A US District Court in Delaware refused to grant Tron founder Justin Sun a temporary restraining order and injunction aimed at preventing Bloomberg from publishing information about Sun’s cryptocurrency holdings. Judge Colm Connolly held that Sun did not establish any agreement binding Bloomberg to confidentiality, nor did he demonstrate that publication would pose a credible threat of hacking, phishing, social engineering, kidnapping or bodily injury.
The court noted that Sun’s own public disclosures on social media had already revealed more detailed figures about his Bitcoin assets than those Bloomberg intended to publish. In his filings, Sun asserted that the data was “unverified, confidential and private,” but the judge found no basis to restrict the news outlet, emphasizing the public interest in transparency and the lack of a legal duty preventing information dissemination.
The lawsuit, filed by Sun in August, sought to block Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index data release. Sun renewed the motion on September 11 after initial discussions with Bloomberg reportedly failed to resolve the dispute. The judge’s decision underscores the challenge of invoking privacy rights against established press freedoms, especially when the plaintiff has voluntarily shared similar information.
Legal experts suggest that Sun may pursue alternative remedies, such as defamation claims if inaccuracies arise, but the threshold for such actions remains high. The ruling aligns with precedent that protects journalistic reporting on information of public concern, including financial disclosures of high-profile individuals.
The case reflects ongoing tensions between privacy claims by public figures and the media’s role in financial accountability. As cryptocurrency holdings attract greater scrutiny, courts may increasingly balance individual privacy against transparency in digital asset disclosures. Further appeals or new legal strategies by Sun could shape future case law on crypto wealth reporting.
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