Instagram Influencer, Bilzerian, Faces Wrongful Termination Lawsuit After Firing Former President

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Instagram Influencer Bilzerian Faces Wrongful Termination Lawsuit After Firing Former President.jpg

Curtis Heffernan, former President of Ignite, claims Dan Bilzerian’s reputation as a gun-loving playboy enjoying a lavish lifestyle filled with luxury and travel and supermodels, is actually “rented” with the company picking up the tab.

Instagram Influencer Fires President for Questioning his Addiction to Using Company Money:

In the lawsuit, Heffernan claims that Bilzerian’s exorbitant expenditures were regularly billed to the company, Ignite. Bilzerian founded Ignite and serves as CEO and majority shareholder. Curtis Heffernan looked into the Instagram Influencer’s finances and identified tricks Bilzerian used to hide his personal spending using business funds. 

Bilzerian Allegedly Billed Lavish Personal Expenses to the Company 

According to Heffernan’s wrongful termination lawsuit, many personal expenses were billed through the company, like Bilzerian’s $2.4 million annual rent for his home in the LA hills. Heffernan suggests that the addiction Bilzerian indulges for using company money for his lavish, personal lifestyle is to blame for the company’s $50 million loss in 2019. 

Other Employees Support the Claims Made by Former Ignite President:

While Bilzerian responded to the allegations by denying them outright in a statement to TMZ, other former Ignite employees have confirmed allegations. One former employee confirmed that Ignite pays for “everything…models, events, yachts…[as long as it was] wrapped in the Ignite logo…it was an Ignite expense, and he would send them the bill.” 

When Did the Investigation of Misuse of Company Funds Start?

In May 2020, Ignite accountants preparing the company’s annual report raised some red flags about inappropriate spending. Some examples of “personal spending” identified using company funds included:

  • $200,000 per month rent for LA hills home (periodically used for marketing events)

  • 2-night trip to London (in the six figures)

  • $75,000 paintball field

  • $65,000 “Four Elements Guns & Star Wars Set”

  • $50,000 bed frame

The accountants identified a total of $843,014.06 in company expenses that were actually “personal” expenses billed through the company.

Wrongful Termination Lawsuit Seeks Damages:  

Heffernan filed suit alleging wrongful termination, defamation, and violation of whistleblower protection laws. The California wrongful termination lawsuit seeks damages.

If you need to discuss employment law violations in the workplace or file a wrongful termination lawsuit, please get in touch with Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik DeBlouw LLP. Experienced employment law attorneys are ready to assist you in any one of various law firm offices located in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Riverside, and Chicago.