Unfortunately the new year has started out with some very bad news as we learned that Anthony McDermott, who was a domain investor and one of the early leaders in the legal internet vertical passed away on December 23rd, 2015
Anthony was the founder and president of SWI Digital, Inc., “a Full Service Multimedia and Lead Generation Company primarily focused in the legal space.
At the time I knew Anthony he was based on Ft. Lauderdale and had a large office with a lot of employees signing up lawyers to advertise on one of many legal domain he owned and developed out into directories.
SWI managed over “31,000 websites that provided exclusive advertising and lead generation services through its brands such as LawFirms.com, PersonalInjuryLawyer.com and MedicalMalpractice.com.”
In 2007 Anthony sold SWI to GeoSign Corp., an American Capital Company for $28 million in cash and $10 million in stock.
Some of the domain names Anthony sold to GeoSign he acquired from my company Worldwide Media, Inc., including LawFirms.com.
In April 2015, TheDirectory.com, Inc. (OTC PINK: SEEK), announced they were bringing Anthony McDermott on as a consultant to develop a new legal vertical.”
At the time, TheDirectory.com announced they were acquiring at the same time the domain names; Divorces.com, BankruptcyLawyers.com, BankruptcyLawyers.net, EstatePlanningLawyers.com, EstatePlanningLawyer.com, WorkersCompLawyers.com, WorkersCompLawyer.com, SocialSecurityLawyers.com, SocialSecurityLawyer.com, InvestmentBanker.com, FinancialPlanners.com, AutoRepairs.com, BodyShops.com, Sportsbars.com and EquipmentRentals.com.
As you can see from the picture from his Linkedin page, Anthony was a young, good looking, and high energy guy.
Judi and I had the pleasure of spending some time with Anthony many years ago. Many others in the South Florida Community knew Anthony as well as did those in the legal domain space.
A very smart and successful guy who passed away well too soon.
We believe Anthony was only 48 years old.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend all services. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Anthony’s memory to St. Brigid Church, 841 East Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127.
So young, too soon.
May he rest in peace.
🙁
R.I.P. Anthony
Anthony was a top notch domain investor, successful businessman, great family man, and a friend of mine. I just talked to him recently and it’s so tragic when a friend passes suddenly like this.
Rest in peace. You will be deeply missed by many. 🙁
“Today is a Gift.”
Rest In Peace Big Brother
What as loss,may his soul rest in peace.
From the picture is very difficult to say how old he was.
For example, you put your pictures which does not remind you at all (I think your picture was taken 20-30 years ago – I do not know why you are doing this, it looks really sad to many people).
Actually this picture wad taken in 2008 at Riley Mcdermotts. I know because i recognise the restaurant ( he is standing on the second floor with his back to las olas blvd and facing the bar). I worked there then.he was young when he died. In 2008 he was about 40 so figure 47-48 now. Anthony was a great guy and a great generous boss then and i wish things didn’t go for him like they had.
RIP Anthony so sad to see you go…its a huge void no-one can replace for the children and the family
He was 48
Too young. God speed.
sad to hear this. I don’t know who he was actually. But its especially sad considered he probaby was quite young. (Any domainer can’t be very old).
I hope somebody steps in and helps his family to manage his domains, to avoid seeing a sad shark frenzy at auctions for his expiring domains.
I voluntary myself to help.
Anybody who knows how to reach the family of Anthony and wants to help feel free to get in touch to count on my support.
lucas665()gmaildotcom
Thank you for the kind words.
-Riley
God bless his family.
Lucas, agreed. It would be a good thing to make sure a plan was/will be in place for his domains to be properly managed.
I had the pleasure of meeting Anthony on one occasion. It was at a restaurant on Las Olas in Ft. Lauderdale. He was there with his two sons. Nice person and a devoted father, from what I could see and all accounts.
Looks like they brought Anthony back to South Boston for the memorial with his family and loved ones.
I also lost a few friends who died relatively young (40s, early 50s) in 2015 — very sad.
