A sprawling legal fight between Hollywood fixer RJ Cipriani and Paramount president Jeff Shell has now drawn in some of the most powerful names in politics and tech, including Donald Trump and billionaire Larry Ellison.
Cipriani, a pro gambler known for working behind the scenes in Hollywood, filed an amended complaint alleging he received inside information about Paramount’s efforts to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. According to the filing, the details were shared during a meeting on Feb. 2.
The complaint alleges that Shell described discussions between Ellison and Trump about the potential deal. Court documents state: “These disclosures included Shell’s verbatim account of a direct personal assurance given by President Donald Trump to Lawrence Ellison, regarding Paramount’s pending acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.”
The filings also describe Trump’s alleged influence over other entertainment industry decisions. According to the complaint, Cipriani’s lawyers say Trump intervened in discussions surrounding a possible new installment in the Rush Hour franchise.
“Trump’s personal intervention to direct the Ellisons’ business decisions regarding ‘Rush Hour 4’ is not an isolated incident,” the court filing claims. The documents further allege Trump told Ellison: “Larry, it looks like Netflix is gonna get Warner Bros., but if you really really want it, Larry, I’ll make sure you get it.”
A spokesperson for Paramount Skydance dismissed the accusations, saying, “Paramount is aware of the frivolous lawsuit and believes the claims are entirely without merit. There is no factual or legal basis for any claim against Paramount, its Directors or its major shareholders, and the Company intends to defend these allegations vigorously.”
The case has quickly expanded into a massive legal clash involving multiple powerful figures. Cipriani is suing Shell for $150 million and recently added Ellison and his son, David Ellison, as defendants.
Documents obtained by Page Six Hollywood also indicate Cipriani was offered a seven-figure settlement in exchange for dropping potential legal claims against several Hollywood figures, including Shell. The proposed deal reportedly asked Cipriani to release all claims against Paramount Skydance, RedBird Capital Partners, and their executives.
Cipriani declined the offer and proceeded with the lawsuit. Meanwhile, Shell has responded with a countersuit accusing Cipriani of extortion and defamation, claiming he was targeted in a “shakedown.” His filing also alleges he received death threats during negotiations over a $1.5 billion streaming rights deal for the animated series South Park.
The dispute traces back to 2024, when prominent attorney Patricia Glaser introduced the two men. Cipriani claims he spent more than a year acting as a crisis PR adviser to Shell and that the executive shared confidential information about major media deals, including negotiations involving Warner Bros.
The legal battle continues to grow, with investigators now examining communications between the two men as they attempt to determine whether sensitive corporate information was improperly shared.
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