Media executive Jeff Shell has been removed from his position as president of Paramount Skydance, according to a Wednesday report from Deadline.
The departure follows a complex legal battle involving R.J. Cipriani, a Las Vegas gambler and FBI informant who filed a $150 million lawsuit against Shell. Cipriani claimed the executive failed to honor commitments related to developing a music program. Shell responded last month by filing his own legal action against Cipriani, claiming extortion and defamation, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
This marks the second high-profile dismissal for Shell in recent years. In April 2023, he was terminated from his role as NBCUniversal’s chief executive following allegations of improper behavior involving a female CNBC journalist, Deadline noted.
According to the entertainment publication, Shell’s departure from Paramount follows several weeks of legal disputes stemming from misconduct allegations.
The report indicates that law firm Gibson Dunn had previously appeared to clear Shell of Cipriani’s accusations that the executive had disclosed confidential and potentially damaging information.
Shell took on the presidential role managing daily operations after Paramount Global finalized its acquisition of Skydance Media in the previous year.
Representatives from Paramount have not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding Shell’s removal.
