Goguen files aggressive legal response

Whitefish philanthropist and former Sequoia Capital partner Michael Goguen responded forcefully Monday with a legal complaint against a woman who has accused him of sexual, physical and emotional abuse.

Goguen’s cross-complaint states that Amber Baptiste, who filed the original complaint on March 8, fabricated “horrific acts” in an effort to extort millions of dollars from Goguen.

“The reality is that Ms. Baptiste was an exotic dancer, first looking for a payday and later revenge,” Goguen’s complaint says.

“To accomplish her scheme, Ms. Baptiste launched a campaign of harassment designed to inflict as much pain as possible on Mr. Goguen and his family, including threatening to publicly accuse Mr. Goguen of false, horrific acts unless he paid her $40 million in hush money.”

Baptiste accused Goguen of more than a decade of sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Her legal filing alleges that Goguen rented Baptiste from a group of sex-slave traffickers; that Goguen began a relationship with Baptiste while she was a minor; and that he knowingly infected her with a sexually transmitted disease.

According to Goguen’s complaint, “None of that is true.”

According to Bruce Van Dalsem, one of Goguen's lawyers, who submitted to the Inter Lake a copy of Baptiste's marriage certificate, Baptiste was born on Oct. 18, 1980. This means she would have been 21 when Baptiste and Goguen met in March, 2002.

Goguen’s complaint accuses Baptiste of extortion, breach of contract and invasion of privacy.

Diane Doolittle, Goguen’s attorney, wrote in the complaint that Baptiste expressed a consistent affection for Goguen through thousands of texts and emails dating back to March 2002 until the alleged extortion threats began in 2014. The complaint states that Baptiste was angry over Goguen’s rejection of her desire for marriage and children.

The legal document includes many of those text and email messages, as well as provocative photos Baptiste allegedly sent to Goguen.

Among the messages from Baptiste to Goguen:

n “The love that I hold in my heart for you was instant. It is a perfect love. And to me it is the perfect way to love someone. It is forever and unconditional.”

n “I could never even make love to you enough times to show you how special you are to me.”

The messages in the complaint include affectionate nicknames such as “Prince Charming,” “An Angel to my life” and “The most wonderful man in my world.”

A prominent philanthropist in the Flathead, Goguen has helped bankroll the Whitefish Trail effort and the Two Bear Air helicopter rescue service, and he was a key contributor to building the North Valley Food Bank’s new facility in Whitefish. He owns Casey’s Bar in downtown Whitefish and recently purchased the former North Valley Hospital property on U.S. 93 South.

In 2014, Goguen donated $2 million over five years to the state’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

He earned his wealth as a venture capitalist at California-based Sequoia Capital. He is no longer listed as a partner with the company.

He was removed as a partner after Baptiste’s legal complaint was filed last week.

Goguen lives part-time in a sprawling estate at Two Bear Ranch on the west shore of Whitefish Lake.