Zoë Kravitz Covers ELLE’s March 2022 Issue
Zoë Kravitz – the actress, musician, writer, and now director – has stopped reading the comments and started living on her own terms. For the March 2022 issue of ELLE, Kravitz speaks with Jessica Herndon about her upcoming role as Catwoman, her directorial debut with Pussy Island, pausing her social media, her rumored relationship with Channing Tatum and her positive outlook these days: “It’s been an interesting journey of remembering that there’s no finish line that I have to get to by a certain time. Playful, mischievous behavior is something I always hope to have, even when I’m 70 years old. The point of being alive is to experience life and play with it. There’s still so much fun to be had.”
On growing up with parents who are in the industry and being ‘grateful’ to be their child: “There was a little bit of embarrassment around what came with my last name. People would always assume that if I got a job, it was because of that. That was hard. But I was incredibly privileged. I got an agent easily. I’m not going to pretend like it didn’t help me get into the room. But I had to remember that I work hard, and as a child I was putting on performances in my grandparents’ house. And it had nothing to do with who my family was. It was because I loved it.” Over time, embracing her unique path has been about “wanting to prove not only to the world, but to myself, that I deserve to take up space in the industry,” she adds. “I’m proud of where I come from. Now it’s nice to be in a space where I feel like when people ask me about my parents, I’m not like, ‘Let’s not talk about that.’ I’m like, ‘They’re awesome. I’m grateful to be their child. And I also am my own human being.’”
On auditioning for the role of Selina Kyle (aka Catwoman) that she will star in opposite Robert Pattinson in The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves: When her agent called about the role in late 2019, Kravitz remembers telling herself, “‘Okay, don’t get excited.’ One thing I’ve had to learn from an early age is when you get attached, it’s hard, and most of the time, you don’t get the part. So my instinct is always to say, ‘It’s not mine.’” Kravitz’s nerves at her audition added to her cynicism. “[Matt] gave me a motorcycle helmet and was like, ‘Walk in, take it off, and start the scene.’ I was like, ‘This is how I don’t get the part.’ I don’t get the part because the helmet gets stuck on my head, and I don’t look cool. I’ll get my lines, but I will f**k up this helmet moment.” She didn’t. When Kravitz got the role, she remembers Reeves simply saying, “You’re her.”
On getting in shape for her role as Catwoman and ‘kicking a**’: After eight-hour days on set, she’d work out at home for three hours. “Obviously, you want to look good in a catsuit, but I wanted it to be realistic that I’m able to do anything in this film. So I had to be strong. I got stronger than I’ve ever been. That felt good, to see what I was capable of. I felt confident—and I could kick some a**.”
On easing into her thirties and feeling relieved her twenties are over: “I never want to go back. I was a mess. I wasn’t making choices based on what felt good to me. Now we’re in an era of, ‘What do I actually want?’ The good spot right now is taking a minute to say, ‘Maybe I should do this differently’ and seeing what that feels like.”
On pausing her Instagram in late 2021 after trolls came for her on the platform, claiming she showed too much flesh at the 2021 Met Gala, to which she’d worn a sheer metal mesh Saint Laurent gown: “Being uncomfortable with the human body is colonization/brainwashing. It’s just a body. We all got em,” Kravitz replied to one commenter. “The fact that people don’t think what they say affects a celebrity because you’re not a person to them is crazy. I’m a human being. I want to f**king defend myself.” Nearly a week after the event, she erased all her Instagram posts and posted only once for the remainder of the year. “The fact that I’m like, ‘Should I have not worn that?’ No, I do what I want to do, and I make what I want to make, and if I’m now starting to be afraid of what other people are going to say or think, I’m no longer doing my job as an artist. I’m not experiencing the world and putting that into art. I’m walking on eggshells. Fuck that. So, I needed to take a minute.”
On feeling optimistic: “I feel optimistic about life, and I think that comes hand in hand with it. All my relationships in life—my friendships, my romantic relationships, my family—the journey is learning how to show up honestly. Sometimes we can’t show up, and that’s okay as long as we know how to communicate that we love those people. That’s the 20-year-old who’s like, ‘I can do it all. I can do it all. I can do it all.’ And now I’m in a place where whatever I’m feeling is okay, wherever I’m at is okay.”
ELLE’s March 2022 issue is available on newsstands on March 1st.
#RHOA: Porsha Williams In Her Sparkling Super Bowl Ensemble is it HOT or NOT?
