Lawyers Push to Keep Evolution Accuser Anonymous, File Appeal

A long-term legal dispute revolving around a 2021 report, accusing the leading gaming company, Evolution, of offering its services in different markets and using deceptive tactics, picked up significant speed. Last week, Evolution moved a step closer in uncovering the identity of the entity or entities behind the damaging report from 2021.

Calcagni & Kanefsky Will Suffer from “Immediate and Irreparable Harm” If the Authors of the Report Are Unmasked

The report, whose author remains anonymous, at least for the moment, accused Evolution of using deceptive tactics. In addition to those claims, the company was accused of operating in a range of markets.

The damning report resulted in a crash for Evolution’s share price which decreased by 36%, a figure that suggests a market loss in the realm of $10 billion. Not unexpectedly, the company rejected the allegations and claimed that they had been fabricated with the purpose of damaging its business.

A ruling last week saw the legal hurdle pick up speed after a court ordered the disclosure of the authors of the report. This marked a pivotal point in the legal dispute between Evolution and Calcagni & Kanefsky (C&K), a law firm representing the authors of the anonymous report. However, C&K turned to the New Jersey Superior Court where they filed an emergency motion asking for a stay on the recent order about the disclosure of the identity of the 2021 report author.

As announced by NEXT.io, C&K attorneys wrote in the recent filing: “(C&K) will suffer substantial, immediate and irreparable harm absent a stay because (i) it will be forced to disclose confidential client information, a disclosure that cannot be undone; and (ii) disclosure of the identities of the investigative firm and its client will moot (C&K’s) appeal of the February 28 Order, thus insulating that ruling from appellate review.”

The Appeal May Help Keep the Concealed Identity of the Author of the Report

Before the announcement of the recent filing, Evolution’s defense would have known the names of the entity behind the 2021 report into the company by Friday, March 7, 2025. However, C&K’s latest move further complicates the process and may ultimately help conceal the identity of the entity behind the damaging report.

In any case, the latest move by C&K isn’t surprising and in fact, reflects a similar action from 2022. At the time, a court once again had ordered the identities of the entities behind the 2021 report into Evolution to be released only for the law firm to file an appeal which was ultimately resolved in its favor, retaining the protection of the anonymous entities that compiled the report.