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Lawsuit against EDC promoter Pasquale Rotella dismissed

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Holly Madison and Pasquale Rotella pose for photos in front of the Ferris wheel where he asked for her hand in marriage during the 17th annual Electric Daisy Carnival at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, June 23, 2013.
Photo: Denise Truscello/WireImage/DeniseTruscello.net

Claims made the by Los Angeles Coliseum in a civil suit against Electric Daisy Carnival founder Pasquale Rotella have been officially dismissed by Los Angeles Superior Court, EDC promoter Insomniac Events announced Friday.

The claims date back to a 2011 suit accusing Rotella and another promoter of participating in a multimillion-dollar kickback scheme with LA Coliseum officials while Electric Daisy Carnival was hosted at the venue. They were initially thrown out by a judge in July, with leave for the Coliseum to amend its complaint.

Amending the claim appears to have failed, as a statement on behalf of Insomaniac and CEO Rotella was issued by the company's attorney, Gary Jay Kaufman:

“We have maintained from day one that the Coliseum’s meritless lawsuit was ill-conceived, politically motivated and publicity driven. We are very pleased that the Court recognized that Insomniac and Mr. Rotella’s business with the Coliseum was lawful and transparent.

With this civil suit behind them, Insomniac can now focus on doing what they do best—putting on the world’s greatest electronic dance music festivals.”

Nonetheless, Rotella may not be out of the woods yet, as criminal charges against Rotella for allegedly diverting $2.5 million in funds from the LA Coliseum into the pockets of city officials still stand. If convicted, Rotella faces nearly 14 years in prison. A hearing on arguments to dismiss those charges was scheduled for September 18.

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