The WWE puts Jakks in a full nelson

Malibu, California-based toyco Jakks Pacific isn't down for the count, but one of its key licensing agreements may be. Citing 14 counts of violations that include racketeering, commercial bribery and fraud allegedly committed in and around its toy and video game licenses, World Wrestling Entertainment slapped Jakks, its three principals (chairman and CEO Jack Friedman, president and COO Stephen Berman and CFO and executive VP Joel Bennett), video gameco THQ, the Jakks/THQ joint-venture, WWE's former licensing exec James Bell and agent Stanley Shenker with a lawsuit in mid-October. WWE is seeking treble damages, restitution of profits for an unspecified amount and, most importantly, dissolution of both the video game license forged in 1998 and the amendments made to the toy license that same year.