ODESSA, TX — Wallace Dunn, a businessman from Odessa, Texas, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Matthew Coday, president of the Oil & Gas Workers Association (OGWA), according to a press release from Dunn and his legal team.

The lawsuit, filed by the Dhillon Law Group on behalf of Dunn, alleges that Coday and the OGWA made false allegations against Dunn, causing significant harm to his personal and professional reputation. The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $250,000 per defendant.

Dunn said the allegations had caused him significant emotional distress and affected both his standing in the community and his personal life.

“The false allegations against me by Coday and OGWA have been extremely disturbing both personally and professionally – and they are all the more bizarre because I myself work in the oil and gas industry,” Dunn said. “For years, I have served my community with transparency and integrity, and the defendant’s conduct has not only damaged my reputation, but has caused tremendous emotional distress to me and my family. I feel compelled to take legal action not only to clear my name, but to send a message – that people cannot engage in such malicious conduct without facing consequences. This lawsuit is about restoring the truth and protecting my reputation.”

Karin Sweigart, Dunn’s legal counsel, said Coday made his statements with the intent to harm and disrupt Dunn’s life and damage his reputation.

“Mr Dunn has been deeply hurt by Mr Coday’s statements. These are not only false, but also appear to have been made with the intent to harm him,” she said. “The damage caused by defamation goes far beyond professional reputation. It destroys livelihoods, causes personal suffering and casts a long shadow over an individual’s life. We are committed to ensuring that those responsible are held to account and that Mr Dunn’s reputation is restored.”

The aim of the legal action is to restore Dunn’s reputation and ensure that those responsible face consequences for their behavior.

“The public accusations made by Mr. Coday and OGWA against Mr. Dunn, who dedicated his life to his community, have caused significant distress and tarnished years of hard-earned respect,” Sweigart said. “This lawsuit is about holding Mr. Coday and OGWA accountable for their actions and ensuring that justice is served.”

The Dhillon Law Group has made the complaint available for public review on its website.