Did Porsha Williams scored a touchdown with her unexpected Super Bowl attire?
In four separate Instagram posts, Porsha gave fans a look at her striking ensemble. The Pursuit Of Porsha author donned a sparkly silver two-piece set consisting of a long-sleeve sequin shirt (which Porsha styled into a crop top) and high-waisted wide-leg pants. The fashionista paired her outfit with shiny silver heels and large hoop earrings.
Porsha amped up her look. The RHOA mom flaunted black winged eyeliner, long, fluttery lashes, and brown eyeshadow. She finished off her makeup with a coat of pretty pink lip gloss.
"Super Bowl 2022," she captioned a post, adding a football emoji for emphasis.
So I ask you is it Hot or Not?
#NewMusic from LaToya London & Anthony Hamilton ‘On Everything’
Singer, songwriter and award-winning actress LaToya London marks her return and spreads love at the same time with her new single “On Everything.” Her first release since her 2020 single “Forever” is an ode to everlasting love featuring soul balladeer Anthony Hamilton.
London and Hamilton are a musical match made in heaven. Their soulful voices blend as they exchange lyrics about how their love is solid as a rock. “Nothing can come between us / And I’ll put that on everything / Nothing is stronger than love,” they harmonize on the chorus. The song’s Valentine’s Day drop was most fitting, as the track serves as the perfect addition to any playlist suited for romance.
This new offering comes as LaToya prepares to release the follow-up to her 2005 debut album, Love & Life. A seemingly long time in the making, Love & Life, Vol II is the product of London and close friend Keniece Ford El’s blood, sweat, tears and money. As she prepares to drop the nine-track independent album, “On Everything” is sure to propel the project onto everyone’s radar. Her run on season 4 of American Idol solidified her position as one of this generation’s most powerful voices, and fans are eager to see her back in the spotlight, where she belongs.
Listen to LaToya London and Anthony Hamilton’s duet “On Everything” HERE.
Keep an eye out for the accompanying video and much more from LaToya in the coming months.
#HipHopNews: Vince Staples Officially Kicks Off 'Ramona Park Broke My Heart' Album Rollout
Long Beach native Vince Staples has returned with “Magic,” the lead single from his forthcoming album Ramona Park Broke My Heart. Produced by Mustard, the uptempo single is a return to Staples’ West Coast gangsta rap roots, while the project itself serves as a love letter to his hometown, the Ramona Park neighborhood of Long Beach. .
“It’s symbolic of home,” Staples says of the album’s title. “And everyone has a home. Even though it’s very personal to me, everyone can relate to it. That’s why I thought it would work for this chapter. “I think it’ll put the listener in a good state of mind. The mood of it defines the project.”
“Magic” — which was originally teased in a Beats By Dre ad earlier this month — puts Staples’ upbringing centerstage with lines such as, “Money in the mattress, love the way I stack it/I can make it rain blue hundreds, can you catch it?/If somebody come through bluffin’ I’m gonna blast ’em and tell the police I don’t know what happened/Crip and Bloods shit, that’s the only thing I’ve ever been in love with/So I hope you know we never going public/Hands full so I can’t hold grudges.”
Vince Staples first announced he had new music coming via Instagram on February 7 with a clip of the Beats By Dre ad starring tennis pro Naomi Osaka.
“Naomi Osaka & Beats,” he wrote in the caption. “Vince Staples & Mustard. That’s ‘Magic.’ New music coming soon. #BeatsFitPro #RPBMH @Mustard @NaomiOsaka @BeatsbyDre.”
Ramona Park Broke My Heart serves as the follow-up to 2021’s highly personal self-titled album Vince Staples. While they are obviously two different bodies of work, they are still undeniably connected.
“They were kind of created at the same time,” Staples says. “I was in a similar state of mind. I’m still working through things and the questions that life poses. This album will make even more sense if you heard the previous one. There is a key change, though. This one has more answers.”
The project is expected to arrive sometime in April via Motown Records.
Swizz Beatz Responds To Backlash About Charging To Watch Upcoming ‘Verzuz’ Battle
Swizz Beats says VERZUZ will be back on Instagram Live after it was briefly reported that you would need a Triller subscription to watch the show.
Swizz and Timbaland caught a bit of backlash this morning after fans heard that they’d have to pay to watch the Anthony Hamilton vs Musiq Soulchild battle that airs tonight.
