Stelios and easyGroup Write Third Letter to Charity Commission Amid Easyfundraising Legal Dispute
Background
In August 2019, directors of the company backed a £139 million bid for the company despite opposition from founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou.
easyJet was born in 1995 followed by easyGroup in 1998.
Stelios maintains ownership of the easy brand through his private company easyGroup.
Through easyGroup, Stelios has licensed the name "easy" to over 100 businesses, including easyHotel, easyCar, and easyProperty.
The Dispute
In 2019, easyGroup filed a legal challenge against Easyfundraising, a charity fundraising platform, for allegedly infringing on the easyGroup trademark.
easyGroup claims that Easyfundraising's use of the "easy" name is misleading and damages the easyGroup brand.
Easyfundraising denies the allegations and says it has a right to use the "easy" name because it is a generic term.
The Charity Commission's Involvement
In December 2019, the Charity Commission opened a statutory inquiry into Easyfundraising.
The inquiry is looking into the charity's governance, financial management, and fundraising practices.
easyGroup has written three letters to the Charity Commission expressing its concerns about Easyfundraising.
In the most recent letter, easyGroup alleges that Easyfundraising has misrepresented its relationship with easyGroup and has used the easyGroup brand without permission.
The Impact on Easyfundraising
The Charity Commission's inquiry is a serious matter for Easyfundraising.
If the inquiry finds that Easyfundraising has breached any charity law or regulations, the charity could face sanctions, including being removed from the Charity Register.
easyGroup's legal challenge is also a major threat to Easyfundraising.
If easyGroup wins the case, Easyfundraising could be forced to change its name and rebrand its entire operation.
Conclusion
The dispute between easyGroup and Easyfundraising is a complex and ongoing legal battle.
The Charity Commission's inquiry is a serious matter for Easyfundraising, and the outcome of easyGroup's legal challenge could have a major impact on the charity's future.
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