Thread by @VICENews

NEW: What would it take to bankrupt the Proud Boys? This Black church is about to find out. bit.ly/3uuWQHh

Proud Boys leader Henry “Enrique” Tarrio has refused to answer a lawsuit filed by Metropolitan AME Church. It accuses Tarrio and other members of committing acts of terror by destroying BLM signs in Washington, D.C. in December. bit.ly/3uuWQHh

By ignoring the lawsuit, the Proud Boys leader leaves the church days away from a likely default victory. A victory, experts say, that could give Metropolitan AME the power to blow the lid off the Proud Boys’ finances. bit.ly/3uuWQHh

But Tarrio isn’t worried, telling VICE News, “The Proud Boys is not a legal entity, so I don't know what money they'd go after. If they try to go after mine, I'd be happy to drag my balls across their face in court.” bit.ly/3uuWQHh

However, a review of business records by VICE News suggests top Proud Boys leaders have links to a network of LLCs in Florida and elsewhere, crowdfunding operations, and at least one online store selling Proud Boys branded merch. bit.ly/3uuWQHh

Now, staking a claim to these assets would be an uphill legal battle, but if Metropolitan AME decided to go there it could unravel the inner-workings of the Proud Boys and reveal how the group funds its operations. bit.ly/3uuWQHh

Will the judge hand the church a large punitive judgement? “If that happens, the leader of the Proud Boys could run, but he can’t hide,” former federal prosecutor Gene Rossi tells VICE News. bit.ly/3uuWQHh

UPDATE: Proud Boys International LLC didn’t show up, and lost to the church by default.

Meanwhile, the Proud Boys' leader phoned into the hearing at the last minute, and the judge agreed to give him 3 weeks to lawyer up. bit.ly/3uuWQHh