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Perth Now
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Billionaire film mogul David Geffen sued by estranged husband Donovan Michaels
David Geffen is being sued by his estranged husband. The 82-year-old film producer is accused of treating Donovan Michaels, 32, like a "living social experiment" during the couple's two-year marriage in a lawsuit filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court. Michaels has accused Geffen of breach of contract and alleges that the record executive kicked him out of their New York while he attended Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos's wedding to Lauren Sanchez in Venice last month and went back on a promise to give him lifelong financial support. The lawsuit alleges that Geffen – who has an estimated net worth of $8.8 billion – used a "toxic mix of seduction, control, promises of love and lavish displays of wealth to entrap" Michaels in a loop of "dependency, submission and humiliation". Patty Glaser, a partner at the law firm representing the film mogul, said: "There was no contract – express, written, oral or implied – that has ever existed. We will be vigorously and righteously defending against this false, pathetic lawsuit." The complaint says that Geffen met Michaels on the dating site in 2016 and paid him $10,000 for sex. The couple married in a private Beverly Hills ceremony in 2023 and the complaint claims that Geffen did not seek a prenuptial agreement. The DreamWorks co-founder filed for divorce in May, citing irreconcilable differences, and the pair had kept details of their separation private until Michaels filed his lawsuit. The dancer – whose real name is David Armstrong – described himself in the lawsuit as a vulnerable young gay black man who had been exploited by a "wealthy, powerful white gay billionaire who believed himself untouchable". Geffen is alleged to have criticised "every aspect of Michaels's appearance" and body hygiene that required him to get "painful" laser and dental treatments. Michaels claims that he was frequently subjected to "back-handed insults and put-downs" about his "past and lack of sophistication". He likened the pair's relationship to the plot of the movie Trading Places and alleges that Geffen treated him like "a living social experiment – a trophy to show off to his wealthy friends, under the guise of benevolence". The lawsuit states: "Geffen told Michaels he loved him, and the two agreed to treat each other as life partners, share all assets equally and that Geffen would support Michaels financially for life. "Michaels gave up his dreams – his modelling career, his independence – to dedicate himself fully to this promise." The suit also alleges that Geffen ordered Michaels to "immediately vacate" the couple's New York home as he partied aboard his $400 million Rising Sun superyacht in the lead-up to the Bezos wedding. It states that Michaels was left homeless as Geffen was "decadently and extravagantly partying and dancing the night away in Venice, Italy with the other 0.0001 per cent of the wealthiest people on the planet". The complaint says: "While Geffen holds himself out to the public as an extraordinarily charitable man whose foundation gives millions and millions of dollars to advocacy and support groups for the homeless and disadvantaged populations, he is simultaneously endeavouring to render Michaels impoverished and homeless."
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
David Geffen accused of paying thousands for sex, forcing cosmetic procedures on estranged husband in bombshell lawsuit
David Geffen's estranged husband, David Armstrong, filed a bombshell lawsuit, accusing the billionaire of paying him thousands for sex and 'grooming' him. Armstrong, who also goes by Donovan Micheals, claims he and the film producer, 82, met on a website the 32-year-old alleges rich men like Geffen 'shop for the vulnerable,' according to court documents obtained by Page Six. Armstrong claims in the suit, filed Tuesday, that Geffen paid him $10,000 to have sex on the first night they met. After that night, the former model claims Geffen — who vehemently denies all the claims in the lawsuit — began treating him 'as a living social experiment – a trophy to show off to his wealthy friends, under the guise of benevolence.' 'It was a sick game. Michaels became a prop in Geffen's theater of virtue, paraded around as evidence of Geffen's supposed altruism, while privately used as a sexual commodity,' the lawsuit claims. Armstrong, who grew up in the foster care system, alleges Geffen eventually professed his love for him and told him they were in a 'genuine and enduring' relationship. The former go-go dancer, who married Geffen with no prenup in March 2023, says in the docs that he 'believed he had finally found someone' who cared about his 'traumatic upbringing' as a foster kid. Armstrong claims in the lawsuit that Geffen 'used [Armstrong's] tragic story not as a reason to offer genuine support, but as a grooming tool – casting himself as savior, 'white knight,' mentor, and gatekeeper to a better life.' Armstrong alleges that the record executive 'began transporting [Armstrong] across the globe as his paid sex worker,' taking international trips, 'many of which took place aboard Geffen's private superyacht,' according to the suit. He claims that Geffen would often hire sex workers, both men and women, throughout their 'sexually-open marital lifestyle.' Additionally, Armstrong alleges that Geffen 'critiqued every aspect' of his appearance and 'carefully controlled [Armstrong] with respect to all aspects of his body hygiene.' Per the docs, Geffen would allegedly make Armstrong undergo 'painful' laser treatments and dental treatments and would allegedly become enraged over the mere 'existence of an ingrown hair.' Armstrong claims that Geffen 'plied' him with drugs — including cocaine, molly, and cannabis — and allegedly expected the former to partake with the Asylum Records co-founder's A-list friends. Due to his drug usage, Armstrong says in the court docs that he underwent treatment to become sober and followed a 12-step Alcoholics Anonymous program. Once Armstrong told his partner that he wanted a 'new beginning' and to 'develop an independent identity that he could be proud of,' the Geffen Records founder allegedly cut him off and demanded a divorce. As Geffen, who filed for divorce from Armstrong in May, was gearing up to attend Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's Venice wedding last month, the DreamWorks Records co-founder allegedly 'demanded that [Armstrong] immediately vacate the New York residence,' which would effectively make him homeless, he claimed. 'In addition to evicting Michaels, Geffen also cut him off from his status quo financial support, making it impossible for Michaels to secure an appropriate living situation and provide for his daily necessities,' the lawsuit claims. Armstrong is seeking damages, as well as a home that Geffen cannot reclaim and 'adequate support necessary to pay [Armstrong] reasonable general living expenses for the rest of his life. Geffen's attorney Patty Glaser denied Armstrong's allegations. 'There was no contract — express, written, oral, or implied — that has ever existed,' she told Page Six in a statement. 'We will be vigorously and righteously defending against this false, pathetic lawsuit,' she added.
