Oracle Corporation has initiated legal action against Crypto Oracle LLC and its owner, Louis Kerner, in a California federal court, alleging violations of trademark rights and a prior settlement agreement.

The lawsuit, filed on Nov. 25, accuses the defendants of “egregiously and flagrantly” disregarding a court-issued injunction from a previous case.

The ongoing dispute traces back to 2019 when Oracle first sued the crypto startup for using its trademark in the brand name “CryptoOracle.” The software giant claimed this branding misled consumers and infringed upon Oracle’s established trademark, particularly among its customer base in the tech sector.

In 2020, the two parties reached a confidential settlement, which included a permanent injunction barring Crypto Oracle from utilizing the “CryptoOracle” name or any similar variations.

However, Oracle has now claimed that the defendants have resumed using the infringing name and have expanded their operations under the “CryptoOracle Collective” brand.

The current lawsuit alleges multiple violations, including trademark infringement, unfair competition, and breach of the previous settlement agreement. Oracle is seeking a range of legal remedies including monetary damages, statutory penalties, and the removal of infringing domain names.

The legal landscape surrounding trademarks in the cryptocurrency sector has seen multiple notable cases in recent years. For example, in early 2023, NanoLabs filed a lawsuit against Coinbase over trademark infringement related to its futures contracts.

Similarly, in 2022, the Dfinity Foundation, which supports the Internet Computer blockchain, sued Meta Platforms for alleged trademark violations involving its infinity logo.