In a recent legal development involving Richard Hall and Lukasz Juraszek versus Rainberry Inc., it has been revealed that Justin Sun’s attempt to leverage diplomatic immunity in relation to his actions within BitTorrent was unsuccessful.
Despite assertions from Sun’s legal team regarding his ambassadorial roles, it appears that diplomatic immunity did not shield him from liability. While Sun did hold the title of Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Grenada to the World Trade Organization, his immunity was limited to specific contexts, particularly when on official missions in Switzerland.
Documentation confirms Sun’s diplomatic status for Grenada, including his role as Ambassador for Science and Emerging Technology for Grenada’s Mission to the United Nations. However, according to Shirin Yaseen from the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, this immunity is not retroactive and applies strictly to official functions.
It’s noteworthy that Sun’s claim of diplomatic immunity surfaced in March 2022, shortly before his ambassadorships were terminated. Despite this, his legal team persisted in asserting his immunity until May 2023, raising questions about the efficacy of such claims.
Sun’s attempt to establish a diplomatic sanctuary to evade legal repercussions appears to have faltered. Grenada’s political shifts and the narrow scope of the titles and immunities Sun acquired rendered his strategy ineffective.
In the civil case against Sun and Rainberry, the arbitrator’s decision was unequivocal. He stated that;
“It is evident that Sun’s refusal to appear at deposition, in violation of the Arbitrator’s order are willful – they are knowing and intentional. Sun’s refusal to appear involves a violation fundamental to the case; despite his prior conduct acknowledging that his deposition was appropriate he refuses to be deposed at all.“
With his legal troubles behind him, Sun now focuses on international travel, marketing TRON, and managing his cryptocurrency exchanges. However, his days of diplomatic maneuvering and courtroom battles seem to be a thing of the past.