Distributor Claims Another Victory in Playboy Energy Drink Battle

CHICAGO — CirTran Corporation, the distributor of Playboy Energy drinks, claimed another victory in its battle with the entertainment giant, claiming a federal court in Illinois has reaffirmed an earlier decision to dismiss a complaint brought by Playboy Enterprises against Play Beverages, a partner of CirTran Beverages.

Playboy and CirTran have been in an ongoing legal battle over use of the Playboy trademark including the iconic rabbit head symbol.

CirTran maintained that beverage sales in 20 countries represents a large percentage of CirTran revenues and earlier this month said the Playboy-branded drink accounted for 98 percent of CirTran’s 2013-second quarter sales.

"This 'win' gives CirTran and PlayBev a 6-pack of victories in our legal battles with Playboy," Iehab J. Hawatmeh, managing partner of Play Beverages and founder, chairman and president of CirTran, said. "This result is very satisfying as we continue to grow our beverage distribution business with Playboy Energy as the flagship.”

But earlier this month, Playboy vowed to continue the fight despite a ruling last July by a Chicago judge that barred it from terminating its energy drink licensing agreement with CirTran.

Commenting on the latest development, Playboy told XBIZ, “Playboy intends to focus its efforts on the momentum that we have against Play Beverages and its principals in the pending, state-court action. The dismissal without prejudice of this federal action allows Playboy to do just that. It preserves Playboy’s full rights to get an injunction against PlayBev/CirTran and to re-file this federal action, if and when appropriate in the future."

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Former Backpage CEO Carl Ferrer Sentenced to 3 Years Probation, $40,000 Fine

Former Backpage.com CEO Carl Ferrer was sentenced in federal court today to three years' probation and a $40,000 restitution fine for a conspiracy conviction related to money laundering through the defunct website.

Honey Play Box, Planned Parenthood Arizona Partner for 'Just the Tip' Wellness Workshop

Honey Play Box and Planned Parenthood Arizona recently partnered for “Just the Tip: A Pleasure-Based Workshop.”

Playboy Wins $81 Million Judgment in Chinese Licensing Arbitration

Playboy, Inc. was awarded $81 million in damages yesterday by the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre in a licensing dispute with former partner New Handong Investment (Guangdong) Co., Ltd.

Je Joue Names Ian Kulp Head of Global Wholesale & Brand

Pleasure brand Je Joue has appointed Ian Kulp as its new head of global wholesale and brand.

GirlsDoPorn Owner Michael Pratt Sentenced to 27 Years

Michael Pratt, former owner of the website GirlsDoPorn, has been sentenced to 27 years in federal prison.

Sportsheets Releases New Training Video for 'Peaches 'n CreaMe' Collection

Sportsheets has released its latest training video, titled "Peaches ’n CreaMe," hosted by Brand Ambassador Rin Musick.

Full Circle Names Stefanie Neumann Sales Account Executive

Pleasure brand Full Circle has appointed Stefanie Neumann as its new sales account executive.

Pjur Sponsors Düsseldorf's Sex Now Exhibition

Pjur is sponsoring Sex Now Exhibition at NRW-Forum in Düsseldorf, running through May 3, 2026.

Angelface Baddies Debuts 'Daddies for Baddies' Line

Wellness brand Angelface Baddies has introduced its new Daddies for Baddies line of men's wellness products.

Aylo Fined $5 Million as FTC, Utah Settle Safety Practices Complaint

The Federal Trade Commission and the state of Utah on Wednesday settled a complaint against Aylo, requiring the company to pay a $5 million penalty and implement measures to prevent illegal content from appearing on its sites.

Show More