I have a nonprofit organization (still in the filing process) based in Asia. Someone who has been working with me as a volunteer/partner over the past year recently took a certain amount of money for services, and thereby left those services unfulfilled. The volunteer/partner then left the country without returning the funds. After initial request for repayment, the person suggested intent to follow up with the original third party donor of funds directly. No further discussion of the matter was sought by the third party donor, and only the funds paid at the original amount were again requested. During which time, I expressed concern on my online social networking that I had felt as though "someone had scammed my organization, and went back to (their home state in the US)". I did not use the person's name, instead using the word 'someone'. It was not my intent to do harm against this person. I was merely venting after a difficult situation had been brought against my organization, and I believed I had truly been scammed.
After multiple requests were made for the person to return the money, a notification was given that if they did not return the money to the rightful owners (my nonprofit's original donor of the funds), we would have no choice but to follow up with local authorities in my nonprofit's home country. I emphasized that this was not a threat, but simply a request to return the money to its rightful owner.
The subsequent reply included a photo snapshot of my status update on the social networking site, claiming libel & defamation of the person, and threatening a lawsuit; including several claims about back pay for any services that the person provided to my organization over the course of the partnership, transportation costs for trips to and from my organization's host country, any goods that had been donated from the person to my organization, any potential loss of wages or benefits that this libelous remark could bring about by damaging the person's reputation in the host country, and amounts for any potential gains that my organization could have acquired by using the person's name over the course of our partnership.
Firsty, can this be considered libel if I indirectly refer to the person on a social networking site, not intentionally aiming to do harm but only to express my disappointment and my belief that I was scammed?
Second of all, what is the procedure if this person follows through and attempts to sue me -- seeing as though I am based overseas and this person will likely make the lawsuit in the USA?
I just want the original funds to be given back, in order to keep my organization in good standing with our local sponsors and donors. The person is endangering my organization's good name and reputation. I want this person to know that they cannot take advantage of a nonprofit organization like this. I'm seeking justice, and my venting on a social network about this injustice shouldn't be a cause for this person to sue me for defamation and damages amounting to everything I own, should it?
After multiple requests were made for the person to return the money, a notification was given that if they did not return the money to the rightful owners (my nonprofit's original donor of the funds), we would have no choice but to follow up with local authorities in my nonprofit's home country. I emphasized that this was not a threat, but simply a request to return the money to its rightful owner.
The subsequent reply included a photo snapshot of my status update on the social networking site, claiming libel & defamation of the person, and threatening a lawsuit; including several claims about back pay for any services that the person provided to my organization over the course of the partnership, transportation costs for trips to and from my organization's host country, any goods that had been donated from the person to my organization, any potential loss of wages or benefits that this libelous remark could bring about by damaging the person's reputation in the host country, and amounts for any potential gains that my organization could have acquired by using the person's name over the course of our partnership.
Firsty, can this be considered libel if I indirectly refer to the person on a social networking site, not intentionally aiming to do harm but only to express my disappointment and my belief that I was scammed?
Second of all, what is the procedure if this person follows through and attempts to sue me -- seeing as though I am based overseas and this person will likely make the lawsuit in the USA?
I just want the original funds to be given back, in order to keep my organization in good standing with our local sponsors and donors. The person is endangering my organization's good name and reputation. I want this person to know that they cannot take advantage of a nonprofit organization like this. I'm seeking justice, and my venting on a social network about this injustice shouldn't be a cause for this person to sue me for defamation and damages amounting to everything I own, should it?