Los Angeles Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
David Geffen accused of abusing ex in suit alleging paid sex and superyacht drug parties
David Geffen has been sued by his estranged husband, Donovan Michaels, who says that the billionaire film producer preyed on his vulnerabilities as a young gay Black man from the foster system and trapped him in a manipulative and abusive relationship. Geffen, 82, and Michaels, 32, met in 2016 on a dating site where affluent individuals often seek relations with younger singles in return for some form of compensation, according to the complaint. On the night they met, the media mogul allegedly paid Michaels $10,000 to have sex with him. The pair continued their relationship and married in 2023, minus a prenup, according to the complaint. In May of this year, Geffen filed for divorce. Now Michaels, whose legal name is David Armstrong, is suing Geffen for breach of contract, saying that the billionaire promised to take care of him financially but left him near broke and homeless. The lawsuit compares their relationship to the plot of the movie 'Trading Places,' saying Geffen used Michaels as a trophy to show off to his rich and famous friends. 'It was a sick game,' the complaint states. 'Michaels became a prop in Geffen's theater of virtue, paraded around as evidence of Geffen's supposed altruism, while privately used as a sexual commodity.' Geffen's attorney Patty Glaser pushed back on Michaels' allegations. 'There was no contract — express, written, oral, or implied — that has ever existed,' she said in a statement to The Times. 'We will be vigorously and righteously defending against this false, pathetic lawsuit.' The 33-page complaint is packed with explosive claims about the exploits of the richest man in the entertainment industry. Geffen has an estimated net worth of $8.8 billion, according to Forbes. He amassed his wealth as a music and movie producer, signing major artists including the Eagles and Joni Mitchell and co-founding Dreamworks Pictures, which has produced iconic movies such as 'Saving Private Ryan' and 'Shrek.' Michaels entered the Michigan foster-care system at 18 months old and grew up in various foster and group homes where he regularly experienced physical and emotional abuse, according to the complaint. He moved to Florida at 19 and relied on exotic dancing and X-rated videos to get by financially. The lawsuit claims that Geffen expected Michaels to use drugs such as cocaine and molly alongside Geffen's friends on the billionaire's 450-foot superyacht the Rising Sun. The complaint alleges that Geffen enjoyed physically dominating his sexual partners and causing them pain. This type of sexual behavior triggered Michaels' childhood trauma and caused him digestive issues, headaches and the need to isolate, according to the complaint. The suit further alleges that the billionaire 'critiqued every aspect of Michaels' appearance,' and that the mere existence of an ingrown hair would raise Geffen's ire. The media mogul allegedly told Michaels 'where to go, what to wear, what to read, what to watch, and what to say' and required him to submit to extensive painful cosmetic treatments. In addition, Geffen allegedly prevented Michaels from continuing to pursue his modeling career, saying he needed to be constantly available. Michaels says he began reevaluating his life and relationship after entering addiction treatment earlier this year. He then approached his husband and said he 'wanted a new beginning wherein he could stand shoulder to shoulder with Geffen as an equal free from power dynamics that existed.' According to the complaint, Geffen then cut Michaels off, demanded a divorce and denied Michaels financial support 'commensurate with his lifestyle' and his share of assets acquired during their cohabitation. While the media mogul was attending fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding in Italy last month, he ordered Michaels to vacate his New York residence, the complaint alleges. Michaels is seeking compensatory damages and a judicial determination of his rights under an alleged oral agreement made with Geffen. His attorneys argue that this should entitle him to having his living expenses covered for the rest of his life and an equal division of all properties subject to the agreement. 'While Geffen holds himself out to the public as an extraordinarily charitable man whose foundation gives millions and millions of dollars to advocacy and support groups for the homeless and disadvantaged populations,' the complaint states, 'he is simultaneously endeavoring to render Michaels impoverished and homeless.'
