Las Vegas Gambler ‘Robin Hood 702’ Sues Paramount President Jeff Shell, Alleges $150M in Damages
Jeff Shell (Credit: World Economic Forum/Flickr)
Prominent Las Vegas gambler R.J. ‘Robin Hood 702’ Cipriani has filed a civil lawsuit against Paramount President Jeff Shell and his wife, alleging that Shell owes him at least $150 million.
According to Cipriani, he provided Shell with “sophisticated, high-value crisis communications services, entirely without compensation.” In exchange, Cipriani expected Shell to provide a platform for Cipriani to develop and produce a reality TV show. When Shell failed to do so, Cipriani brought forth the lawsuit.
Cipriani also accuses Shell of improperly sharing sensitive insider information regarding Paramount’s highly publicized purchase of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) broadcast rights.
Shell Alleged to Have Used Cipriani’s Influence Without Compensating Him
According to Cipriani’s lawsuit, he established a business relationship with Shell in August 2024. The genesis of the relationship stemmed from Shell’s alleged desire to suppress media coverage of his ouster from NBCUniversal. Shell was fired with cause for “inappropriate conduct with a female employee, including allegations of sexual harassment.”
Cipriani then provided Shell with services including “proactive threat intelligence and media suppression, strategic article diversion and media substitution, and strategic business development services.” Cipriani’s lawsuit says the value of these services was “substantial,” and that his networking value is “incalculable and cannot be replicated by any other individual or entity.”
Most substantially, Cipriani alleges, he saved Paramount $1.5 billion by orchestrating the publishing of an article in The Hollywood Reporter. He alleges that the article substantially turned the public discourse against the creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone. The following month, Parker and Stone renewed with Paramount rather than sign a new streaming deal with a rival media entity.
The lawsuit contains WhatsApp messages corroborating Cipriani and Shells’ correspondence regarding South Park.
Cipriani claims that in return for these services, Shell promised him the chance to develop a TV show modeled after a Spanish-language program. Cipriani’s suit describes the production of the show as a lifelong dream and tribute to his late mother.
The lawsuit doesn’t provide any evidence of Shell’s promise to develop the show. It claims that Shell was well aware of the expectation, though, and demands damages of “not less than $150,000,000.”
To escape payment and liability, Cipriani alleges that Shell transferred assets to his wife’s name “without receiving reasonably equivalent value in exchange.”
WhatsApp Messages Implicate Shell in Disclosure of Insider Info
Cipriani’s lawsuit also provides evidence of WhatsApp messages implicating Shell in the disclosure of insider information regarding Paramount’s purchase of UFC streaming rights. Paramount purchased the rights for $7 billion a few months before UFC’s contract with ESPN ran its course.
“We are buying ALL of the UFC rights for the next 7 years for Paramount,” Shell wrote to Cipriani. “Very hush hush until we sign.”
The number Shell quotes matches the contract that was ultimately signed. In one of the messages, he instructs Cipriani to embargo the information until after rival Netflix’s earnings call. He says that Netflix believed they had won the UFC bidding.
Such information could affect the share prices of both companies. Cipriani also alleged that Shell shared information regarding Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros., though no text messages were provided.
Cipriani Has a History of Targeting Powerful Figures
A self-described “philanthropist and activist,” Cipriani has targeted powerful figures before. Most notably, he has a pending lawsuit against Resorts World, alleging a “corrupt racketeering enterprise” at the Las Vegas casino.
Cipriani’s disputes with Resorts World date back to its days under Scott Sibella’s management. Sibella has been disgraced and stripped of his gaming license following an investigation that revealed Resorts World accepted high-stakes bets from illicit bookmakers. These individuals were alleged to have laundered their ill-gotten funds through gambling at Resorts World, with management understanding the situation full well but accepting the action anyway.
Cipriani claimed credit for exposing Resorts World’s shady practices.
Image credit: World Economic Forum/Flickr (license)
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