Todd Boehly, the American owner of Premier League side Chelsea, is fighting back against charges that he engaged in ‘fraudulent’ behaviour and ‘crass profiteering’ during his takeover of the Golden Globes in 2023
According to Dailymail, former members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which used to organise the prestigious film and television awards, made the claim, but a source close to the American billionaire dismissed it as a ‘character assassination’.
The anonymous organisation accused Boehly of unfairly seizing control of the Globes in 2023, following a boycott by performers and publicists over years of scandal and the revelation that the HFPA had no black voting members.
The allegations against Boehly, who led the consortium that purchased Chelsea FC from Roman Abramovich in a £4.25 billion sale in 2022, were made in a court letter to California’s Attorney General, hoping he would probe the transaction.
Chelsea has spent about £1.15 billion on transfers since the Boehly-led consortium bought the club, yet they have never finished higher than sixth in the Premier League, although they are fourth this season under Enzo Maresca.
According to Hollywood news website Puck, the letter came after suspicions that Boehly had overseen a culture of ‘crass profiteering’ at his new organisation in charge of the Globes, including accusations of ‘wh***** out’ the Globes brand for ‘grubby events throughout the Middle East’.
Puck further claimed that the show now costs thousands of dollars to publish films and TV shows on its screening platform, something the HFPA never did, and that ticket prices and other fees had risen.
The letter, received in September 2023, asked the Attorney General, Rob Bonta, to postpone signing off on a formal ‘dissolution’ of the HFPA because its members were allegedly ‘intentionally misled’ when they authorised the takeover.
The group, which included foreign entertainment writers, said that final clearance was required because the HFPA has a philanthropic arm.
However, sources close to Boehly have denied that the letter might have an impact on the Globes’ acquisition by his private equity business, Eldridge Industries, and Dick Clark Productions, which media tycoon Jay Penske leads.
One insider told MailOnline that the transaction had already been inked and that the Attorney General had not initiated any investigation into the claims.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION→ Telegram | X/Twitter | Facebook | WhatsApp|WhatsApp Channel|Mobile App|Instagram
According to the source, the letter looked to have been leaked recently to shame Boehly during the Golden Globes gala nominations.
The Attorney General’s office notified Puck earlier this month that it was ‘currently considering the final request for a waiver of objection to hold off the formal dissolution of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’.
VIA