Swizz jumped online to clear up speculations- he says he was out the country when that decision was made. He says, “see y’all rite here tomorrow on insta @verzuztv Who y’all rocking with @anthonyhamiltonofficial or @musiqsoulchild ? You can also watch in HD on verzuztv.com . I was out the country don’t ask me who did it it’s fixed bless up love y’all..”
Woman Cured of HIV With New Stem Cell Transplant Method Involving Umbilical Cord Blood
The world is one step closer to finding a cure for HIV after a woman has reportedly been cured of HIV using a new transplant method.
With this development, the woman has become the third person to be cured.
via Complex: The method involves umbilical cord blood, which is more widely available than adult stem cells and doesn’t need to be matched as closely to the recipient. Researchers spoke about the method at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Denver, and discussed the woman, who was given the aforementioned cord blood to cure her leukemia from a partially matched donor, plus blood from a relative.
“The fact that she’s mixed race, and that she’s a woman, that is really important scientifically and really important in terms of the community impact,” said AIDS expert Dr. Steven Deeks of University of California, San Francisco.
Deeks, who was not involved in the research, said such stories provide “inspiration to the field and perhaps the road map,” but he doesn’t expect it to be common. Across the world, 73 percent of the nearly 38 million people with AIDS are receiving treatment, and bone marrow transplants are usually offered to people who have tried all other options.
The two other people who have been cured in the past were men, and had received bone marrow transplants from people who had a mutation that blocks HIV infection, which has only been identified in about 20,000 donors. Both men suffered serious side effects as a result.
Dr. JingMei Hsu, the new patient’s physician at Weill Cornell Medicine, said the woman—who was diagnosed with HIV in 2013 and acute myelogenous leukemia in 2017—left the hospital 17 days after her treatment as her relative’s cells combining with the umbilical cord blood seemed to have made a difference in dealing with side effects. Experts are not clear on why cord blood stem cells work well, but think such cells could be more capable of adapting to new environments, per Dr. Koen Van Besien, director of the transplant service at Weill Cornell.
“Umbilical stem cells are attractive,” Deeks said. “There’s something magical about these cells and something magical perhaps about the cord blood in general that provides an extra benefit.”
Because of the intensity of the treatment, it’s not practical for more than a handful of people already facing a severe terminal illness — but this shows that science is on the right track!
Sandy Hook Families Reach $73 Million Settlement With Remington, First Time Gun Maker Held Liable
For the first time ever, a gun manufacturer is being held liable for a U.S. mass shooting, ABC News reports.
Remington Arms has agreed to a $73 million settlement with the families of five children and four adults who were killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre. The Connecticut families first filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Remington—which manufactured the Bushmaster AR-15-style rifle that led to the deaths of 20 people—7 years ago.
“My beautiful butterfly, Dylan, is gone because Remington prioritized its profit over my son’s safety,” said Nicole Hockley, who lost her son Dylan in the shooting. “Marketing weapons of war directly to young people known to have a strong fascination with firearms is reckless and, as too many families know, deadly conduct. Using marketing to convey that a person is more powerful or more masculine by using a particular type or brand of firearm is deeply irresponsible.”
The suit accused Remington of “prioritizing profit over public safety” and violating the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act while marketing the gun to civilians. A trial was scheduled for September. The company filed for bankruptcy protection in July 2020 and argued that the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act and Connecticut law keeps manufacturers from being held liable for such crimes.
“These nine families have shared a single goal from the very beginning: to do whatever they could to help prevent the next Sandy Hook. It is hard to imagine an outcome that better accomplishes that goal,” Josh Koskoff, the families’ attorney said in a statement. “This victory should serve as a wake up call not only to the gun industry, but also the insurance and banking companies that prop it up.”
Mother of Accused Oxford High School Shooter Texted Son About ‘New Gun’ Day Before Shooting
The plaintiffs in the case initially rejected a $33 million settlement back in July, and three months later the gun company subpoenaed school records for those killed in the shooting by 20-year-old Adam Lanza. But family attorneys moved to keep the records sealed.
“Every day is a realization that he should be there, and he is not. What is lost remains lost,” Lenny Pozner and Veronique De La Rosa said of their son Noah. “However, the resolution does provide a measure of accountability in an industry that has thus far operated with impunity. For this, we are grateful.”
