John Massarelli and the operators of his former baseball academy have formally severed ties and resolved a lawsuit over the business’ ownership, name and operation.
Massarelli was accused in October by other academy owners of mishandling or collecting money from training operations and temporarily banned from the facilities in the Bolivar and Akron areas after the lawsuit was filed.
The complaint was formally dismissed via a Dec. 19 filing in Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court.
A Dec. 10 Facebook post by the academy under the renamed Mashfactory states Massarelli “has agreed to resign from all roles with the organization, effective immediately” via the court agreement.
“This settlement represents the best path forward for everyone involved,” Jeff Bunner, an academy founder and partner, wrote in the social media message.
In a text message Dec. 22 to The Massillon Independent, Massarelli said he is thankful the matter has been resolved and for “the support from clients, players and coaches from across the country.”
“My wife and I are extremely happy,” said Massarelli, who declined to comment on specifics regarding the case.
He said he will continue “developing ball players for the next level” separate from Mashfactory at Massarelli Baseball private instruction.
A phone message was not immediately returned Dec. 22 by the attorney representing Mashfactory.
Massarelli, a former lead instructor at the academy and a longtime area baseball coach, was accused by MBS Baseball Holdings — owner of the academies in the Bolivar and Akron areas — of wrongly diverting as much as $100,000 in instruction fees to himself and also of coming to the facility “intoxicated and disheveled.”
Allegations against him were spelled out in a civil complaint filed Oct. 24 in county court against Massarelli, a resident of Perry Township in Stark County.
MBS operates baseball training facilities at 1041 Arrowhead Road in Lawrence Township outside Bolivar and 1565 Massillon Road in Springfield Township. Prior to the court filing, Massarelli, David Schaub and Bunner were 33.33% owners of MBS.
Both Bolivar and Akron facilities will continue operations without interruption, Bunner wrote on Facebook.
Massarelli, the lawsuit alleged, wrongly kept cash payments for baseball instruction off the company books for personal use or failing to turn them over the business.
The school was seeking damages in excess of $25,000, alleging breach of duty of loyalty, care and good faith; unjust enrichment and dissociation.
Terms of the settlement were not included in public court filings.
Reach Steven Grazier at steven.grazier@indeonline.com. On X (formerly Twitter): @sgrazierINDE