Jonathan Lee Riches Files 10-Count Lawsuit Against Former Girlfriend in Arkansas

The 27-page complaint accuses Jaime Phillips of defamation, unauthorized email access, and retaining more than $36,000 in disputed funds, while also making allegations involving online commentator Nerdy.

GARLAND COUNTY, Ark. — Jonathan Lee Riches, the controversial online personality behind the YouTube channel JLR Investigates, filed a 10-count civil lawsuit against his former girlfriend, Jaime T. Phillips, in Garland County Circuit Court on November 13, 2026.

The lawsuit, assigned case number 26CV-26-2396, alleges that Phillips made false accusations of domestic violence, accessed Riches’ private Google account without authorization, retained earnings from his X account, and withdrew $30,000 from a jointly held bank account.

Riches, who is representing himself, is seeking monetary damages and other relief.

The complaint follows the couple’s separation on December 24, 2025, and references a previously entered agreed court order between the parties.

Domestic Violence Allegations at the Center of the Dispute

A substantial portion of the lawsuit focuses on allegations arising from a Christmas Eve 2025 incident at an inn in Leavenworth, Washington.

Phillips previously accused Riches of physically assaulting her during the trip, allegations that later became the subject of a March 20 article in the New York Post.

In his complaint, Riches denies striking Phillips, breaking her nose, strangling her, or holding her against her will.

He challenges her account by referencing photographs, recorded emergency calls, and what he describes as inconsistencies between her initial statements and later descriptions of her injuries.

Riches alleges that a photograph taken approximately seven hours after the incident showed only a small red mark, while more extensive bruising appeared later.

However, the absence of extensive visible bruising in an earlier photograph does not necessarily establish that an assault did not occur. Bruising can develop over time, and the complaint’s account of the evidence has not been independently verified.

The lawsuit also disputes allegations Phillips made concerning a separate incident in Pasco County, Florida, in September 2025.

Riches denies those accusations and cites a deputy’s observations concerning an alleged facial scar and the absence of medical documentation confirming the reported injuries.

Those observations do not, by themselves, establish that Phillips’ allegations were false.

Riches Accuses Phillips of Accessing His Google Account More Than 740 Times

Among the more significant allegations is Riches’ claim that Phillips accessed his private Google account without authorization following their separation.

According to the complaint, Google Takeout records allegedly identify more than 740 access events associated with a Motorola moto g stylus 5G device between December 27, 2025, and August 8, 2026.

Riches claims the device was located in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where Phillips resides.

He further alleges that Phillips added her telephone number to his account, accessed private correspondence, and obtained information involving his attorneys and financial transactions.

The complaint also claims that information from the account was subsequently disclosed to third parties.

However, the filing does not establish that each recorded access event represented a separate intentional login, nor does it independently demonstrate who was operating the device during those events.

Those questions would likely require the underlying account records and additional evidence.

Lawsuit Names Nerdy in Allegations About Leaked Information

Although Riches names only Phillips as a defendant, the complaint repeatedly references online commentator Ali Eslami, known publicly as Nerdy Addict.

In paragraphs 62 through 66, Riches alleges that Eslami published information about private financial transactions, travel arrangements, correspondence, and a rental property.

Riches claims Eslami could not have obtained certain information through any source other than his Google account.

However, the complaint does not provide evidence establishing that Eslami accessed the account or that Phillips supplied him with the information.

One allegation involves an email Riches sent to an attorney representing Eva Freeth’s husband.

The complaint acknowledges that Eslami publicly offered an alternative explanation for how the email circulated, saying it had been provided through the recipient’s side of the correspondence.

Riches disputes that explanation and alleges Phillips obtained the email through his sent folder, but states that he intends to establish how the information was obtained during discovery.

The distinction is significant. The publication of information that also exists in someone’s email account does not, by itself, demonstrate that the information was obtained through unauthorized access.

Neither Eslami nor Freeth is named as a defendant in the action.

More Than $36,000 in Disputed Funds

The complaint also raises two separate financial disputes.

Riches alleges that Phillips continued receiving revenue generated through his X account after the relationship ended because her Stripe payment account remained connected to his creator monetization profile.

He claims more than $6,000 in earnings were deposited into her account over approximately seven months.

Separately, Riches alleges that Phillips withdrew $30,000 from a bank account held jointly by the couple.

Although he acknowledges that Phillips was a named account holder, he maintains that the funds belonged exclusively to him and that Phillips was compensated through a separate $3,000 monthly salary.

The legal dispute could turn on the parties’ financial arrangements, account records, and their intentions regarding ownership of the money.

Being a joint account holder can establish withdrawal authority without necessarily resolving who ultimately owns the funds as between the account holders.

Defamation Claims Target News Coverage, X Posts, and Police Statements

Riches brings multiple defamation claims based on Phillips’ alleged statements to the New York Post, two X posts published in August and September 2026, and statements made to a Pasco County sheriff’s deputy.

He argues that the statements falsely portrayed him as a violent domestic abuser and damaged his reputation and online business.

The two X posts did not explicitly name Riches in the quoted passages. His complaint argues that readers would nevertheless understand the posts to refer to him because of the couple’s publicly documented dispute.

The claims involving statements to law enforcement could present additional legal challenges, including whether those communications are protected by a legal privilege.

A court would also need to examine the applicable law, the context of the statements, their factual accuracy, and the evidence supporting any claimed reputational damage.

Lawsuit Raises Questions About Evidence and Verification

The complaint contains detailed allegations, references to social media publications, and descriptions of evidence Riches says supports his claims.

But filing a complaint is not the same as proving its allegations.

Several assertions depend on conclusions about what other people knew, how information was obtained, or what photographs establish about alleged injuries.

Those matters could become disputed issues if the case proceeds to discovery.

The filing also includes a verification section invoking Arkansas law, with a notarial section that appears incomplete in the uploaded copy. Whether that presents a legally significant procedural defect would depend on the applicable requirements and the official court record.