Mike Missanelli denies allegations of verbal and physical threats against his former employer JAKIB, as the lawsuit between the two turns to mud-slinging

A legal squabble between Philadelphia radio host Mike Missanelli and the embattled sports media company JAKIB is getting even more contentious, according to allegations leveled by the group this week.

JAKIB, which is being sued by the 97.5 The Fanatic sports radio host for alleged failure to pay him $85,000, claimed in a post on X that Missanelli “verbally threatened & attempted to physically attack” the company’s founder, Joe Krause, in a Montgomery County courthouse lobby on Thursday.

“Following today’s court hearing in Norristown, where JAKIB Sports declined a $40,000 settlement offer, an incident occurred involving Mike Missanelli,” the X post read. “He verbally threatened & attempted to physically attack our founder, Joe Krause, in the courthouse lobby by the elevators after the hearing.”

Missanelli denied the allegations in a statement to The Inquirer:

“Joe Krause lost his court case with me today and was obviously sour after the fact. I turned down his settlement offer of less than half of the $85,000 that he owes me for services rendered. He has repeatedly tried to circumvent payment to many he employed for his fledgling company and I have begun the process of legal action to recover what he owes me. There was no physical altercation other than his failed, belligerent attempt to get into the elevator with my attorney and myself.”

Missanelli cohosted JAKIB’s Eagles postgame show for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He has since returned to The Fanatic.

But Missanelli filed a lawsuit earlier this year claiming he’s only received a fraction of the $100,000 that Krause’s organization had outlined in his 2023 contract.

Thursday’s alleged incident unfolded after a Common Pleas judge denied Krause’s request for a gag order that would have barred Missanelli from speaking publicly about his allegations.

Krause, speaking with The Inquirer Friday, disputed Missanelli’s account of the moments after the hearing, and, more broadly, claimed that Missanelli had failed to deliver all of the work he had agreed to in his contract.

The JAKIB founder said Thursday’s alleged incident “demonstrated a clear intent to intimidate and threaten harm” and that a courthouse officer had to intervene to protect him.

“Terroristic threats and intimidation are serious offenses under Pennsylvania law, and I am committed to holding Missanelli accountable for such unlawful behavior,” Krause said. “A formal complaint has been filed with the District Attorney’s Office.”

A spokesperson for the DA’s Office did not respond to a request for comment.

Missanelli’s lawsuit is one of several leveled against JAKIB, including a challenge from Audacy, the parent company of 94.1 WIP and six other Philly stations.

Audacy is suing JAKIB in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court for $440,000, claiming in court documents that Krause “failed to pay in full for paid programming agreements” to broadcast content on Audacy’s airwaves. Krause has previously described the matter as a “shock-suit.”