
NOTE: This piece first appeared on FLGulfNews.com.
By Rick LaRivière with Richard Luthmann and Michael Volpe
Bozos and Shotguns: What the Hales Is This?
Jeremy Hales, the YouTube reseller-turned-influencer behind What the Hale$, is suing everyone in sight, including investigative journalist Richard Luthmann.
But if Hales expected intimidation, he got a counterpunch instead.
In the latest episode of The Unknown Podcast, co-hosts Michael Volpe and Richard Luthmann dissected Hales’ latest legal stunt—a sweeping federal lawsuit naming eleven defendants.
Hales claims they’re all part of a “conspiracy” to destroy his reputation.
The complaint, however, is a textbook shotgun pleading—vague, bloated, and riddled with unsupported accusations.
“I’m going to file an answer and counterclaim for at least $5 million, probably more,” Luthmann said. “He’s got money. I’m going to take it.”
Luthmann sees this as more than a nuisance suit. It’s a reckless SLAPP—Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation—filed by a YouTuber desperate to silence critics.
“It’s abuse of process,” Luthmann said. “There’s no conspiracy. It’s a grand delusion wrapped in malice, calculation, and intent.”
Bozos and Shotguns: Real Conspiracies vs. Fake Lawsuits
Luthmann, a former RICO defendant turned journalist, compared Hales’ vague conspiracy theory to how the federal government builds cases against La Cosa Nostra.
He cited a detailed racketeering indictment against Bonanno family bosses, which outlined specific dates, names, crimes, and hierarchies.
“Real conspiracies have structure,” Luthmann said. “They don’t read like fan fiction.”
The Hales v. Luthmann suit doesn’t even get Luthmann’s address right, listing him at a Staten Island home he hasn’t lived in for a decade.
“If you can’t even find where your defendant lives, what are we doing here?” Volpe asked.
The duo mocked the filing’s reliance on “marginal allegations” and sarcastically suggested Hales may soon sue Volpe too, just for talking.
Luthmann hinted at plans to sue Hales’ lawyer, Randy Shochet, in state court for “being a co-conspirator in a frivolous case.”
“He’ll have to report it to his malpractice carrier,” Luthmann said. “And when his premiums skyrocket, that’s diarrhea for him and justice for everyone else.”
Bozos and Shotguns: Antisemitism, Astroturfers, and Dangerous Echo Chambers
The discussion turned serious as Luthmann and Volpe addressed the darker side of Hales’ online antics—allegations of antisemitism and YouTube mob behavior.
Hales has referred to Jewish attorney Bruce Matzkin using slurs like “Deuce Foreskin” and made comments about his nose—leading Rabbi Jacob Bellinsky to publicly condemn the rhetoric.
Volpe didn’t mince words.
“Hales is normalizing hate. That’s not content. That’s dangerous.”
Luthmann agreed.
“These people glorify mafia violence. And they’re dumb enough to think real mobsters and the Feds won’t care.”
He said he’s publicizing Hales’ information to “warn the community” about the risks of associating with him.
Megan Fox, a former ally of Volpe’s, was also dragged into the fray.
Once a crusader against family court abuses, she’s now, according to Luthmann, part of the “Hales echo chamber.”
He said she abandoned journalism to become “a Jeremy Hales groupie” who “uses astroturf mobs like the Mafia uses enforcers.”
One of her “soldiers” is Rosalyn Duke.
Volpe added that these orchestrated smear campaigns mimic organized crime—“except with emojis and hashtags.”
Bozos and Shotguns: Journalism, Justice, and Jokes
Despite the drama, there were laughs too. Luthmann joked that suing in Gainesville, Florida felt like a football rivalry.
“It’s like Miami vs. Ohio State,” he said. “I’m gonna beat down that dumbass Buckeye in The Swamp.”
Volpe deadpanned: “We’ll call it the Battle of Bozo.”
That wasn’t just hyperbole. Magistrate Judge Zach “Bozo” Bolitho already signaled frustration with the case, once warning the lawyers to “bring your checkbooks” and likening them to children for clogging the docket.
Meanwhile, Luthmann’s defense is straightforward. His statements were journalistic opinions, protected by the First Amendment. His filings call Hales a public figure who must prove actual malice—and fail to do so.
“This case isn’t just weak,” Luthmann said. “It’s dangerous. It weaponizes courts for clicks and chills the free press.”
Bozos and Shotguns: A Warning to Good People
As The Unknown Podcast continues to illuminate cancel culture, judicial dysfunction, and YouTube grifters, Hales’ lawsuit may become a cautionary tale about how not to wield the law.
As Volpe put it: “This isn’t a conspiracy. It’s a clown show. And Bozo’s already in the center ring.”
