Reality TV Star “Bridezilla” Charged with Workers’ Compensation Fraud

Anita Maxwell, a guest on Season 4 of the reality television show “Bridezillas” in 2007, was recently arraigned in California on multiple felony charges stemming from allegations of workers’ compensation fraud resulting in improper receipt of over $40,000 in benefits.

Maxwell, who also was left at the altar during her appearance on the popular show, was employed by the Cedars-Sinai Health System and came under investigation in 2012 after a claim for a neck, back, and shoulder injury. Reportedly, Maxwell denied pre-existing conditions although she …

October 3, 2014 Fraud / TV

Real Prison Sentence for ‘Real Housewives’ Stars

On Thursday, October 2, reality television stars, Giuseppe and Teresa Giudice were sentenced to staggered prison sentences for several counts of fraud.

The married couple, starring on Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” were indicted in 2013 on 39 counts of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, bankruptcy fraud, and making false statements on loan applications. Additionally Giuseppe failed to file tax returns for the years 2004 – 2008. The couple originally pleaded not guilty, but changed their mind in March …

June 22, 2014 Contract / Doping

Armstrong Can’t Escape DOJ Fraud Suit

On Thursday June 19, 2014, Judge Robert Wilkins of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled on Lance Armstrong’s motion to dismiss the fraud case he is facing against the US Department of Justice. In an 81 page ruling, Judge Wilkins denied Armstrong’s request without prejudice.

Armstrong argued that the case should be dismissed on two grounds. First, he argued the six-year statute of limitations on bringing the suit had run. He also argued the government knew he was using …

June 8, 2014 Advertising / Intellectual Property, Copyright, and Trademark / Music

Beastie Boys Trial Against Monster Energy Drinks Begins

In 2012, the Beastie Boys brought suit against Monster Energy Drink, claiming both copyright infringement and unfair competition resulting from Monster’s use of their songs in an online promotional video. The Beastie Boys are seeking $2 Million in damages.

The controversy stems from a promotional video about a snowboarding competition in Canada called “Ruckus in the Rockies,” which is organized and sponsored by Monster. After the event, Monster posted a video online of the competition and the after-party, including a mash-up mix performed by DJ …

April 24, 2014 Contract

James Franco’s Management Team Suing Former Members for Embezzlement

On April 18, 2014, the management firm of Hollywood actor James Franco sued his recently fired talent manager Miles Levy and financial manager Steve Blatt in California state court, alleging that both conspired to fraudulently bilk the actor out of millions of dollars. The suit, filed by Randy James of James Levy Management, accused the defendants of “embezzl[ing] significant sums in commissions [ ] for nearly a decade . . . . The thieves have been caught and the day of reckoning has arrived.” Among …

August 22, 2013 Fraud

Costner Claims Robin Hood Production Company is Robbing From the Rich, Giving to Themselves

On August 8^,2013, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Richard Stone denied, for a second time, actor Kevin Costner’s claim that Morgan Creek Productions Inc. fraudulently denied him profits from the 90’s hit film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. However, Judge Stone granted the actor leave to amend the complaint to re-plead a claim for fraud keeping alive the possibility for a damages award more significant than one based solely on breach of contract.

In his decision, Judge Stone found insufficient facts to …

June 9, 2013 Fraud

Judge Suggests Parties Settle Ugly Dispute Over Art Valuation Over Cocktails in the Hamptons

A feud between a billionaire art collector and a gallery owner continued in a Manhattan court on June 5, 2013. The head of Forbes Holdings Inc. & MacAndrews, Ronald Perelman, is suing Larry Gagosian over past art deals. The case started in September 2012 when both parties filed claims against each other on the same day in the same New York court. Gagosian accused Perelman of backing out of a $23 Million art deal. Perelman’s suit asserts that Gagosian manipulated art prices and concealed information …

Classic Novel at the Center of New Copyright Battle

On May 3, 2013, “To Kill a Mockingbird” author Nelle Harper Lee sued her former literary agent Samuel Pinkus and agency Veritas Media, Inc., accusing them of deceiving her into handing over the copyright to the book for nothing and wrongfully retaining the related commissions that Lee was entitled to.

The back story is a relatively complicated one: Lee’s complaint asserts that Pinkus took advantage of his father-in-law’s ailing health back in 2002, snagging all the father-in-law’s clients from his literary agency McIntosh & Otis, …

February 22, 2013 Fraud

Mike Tyson Seeks to Punch-Out Former Financial Advisors with Lawsuit

On February 20, 2013, former heavyweight boxing champ Mike Tyson filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment Inc. and its subsidiary SFX Financial Advisory Management Enterprises Inc. in California state court. Tyson’s suit accuses the Defendants of damaging him financially by embezzling more than $300,000.00 from Tyson and his wife, along with providing Tyson false financial advice that ended up costing the former star more than $5 million.

Tyson has had a financial relationship with the Defendants since 2005. Later, when the boxer …

July 10, 2012 Fraud

Federal Judge Cuts Down Actress’s Claims in Suit Against Amazon, IMDb for Posting Her Age Online

U.S. District Judge Marsha J. Pechman released an order on July 2, 2012 granting a joint motion by IMDb.com Inc. and parent company Amazon.com Inc. to dismiss actress Junie Hoang’s claims that IMDb’s and Amazon’s privacy notices were fraudulent.

40-year old Hoang brought a breach of contract and privacy suit against IMDb and Amazon in October for finding and publishing her true age online. Hoang claimed that after she signed up for an IMDbPro account, her legal date of birth was added to her public …