Just when you thought the world was a cesspool

A guy trades up a red paper clip for a house.

He traded a red paperclip for a pen, which he traded for a doorknob, which he traded for a grill, which he traded for a generator, which he traded for a keg and neon beer sign, which he traded for a snowmobile, which he traded for a trip to Canada, which he traded for a van, which he traded for a recording contract, which he traded for a year's housing in Arizon, which he traded for an afternoon with Alice Cooper, which he traded for a KISS snow globe, which he traded for a role in a movie, which he traded for a house in Saskatchewan.

[ Red Paperclip: Success : Joe Grossberg ]

I'm curious if he actually owned the paper clip or just swiped it from work. Could that potentially mean that his employer could sue him for the house?