Stephen Baldwin, the 44-year-old Hollywood actor and star of the cult movie 'The Usual Suspects' has filed a lawsuit against fellow actor Kevin Costner, claiming that he was tricked by 'The Untouchables' actor into selling shares in a potentially valuable company, reports Reuters. In the midst of recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, it was reported that Costner's company 'CINC' had developed a technology that could separate oil from water.
In the lawsuit filed in the Louisiana District Court on Wednesday (22nd December 2010), Baldwin alleges that he and a friend name Spyridon Contogouris were 'tricked' into selling shares of the company that marketed CINC's technology. According to the complaint, Contogouris was approached by Costner's representatives around ten years ago to market his technology to customers. He notes that he entered into an agreement whereby he and Baldwin would receive commission for sales. Contogouris claims that he and Costner recently had a meal together in Mississippi where he was persuaded to sell all his rights and ownership in CINC to a man named Bret Shelton.
Three days after the sale, 5 million gallons of oil leaked into the Gulf of Mexico before a wellhead was capped. Contogouris said he knew this was a big opportunity for CINC and their technology but claims that he could not contact Costner because the actor was filming in Canada.