A lawsuit brought by Houston attorney Anthony Buzbee claiming he was duped into investing a movie deal has been settled and dismissed.
In October 2013, Buzbee, who made millions suing BP, sued Gayle Dickie, Jason Van Eman, James Allen Bradley, Weathervane Productions Inc. and Hey Girl Hey Entertainment LLC/3Way Films.
According to his original complaint, first filed in Harris County but removed to federal court, Buzbee alleged fraud against “various Defendants who purport to be in the movie business in California.”
Dickie contacted the Record and said the fraud accusations were thrown out.
Buzbee claimed the former defendants convinced him to invest $1.5 million in a movie. When the movie failed to “go forward as promised,” he alleges the defendants tried to get him to move his money into another project.
Dickie says Buzbee was not only returned his investment but also returned funding above and beyond.
Court records show Buzbee notified the court that a settlement had been reached on Feb. 5, 2015.
Four days later, he filed a motion to dismiss with prejudice, which was granted that same day.
Buzbee sought the $1.5 million he invested, plus $5 million in punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and costs.
According to the complaint, Dickie and Bradley are movie producers. Hey Girl Hey Entertainment is owned by Dickie. VanEman was investor who also wanted to become an actor.
Buzbee claimed they approached him in Houston seeking half of the funding they needed to produce a movie called “In Light of the Dance,” featuring the dance troupe Burn the Floor.
“Defendants also claimed that they had made an ‘offer’ to Ryan Gosling, and that he was considering being in the movie,” Buzbee asserted. “Later, Defendants claimed they were in ‘discussions’ with Justin Timberlake.”
He alleged they told him that the investment would be 80 percent insured by Lloyds of London.
Buzbee represented himself.
Harris County 234th District Court Case No. 2014-60989
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas-Houston Division Case No. 4:14-cv-3431