Fishback faces $1.3 Million court order, draws criticism for posting Donalds’ phone number
James Fishback is running to become the next governor of Florida in the 2026 GOP Primary. Nov. 26, 2025 (Photo/Fishback for Governor)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback was
ordered by a federal judge Tuesday to pay more than $1.3 million in attorneys’ fees and costs to his former employer after admitting to repeatedly misappropriating the hedge fund’s confidential information.
U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer in the Southern District of New York awarded Greenlight Capital, Inc. and DME Capital Management $1,198,464.02 in fees and $120,052.01 in costs, a total exceeding $1.3 million, after Fishback stipulated to liability for more than 60 violations of his employment agreement while working as a research analyst from 2021 to 2023.
The ruling marks the latest legal and financial setback for Fishback, whose campaign for governor has faced legal disputes, unpaid judgments and scrutiny over his conduct.. Fishback, who trails significantly in polls against frontrunners like Trump-endorsed Byron Donalds, has dismissed the long-running dispute as “lawfare” orchestrated by a “Soros-aligned billionaire,” but court records show he admitted to the core misconduct.
Greenlight had sought roughly $1.75 million in fees and $120,000 in costs. Fishback agreed he owed reasonable fees but argued the amount was excessive. Judge Engelmayer rejected much of that pushback, finding the reduced award appropriate as the only remaining issue in the case.
The order comes after Fishback previously consented to a permanent injunction barring future misuse of Greenlight’s information. Court filings detailed how the candidate took and misused confidential materials, including reports and data, in violation of his agreement.
Fishback’s legal and financial challenges extend beyond New York. He faces separate judgments in Florida over unpaid notes and has been ordered in other proceedings to turn over luxury items and company stock to satisfy debts to Greenlight. His attorneys have even sought to withdraw from representing him, citing hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid bills.
The candidate launched his bid last November touting affordability and visa reforms, but his campaign has
raised relatively little money and
drawn scrutiny over
allegations of using fake accounts to boost online engagement. Florida GOP leaders recently
rescinded an invitation for him to appear at the Sunshine State Showdown summit.
On Tuesday, Fishback
posted what he identified as U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds’ personal cell phone number on X and urged supporters to contact him regarding a debate. The post drew
criticism from some political observers and supporters of Donalds, who argued that publishing a personal phone number was inappropriate.
Fishback’s campaign has characterized the Greenlight litigation as politically motivated. Court records show Fishback stipulated to liability for dozens of violations of his employment agreement, and Tuesday’s order requires him to pay more than $1.3 million in fees and costs.
The development comes as Fishback seeks support in a crowded Republican primary field for governor.
