When Treble Charger's Greig Nori denied the sexual abuse allegations that came to light with the publication of Deryck Whibley's memoir last fall, the Sum 41 frontman said the only way to settle the dispute with his former manager was "under oath."
It seems that they've managed to agree on that much, with Nori having filed a notice of action for a libel lawsuit against Whibley in the Ontario Superior Court earlier this month, seeking more than $6 million in damages from him and Walking Disaster: My Life Through Heaven and Hell publisher Simon & Schuster. The document alleges "breach of confidence, intrusion upon seclusion, wrongful disclosure of private facts, and placing the plaintiff in a false light," SooToday reports.
Whibley has countered the filing with his own notice of action, claiming $3 million in damages for "defamation and placing the plaintiff in a false light" after Nori publicly denied the allegations, accusing Whibley of being a liar.
One of the biggest music news stories of 2024 began in October when the Los Angeles Times excerpted the part of Walking Disaster where Whibley accused Nori of having had an abusive sexual relationship with him when they were working together. The Sum 41 vocalist alleged that the relationship became sexual when he was 18 (and Nori was in his mid-30s) and they took ecstasy at a warehouse party.
"We were jammed in a gross bathroom stall and I was talking non-stop, when he reached over, grabbed my face, and kissed me on the mouth passionately," Whibley wrote. "I was very confused. Was that OK? Was I upset? Did I like it? Was he gay? Was he just high and being crazy? So many thoughts were coming at me so quickly that I couldn't comprehend them."
In a statement to the Toronto Star, Nori denied the allegations, claiming that the relationship was "consensual" and that Whibley initiated it "aggressively." The Treble Charger musician said, "The accusation that I pressured Whibley to continue the relationship is false. The accusation that I pressured Whibley to continue the relationship by accusing him of homophobia is false. Ultimately the relationship simply faded out. Consensually. Our business relationship continued."
As of this writing, SooToday reports that neither statements of claim nor defence have been filed, and the allegations have yet to be tested in court.