Former Nikola founder Trevor Milton has withdrawn a lawsuit against FBI agent Christopher Essick and Nikola whistleblower Paul Lackey just 17 days after filing it.
On October 30, Milton’s attorneys filed a voluntary dismissal without prejudice in federal court in Utah, offering no explanation. The dismissal leaves open the possibility of refiling the claims later, according to Activ8Insights.
That same day, federal prosecutors requested that Essick’s personal contact information be sealed or redacted from court records, citing concerns about potential harassment, threats and his safety.
Milton had alleged that Essick and Lackey conspired to intimidate a potential defense witness ahead of his trial where he was found guilty of fraud.
Milton filed a complaint on October 13 in federal court in Utah against FBI Special Agent Christopher S. Essick and Nikola whistleblower Paul Lackey. The lawsuit alleged Essick secretly controlled two anonymous X accounts, @CntrlScrut1nizr and @lfxs1212, which posted negative commentary about Milton and Nikola, discussed betting against the company's stock and allegedly harassed former Nikola executive Jason Roycht.
Milton claims the online activity contributed to Roycht's decision not to meet with his defense attorneys before his trial.
Before an answer was filed, an investigation by Activ8Insights raised questions about key allegations in Milton's lawsuit, includ
