Reports say a Craigslist sale of a $40 printer has resulted in a six-and-a-half year legal battle costing the seller $12,000 in lawyer fees.
In 2009, 66-year-old Doug Costello, of Massachusetts, allegedly sold a Brother laser printer for $40 via Craigslist to 54-year-old Gersh Zavodnik of Indianapolis.
Zavodnik, a litigator, claimed the printer did not work and that he never got his money back which lead to him sue Costello in a small claims court, according to reports. The lawsuit was dismissed because Zavodnik had thrown away the printer.
A year later, Costello received a letter stating that he was liable for more than $30,000 in damages due to a breach of contract and fraud leading to another dismissal in court.
Zavodnik then sent Costello two more monetary requests claiming he owed $300,000 and $600,000, according to reports. The new lawsuit circulated through courts for five years before a judge ruled in favor of Zavodnik for a $30,044 breach of contract.
Costello appealed the ruling and a panel of judges will hold a hearing this year to determine if the case should be dismissed.
