Fan Who Threw A Pok&#233mon-themed Party Needs To Raise $4,000 To Settle Trademark Lawsuit

Pokemon's booth at the PAX Prime gaming convention in Seattle.

Longtime Pokémon fan Ramar Larkin Jones is being sued by the company for organizing a themed party during the PAX Prime gaming conference in Seattle, and he that he needs to come up with $4,000 to settle the case. He had no choice but to launch a crowdfunding campaign to raise the money he needs to the settle trademark lawsuit.

"I thought it was a scare tactic," Jones said. "I thought once the party was canceled there would be nothing more about this. I'm shocked...I can't pay it," he said. "I manage a cafe, and cost of living is super expensive in Seattle. I am hoping I can try to pay it over the course of a year, because I simply want to be done with it."

Jones had been organizing a Pokémon-themed party since 2011 for all the geeks who flock to Seattle to celebrate their passion at the annual PAX convention.

Tickets to the event cost $2, and he made a total of about $500 off the sales, but he said that he lost money on the party every year because he spends most of the revenue from the ticket sales to pay for the DJ and gift card giveaways ($450). He also bought decorations, was going to give away a Kindle Fire to the fan who shows up wearing the best costume and a cash prize to the winner of a Super Smash Bros. tournament.

According to event listings, the party was going to feature an "AMAZIN POKEMON MASHUP," "Pokemon themed shots and drinks," "Smash Bros. Tournament with cash prize," "Dancing," "Giveaways," "Cosplay Contest and more.

Poster for Pokemon-themed party

Pokémon's lawyers took issue with a Facebook post and poster for the event that featured pictures of Pikachu and Snivy, two of Pokémon's copyrighted characters. In the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in the Western District of Washington, Pokémon's lawyers say they aim to "put an end to and obtain redress" for the "blatant and willful infringement."

"So I'm reaching out to the PAX video game community. Anything you can donate would be greatly appreciated," he wrote on the campaign's page. "Trust me I will never throw another fandom party again."

According to Jones, the complaint was filed without any kind of warning, and he would have canceled the event sooner had he known there were any issues.

Jones told GeekWire that the company's lawyers said that they're willing to settle the case if he pays their $4,000 in legal fees within the next 45 days.

Ramar Larkin Jones

Jones said he asked for a year to pay the settlement cost, but the company's lawyers are sticking to the deadline. Because he doesn't have the money to pay for it, he launched a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe.

"So I'm reaching out to the PAX video game community. Anything you can donate would be greatly appreciated," he wrote on the campaign's page. "Trust me I will never throw another fandom party again."

Read: 60 Interesting Pokemon Facts You Probably Didn't Know