Court Orders Singer Omer Adam's Company to Pay $250,000 in Eyewear Dispute

A Tel Aviv District Court has settled a complex legal dispute involving the international eyewear brand VERSO, singer Omer Adam's company, and the Opticana chain, ordering Adam's company to pay approximately $250,000 (866,000 shekels) in damages. The ruling, reached through arbitration, concluded three mutual lawsuits that collectively sought around $10.5 million (35 million shekels).

In the final judgment, Opticana was ordered to pay VERSO about $620,000 (2.1 million shekels), while VERSO and David Amar were ordered to pay Opticana approximately $850,000 (2.9 million shekels). Additionally, VERSO and David Amar were ordered to pay Omer Adam's company, P.AI, $250,000.

The legal battle began in 2020 when VERSO America and VERSO Israel sued Opticana and P.AI. VERSO claimed it owned the VERSO brand, with VERSO Israel holding distribution rights. The brand was developed by the Amar family, with Jackie Amar and his son David Amar being key figures. David Amar reportedly met Omer Adam in 2016, and by 2018, discussions began about launching VERSO in Israel with Adam as a partner, sharing profits equally. An agreement was signed in November 2018, making Adam the brand's spokesperson in exchange for half the profits, though not granting him ownership rights.

VERSO accused Opticana of infringing on the trademark and damaging the brand by producing unauthorized products, including a "summer collection" in July 2020, leading to a claim of $4 million (13.6 million shekels). Opticana countered, alleging the initial partnership with P.AI and VERSO failed due to a lack of infrastructure and defective inventory. Opticana claimed it invested millions in advertising and collaborated with Adam, but faced issues with product quality and customer complaints. They asserted that a tripartite agreement was negotiated, where Opticana would acquire one-third of the brand's rights in Israel, but VERSO failed to sign it, leading Opticana to sue for $4 million (13.8 million shekels).

Omer Adam's company, P.AI, also sued VERSO and David Amar for $2.3 million (7.9 million shekels), alleging misrepresentation that harmed Adam's reputation due to product issues. The court found all claims partially valid, noting the significant difference between amounts claimed and awarded. Given the arbitration settlement, each party will bear its own legal costs. The judge also paid tribute to the late Adv. Eran Prezanti, who represented Opticana.