temu contends that Gluck’s long-standing relationships with these new clients, coupled with his subsequent claims that he had been investigating Temu for years, undermines the trust that Temu placed in the earlier settlement agreements.
“Temu now brings this action against Gluck for various forms of misconduct, impropriety, lies, and deceit, including actions taken by Gluck on behalf of his clients concerning the settlement agreements,” the company stated in the complaint.
As evidence of his disregard for the settlement terms, Temu points to Gluck’s social media activity, including a post related to another case involving rival platform Shein. Gluck allegedly solicited readers to share their experiences with fast fashion platforms, while regularly referring to Temu and Shein as such.
Shortly after receiving settlement payments from Temu, Gluck allegedly contacted the company to discuss a “collaboration” and threatened to pursue additional litigation. Gluck is said to have notified Temu’s counsel of other fashion-related clients with pending trademark and copyright claims against the platform, claims he later admitted had been in progress for some time.
Temu is seeking legal remedies for intentional misrepresentation, fraudulent inducement, negligent misrepresentation, breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and unjust enrichment.
Temu is represented by attorneys John J. Butts of WilmerHale and Ajay S. Krishnan and Matan Shacham of Keker Van Nest & Peters LLP. Counsel information for Gluck was not immediately available.
The case is Whaleco Inc. v. Gluck et al., case number 1:25-cv-11233, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
