LOS ANGELES (CN) - Bodo Scriba, a German lawyer, cheated Twentieth Century Fox of more than $3 millionfor film rentals in 11 nations in greater Russia, through his Russian corporation, Gemini Film International, Fox claims in Federal Court.
Gemini distributed Fox movies in Russia from 2000 to 2006, and allegedly swiped the money in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazahkstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikstan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
Fox claims that "Scriba, who is GFI's majority shareholder and a lawyer, has a history, pattern and practice of creating mere shell corporations to be used as a conduit for his personal affairs. Scriba has a pattern and practice of using his shell corporations to illegally divert income, revenues and profits from the shell corporation for his own personal gain. His actions result in rendering the shell corporation insolvent, and thus obtaining, among other things, distribution of motion pictures without paying for contracted for Gross Film Rentals. Scriba and GFI never intended to honor their obligations to Fox, and Scriba always intended to, and in fact did, divert GFI's corporate funds for his own personal use," the movie company says.
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