A United States federal judge has ordered crypto influencer Ben Armstrong, formerly known as BitBoy, to pay 2.8 million dollars after failing to respond to a defamation lawsuit filed by investor and television personality Kevin O’Leary.
US District Judge Beth Bloom issued a default judgment, citing Armstrong’s lack of participation in the case. The award includes approximately 78,000 dollars for reputational damage, 750,000 dollars for emotional distress, and 2 million dollars in punitive damages.
The lawsuit arose from posts Armstrong made on X in March 2025, where he accused O’Leary and his wife of murder and claimed they paid millions to conceal involvement in a fatal 2019 boating accident in Ontario. O’Leary was a passenger in the incident and was never charged, while his wife Linda O’Leary was later acquitted after trial. Armstrong also shared O’Leary’s private phone number and encouraged followers to contact him, leading to a temporary suspension from the platform.
In January 2026, Armstrong sought to overturn the judgment, arguing that incarceration and mental health issues prevented his response. Court filings referenced a bipolar disorder diagnosis. The judge rejected the motion, noting he had been properly served and delayed nearly a year before acting.
The ruling adds to Armstrong’s ongoing legal challenges. Since 2023, he has faced multiple arrests, including detention in March 2025 related to alleged threats against a Georgia judge and another arrest in June 2025 on charges of harassing phone calls.
Armstrong was removed from the BitBoy Crypto brand in August 2023 after the parent company cited concerns about substance abuse. His career has been marked by controversy, including acknowledgments of paid promotions for failed or fraudulent crypto projects and a withdrawn lawsuit against YouTuber Atozy following public backlash.
