The producers of TERMINATOR SALVATION have launched legal action against an investment company for allegedly double-crossing them during talks to secure financing for the sci-fi film.
Moviemakers Derek Anderson and Victor Kubicek filed suit against investment firm Pacifor LLC in Los Angeles on Monday (17Aug09), accusing a former employee of the hedge fund experts of posing as an independent financial consultant to ensure the producers used Pacifor to help them purchase the rights to the Terminator franchise in 2007.
Anderson and Kubicek, who run production company Halcyon Co., allege Kurt Benjamin pretended not to be a Pacifor employee when he arranged the deal between the moviemakers and the financiers.
It is alleged in the suit that Benjamin, along with Pacifor boss Andy Mitchell, used confidential information they had about Halcyon to manipulate the company into compensating them for arranging the deal.
Anderson and Kubicek's other company, Dominion Group, is also suing Pacifor in a second lawsuit which claims the financial experts wrongfully filed a lien against Dominion's assets - meaning they couldn't negotiate further financial backing for Halcyon.
The pair is seeking almost $60 million (£40 million) in damages.
Anderson and Kubicek settled a $160 million (£107 million) lawsuit with fellow producer Moritz Borman in April (09), who accused the duo of fraud and breach of contract after he helped acquire the rights for the futuristic franchise through Pacifor.