Luthmann worries about the good people that may get hurt because he says Jeremy Hales is “Disgraziad.” He gave this warning:
“As I understand it, I am protected by litigation privilege in my statements about Jeremy Hales, and in particular as they relate to the proceedings in any way. See Sexton v. Carnival Corp., 504 F. Supp. 3d 1359 (S.D. Fla. 2020). I am further protected by the First Amendment, including the free speech, free press, and petition for redress of greivances clauses.
I have the good faith belief that the public should be warned about the risks posed about the conduct of pulic figure Jeremy Hales and his associates, so I will release this information:
Jeremy Bryan Hales, born in March 1977, is a politically active Republican voter with registration in both Ohio and Florida. He is known to use multiple email addresses—evilcat67@yahoo.com, jeremyh13@yahoo.com, and sarydenise@yahoo.com—and has listed a phone number of 330-641-6301 across records.
Hales has resided at several addresses, most notably 2436 Main Street in Peninsula, Ohio, a property valued at over $700,000. Other known residences include 2247 Friar Tuck Circle in Wooster, 7233 Township Road 319 in Millersburg, and 80 N Otter Creek Avenue in Bronson, Florida.
According to privileged jorualistic research and public records searches, Hales has appears to have a criminal record spanning both Florida and Ohio.
In Levy County, Florida, he currently faces multiple open misdemeanor charges, including five separate counts of contempt of court for violating a domestic violence injunction, a charge of violating an injunction for protection from stalking or cyberstalking, and an offense for contracting without proper certification, categorized as a public order crime.
In Ohio, Hales was convicted in 2017 for criminal trespass, a fourth-degree misdemeanor in Wayne County. He also faced traffic-related offenses in 2019, including failing to stop for an emergency vehicle (bond forfeited) and distracted driving (dismissed). His earliest recorded infraction is a 1996 speeding violation.
No.NameTypeOffenseDateState1.Hales, Jeremy BryanCriminalViol Of Injunc For Protection -Stalking Or Cyberstalking01/12/2024Florida
Personal Information
Data Source: Criminal Court
SSN: 277-74-XXXX
LexID: 0010-3126-2466
Address: Otter Creek, FL 32683
Offender Id: I01318597239357432222202382024MM000028MMAXMX20240112
County: LEVY
Filing Date: 01/12/2024
Race: WHITE
Sex: Male
Origin State: Florida
Offense 1
Categories: ASSAULT_OTHER RESTRAINING_ORDER_VIOLATIONS
Case Number: 382024MM000028MMAXMX
Case Filing Date: 01/12/2024
Offense Date: 01/04/2024
Court Description: LEVY COUNTY COURT
Court Disposition: DISPOSITION NOT PROVIDED BY SOURCE Status:OPEN
Court Offense: VIOL OF INJUNC FOR PROTECTION -STALKING OR CYBERSTALKING
Court Statute: 784.0487.4
Offense 2
Case Number: 382024MM000028MMAXMX
Case Filing Date: 01/12/2024
Offense Date: 10/27/2023
Court Description: LEVY COUNTY COURT
Court Disposition: DISPOSITION NOT PROVIDED BY SOURCE Status:OPEN
Court Offense: PUBLIC ORDER CRIMES-ENGAGE CONTRACTING BUSN WO CERTIF 1ST VI
Court Statute: 489.127.1F
2.Hales, Jeremy BryanCriminalContempt Of Court-Domestic Violence Injunction Willful Viola01/03/2024Florida
Personal Information
Data Source: Criminal Court
SSN: 277-74-XXXX
LexID: 0010-3126-2466
Address: Otter Creek, FL 32683
Offender Id: I01318597239357432222202382024MM000006MMAXMX20240103
County: LEVY
Filing Date: 01/03/2024
Race: WHITE
Sex: Male
Origin State: Florida
Offense 1
Categories: OTHER
Case Number: 382024MM000006MMAXMX
Case Filing Date: 01/03/2024
Offense Date: 12/22/2023
Court Description: LEVY COUNTY COURT
Court Disposition: DISPOSITION NOT PROVIDED BY SOURCE Status:OPEN
Court Offense: CONTEMPT OF COURT-DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INJUNCTION WILLFUL VIOLA
Court Statute: 741.315.4
3.Hales, Jeremy BryanCriminalContempt Of Court-Domestic Violence Injunction Willful Viola01/02/2024Florida
Personal Information
