Jeff Shell Settles Suit With Gambler Whom He Accused of ‘Shakedown’

Jeff Shell, the former president of Paramount Skydance, has recently settled a legal dispute with a gambler named R.J. Cipriani. The gambler had accused Shell of leaking confidential company information and had demanded $150 million for crisis PR work that he claimed was performed off the books.

The lawsuit was filed by Cipriani in March against Shell, his wife, Paramount, Larry and David Ellison, and others. Cipriani alleged that he was owed millions for communication work that was done under an unwritten agreement. In response, Shell countersued, claiming that Cipriani was trying to exploit their relationship for financial gain.

Both parties have now dropped their lawsuits with prejudice, and it is understood that Shell and Paramount did not pay Cipriani any settlement. Paramount and Shell have chosen not to comment on the matter, while Cipriani’s attorney, Steven Aaronoff, has not responded to requests for comment.

Cipriani also accused Shell of violating securities laws by sharing confidential information with him. Shell disclosed this accusation to Paramount in February, prompting an internal investigation. The company concluded in April that Shell had not breached any securities rules.

In April, Shell stepped down as president to focus on the litigation. Paramount dismissed the allegations against them as “frivolous and baseless.” According to Cipriani’s complaint, Shell had shared his views on Paramount overpaying for Warner Bros. Discovery in a bidding war with Netflix. He also reportedly made negative comments about David Zaslav, the CEO of WBD.

The introduction between Shell and Cipriani was made through their mutual lawyer, Patty Glaser. Glaser attempted to mediate the dispute in February by offering Cipriani a $150,000 “loan” that would not need to be repaid. Cipriani accused Glaser of having a conflict of interest as she represented both parties. Subsequently, both sides hired separate attorneys to handle the legal proceedings.

Glaser has chosen not to comment on the resolution of the case. In his complaint, Cipriani also claimed credit for an article in the Hollywood Reporter in June 2025 that detailed Shell’s conflict with “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. The article allegedly exposed the creators’ greediness and saved Paramount $1.5 billion.

Despite this alleged benefit, Shell reportedly refused to compensate Cipriani in any way, according to the lawsuit. The resolution of this legal dispute marks the end of a contentious chapter for Jeff Shell and Paramount Skydance.