This week on Weird and Wacky Wednesdays: Sex Toy Legal Madness
Welcome to another edition of Weird and Wacky Wednesdays. The United States has no shortage of strange and ridiculous legal cases. This week’s selection focuses on sex toys. From a defamation case over a child’s toy to sports fans turning games into a spectacle to a multi-million dollar patent judgment, these stories show how bizarre the legal system can get.
Defamation Over a Kid’s Toy
In March 2025, a couple in Missouri filed a defamation lawsuit against a hotel in Branson. The case began when a hotel employee posted a photo of an object left in a room and claimed it was a sex toy. The post included profanity and named the father directly. The problem was that the item was not a sex toy at all. It was a dinosaur-shaped child’s leash belonging to the couple’s young daughter. The post went viral in a local Facebook group and the family says it caused reputational damage, workplace problems, and emotional distress for their child. They are seeking more than one million dollars in damages. The case is ongoing.
WNBA Courts Under Siege by Flying Sex Toys
From late July into August 2025, fans have been throwing bright green, phallic sex toys onto WNBA courts in several cities. The toys are tied to a cryptocurrency promotion called Green Dildo Coin. Games in Atlanta, Chicago, Phoenix, and New York have all been targeted. In New York, a toy thrown at a Liberty game struck a 12-year-old girl sitting courtside. In Phoenix, a man was arrested after a toy hit a man and his nine-year-old niece. In Georgia, another man was charged after throwing one during a game. The offenders say it was a prank inspired by social media, but police and the league see it differently. The WNBA has imposed a no-bag policy, increased security checks, and announced that anyone who does this will face ejection, at least a one-year ban, and possible criminal prosecution. Coaches and players have condemned the incidents, calling them unsafe and disrespectful.
Patent Drama Over Sex-Tech Innovation
The third case involves a legal fight over patents in the sex-tech industry. German company Novoluto sued Oregon-based Lora DiCarlo, also known as Uccellini, claiming that its high-end vibrators copied Novoluto’s patented technology. The products at the center of the dispute included the Osé and Osé 2 devices. Novoluto alleged that Lora DiCarlo’s designs infringed on patents covering their unique suction and vibration mechanisms. Lora DiCarlo failed to respond to the lawsuit. In 2023, a U.S. federal judge awarded Novoluto a default judgment of 2.16 million dollars. The company also received a permanent injunction preventing further infringement. For a sector that markets itself as playful, the business side can be ruthlessly serious.
These stories show how varied legal disputes can be when sex toys are involved. A simple misunderstanding can turn into a million-dollar lawsuit. A sports promotion gone wrong can lead to arrests and league-wide security changes. A quiet patent infringement claim can end with a multi-million dollar payout. If nothing else, these cases prove that the courts are never short on unusual subject matter.
