The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), creators of the Golden Globe Awards, has sued Jay Penske, his company Penske Media Corporation, and the Golden Globe Foundation regarding the recent purchase of the awards show.
A lawsuit filed in federal court in California alleges that last year’s acquisition of the Golden Globes was fraudulent and designed to mislead. The suit is asking for at least $150 million in compensation.
As a movie lover, I was shocked to read the lawsuit! It alleges that Roger Penske and others secretly plotted to basically buy the Golden Globes, destroy the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, and then control who gets awards and how the industry talks about them. Apparently, this whole thing is a violation of California laws meant to protect fair competition and consumers – it sounds like a real attempt to rig the system!
A spokesperson for Penske Media and the Golden Globes denied the allegations in a statement.
As a film lover, I’m honestly not surprised by today’s lawsuit. It just feels like more of the same drama from the group that used to be the HFPA – they’ve become known for making bizarre and illogical decisions, and this really just continues that pattern.
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The lawsuit claims Jay Penske, who leads the company that owns publications like Variety, worked with billionaire Todd Boehly of Eldridge Industries – the owner of Dick Clark Productions, which has long produced the Golden Globes – to buy the 80-year-old award show using a questionable deal. The suit alleges this purchase was made through a “corrupt Asset Purchase Agreement.”
Penske and Boehly both own large shares in multiple movie and TV production companies, including A24 Films and MRC.
Boehly declined to comment for this story.
The lawsuit claims that acquiring the Golden Globes would give its owner a complete monopoly over the awards industry. This control would also allow them to limit who from the press – both American and international – can participate, and dictate what entertainment news reaches the public, all while continuing to dominate advertising revenue in this area.
In 2022, members of the HFPA agreed to a plan proposed by their temporary leader, Boehly, which would change the organization from a non-profit journalism group into a company focused on making money.
The organization was working to improve its reputation and regain acceptance within the Hollywood community.
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A new investigation by The Times revealed that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, a nonprofit organization, frequently makes large payments to its members, which some tax experts believe may not comply with IRS regulations.
After a Los Angeles Times investigation revealed ethical and financial issues within the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) – including a complete lack of Black members among its 87 voters – NBC canceled the 2022 Golden Globes broadcast. In addition, major public relations firms and studios like Netflix and WarnerMedia severed their relationships with the HFPA.
After Todd Boehly took over, the Golden Globes Association—which later became known as Golden Globes LLC—would be run as part of his company, Eldridge. The people who make up the voting group would now be paid staff.
A new, privately owned company will handle the Golden Globes’ business operations. However, its charitable work and donations will continue through a different, independent nonprofit organization.
The lawsuit claims that Penske and Boehly secretly started a boycott of the HFPA and the 2022 Golden Globes. They allegedly used publications like The Hollywood Reporter, owned by Penske, to damage the HFPA’s reputation and make it easier to buy. This boycott was then supposedly used as an excuse for Boehly to gain control of the HFPA and ultimately acquire the Golden Globes.
According to the lawsuit, after the purchase, the Golden Globe Foundation—originally intended as an independent charity connected to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association—actually functioned as part of the for-profit company created by Penske and Boehly.
The lawsuit claims that Roger Penske, Todd Boehly, and Golden Globes Foundation (GGF), with the help of Gregory Goeckner – formerly the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s lawyer and now the foundation’s CEO – have illegally used the foundation’s money. They are accused of redirecting these funds to benefit Penske and Boehly’s personal business interests, which breaks laws designed to protect charitable assets.
The lawsuit alleges that over $275,000 of money intended for charity was used to fund a Golden Globes viewing party hosted by Globes LLC, a for-profit company.
Goeckner is also accused of working with Penske and Boehly to illegally move $4 million from the HFPA to a new foundation. Prosecutors allege this was done to weaken the HFPA and cover up wrongdoing related to the APA before it could be exposed.
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California Attorney General Rob Bonta is leading a group of state attorneys general who intend to request a trial date in 2027, following the midterm elections.
According to the lawsuit, the new organization only allowed former HFPA members to join if they took jobs with the for-profit company created by Boehly and Penske. Members state they weren’t informed of this requirement until after they had already voted to approve the deal.
The documents also state that the newly formed organization broke several commitments it had made. Specifically, it went back on its word regarding existing members retaining both their lifelong voting privileges and their complimentary tickets to the awards ceremony.
It’s disappointing that former members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association are trying to use the Golden Globe Foundation – a charity – just to get tickets to the awards show. This is a misuse of resources that should be going to good causes. We’re also concerned that the HFPA, which has faced serious criticism for its past ethical problems, lack of diversity, and inappropriate behavior, continues to pursue these unfounded legal claims with the help of lawyers.
The lawsuit claims that the purchase allowed Penske and Boehly to control markets in three key areas: industry news sources for Hollywood, awards shows, and promotional advertising aimed at awards voters.
Using this monopoly, Penske is accused of turning the Golden Globes into a “pay-to-play racket.”
According to reports, the lawsuit claims that in 2024, Penske Media sold a series of dinners called “Variety Golden Globes” for $70,000 each, offering attendees access to Golden Globes voters.
The company also faces accusations of charging movie studios a $5,000 fee per film to list it on the Golden Globes Screening Platform. Studios submitting 14 or more films reportedly received preferential placement and visibility on the platform.
The lawsuit alleges that Penske Media demanded advertising buys in its trade publications as a condition for awards consideration. It claims Penske Media controls approximately 80% of all advertising related to For Your Consideration (FYC) campaigns, a market worth over $1 billion each year, through these publications.
Last May, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) decided to temporarily halt its plans to shut down in order to investigate potential wrongdoing and conflicts of interest related to a recent sale. The lawsuit also reveals that California’s Attorney General has not yet given permission for the HFPA to dissolve.
According to a representative from Penske Media Corporation, the sale of the Golden Globes was finalized over three years ago with all necessary approvals. Claims that the deal didn’t go through or could be undone are completely untrue. The spokesperson called this recent behavior by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association a new level of dishonesty.
2026-07-29 02:02