Trump and Larry Ellison’s Secret Talks Exposed Amid Jeff Shell Legal Drama

Donald Trump and tech billionaire Larry Ellison have been implicated in a high-profile legal battle involving Hollywood insider RJ Cipriani and Paramount president Jeff Shell, reminiscent of a classic film noir plot.

In recent legal documents, professional gambler Cipriani alleges that he was privy to confidential discussions about negotiations between tech giant Ellison and President Trump concerning Paramount’s attempt to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. These discussions took place on February 2.

According to the legal documents, Shell disclosed to Cipriani Paramount’s plans to acquire WBD and Trump’s involvement in the deal. “These disclosures included a detailed account from Shell of a direct assurance from President Donald Trump to Lawrence Ellison regarding Paramount’s impending purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.,” states the amended lawsuit.

The filings also highlight Trump’s alleged role in facilitating a new installment of the “Rush Hour” series following a documentary about Melania Trump directed by Brett Ratner for Amazon. Cipriani’s attorneys argue: “Trump’s direct involvement in guiding the Ellison’s business decisions about ‘Rush Hour 4’ is not an isolated case.” The documents also quote Trump telling Ellison, “Larry, it seems Netflix will acquire Warner Bros., but if you truly desire it, Larry, I’ll ensure you secure it.” (A request for comment has been sent to the White House.)

A spokesperson for Paramount Skydance commented, “Paramount is aware of the baseless lawsuit and believes the allegations are completely unfounded. There is no factual or legal basis for any claims against Paramount, its directors, or its major shareholders, and the company plans to defend against these allegations vigorously.”

Although Shell previously denied sharing sensitive corporate information with Cipriani, he has not yet responded to the latest legal developments,

Exclusive documents obtained by Page Six Hollywood reveal that Cipriani was offered a substantial seven-figure sum to refrain from suing a group of Hollywood elites, including Shell.

However, the LA and Las Vegas adviser decided to proceed with a $150 million lawsuit against Shell, subsequently entangling high-profile figures from the entertainment and tech industries, namely Larry and David Ellison.

The settlement proposal, dated February 28 and seen by P6H, came before Cipriani filed his lawsuit against Shell in March. Patricia Glaser, Cipriani’s recent attorney, represented Shell until early February when the initial standoff reports emerged. Surprisingly, the settlement offer signed by Glaser on February 28 came days after she ceased representing Shell. Shell was not a party to the settlement, which proposed a seven-figure sum for Cipriani to drop all claims against Shell, Paramount Skydance, RedBird Capital Partners, and their respective executives and agents. However, the settlement was solely between Glaser and Cipriani. Glaser has not responded to inquiries for comment.

Cipriani, who did not sign the agreement, filed an amended complaint on Tuesday adding tech mogul Larry Ellison and his son, Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison, to the lawsuit. Cipriani asserts he was Shell’s crisis PR consultant, while Shell vehemently denied this in a countersuit, branding Cipriani a fraud.

The latest legal filing also brings new defendants into the fray, including RedBird CEO Gerry Cardinale and the Paramount board, except former chief Sherry Lansing. “I know her, and I believe if she had any knowledge of Jeff Shell’s actions, she would have stopped him immediately,” states Steven Aaronoff, Cipriani’s lawyer, who previously worked for Paramount during Lansing’s tenure.

On Monday, Shell filed a counterclaim against Cipriani for extortion and defamation, claiming he was the target of a “shakedown.” This countersuit introduced more bizarre elements, including alleged death threats received by Shell, which necessitated round-the-clock security while negotiating a $1.5 billion deal for “South Park” streaming rights. Shell’s counterclaim also mentions former NBCUniversal mogul Ron Meyer, who reportedly told Shell he might convince Cipriani to lower his demands from at least $10 million to possibly $5 million to cease his threats. (Sources say Glaser played a key role in facilitating Meyer’s communications with Shell.)

The dispute between Cipriani and Shell reportedly originated from Glaser, who introduced the two in 2024. From Shell’s point of view, their initial meeting was harmless, with no requests or promises made. However, Cipriani’s lawsuit claims he spent the next 18 months managing PR crises for Shell, who had been previously let go by NBCUniversal. During this time, Shell allegedly disclosed confidential details to Cipriani about multi-billion-dollar deals involving “South Park” and UFC, as well as the Ellison’s efforts to acquire Warner Bros.

The involvement of Larry Ellison and President Trump in the Warner Bros. deal is highlighted in the court documents. “Plaintiff alleges, based on information and belief, that the $10 billion paid by Oracle and its co-investors to the Trump administration’s Treasury was essentially a quid pro quo for Trump’s personal assurance to Lawrence Ellison that his administration would support and facilitate Paramount’s acquisition of WBD—a precise assurance that Shell revealed to Plaintiff on February 2, 2026,” the documents claim.

“I’m seeking jurors who, like me, value freedom and are disturbed by a U.S. president acting like a mob boss,” Aaronoff stated. “I’m fighting for RJ’s liberation from oppression and, in a broader sense, for the freedom of the United States, as it’s clear there is corruption at the highest level.”

Meanwhile, the investigation into whether Shell disclosed non-public information to Cipriani is ongoing. Cipriani is reportedly meeting with attorneys at Gibson Dunn, who are leading the investigation, on Wednesday. Sources indicate that Gibson Dunn is particularly interested in text message exchanges between the two men regarding Paramount’s over $7 billion streaming deal with the UFC.