Shark Tank drama: Daymond John seeks restraining order against former contestants in explosive legal showdown

Shark Daymond John is seeking a temporary restraining order against three former contestants of the show.

Al “Bubba” Baker, his wife Sabrina, and daughter Brittani, owners of Bubba Q’s Boneless Baby Back Ribs, allege that John had excluded them from profits and attempted to seize control of the business.

John’s spokesperson, Zach Rosenfield, said in a statement to PEOPLE that John is taking action over their alleged efforts “to undermine a business partnership and the legal parameters they agreed to four years ago.” Rosenfield claimed in the statement, “After repeated attempts to give the Baker’s the ability to correct their violations. It is unfortunate that it has come to this.”

Rosenfield further stated, “This temporary restraining order is due to the Baker’s blatant actions to undermine a business partnership and the legal parameters they agreed to 4 years ago. Their belief that they can unwind poor business decisions through slanderous social media posts and articles will no longer be tolerated.”

The Bakers initially appeared on the show in 2013 and pitched their pre-cooked boneless baby back ribs. They claim that John’s $300,000 offer for 30 percent of the company was revised off-air to $100,000 for 35 percent.

The family was the subject of a recent investigation by the LA Times, where they accused John of attempting to take over the business and raised other concerns regarding their business deal with John and manufacturer Rastelli Foods Group. They allege that they have received around 4 percent of the publicly stated $16 million in revenue from the business and that Al Baker had been left out of key business meetings. To support their claims, the Bakers have posted a series of videos on social media, presenting emails and other documents.

A federal judge in New Jersey dismissed a case without prejudice, and Rastelli Foods Group has also initiated legal action to obtain a restraining order against the Bakers, according to the Times.

In response to the Times report, John referred to it as a “flawed interview” and a “false narrative” in a video posted to TikTok. He subsequently sent a cease-and-desist letter to the family, demanding that they refrain from “making publicly disparaging or defamatory remarks against Plaintiffs, and further, cease publicly revealing Confidential Information,” as reported by the publication.

According to John, as alleged in a letter to the judge, the underlying issue was that the journalist “did not understand business as well as I would have liked her to.”

The family wrote a letter to the judge, expressing that John and Rastelli’s practices have caused “irreparable harm, particularly as the time on our patent is running out,” per the Times.

“We firmly believe that the truth is in the best interest of the public,” the family wrote, explaining that sharing their experience on social media provides an honest and truthful account of their journey.