Ellington v. Oak View Group, LLC

── Ellington v. Oak View Group, LLC ── Court: Superior Court of Delaware Date: April 29, 2026 Category: General IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE Christopher Ellington, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) v. ) C.A. No: S25C-07-014 MHC ) Oak View Group, LLC, Mike Boris, ) Peter Gardner and Kyle Langser, ) ) Defendant. ) ) OPINION AND ORDER Submitted: February 20, 2026 Decided: April 29, 2026 Upon Consideration of Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss, GRANTED IN PART, DENIED IN PART. Rochelle Gumapac, Esquire and Sean A. Elman, Esquire, White & Williams, LLP, Wilmington, Delaware. Michael C. Heyden, Jr., Esquire, and Joseph E. Brenner, Esquire, Gordon, Rees, Scully, Mansukani, LLP, Attorneys for the Defendant Christopher Ellington, Pro Se CONNER, J.  PROCEDURAL POSTURE Christopher Ellington (“Plaintiff”) filed the Complaint on July 17, 2025. On September 22, 2025, Defendants filed a Motion for Extension of Time to file a response to the Complaint. Plaintiff filed a Motion for Default Judgment on September 30, 2025. The Court held a civil motion hearing on October 17, 2025, where the Court granted Defendants’ Motion to Extend Time and denied Plaintiff’s Motion for Default Judgment. On November 3, 2025, Plaintiff filed a Motion for Clarification regarding the denial of a default judgment against Defendants Kyle Langser and Peter Gardners (“Defendants”). The motion was denied on November 12, 2025. Defendants filed the instant Motion to Dismiss on November 16, 2025. On December 15, 2025, Plaintiff filed a Motion to Strike Defendant’s “Answer and Motion to Dismiss and Motion for Order for Rule to Show Cause” again arguing a default judgment should be ordered. The Court denied the motion on December 30, 2025, instructing the Plaintiff to respond directly to the Motion to Dismiss. Plaintiff filed his Answering Brief in opposition of the Motion to Dismiss on February 3, 2026. Defendants filed their Reply Brief in support of the Motion to Dismiss on February 20, 2026. 2  STATEMENT OF FACTS Plaintiff brings suit against Oak View Group, LLC, Mike Boris, individually and in his official capacity, Kyle Langsner, individually and in his official capacity, and Peter Gardner, individually and in his official capacity. The civil action is for defamation, extortion and coercion, tortious interference with prospective economic advantage, breach of employment contract and promissory estoppel, fraud and misrepresentation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress (“IIED”). Defendant Kyle Langsner and Defendant Peter Gardner (“Defendants”) bring the instant Motion to Dismiss. Plaintiff brings a defamation claim against both Defendants. Plaintiff also brings an extortion and coercion claim, a tortious interference with prospective economic advantage claim, a fraud and misrepresentation claim, and an IIED claim against Defendant Langsner. Defendants seek to dismiss all claims against them. Plaintiff was recruited by Oak View Group in August of 2024 to work as the Executive Chef of the Heritage Shores Resort in Bridgeville, Delaware.1 Defendant Mike Boris was the Vice President of Oak View Group. Defendant Langsner was the general manager at Heritage Shores. Defendant Gardner was the property 1 Compl., D.I. 1, at 2. 3 manager for Kemper Sports. In summer of 2025, the management of Heritage Shores Resort changed from Oak View Group to Kemper Sports.2 Plaintiff seeks damages for alleg