Bridgewater Associates, LP v. Shaoshan le
Claim Number: FA2204001994068
Complainant is Bridgewater Associates, LP ("Complainant"), represented by Eric J. Shimanoff of Cowan, Liebowitz & Latman, P.C., New York, USA. Respondent is Shaoshan le ("Respondent"), Philippines.
REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAME
The domain name at issue is <bwqter.com>, registered with Dynadot, LLC.
The undersigned certifies that he has acted independently and impartially and to the best of his knowledge has no known conflict in serving as Panelist in this proceeding.
David E. Sorkin as Panelist.
Complainant submitted a Complaint to the Forum electronically on April 27, 2022; the Forum received payment on April 27, 2022.
On April 28, 2022, Dynadot, LLC confirmed by email to the Forum that the <bwqter.com> domain name is registered with Dynadot, LLC and that Respondent is the current registrant of the name. Dynadot, LLC has verified that Respondent is bound by the Dynadot, LLC registration agreement and has thereby agreed to resolve domain disputes brought by third parties in accordance with ICANN's Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Policy").
On April 28, 2022, the Forum served the Complaint and all Annexes, including a Written Notice of the Complaint, setting a deadline of May 18, 2022 by which Respondent could file a Response to the Complaint, via email to all entities and persons listed on Respondent's registration as technical, administrative, and billing contacts, and to postmaster@bwqter.com. Also on April 28, 2022, the Written Notice of the Complaint, notifying Respondent of the email addresses served and the deadline for a Response, was transmitted to Respondent via post and fax, to all entities and persons listed on Respondent's registration as technical, administrative, and billing contacts.
Having received no response from Respondent, the Forum transmitted to the parties a Notification of Respondent Default.
On May 24, 2022, pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, the Forum appointed David E. Sorkin as Panelist.
Having reviewed the communications records, the Administrative Panel (the "Panel") finds that the Forum has discharged its responsibility under Paragraph 2(a) of the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Rules") "to employ reasonably available means calculated to achieve actual notice to Respondent" through submission of Electronic and Written Notices, as defined in Rule 1 and Rule 2. Therefore, the Panel may issue its decision based on the documents submitted and in accordance with the ICANN Policy, ICANN Rules, the Forum's Supplemental Rules, and any rules and principles of law that the Panel deems applicable, without the benefit of any response from Respondent.
Complainant requests that the domain name be transferred from Respondent to Complainant.
A. Complainant
Complainant is a private equity investment firm that manages hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of global investments. For approximately four decades, Complainant has used names and marks containing or comprising BRIDGEWATER to identify itself and its services. Complainant owns and uses the domain name <bwater.com> for email and other purposes. Complainant owns trademark registrations worldwide for BRIDGEWATER and related marks, and owns a Benelux registration for BWATER; Complainant also asserts common law rights in the BWATER mark based on long-term and widespread use.
Respondent is the registrant of the disputed domain name <bwqter.com>, registered in April 2022. The domain name is being used for a website entitled "dxj.bar" that is composed of pornographic content. Complainant states that Respondent is not commonly known by the disputed domain name, is not a licensee of Complainant, and is not authorized to use Complainant's marks.
Complainant contends on the above grounds that the disputed domain name <bwqter.com> is confusingly similar to its BRIDGEWATER and BWATER marks; that Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name; and that the disputed domain name was registered and is being used in bad faith.
B. Respondent
Respondent failed to submit a Response in this proceeding.
The Panel finds that the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to a mark in which Complainant has rights; that Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in respect of the disputed domain name; and that the disputed domain name was registered and is being used in bad faith.
Paragraph 15(a) of the Rules instructs this Panel to "decide a complaint on the basis of the statements and documents submitted in accordance with the Policy, these Rules and any rules and principles of law that it deems applicable."
Paragraph 4(a) of the Policy requires that Complainant must prove each of the following three elements to obtain an order that a domain name should be cancelled or transferred:
(1) the domain name registered by Respondent is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which Complainant has rights; and
(2) Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name; and
(3) the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.
In view of Respondent's failure to submit a response, the Panel shall decide this administrative proceeding on the basis of Complainant's undisputed representations pursuant to paragraphs 5(f), 14(a), and 15(a) of the Rules and draw such inferences it considers appropriate pursuant to paragraph 14(b) of the Rules. The Panel is entitled to accept all reasonable allegations set forth in a complaint; however, the Panel may deny relief where a complaint contains mere conclusory or unsubstantiated arguments. See WIPO Overview of WIPO Panel Views on Selected UDRP Questions, § 4.3 (3d ed. 2017), available at http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/search/overview3.0/; see also eGalaxy Multimedia Inc. v. ON HOLD By Owner Ready To Expire, FA 157287 (Forum June 26, 2003) (dismissing complaint where complainant failed to "produce clear evidence to support its subjective allegations").
The disputed domain name <bwqter.com> incorporates Complainant's registered BWATER trademark, substituting a letter "Q" for the "A" and adding the ".com" top-level domain. These alterations do not substantially diminish the similarity between the domain name and Complainant's mark. See, e.g., Bridgewater Associates, LP v. Private Registration, FA 1650226 (Forum Jan. 18, 2016) (finding <bwater.site> identical or confusingly similar to BWATER); Amazon.com, Inc. v. DomainSource.com, Inc., FA 741767 (Forum Aug. 17, 2006) (finding <amqzon.com> confusingly similar to AMAZON). The Panel considers the disputed domain name to be confusingly similar to a mark in which Complainant has rights.
Under the Policy, the Complainant must first make a prima facie case that the Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the disputed domain name, and then the burden shifts to the Respondent to come forward with concrete evidence of such rights or legitimate interests. See Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. v. Entertainment Commentaries, FA 741828 (Forum Aug. 18, 2006).
The disputed domain name corresponds to a misspelling of Complainant's registered mark, and it is being used to attract users to an apparently commercial website composed of sexually explicit content. Such use does not give rise to rights or legitimate interests under the Policy. See, e.g., Lockheed Martin Corp. v. Liu yu / wangluochuanmei, FA 1973719 (Forum Jan. 4, 2022) (finding lack of rights or interests in similar circumstances); AccuWeather, Inc. v. Accuweathe.com, FA 95400 (Forum Sept. 13, 2000) (same).
Complainant has made a prima facie case that Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the domain name, and Respondent has failed to come forward with any evidence of such rights or interests. Accordingly, the Panel finds that Complainant has sustained its burden of proving that Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in respect of the disputed domain name.
Finally, Complainant must show that the disputed domain name was registered and is being used in bad faith. Under paragraph 4(b)(iv) of the Policy, bad faith may be shown by evidence that "by using the domain name, [Respondent] intentionally attempted to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to [Respondent's] web site or other on-line location, by creating a likelihood of confusion with the complainant's mark as to the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement of [Respondent's] web site or location or of a product or service on [Respondent's] web site or location."
Respondent registered a domain name corresponding to a misspelling of Complainant's mark, in a transparent instance of typosquatting, and is using the domain name to attract users to a sexually explicit website, presumably for Respondent's commercial gain. Such conduct is indicative of bad faith registration and use under the Policy. See, e.g., Lockheed Martin Corp. v. Liu yu / wangluochuanmei, supra (finding bad faith registration and use in similar circumstances); AccuWeather, Inc. v. Accuweathe.com, supra (same). The Panel so finds.
Having considered the three elements required under the ICANN Policy, the Panel concludes that relief shall be GRANTED.
Accordingly, it is Ordered that the <bwqter.com> domain name be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.
David E. Sorkin, Panelist
Dated: May 26, 2022
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