WWE legend Hulk Hogan reaches ‘confidential agreement’ in £94.5m sex tape lawsuit against Cox Radio
WWE legend Hulk Hogan has reportedly reached a confidential settlement in his £94.5million lawsuit against those he accused of conspiring to leak a sex tape.
The 66-year-old took Cox Radio, DJs Mike “Cowhead” Calta, Matt “Spiceboy” Loyd and a few other defendants to court following the leak back eight years ago.
The Hulkster, real name Terry Bollea, claimed in the lawsuit that he was a victim of “radio wars” between Calta and Bubba Clem.
Calta was accused of using his agent to anonymously leak the video of Hogan having sex with Clem’s wife, Heather, back in September 2012 to Gawker.
Loyd previously worked for Clem prior to getting his own show on 102.5 “The Bone” WHPT.
And according to Tampa Police, he admitted to stealing DVDs from Bubba’s new studio, making copies and leaking some of the contents to other media outlets, reports .
The sex tape then began circulating at the studios of Cox Radios in 2012, stated the lawsuit.
Calta, whose contract was not renewed in 2014 and now hosts rival station 102.5’s morning show, Loyd and Clem were all working for Cox Radio at the time.
The National Enquirer then published a story in 2015 from the tape that showed the former WWE champion using the N-word, which led to the star immediately apologising but saw his business contacts terminate their deals with him.
A Pinellas County jury found in 2016 that Gawker invaded wrestling icon’s privacy when they published the sex tape and ordered the tabloid website to pay $141m in damages, which led to them going bankrupt and eventually settling with Hogan or $31m.
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The rest of the balance was what the Hulkster was seeking from the other defendants and Cox Radio.
Each defendant had denied the allegations during a court battle that has lasted four years until quietly settling earlier this week.
Court records filed on Thursday said, Loyd, his wife Tasha Carrega, and attorney Keith Davidson signed a stipulated permanent injunction that stated they will not leak or possess the sex video.
The jury trial was due to start in January 2021.