12 minutes ago by TMZ Staff
The heads of the MMA clothing company TapouT have been accused of STEALING the cremated remains of their fallen co-founder ... and illegally giving away vials of his ashes at his memorial ... TMZ has learned.
The man at the center of the controversy is Charles "Mask" Lewis -- who was killed by a drunk driver back in 2009. Mask was cremated at the request of his sister Carla ... who had executive power over Mask's remains.
After Mask's death, Carla claims she was approached by the co-founders of TapouT -- men calling themselves Skyscrape and Punkass -- who wanted to "borrow" Mask's ashes and urn for a public memorial service.
In a lawsuit filed in San Bernardino County, CA -- Carla says she agreed, but demanded the two men return Mask's remains immediately following the service.
Here's where things get CRAZY -- Carla says when she arrived to the memorial service, she noticed "various booths and tables" set up around the cathedral ... one of which contained, "a large shoebox-size box containing several miniature vials that were on display."
Carla says the vendor informed her, "each of the vials contained a small amount of the cremated remains of Mask, and were reserved for, and to be given to, 'special people' whose names were on a printed list."
Calra believes somewhere between 50 to 100 vials were either "sold, given away, donated or otherwise distributed to several unknown persons."
Not only is Carla PISSED about the vials ... she claims TapouT still has possession of the urn and the remainder of Mask's ashes ... and the company refuses to return them.
Carla is suing for unspecified damages -- citing "overwhelming and severe emotional distress."
The heads of the MMA clothing company TapouT have been accused of STEALING the cremated remains of their fallen co-founder ... and illegally giving away vials of his ashes at his memorial ... TMZ has learned.
The man at the center of the controversy is Charles "Mask" Lewis -- who was killed by a drunk driver back in 2009. Mask was cremated at the request of his sister Carla ... who had executive power over Mask's remains.
After Mask's death, Carla claims she was approached by the co-founders of TapouT -- men calling themselves Skyscrape and Punkass -- who wanted to "borrow" Mask's ashes and urn for a public memorial service.
In a lawsuit filed in San Bernardino County, CA -- Carla says she agreed, but demanded the two men return Mask's remains immediately following the service.
Here's where things get CRAZY -- Carla says when she arrived to the memorial service, she noticed "various booths and tables" set up around the cathedral ... one of which contained, "a large shoebox-size box containing several miniature vials that were on display."
Carla says the vendor informed her, "each of the vials contained a small amount of the cremated remains of Mask, and were reserved for, and to be given to, 'special people' whose names were on a printed list."
Calra believes somewhere between 50 to 100 vials were either "sold, given away, donated or otherwise distributed to several unknown persons."
Not only is Carla PISSED about the vials ... she claims TapouT still has possession of the urn and the remainder of Mask's ashes ... and the company refuses to return them.
Carla is suing for unspecified damages -- citing "overwhelming and severe emotional distress."
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