City National Bank has been sued for more than $770 million for allegedly bankrolling a Hollywood Ponzi scheme, the latest in a series of controversies involving one of L.A.'s best-known banks.
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Hollywood Docket: Ponzi Scheme Investor Suit, MacGyver Profits Trial, American Idol Injury
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A roundup of recent entertainment law news including a lawsuit from a worker forced back to the office during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier this month, Zachary Horwitz was arrested and charged with wire fraud in connection with running an alleged $690 million Ponzi scheme that included fake license rights agreements with Netflix and HBO. Now, investors have filed suit and are eyeing City National Bank s role.
In a complaint filed on Tuesday in California federal court, Blake Whitmore, Daniel Raphael, Michael Dominguez, and Tom Lochtefeld say the fictitious film rights licensing enterprise was made possible by banking activities at City National. Seeking class-action status, the plaintiffs cite the bank s obligations under federal law to know their customers and understand their customers’ banking behavior. The lawsuit asserts that City National would have bee