Let us hope Anthony’s family can heal from this enormous loss. God Bless.
Very sad to see people die so young. Rest in peace brother.
Ada
I meet the guy is he was under 50
The picture is from his linked in.com page not like i went through 20 pictures and picked one out
Its a petty shitty argument
He was a very successful guy in this space and he passed away before he was 50.
Nice guy, good guy, very smart and he was In much better shape that I have ever been
It’s sad
R.I.P
God bless the family.
There truly is a great need for helping families administer the
domain assets accumulated and left by domainers.
It can be quite significant, and matters enormously
for the family left behind.
A few things come to mind.
The renewals should all be automatic and debited from a business account, or perhaps an estate/trust acct.
The revenue should there been ad or parking revenue, should be automatically deposited to same account, so
it has the prospect of being self sustaining over the long haul.
The most valuable domains should all be renewed up to a decade in advance.
All to allow the estate to gain the necessary time to manage the assets.
May Anthony’s soul rest in perfect peace.
Riley
Sorry for your loss
Mike
Mike,
Thank you for the kind words and the touching article–class act on your part.
In a time that it is difficult for many of us, this article certainly shed joy.
If you have any questions, contact me via email.
Thanks again,
Riley
I knew Anthony for 12 years, and worked for him from 2003-2014…
I am deeply saddened by his passing, I learned so much from him, he gave me an opportunity when noone else did, very generous, and a giver, never a taker… He always tried his best to make things work, and gave 110% to everything he did… He was a great motivator, a visionary, and always saw things that nobody else saw, his brain was on another level…
Riley, I am so sorry brother, My deepest condolences…
Riley:
I am heart broken to hear of your Dad’s passing. Know that we are mourning with you. So very sorry for your loss.
From all of us in Fort Lauderdale.
I hope Riley is finding peace, as well —
http://www.insidefortlauderdale.com/1670/Riley-McDermott-Kills-3-while-DUI
Is that really necessary to dig up and post his son’s tragedy on this blog??
“Riley’s” tragedy is a poor choice of words….
Does anyone know how he died? Was he sick? I used to go to his restaurant in Fort Lauderdale
Rob
I “heard” that he had a heart attack in a taxi cab in NYC but have no idea if that is correct
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/2014/11/10/anderson-university-assistant-coach-denied-bond/18795169/
William, im wondering if this is the same Riley McDermott, I can’t imagine he would be out of jail just a year after this horrific drunk driving accident .??
He hasn’t been sentenced yet. Trials with lots of parties take time.
It is curious how Riley McDermott’s restaurant changed hands with Scott Rothstein..Anthony “sold” the restaurant less than a year after it opened to someone who was involved in the biggest Ponzi scam in FL….he certainly kept unsavory company at some point, then had to leave the country.. Makes for an interesting story.
No it’s not the same Riley Mcdermott thank god
His dad Anthony was a great man, he showed me how to live
and make my own money. I love the mcdermotts till death do us part temporarily xoxo
Miss you brother see ya soon….Ralphy P
http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/mcdermott-rothstein-crushed-the-community-6450433
Interesting article about the early years of mr McDermott .. He alludes to knowing whitey bulger, and his folks attending a wedding but whitey was never married ..he’s trying to sound like a “made man”. Sounds a wee bit shady…
How about a little respect for Anthony’s passing. Is it really necessary to go there???
We’re not on the family facebook page, when else will he be discussed? There are lessons to be learned here. You’re talking about a guy who came into a lot of money and proceeded to mess up his life trying to roll with some very bad people.
The New Times article is garbage, just like everything in New Times. They didn’t even get the sale price of his condo right, which was 1.4M. He was run out of town by Rothstein. He did the interview 2 weeks after Rothstein turned himself in. Which is when he came out of hiding and tried to save face in the community.
McDermott was a guy with a plan who got punched in the face, to quote Mike Tyson. It is curious when a guy who gets himself in over his head mysteriously dies at 48yo. Maybe someone caught up with him?