Data Source: Criminal Court
SSN: 277-74-XXXX
LexID: 0010-3126-2466
Address: Otter Creek, FL 32683
Offender Id: I01318597239357432222202382024MM000002MMAXMX20240102
County: LEVY
Filing Date: 01/02/2024
Race: WHITE
Sex: Male
Origin State: Florida
Offense 1
Categories: OTHER
Case Number: 382024MM000002MMAXMX
Case Filing Date: 01/02/2024
Offense Date: 12/31/2023
Court Description: LEVY COUNTY COURT
Court Disposition: DISPOSITION NOT PROVIDED BY SOURCE Status:OPEN
Court Offense: CONTEMPT OF COURT-DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INJUNCTION WILLFUL VIOLA
Court Statute: 741.315.4
4.Hales, Jeremy BryanCriminalContempt Of Court-Domestic Violence Injunction Willful Viola01/02/2024Florida
Personal Information
Data Source: Criminal Court
SSN: 277-74-XXXX
LexID: 0010-3126-2466
Address: Otter Creek, FL 32683
Offender Id: I01318597239357432222202382024MM000003MMAXMX20240102
County: LEVY
Filing Date: 01/02/2024
Race: WHITE
Sex: Male
Origin State: Florida
Offense 1
Categories: OTHER
Case Number: 382024MM000003MMAXMX
Case Filing Date: 01/02/2024
Offense Date: 12/31/2023
Court Description: LEVY COUNTY COURT
Court Disposition: DISPOSITION NOT PROVIDED BY SOURCE Status:OPEN
Court Offense: CONTEMPT OF COURT-DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INJUNCTION WILLFUL VIOLA
Court Statute: 741.315.4
5.Hales, Jeremy BryanCriminalContempt Of Court-Domestic Violence Injunction Willful Viola12/29/2023Florida
Personal Information
Data Source: Criminal Court
SSN: 277-74-XXXX
LexID: 0010-3126-2466
Address: Otter Creek, FL 32683
Offender Id: I01318597239357432222202382023MM000536MMAXXX20231229
County: LEVY
Filing Date: 12/29/2023
Race: WHITE
Sex: Male
Origin State: Florida
Offense 1
Categories: OTHER
Case Number: 382023MM000536MMAXXX
Case Filing Date: 12/29/2023
Offense Date: 12/24/2023
Court Description: LEVY COUNTY COURT
Court Disposition: DISPOSITION NOT PROVIDED BY SOURCE Status:OPEN
Court Offense: CONTEMPT OF COURT-DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INJUNCTION WILLFUL VIOLA
Court Statute: 741.315.4
6.Hales, Jeremy BryanCriminalContempt Of Court-Domestic Violence Injunction Willful Viola12/07/2023Florida
Personal Information
Data Source: Criminal Court
SSN: 277-74-XXXX
LexID: 0010-3126-2466
Address: Otter Creek, FL 32683
Offender Id: I01318597239357432222202382023MM000497MMAXXX20231207
County: LEVY
Filing Date: 12/07/2023
Race: WHITE
Sex: Male
Origin State: Florida
Offense 1
Categories: OTHER
Case Number: 382023MM000497MMAXXX
Case Filing Date: 12/07/2023
Offense Date: 12/06/2023
Court Description: LEVY COUNTY COURT
Court Disposition: DISPOSITION NOT PROVIDED BY SOURCE Status:OPEN
Court Offense: CONTEMPT OF COURT-DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INJUNCTION WILLFUL VIOLA
Court Statute: 741.315.4
7.Hales, Jeremy BCriminalStop Emrg Veh06/27/2019Ohio
Personal Information
Data Source: Criminal Court
Date of Birth: 03/1977
SSN: 277-74-XXXX
LexID: 0010-3126-2466
Address: 2247 Friar Tuck Cir
Wooster, OH 44691-2023Offender Id: WQ13002350041293068442TRD1901612A20190627
County: ERIE
Filing Date: 06/27/2019
Height (in): 072
Weight (lbs): 205
Race: WHITE
Sex: Male
Origin State: Ohio
Offense 1
Categories: TRAFFIC
Case Number: TRD1901612A
Case Type: TRAFFIC
Case Filing Date: 06/27/2019
Offense Date: 06/25/2019
Court Disposition: BOND FORFEITED Status:CLOSED 20190717
Court Disposition Date: 07/16/2019
Court Level/Degree: MINOR MISDEMEANOR
Court Offense: STOP EMRG VEH
Court Statute: 4511.213
8.Hales, Jeremy BCriminalDistract Drive06/27/2019Ohio
Personal Information
Data Source: Criminal Court
Date of Birth: 03/1977
SSN: 277-74-XXXX
LexID: 0010-3126-2466
Address: 2247 Friar Tuck Cir
Wooster, OH 44691-2023Offender Id: WQ13002350041293068442TRD1901612B20190627
County: ERIE
Filing Date: 06/27/2019
Height (in): 072
Weight (lbs): 205
Race: WHITE
Sex: Male
Origin State: Ohio
Offense 1
Categories: TRAFFIC
Case Number: TRD1901612B
Case Type: TRAFFIC
Case Filing Date: 06/27/2019
Offense Date: 06/25/2019
