Whistleblower Alleges Jeff Shell Leaked Advance Details of UFC Deal
The Hollywood Reporter • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Paramount president Jeff Shell is under investigation by an outside law firm for allegedly disclosing confidential details about a $7.7 billion media rights deal with the UFC nearly a month before its public announcement.
- The SEC is reviewing a whistleblower complaint related to the leak, filed by R.J. Cipriani, a high-stakes gambler and federal whistleblower who is in settlement talks with Shell over a separate dispute.
- The investigation arises amid Paramount’s intensified bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, a move that could disrupt Netflix’s $82.7 billion deal for WBD.
- Shell, previously fired from NBC Universal for misconduct allegations, was appointed Paramount president by owner David Ellison after a stint at RedBird Capital Partners.
- Paramount and
