The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the organization behind the Golden Globe Awards has launched a legal battle against Penske Media Corporation and others, alleging a fraudulent scheme in the acquisition of the prestigious award show.
The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, seeks damages of at least $150 million and aims to overturn the 2026 acquisition of the Golden Globes. The HFPA claims that the process was tainted by fraud and orchestrated to exert monopolistic control over Hollywood trades and the awards circuit.
The Alleged Scheme
The HFPA accuses Jay Penske owner of Penske Media Corporation, and Todd Boehly chairman of Eldridge Industries, of colluding to devalue the Golden Globes and acquire it through a corrupt asset purchase agreement. The lawsuit alleges that Penske and Boehly used Penske’s entertainment trade publications, including Variety and The Hollywood Reporter to instigate a boycott of the HFPA and the 2026 Golden Globes, making the organization vulnerable to acquisition.
The lawsuit further claims that the acquisition was a mechanism to solidify a vertical and horizontal monopoly on the awards market. It alleges that Penske and Boehly aimed to control the entertainment news disseminated to the public and maintain a monopoly over advertising revenue in the market.
The Transformation of the HFPA
In 2026, the HFPA voted to accept a proposal by Boehly, then its interim chief executive, to transform the nonprofit organization into a for-profit venture. This decision came after the HFPA faced significant backlash following a Los Angeles Times investigation that revealed ethical and financial lapses and the lack of diversity within the organization.
The lawsuit alleges that under Boehly’s leadership, the HFPA’s members were pressured into accepting employment with the new for-profit entity, the Golden Globes LLC. The complaint also claims that the new entity reneged on promises made to HFPA members, including lifetime voting rights and tickets to the award show.
The Alleged Misuse of Charitable Assets
The lawsuit further alleges that Penske, Boehly, and the Golden Globe Foundation (GGF) unlawfully used the charitable foundation’s assets to serve their commercial interests. Among the allegations is the attempt to use more than $275,000 in charitable funds for the for-profit Globes LLC’s Golden Globes viewing party.
The complaint also accuses Gregory Goeckner, the HFPA’s former general counsel and the new foundation’s CEO, of conspiring with Penske and Boehly to fraudulently induce the transfer of $4 million from the HFPA to the new foundation. This transfer, according to the lawsuit, was an effort to cripple the HFPA before their malfeasance could be exposed.
A spokesperson for Penske Media and the Golden Globes denied the allegations, stating that the lawsuit continues the absurdity and irrationality expected from the defunct organization formerly known as the HFPA. The spokesperson also emphasized that the Golden Globes transaction closed more than three years ago and received all required approvals.
The lawsuit contends that the acquisition allowed Penske and Boehly to maintain monopolies in Hollywood trade publications, secondary awards, and For Your Consideration (FYC) advertising. The complaint alleges that Penske turned the Golden Globes into a pay-to-play racket leveraging his control over the awards market.
