Ill Niño drummer Dave Chavarri and bassist Laz Pina, along with their wives, have taken legal action against former Ill Niño guitarist Marc Rizzo, his girlfriend Christine Samaroo and three unidentified individuals over allegations of an ongoing harassment campaign.
The filing details the timeline and nature of the alleged harassment campaign.
“In documents filed by Dave Chavarri, Laz Pina and their wives and shared publicly, they’ve applied for a temporary restraining order and temporary injunction in the 14th judicial district court in Dallas, Texas. They are seeking financial relief as well as a judgment on additional relief they are deemed entitled to as possibly granted by a court case.”
The filing describes how the alleged harassment began and who was reportedly involved.
“Within the filing, it’s alleged that beginning in or around 2022, a war of online harassment through social media and other modalities was conducted against the two musicians and their wives. Initially, the harassment was allegedly perpetrated against the wives through a series of online attacks using fake accounts to spread false rumors about their character. They claim it was Samaroo who would spy primarily on Chavarri’s wife and comment on anything she would post on socials.”
The filing also notes that Rizzo had previously addressed the situation directly with the two musicians. However, the alleged harassment reportedly continued afterward.
“According to the filing, Rizzo had apologized to Chavarri and Pina about Samaroo’s online behavior, but even after the apologies, the harassment continued. They now claim that Samaroo has engaged others to continue the campaign of intimidation and harassment.”
The dispute unfolds against the backdrop of Ill Niño’s long and storied history. This adds weight to the fractured relationships now playing out in court.
Chavarri founded the band back in May 1998 under the name El Niño. He later renamed it Ill Niño in 1999. Rizzo joined during the band’s early reshuffled lineup. He became part of a group whose debut album, Revolution Revolución, went on to sell more than 350,000 copies worldwide within its first two years. That early success helped cement Ill Niño’s place in the nu-metal and groove-metal scene. It added significance to the eventual falling-out between Chavarri, Pina and Rizzo among longtime fans of the band.
Since his departure from Ill Niño, Rizzo has kept busy across the metal world, most notably through his work with Soulfly and Cavalera Conspiracy. His résumé with those acts underscores his continued standing within the Latin and groove-metal community. His relationship with his former Ill Niño bandmates, meanwhile, has deteriorated into a legal battle.
Chavarri and Pina, meanwhile, have remained active within Ill Niño itself. They recently co-produced the band’s new single “Born To Suffer (Nacido Pa Sufrir),” which marked the group’s first new material featuring vocalist Tommy Roulette. The band is reportedly working on its eighth studio album. This signals that Ill Niño’s creative output continues even as this legal dispute plays out separately from the band’s day-to-day operations.
The case remains before the 14th judicial district court in Dallas, Texas. Further developments may follow as legal proceedings continue.
Source: Reported by: Loudwire
