Legal options in the adult design biz

[potter]

I'm looking for some help here and need some suggestions as to my options. I'm entirely uncertain as to what to do here.

Just to fill in some background history. As most all of you know. I've for years now had close connections with Jon (bodsforthemods). I was for a long time his personal designer. I not only did numerous designs for his top website bodsforthemods, but dozens of other projects of his including design, scripting, and general grind work. I thought we had built a good working relationship and could be considered friends. This however all changed as Jon slowly began to push more and more work from me, without payment. At first I just thought it was a series of unfortunate events, and he was taking on too many projects for his own good. However, with the latest event I'm beginning to wonder what his motives were all along.

The first mishaps, Vegas Internext & him flying me out to TX. For Internext we had plans to get a room together, he had assured me if I made the reservations he would compensate. He ended up backing out, but luckily m@ stayed with me and although the cost on my end was higher it didn't totally break my bank. He also flew me out to TX, a networking business trip on his dollar. However, he had asked me to purchase the plane ticket. Only to say "it was too expensive" once I got back and he didn't cover the full amount. As you can see, both occasions could be chalked up to mis fortunate events which weren't really his fault. I put both occasions behind me and didn't think twice of them. I continued my friendship with Jon.

The first two times I was actually ripped off were for web designs. One, was for a redesign in which at the completion of the design. Jon decided he wanted to split the amount due into three payments, once a month. The first came right away, with the second coming only after relentless reminding. I've still yet to see the third. Another was for a design of a new website, in which Jon wanted to pay me with traffic and partnership instead of a dollar amount. That payment was never made and was continually put off due to a "busy schedule". This was the beginning of the end. The point I realize now, Jon ended his friendship with me and used me for continuous work without pay. Also, the start of his non specific payment options - which he would never follow through with.

Two more projects were started. One, his infamous SFW project. In which I created three different designs, modded some scripts, and implemented a design. Throughout this project, Jon wold continually promise riches like I'd never seen. He'd boast his research and contacts had provided him with stats that make money like no adult site. That once launched we' be living the good life. All of this sounded terrific. However I was more focused on the $1,700 dollar ad deal he had already negotiated and which would be paid out upon the site' launch. This was a deal that was agreed upon, and already secured - according to Jon. In which I would receive 50% of the deal, and 50% of the income from there on out. The site launched, and I never heard another word of it. Jon would not discuss the website with me again, and would continue to say he was busy, or change the subject to talk about new projects. The second was BodsBabes, a website many of you know of. Jon began to talk about the riches which could be had if we built a paysite. Dragging me into the idea I would be driving a Lamborghini within 6 months. Again boasting his contacts, and stats that would make us rich. I built an entire paysite for Jon. I did two tours, two member section designs. I built the entire inside of the site, including the update and content system. Along with an entire affiliate site with scripting and content management. The site launched, and did not bring in any of the traffic and sales Jon had promised. His then characteristic blame game began and he dropped all focus on the website. To which it sank in the toilet, to never see another penny again. My cut of the sales equaled out to roughly two hundred dollars. Two hundred dollars for building an entire paysite, tour - members- affiliate prog.

This was what I thought to be the last straw. My friendship with Jon was almost faded into nothing, and we barely ever spoke more than a sentence to each other in month's time. This all changed when almost 6-8 months had passed and I was contacted again for one more project. THE project. A project that looked to have serious promise, and what I thought would be Jon's final and outstanding attempt to make things right with me.

BrittanysBod. You've all seen her, she's hot. A true original face and personality which is worth alot in this industry. One last project, that looked to finally be worth something. I was hesitant because of the history. However I didn't think there was anyway this one could go wrong. I was commissioned by Jon to design and build for the site. I designed two tours, the member's area, and again scripted and implemented alot of the various components of the site. The deal was real simple. I was to design, help out with occasional grind work where needed for a simple 10% cut of the site's earnings. The deal was INSTANTLY suspect as once the site had gone live (and fro viewing the states, earning ALOT of money), Jon began to push the payment back.

• week 1; First, it was because he wanted to wait till after the first week
• week 2; Then it was because he had talked with hi financial advisor, and instead of using ccbill's system to cut the payments he would sort of incorporate himself and pay us through his buisness.
• week 3; I was to wait 1-2 months. Because the revenue was being used to create more content and pay the photog/model. He wanted to build as much content as fast as possible. Then, once the site was making a "profit". My payment would be made.
• month 2; No revenue is being made, not enough to for me to be payed. I need to stop my bitching because all the investors have not been payed either. I'm told to wait 2 more months, payemtn will be FOR SURE made to me end oct/early nov.
• month 4-6. Jon is no longer in contact with me. None of my messages are replied to, or they're one line replies made once I've gone idle. I no longer keep up my work, and finally stop working for free on the website. (All I was supposed to be doing was to pretend to be britt on the forums). Jon has also stopped updating the site properly at this point, and everything is going to shit. I've decided I'm done, and just want my money for the designs (and not the original 10% agreed upon).
• month 7; Jon contacts me, and states he's in town. Wants to meet up for dinner and discuss my payment. We meet, he blames the whole shit storm and downfall of the website on Steve. I'm told changes will be made, and payment will be made to me Jan 1st. I'm thrilled, he came to see me in person, and seems truthful.
• month 8; Payment is pushed back a week. After that week, Jon states he is working on a deal to sell the website. He's in negotiations with panchodog and I will be paid once th deal is to go through the following week. I'm contacted far past this deals end date, to state Jon realized the bodsbucks.com domain is owned by me - he gives me a po box on the border of mexico to transfer the domain to. This is Thursday, he says the panchodog deal is done early next week. I reply to Jon saying I want the contact info of this person the domain is being sent to, so I can contact and speak with to verify details (and for my own content to lower my suspicions). One week goes by, nothing. I message Jon to ask if he's gotten me the contact info, and to inquire how much this deal is for and what I'm to be paid. He responds with "nothing if the domain isn't transfered" and does not respond to anything else I say. Another week an a half go by with no word from Jon.
• month 9; Today Feb 4th (my birthday! happy bday to me ). I message Jon to ask what's going on, and I receive a reply "nothing, i asked you to do one simple thing and you didn't" I explain I'm not going to take this shit anymore and want the money that is owed to me. Jon simply states I'm not going to be paid, and to "bring it".

Now. I ask all of you for advice. My plan is to go seek the advice of my lawyer later this week. I'd like to know what actions can be taken against Jon for the unpaid work I've done for him. I'd roughly like to get $2,500 for my work on bodsbabes. However, the back owed money from previous projects could bring that number into the $5-8k range. From what I understand he's severed almost all of his online connections, and not paid other investors for this project. Which would bring the totals unpaid into a very high range. I'm just wondering if this is something I should actually try to go through with on my own, with my own lawyer. I doubt there is any possibility of an entire group suing, but there are plenty of character witnesses along with logs of our aim convos for the past 2+ years.

What do you guys suggest?