CHICAGO - Sybaris Clubs International, which provides "private hotel suites as romantic getaways for couples on a membership basis," has sued Fox Valley Publications for $10 million in a defamation claim in Cook County Court, claiming the (Joliet) Herald News published a story falsely accusing Sybaris of renting rooms with peepholes to spy upon guests.
Sybaris claims the Jan. 24 story by defendant Herald News reporter Joseph Hosey was based upon "unsubstantiated, inaccurate statements" and that the so-called "peephole" was a dehumidifier drainage outlet. Sybaris claims that the story referred to an unsigned, six-month old police incident report, and that defendants published the story less than 24 hours after asking Sybaris officials for a comment, and without waiting for the officials to respond.
