Sports & Entertainment

Sports:

• A Long Island medical biller was sentenced to 12 years in prison Friday after being convicted of bilking over $600 million from insurance companies through fraudulent billing submissions and impersonating NBA star Marcus Smart and the NFL's general counsel. Med Biller Who Posed As NBA Star, NFL Atty Gets 12 Years - Law360
• An MGM subsidiary argued in a lawsuit filed Friday in Michigan state court that it doesn't owe the state taxes for the sale of the company's 50% stake in a riverboat casino that didn't touch its operations in Michigan, contesting corporate income tax and penalties the state assessed. MGM Challenges Mich. Tax For Ill. Riverboat Sale - Law360
• Sports fans are the "last bastion holding the pay TV system together," a House committee heard Wednesday morning at a hearing aimed at helping lawmakers grapple with the changing landscape of sports media as it begins to migrate onto streaming platforms. House Hears TV's Struggles With Sports' Move To Streaming - Law360
• A Manhattan federal judge hit a 19-year-old man with a year-and-a-half-long prison sentence Wednesday for hacking DraftKings user accounts in a cyberattack that ultimately cost the sports-betting site more than $1 million, calling the case a "tragedy." DraftKings Hacker Sentenced To 1½ Years In Prison - Law360

NCAA:

• A New Jersey federal judge late Friday reinstated a Rutgers basketball player whom the NCAA had suspended for 15 games, ruling that the organization cannot keep him off the court using a now prohibited transfer eligibility rule and that he had shown that doing so would cause him irreparable harm. NCAA Hoopster Reinstated As Judge Questions Transfer Rule - Law360
• The NCAA on Thursday penalized former University of Alabama baseball head coach Brad Bohannon with three years’ probation and a $5,000 fine for violating betting and ethics rules by knowingly sharing insider information with someone he knew was betting on one of his games. NCAA Punishes Ex-Ala. Baseball Coach In Gambling Scheme - Law360
• University of Tennessee Athletic Director Danny White blasted the NCAA over its policies regarding name, image and likeness compensation for athletes on Thursday, criticizing the governing body's investigation of the school for using NIL to recruit prospects and accusing it of using the university "as an example for their own agenda.'' Of Tenn. Athletic Director Rips NCAA's NIL Rules, Probe - Law360
• A University of Mississippi football player who accused the school and its head football coach of kicking him off the team for taking a mental health break will take his case to the Fifth Circuit, after a federal judge tossed the lawsuit out. Ole Miss Player Brings Tossed Discrimination Suit To 5th Circ. - Law360

GOLF:

• The restructuring of professional golf began to take shape this week with a $3 billion outside investment for the PGA Tour, leaving attorneys and academics with even more questions about the flagship promotion's already murky negotiations with its Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf. PGA Tour officials have described LIV and its financier, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, as an "existential threat," citing the upstart tour's moves to lure away top golfing talent with promises of huge payouts and unique tournament structures. That threat led the tour to bow out of its legal battle with LIV and begin talks for a new golfing partnership. Golf's Existential Crisis Just Got A $3 Billion Jolt - Law360
• An en banc panel of the Texas First District Court of Appeals found on Tuesday that the city of Houston is not immune in a suit alleging one of its council members ran over a man's foot with a golf cart, saying there's a factual dispute about whether the council member was using or operating the cart at the time. Houston Must Face Suit Over Councilman's Golf Cart Mishap - Law360

SOCCER:

• The sponsor of the would-be European Super League accused the Union of European Football Associations of doubling down on allegedly anti-competitive behavior meant to suffocate its rival even after Europe's top appeals court deemed such conduct illegal. Super League Co. Says UEFA 'Escalating' Antitrust Behavior - Law360

Entertainment:

MUSIC

• The surviving members of Sublime hit King Holmes Paterno & Soriano LLP with a malpractice suit in CA state court, alleging their former attorneys "engaged in a pattern of self-dealing," including by pushing the rock band into a less favorable merchandising deal with one of the firm's other clients. Lawsuit Is What I Got: Sublime Band Members Sue Ex-Firm - Law360
• Universal Music Group's catalog of songs is gone from TikTok, a result of a licensing contract expiring after each company publicly accused the other this week of making unreasonable demands. What To Know About TikTok's Music Licensing Rift With UMG - Law360
• A CA judge has tossed some claims from a lawsuit filed against singer Lizzo by some of her former dancers, but allowed others to move forward, including allegations of sexual harassment and racial discrimination, saying the case raises "difficult issues" regarding free speech protected as part of the creative process. Lizzo Can't Sidestep Dancers' Sex ​​​​​​​Harassment Claims - Law360
• The rapid spread of AI-generated duplicates of individuals' likeness and voice was the subject of a congressional hearing in LA ahead of the Grammy Awards, with country music superstar Lainey Wilson pleading with lawmakers to act to protect celebrities and their fans from deepfakes. Country Star Lainey Wilson Urges Congress To Tackle AI Fakes - Law360

FILM & TELEVISION

• Showtime's recent series about country singers George Jones and Tammy Wynette runs afoul of the non-disparagement clause in a years-old settlement by portraying Wynette's fifth husband, songwriter and producer George Richey, as "the villain," according to a suit by Richey's widow and daughter filed. Showtime Sued Over Portrayal In 'George & Tammy' Series - Law360
• Former reality TV personality Maurice Fayne's attempt to vacate a 17-year prison sentence for defrauding investors and a pandemic relief program is in jeopardy unless he quickly files arguments against the conviction, according to a filing in GA federal court. Reality Star At Risk Of Losing Fraud Conviction Challenge - Law360
• A state appeals court has said Hulu, Disney, and Netflix can escape a lawsuit from 31 TX municipalities that accuse them of failing to pay a state franchise tax, adopting the companies' argument that they are not required to pay the 5% fee because they are not franchise holders. Hulu, Disney, Netflix Escape Texas Tax Franchise Suit - Law360

MEANWHILE, IN HOLLYWOOD...

• Alec Baldwin has pled not guilty to revived involuntary manslaughter charges alleging he played a role in the on-set shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during the filming of the Western movie Rust. Alec Baldwin Pleads Not Guilty Again In 'Rust' Shooting - Law360
• A FL federal judge rejected claims from Disney that Ron DeSantis stepped on its free speech rights by replacing a local oversight board with company critics in retaliation for Disney's opposition to the governor's "Don't Say Gay" law that restricts teaching about gender and sexual orientation in public schools. Disney Loses Free Speech Suit Against DeSantis - Law360
• Media entrepreneur Byron Allen has placed a $30 billion bid to buy Paramount Global, calling it the "best solution" for shareholders as a bidding war for the debt-laden entertainment conglomerate continues to unfold. Media Mogul Byron Allen Bids $30B On Paramount Global - Law360