Megan Thee Stallion Launches Pete And Thomas Foundation On 27th Birthday: “One Of The Most Significant Endeavors That I’ll Ever Be Part Of In My Career”
In celebration of Megan Thee Stallion’s 27th birthday, the superstar has announced the launch of the Pete and Thomas Foundation to give back in a special way.
The foundation which is named after her late parents, Holly Thomas and Joseph Pete Jr. — is a non-profit organization which brings awareness around campaigns and programmatic activities — while focusing education, through scholarships, school supplies, and resources to students in high-need communities; housing for senior citizens, single mothers, and families impacted by financial emergencies and natural disasters; health and wellness through cancer care, mental health, and food insecurity, according to the press release.
According to PEOPLE, she will also be surprising a senior citizen, a student and a cancer survivor with financial assistance on her birthday: “Launching the Pete and Thomas Foundation is easily one of the most significant endeavors that I’ll ever be part of in my career,” the rapper said in a statement. “My family raised me to help others and give back, so I’m incredibly proud to be in a position to accomplish that goal. I have a responsibility to use my platform to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those who may not have access to resources and support services.”
Megan who recently graduated, with Healthcare administrative degree previously talked about opening an assisted living facility, and it looks like she’s already on the right track!
Judge dismisses George Zimmerman's lawsuit against Trayvon Martin's parents
A Florida judge has dropped George Zimmerman‘s defamation and conspiracy case against Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, the parents of the late Trayvon Martin. According to the Associated Press, Judge John Cooper ordered the suit’s dismissal based on his failure to provide sufficient evidence for his claims.
Zimmerman, a former neighborhood watch volunteer, shot and killed an unarmed Martin in what he claimed was an act of self-defense. During a three-week-long trial, he argued against prosecutors’ beliefs that he’d deliberately pursued the teen because of his race and was eventually acquitted of murder and manslaughter charges. The jury justified his claims that he shot Martin out of fear for his own safety.
Though Zimmerman beat the case, he filed a 2019 lawsuit against Martin’s parents and their lawyer Ben Crump for allegedly trying to defame his character and conspiring to have charges brought against him.
According to the suit, Zimmerman said they were attempting to “destroy his goodwill and reputation in the community” when they portrayed him as a racist murderer who racially profiled Martin. Cooper shut down the allegations, noting they were void of “any visual representation.” “There can be no claim for conspiracy to defraud if there is no adequately stated claim for fraud,” the judge wrote in his order.
Martin’s parents and Crump were only three of the names listed in Zimmerman’s suit. Also named were Rachel Jeantel, Brittany Diamond Eugene and HarperCollins Publishers. According to the neighborhood watchman, Jeantel pretended that she was on the phone with Martin during his fatal encounter though it was really her half-sister Eugene on the line. As for his issue with the publishing company, he took issue with their release of Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin — the Martins’ book about their son’s “life and struggles, his tragic death, and the transformative movement for justice” that sparked in the wake of his passing.
Coachella & Stagecoach Festivals Dropping All COVID-19 Vaccine, Testing, & Mask Requirements
Coachella and Stagecoach just made some big announcements about their upcoming music festivals.
On Tuesday (February 15), organizers for the two music festivals revealed that they are dropping all COVID-19 related restrictions for their events, which will be taking place later this year, both in California.
This now means that attendees don’t have to be vaccinated, test negative, or wear masks to attend the festivals.
“As we prepare to spend an incredible weekend in the desert together we are announcing that there will be no vaccination, testing or masking requirements at Stagecoach 2022, in accordance with local guidelines,” Stagecoach organizers tweeted.
Coachella also updated their website to state that COVID safety measures won’t be required at their festival.
Organizers did note that the events will take place with local public health conditions in mind, which could change at any time.
Also on Coachella‘s website, the health and safety page cautions that “there is no guarantee, express or implied, that those attending the festival will not be exposed to COVID-19.”
California’s rules for outdoor events – like music and food festivals – don’t require proof of being fully vaccinated or pre-entry negative COVID test results, though it is “strongly recommended.”
Also according to the California Department of Public Health, unvaccinated attendees of outdoor events are only required to wear masks if they enter indoor area like restrooms, retail shops, and concession stands.
The 2022 Coachella Music Festival is set to take place on April 15-17 and April 22-24, while the 2022 Stagecoach is scheduled to take place April 29 through May 1
Bob Saget’s Family Sues To Block Release Of Death Investigation Records
Bob Saget’s cause of death revealed The “Full House” star’s widow and daughters filed a lawsuit against the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and a local coroner Tuesday.
