The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) files an antitrust lawsuit against Penske Media Corporation (PMC) and others, seeking $150 million, alleging that the 2023 acquisition of the Golden Globe Awards involved fraudulent and improper conduct. According to multiple reports, the HFPA argues that the sale process was a “sham” and that the parties used a process allegedly tainted by fraud to gain control of the awards show. The suit is filed in federal court in Los Angeles.
The Hollywood Reporter and Variety report that the HFPA claims PMC orchestrated an effort to dismantle the HFPA, which has operated for about 80 years and created the Golden Globes. The Los Angeles Times adds that the complaint also raises related allegations including monopoly and the misuse of charitable funds.
Across the coverage, the central contention is that the HFPA challenges the legitimacy of the purchase and the resulting control over the Golden Globes, framing the transaction as anticompetitive and improper. The reports describe the dispute as both a challenge to the sale process and an attempt to address alleged harms to the HFPA and its charitable interests.