Anthony was a gentleman, a proud Irish man, a tough-savvy man when it came to business, a sports lover, and at the same time a soft hearted, fluffy dog cuddling, funny, generous, attentive. His inclusion of people of all walks of life was exceptional. He was no bullshit.
He was not over his head, he did not mysteriously die, and he did not have to “save face” with anyone.
He worked hard, played hard, and loved hard.
Anyone who knew or worked for Anthony McDermott can verify this.
He may be gone, but not forgotten.
and how did the drugs fit in with that persona?
It is curious how Riley McDermott’s restaurant changed hands with Scott Rothstein..Anthony “sold” the restaurant less than a year after it opened to someone who was involved in the biggest Ponzi scam in FL….he certainly kept unsavory company at some point, then had to leave the country.. Makes for an interesting story
If you didn’t know him then get off this blog have respect exactly
Do you want problems ?
My condolences to Anthony’s family. I was part of the talented team at Riley McDermott’s. The man had vision & believed in his employees. He was kind & generous. May God give peace to his family & friends for this tragic lose.
Amy, can you shed light on why he “sold” his restaurant after only a short period after opening it up? That was a lot of money to spend and sell in such a short span of time.
From my understanding it was not fairly sold but part of Scott Rothstein’s wheeling & dealings. This is what I have read from Media articles. We all lost our jobs unfairly because of Rothstein. Anthony was kind, little wild but very kind. He came from humble beginnings & he wanted his vision to become a reality. Short lived but what a concept that no one has been able to match YET in South Florida.
Rothstein forced him to sell the restaurant. There were some big standoffs, but Rothstein had the cops in his pocket.
“kind humble” guys don’t build themselves clubby restaurants where drugs and gangsters prevail. He made his money and he’s entitled to enjoy it, but lets not paint him as some sort of big teddy bear.
Amy is kind of delusional about her staff and the restaurant. It was a club masquerading as a restaurant and not many people liked the place; no tears were shed when it closed. The place Rothstein replaced it with was much more popular. Nothing special food, like eating in a club. A typical restaurant opened by a rich guy with no previous restaurant experience.
Word on the street is that Anthony was badly beaten by Rothstein’s crew and fled the country. Nobody was talking back then. Rothstein was paying the police a fortune for protection (we have legal off-duty police details here) which create some unfortunate allegiances. He couldn’t rely on the police to protect him from such things.
Why disrespect a family in mourning with vindictive, jealous pettiness?
Thank you to the loyal, genuine people who left kind words for his boys.
A “family in mourning” shouldn’t be googling around to see what people are saying.
The idea that any post on the internet is “disrespecting” the family is fairly absurd. We’re not directing anything to the family. We’re not posting nasty message on the family facebook page or tweeting at them. He was associated with a very bad person and his son is on trial for wrongful death and felony DUI. We’re not writing eulogies here.
It’s not his son, just a coincidence, it is a different Riley Mcdermott…
Same age from Davie, FL? That’s quite a coincidence.
Riley was from Boston, graduated high school in Boston, not Davie… I know him, and I worked for Anthony for 11 years…
It’s not Riley, I know him he’s fine. and he looks nothing like that kid from Anderson NC dwi
I was able to spend time with Anthony shortly before his passing & his two sons were by far his greatest accomplishments in life. He was so proud of his two sons, one who had graduated from a top notch university & the other to follow in his footsteps in the restaurant business. To set the record straight, neither one of Anthony’s two sons are up on a DUI murder charge. To the people that wrote this, I will leave you with a statement Anthony often shared with me, “Always do your homework before you hand in your test paper.”
To the entire McDermott family, especially his two sons, there are no words, no words for how sorry I am to hear of your dads passing. May love, light & wisdom bless you in the upcoming days.
The negative commentary shows how quick folks are to rush to judgement We have all done things we can no longer take back. But at the end of the day, there is always a family left grieving, missing parts of stories, and hopefully a generation that can pick up the pieces to make us all proud. Rest in peace Anthony McDermott. I myself hope I’ll think twice before casting stones