The suit claims records associated with Saget’s death are “exempt from disclosure to the public” under state law.
The family hopes to prevent the release of photographs and video recordings obtained by law enforcement.
Saget suffered “blunt head trauma,” likely during an “unwitnessed fall” in his room at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, according to the results of an autopsy released last week.
The medical examiner said the actor suffered severe skull fractures, but his death was ruled accidental.
Fans Fat Shame 50 Cent Following Super Bowl Halftime Show Performance
50 Cent made a surprise appearance during this year’s Super Bowl halftime show hanging upside down, recreating the video scene from his 2002 smash “In Da Club”, but critical fans were quick to point out Fif’s obvious weight gain from his former 28-year-old self.
Despite looking fairly fit for a 46-year-old, critics immediately started flinging fat jokes, to some people, who didn’t care for 50 Cent either way, felt the Power creator was being judged by people who were way more out of shape than he’s ever been.
Some people even felt that Fif deserved the online lashing, with so many people that he’s managed to embarrass on social media. One critic said, “Typically I would be against the body shaming of 50 Cent but the way his misogynistic vitriol is targeted towards Black women and their bodies the majority of the time, this fat Black girl gonna get some full belly laughs at his expense.”
Trey Songz Accused of Rape in New $20 Million Sexual Assault Lawsuit
Trey Songz is being accused of raping a woman at his home in a new $20 million sexual assault case that was filed against him. The woman claims that she had a consensual relationship with the singer that was sexual but that changed on March 24, 2016 when he allegedly became a “savage rapist,” she said in the lawsuit.
Songz is currently dealing with two other separate sexual assault cases. A representative for the artist denied the allegations to TMZ. “Earlier today, the attorney who drafted this suit was credibly accused of trying to pay a woman to falsely accuse Trey,” the rep said in a revised statement. “Hours later, that same attorney has filed this suit on behalf of an anonymous client. It isn’t hard to see what’s happening here, and it is a shame for genuine victims of sexual assault.”
Songz is being sued by a Jane Doe who claims that she went to one of the artist’s house parties in 2016. She alleges she was invited upstairs and then raped by Songz after she told him she did not want to have anal sex. The woman alleges Songz removed her pants when they got to the room, held her down, and forcibly inserted his penis into her anus. She also said that she screamed throughout the alleged ordeal and begged for him to stop. The woman also alleges that she went to the hospital and was too frightened to name the artist after she was examined. She said the examination found that there was “severe anal tearing that could require surgery.”
Earlier today, Ariel Mitchell, the lawyer for Jauhara Jeffries, the woman accusing the singer of assaulting her while out on New Year’s Eve in 2017 at E11VEN nightclub in another case, denied Songz’s legal team’s allegations that she was tampering with the case by trying to bribe witnesses.
“This is nothing more than bullying and an attempt to silence counsel and the many victims who have been assaulted by Defendant Songz and will be vigorously defended in court,” Mitchell told TMZ. “I will further be exonerated as I was when this allegation was previously made by Defendant Songz’s prior attorney.”
All three cases are still ongoing.
CNN’s Allison Gollust Resigns After Investigation Into Chris Cuomo and Jeff Zucker
Allison Gollust has stepped down from her chief marketing officer role at CNN following a third-party investigation into the news network amid recent controversy surrounding Chris Cuomo and Jeff Zucker.
The announcement was made in a memo from WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar that was shared with The Hollywood Reporter. “Based on interviews of more than 40 individuals and a review of over 100,000 texts and emails, the investigation found violations of Company policies, including CNN’s News Standards and Practices, by Jeff Zucker, Allison Gollust, and Chris Cuomo,” Kilar’s memo read, in part.
Kilar added: “I realize this news is troubling, disappointing, and frankly, painful to read. These are valid feelings many of you have. We have the highest standards of journalistic integrity at CNN, and those rules must apply to everyone equally. Given the information provided to me in the investigation, I strongly believe we have taken the right actions and the right decisions have been made.”
In response to the memo, Gollust sent an exit email to her former colleagues, obtained by THR, that criticized WarnerMedia’s handling of her departure.
“WarnerMedia’s statement tonight is an attempt to retaliate against me and change the media narrative in the wake of their disastrous handling of the last two weeks,” her message read. “It is deeply disappointing that after spending the past nine years defending and upholding CNN’s highest standards of journalistic integrity, I would be treated this way as I leave. But I do so with my head held high, knowing that I gave my heart and soul to working with the finest journalists in the world.”