Court Disposition: DISMISSED Status:CLOSED 20190717
Court Disposition Date: 07/16/2019
Court Level/Degree: MINOR MISDEMEANOR
Court Offense: DISTRACT DRIVE
Court Statute: 4511.991
9.Hales, JeremyCriminalCriminal Trespass03/28/2017Ohio
Personal Information
Data Source: Criminal Court
SSN: 277-74-XXXX
LexID: 0010-3126-2466
Address: 2247 Friar Tuck Cir
Wooster, OH 44691-2023Offender Id: RN97175845956431887262017CR-B00057620170328
County: WAYNE
Filing Date: 03/28/2017
Origin State: Ohio
Offense 1
Categories: TRESPASS_OF_REALPROPERTY
Case Number: 2017 CR-B 000576
Case Type: CRIMINAL MISDEMEANOR
Case Filing Date: 03/28/2017
Agency: WOOSTER POLICE DEPARTMENT
Court Disposition: Status:OPEN 20170328
Court Level/Degree: MISDEMEANOR FOURTH DEGREE
Court Offense: CRIMINAL TRESPASS
Court Statute: 2911.21A3
10.Hales, Jeremy BCriminalNot Specified09/03/1996Ohio
Personal Information
Data Source: Criminal Court
Date of Birth: 03/1977
SSN: 277-74-XXXX
LexID: 0010-3126-2466
Address: 36820 Law Rd
Grafton, OH 44044-9250Offender Id: YB130023500412930684421996TRD0894019960903
County: LORAIN
Filing Date: 09/03/1996
Origin State: Ohio
Offense 1
Categories: OTHER
Case Number: 1996TRD08940
Case Filing Date: 09/03/1996
Court Offense: NOT SPECIFIED
11.Hales, Jeremy BCriminalSpeedingOhio
Personal Information
Data Source: Criminal Court
Date of Birth: 03/1977
SSN: 277-74-XXXX
LexID: 0010-3126-2466
Address: 36820 Law Rd
Grafton, OH 44044-9250Offender Id: YB13002350041293068442
County: LORAIN
Origin State: Ohio
Offense 1
Categories: TRAFFIC
Court Disposition: GUILTY
Court Level/Degree: MINOR MISDEMEANOR
Court Offense: SPEEDING
Court Statute: 4511.21D*15
Professionally, Hales is tied to several business entities. He is listed as Manager of Hang Your Hat Home in Millersburg, a Member of Elephant Shoe, LLC in Wooster, and affiliated with Skyview Baptist Ranch Inc.
Elephant Shoe, LLC, has a listed address of 2247 Friar Tuck Cir., Wooster, OH 44691-2023. The phone number is 330-641-6301. The LLC has an NAIC code of 448210: Shoe Stores.
His employment history includes working as a High Adventure Course Director at Lake Ann Baptist Camp in Michigan. He has been involved in property management and appears to have leveraged LLCs for real estate purposes.
Real estate records show Hales owns or is associated with at least 10 properties, including the high-value Peninsula address. He has engaged in refinancing activity totaling more than $1.7 million since 2022, and his name is linked to entities such as Hang Your Hat Homes LLC, JW Harley Inc, and the Harley W John Trust, all of which appear in related property records.
Hales holds hunting and fishing licenses in both Ohio and Florida and possesses an Ohio operator’s driver’s license.
Educational records show he is a high school graduate with no listed post-secondary degrees.
He is also associated with several aliases and identification irregularities. Known variants include Jaremy B. Hales, Habs Jeremy B., and Jeremy B. Hales.
Notably, his Social Security Number is linked to more than two individuals, including someone named David Heglin, suggesting possible clerical or intentional ID overlap.
Family and social associations indicate at least 40 known personal or business-linked individuals. One probable relative is Sara D. Hales, believed to be his sister. She is 48 years old. Her phone number is listed as 330-473-6467.
Many of his associates are connected through his business ventures, including those involved in Hang Your Hat Homes and Elephant Shoe, LLC. Online, Hales is deeply enmeshed in what some critics describe as a web of “internet drama,” involving aggressive litigation and social media feuds that have drawn public scrutiny.”
Luthmann says he hopes that everyone can “stay safe.”
“Jeremy Hales is circling the drain. He is the show’s star but does not realize that the production is his own legal undoing. I’m worried he’ll get dangerous,” Luthmann said.
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