Producer Sues Amazon Over Hollywood Hustler Documentary

A producer has filed a defamation lawsuit against Amazon over its Prime Video documentary Hollywood Hustler: Glitz, Glam, Scam, which portrayed him as an accomplice to convicted fraudster Zach Horwitz. The film chronicles Horwitz, who used a manufactured association with Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and promises of production deals with major streamers to gain clout while running a Ponzi scheme.

Horwitz was sentenced to 20 years in 2022 and ordered to pay $230,361,884; after incorporating the profits the final judgment was increased to $62,847,901.05. The movie depicts him as having ripped off investors and pals to the tune of $650 million. Producer Julio Hallivis, who founded 1inMM Productions in 2013, says the documentary ruined his career and denies involvement.

The complaint states: “Hallivis played no part in the Ponzi scheme and knew nothing about how Horwitz raised money or about the business activities he carried on through 1inMM Capital.

amazon, prime video, hollywood hustler, julio hallivis, zach horwitz, defamation lawsuit, ponzi scheme, 1inmm productions, howard schultz, 650 million