Zucker resigned as chairman of WarnerMedia news and sports, and the president of CNN, on Feb. 2 after he was asked about a personal relationship with Gollust, who led marketing and communications for CNN.
The questioning was part of the network’s investigation into Cuomo, who was fired in December for conduct relating to brother Andrew Cuomo after the then-New York governor was accused of sexual harassment.
The New York Times reported that an ABC News employee reached out to CNN’s general counsel with an allegation of sexual misconduct against Chris Cuomo.
During a statement issued Feb. 2, Zucker acknowledged he was “wrong” to not have disclosed his relationship with Gollust “when it began.”
For her part, Gollust stated then that she and Zucker had been friends and colleagues for more than 20 years but that the “relationship changed during COVID. I regret that we didn’t disclose it at the right time.”
Their professional partnership goes back to Gollust leading Zucker’s corporate communications team at NBC before reuniting with him at CNN in 2013.
Replacing Zucker at CNN on an interim basis are Michael Bass, who oversees CNN programming; Ken Jautz, leading operations, business affairs and HLN; and Amy Entelis, in charge of talent and content development.
Zucker had been a driving force behind the company’s streaming service, CNN+, leaving its future plans in doubt.
Halyna Hutchins Estate, Husband, File Wrongful Death Suit Against Alec Baldwin
Halyna Hutchins’ estate and her husband have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Alec Baldwin and others on the Rust movie set over the cinematographer’s death.
People obtained a copy of the suit filed by Halyna’s husband, Matthew Hutchins, and their son Andros, 9. It alleges that Baldwin, 63, “recklessly shot and killed Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie Rust.”
Baldwin accidentally shot the 42-year-old cinematographer, and director Joel Souza, 48, in October on the New Mexico set where filming was taking place. Halyna was brought to the University of New Mexico Hospital by air following the shooting, where she succumbed to her injuries.
The complaint accuses Baldwin and “the other Defendants” of not following proper gun safety or performing “industry-standard safety checks.”
“Halyna deserved to live,” the filing reads, “and the Defendants had the power to prevent her death if they only held sacrosanct their duty to protect the safety of every individual on a set where firearms were present instead of cutting corners on safety procedures where human lives were at stake, rushing to stay on schedule and ignoring numerous complaints of safety violations.”
The lawsuit seeks punitive damages to be determined at trial, funeral, and burial expenses. In addition, it seeks compensatory damages for “the loss of love, companionship, comfort, care, assistance, protection, affection, society, guidance, training, assistance and moral support” of Halyna.”
So far, the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office has not charged anyone in connection to the shooting.
Hollywood Actor Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison After Scamming Several Film Investors Out of $650 Million
An actor has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after he admitted to scamming film investors out of $650 million.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Mark C. Scarsi sentenced Zachary Joseph Horwitz to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to taking advantage of more than 250 people in five different film investor groups. TODAY reports Horwitz lied to the individuals, claiming he could buy the rights to movies from producers and sell them to HBO, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Netflix for a large amount as consumers moved to stream content
In return, Horwitz told the film investors they would get 45 percent out of the fake deals. He even provided them with fraudulent paperwork with phony agreements detailing rights to his firm. He carried on his scheme for more than five years, telling his investors he would use their money through his company, 1inMM Capital, to purchase distribution rights in foreign territories.
Horwitz set up his plot when streaming services became more popular later in the 2010s; media platforms were buying up rights to movies to have on their streaming service. Instead of actually doing what he said he would, he used their money to fund a luxury lifestyle. He spent the ripped-off money on expensive cars, private jets and a $6 million Beverlywood home, Yahoo! Entertainment reports.
“Defendant Zachary Horwitz portrayed himself as a Hollywood success story,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California said this week, the news outlet reports. “He branded himself as an industry player, who, through his company…leveraged his relationships with online streaming platforms like HBO and Netflix to sell them foreign film distribution rights at a steady premium… But, as his victims came to learn, [Horwitz] was not a successful businessman or Hollywood insider. He just played one in real life.”
Horwitz pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud after he was arrested in April 2021. He will now have to pay back $230,361,884 from his scheme and serve 20 years in prison.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
EVIDENT EVIDENCE
Uhm, ma’am I think you forgot something?
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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