Paramount Enlists Ellison Advisor to Handle Jeff Shell’s Legal Drama
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The studio president is being investigated for allegedly leaking information on its UFC media rights megadeal. He's also in a fight with the whistleblower, which may turn into a court battle.
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Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment Logo text A legal fight is taking shape between Paramount and the high-stakes gambler who sparked an internal investigation and SEC inquiry into whether company president Jeff Shell prematurely disclosed details of a $7.7 billion UFC media rights deal. At the heart of the matter: An allegation that the studio and Shell reneged on an agreement to pick up an English-language format of a Roku reality show the gambler, R.J. Cipriani, co-created and exec produced. A lawsuit hasn’t been filed, though Paramount is lawyering up. Blair Connelly, a longtime, do-it-all outside advisor to David Ellison, has stepped in after Cipriani presented the company with a lawsuit advancing breach of oral contract and fraudulent misrepresentation claims, among others, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. Paramount chief legal officer Makan Delrahim was previously a partner at Connelly’s firm, Latham & Watkins. Related Stories Business Paramount's Warner Bros. Megadeal Could Upend Canada's Battle For TV Viewers Business Trump Bought Netflix Debt Amid Paramount's Fight for Warner Bros. The litigation threat has imperiled Shell’s return to the C-suite following his termination from his prior role as NBCUniversal CEO in 2023 due to allegations of sexual misconduct with a CNBC correspondent. Ellison brought him over from an interim perch at the studio’s financing partner RedBird Capital. Shell is now represented by Steve Olson of O’Melveny, while Cipriani is represented by Steven Aaronoff. A draft complaint has been circulated. Shell’s recent troubles began when Cipriani alleged that the Paramount boss improperly disclosed specific details about the studio’s UFC deal before its August 2025 announcement. An outside law firm is now investigating the claim, and the SEC is ...
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