Man accused of stealing Kiwi strippers' G-strings files $1.5b lawsuit

Kiwi stripper Aidan Te Puke was struggling to control the alleged intruder, a court has heard previously. Photo / thunderfromdownunder.com

A Las Vegas man accused of stealing G-strings from the Thunder From Down Under strippers and then firing a Dirty Harry-style Magnum revolver at the troupe has filed a lawsuit seeking US$1.5 billion.

Joey Kadmiri, 25, has remained in jail since his arrest on March 18 last year backstage at the Excalibur Casino on the Vegas strip.

Kadmiri is seeking US$300 million in monetary damages for "emotional, physical and mental damage", US$300 million in compensatory damages for defamation of character and "inability to get employment" and US$900 million in punitive damages, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper.

The defendants in the lawsuit, filed in Nevada's Clark County District Court, include Excalibur and Thunder From Down Under's booking agency, SPI Entertainment.

Aidan Te Puke and Ryan Paki - originally from New Zealand and now based in Australia - were involved in the incident.

Kadmiri claims in the lawsuit he was beaten for 20 minutes at the Excalibur by SPI employees and Thunder From Down Under members and hotel security destroyed or concealed video of the attack.

Kadmiri also claims he has suffered cramps, flashbacks, blackouts, difficulty breathing, memory loss, headaches, extreme anxiety and pain in his jaw since the incident.

Kadmiri has been charged with robbery with a weapon, burglary and battery.

The prosecution has been on hold since September as Kadmiri's mental competency is reviewed.

At earlier court proceedings, prosecutors described how the Australians were midway through a show at the Excalibur on March 18 when some members allegedly confronted Kadmiri backstage.

He allegedly stole props and put on a pair of teal underpants and a G-string used in the show.

In a scuffle, Kadmiri pulled out the Magnum revolver and fired a bullet, narrowly missing a member of the crew in the face and hitting the wall of an Excalibur restaurant, the court was told.

Thunder From Down Under and Excalibur's owner MGM Resorts International declined comment on Kadmiri's lawsuit.

-AAP