Hollywood Legal Hustle: Amazon & Vice Smacked With Defamation Suit Over Docuseries On “Millennial Madoff” & $650M Ponzi Scheme

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The former business partner of an imprisoned con artist who orchestrated a $650 million Ponzi scheme is suing Amazon Studios, Vice Studios, and director Rebecca Chaikin over a docuseries about the fraud. The lawsuit alleges the filmmakers sensationalized the story, dubing the perpetrator the "millennial Madoff", to boost viewership. The scheme involved false promises of lucrative licensing rights to HBO and Netflix content. The plaintiff claims the defendants prioritized ratings over accuracy in depicting the scam that defrauded investors and associates.