One week after filing a class-action lawsuit alleging bid-rigging against Chesapeake Energy, SandRidge Energy and former SandRidge CEO Tom Ward, attorneys for an Alfalfa County landowner have already amended the lawsuit in the Western District of the U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City.
The law firm of BurnsCharest in Dallas isn’t backing off any of the demands made in the suit filed in connection with the criminal indictment of the late Oklahoma energy exploration leader Aubrey McClendon. But its amendment noted that at least one through 50 John Does are also named in the lawsuit that accuses them of being part of a conspiracy to rig bids and depress the market for purchases of oil and natural gas leasehold interests and properties containing producing oil and natural gas wells. in violation of Sections 1 and 3 of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
“The true names and capacities, whether individual, corporate, associate, or agents, are unknown to Plaintiff at this time, and therefore Plaintiff sues each defendant by fictitious names. John Doe Nos. 1-50 are responsible for the conduct that created or facilitated the alleged combination and conspiracy. Plaintiff will amend this Complaint to show their true names and capacities when such information is obtained,” stated the amended lawsuit.
The suit says the John Does were authorized, ordered and even performed by their directors, officers, managers, agents, employees or representatives.
An additional change was made to the lawsuit concerning unnamed co-conspirators.
“Other persons, corporations, firms, and entities have participated as co-consirators with Defendants in the combinations and conspiracies alleged in this Complaint by performing acts and making statements in furtherance of the antitrust violations, combinations, and conspiracies alleged in this Complaint,” said the lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed one day after the death of Aubrey McClendon in a traffic crash and on the same day that Oklahoma City federal prosecutors dropped the indictment due to the death.
The landowner who filed the class-action lawsuit was Brian Thieme who lives in Denver, Colorado.
