Court orders BitBoy to pay damages over viral allegations against Kevin O’Leary

Armstrong had previously published O’Leary’s private phone number and urged followers to harass him as an alleged murderer.

A federal judge in the United States has ordered crypto influencer Ben Armstrong, formerly known as “BitBoy,” to pay $2.8 million after he failed to defend himself in a defamation lawsuit filed by investor and television personality Kevin O’Leary.

According to court documents, U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom of the Southern District of Florida entered the default judgment on Thursday, citing Armstrong’s lack of any response during the proceedings. The damages include approximately $78,000 for reputational damage, $750,000 for emotional distress and $2 million in punitive damages.

Background to the case

The case stems from a series of posts Armstrong published on

Two people were killed when one boat struck another on a lake, but O’Leary was only a passenger and was never charged. His wife Linda O’Leary, on the other hand, was later acquitted of careless operation of a ship after a thirteen-day trial. Armstrong made O’Leary’s private phone number public and urged his followers to contact him as a “real killer.” These messages led to a temporary suspension of the platform.

In January 2026, Armstrong decided to overturn the default judgment. He said incarceration and mental health issues prevented his involvement, while sealed records pointed to a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. The court denied the request, noting that Armstrong was properly served and waited nearly a year before taking action.

Legal problems

The ruling further expands the list of legal issues facing Armstrong, who has been arrested repeatedly since 2023. He was taken into custody in March 2025 on a fugitive warrant related to alleged threats to a judge in Georgia, and was rearrested in June 2025 on multiple charges of harassing phone calls.

Armstrong was removed from the BitBoy Crypto brand in August 2023 after the parent company cited substance abuse concerns, ending his career as one of the most visible figures in crypto media.

His career was repeatedly overshadowed by controversies, including the admission of paid promotions for failed or fraudulent projects and a high-profile legal dispute with YouTuber Atozy that he ultimately left after a backlash from the crypto community.