BUFFALO, N.Y., Oct. 18 (UPI) -- Facebook says it wants the New York man suing for a 50 percent stake in the online social networking giant ordered back to New York to face sanctions.
Lawyers for Facebook allege Paul Ceglia of Wellsville, who claims he entitled to half of the $50 billion Internet company, is hiding in Ireland to avoid court-ordered sanctions against him, the Buffalo (N.Y.) News reported Tuesday.
"Ceglia himself has fled to Ireland where from his apparent hideout, he is now directing his lawyers to defy orders of a federal court," a lawyer for Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said in court papers.
Ceglia had initially refusal to comply with an order by U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie G. Foschio to release his personal e-mail account information.
Facebook says it wants access to the accounts to attempt to disprove Ceglia's claims that when he hired Zuckerberg in 2003 for another project he also gave him money to start Facebook.
Ceglia's lawsuit claims he and Zuckerberg entered into a contract at that time that now gives Ceglia a 50 percent interest in Facebook.
Facebook has accused Ceglia of using "a fraudulent contract and fabricated e-mails" as the basis for his lawsuit.
