Dennis RomeroGirls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis has been called the Douche of the Decade, but critics of Hollywood producer and alleged scam artist Gino Cabanas would probably vote for him instead.
He's been the target of production-related lawsuits since 1997 and has a new round of haters after a reality show he was putting together, Work of Genius, fell apart and the crew went unpaid.
Crew members at UCLA.; Credit: Facebook
His detractors, some of them respected Hollywood industry veterans, alleged in our sister publication Miami New Times that Cabanas is a scammer who raises money for productions and then splits before projects can actually be made.
The money graf:
Cabanas's Los Angeles-based production outfit, the Vine Studio, is the target of a lawsuit for failing to pay the show's 62-member crew. Since 1997, he has been sued three other times in Los Angeles County for allegedly stiffing crew and consultants.
Work of Genius was cast in Miami before it imploded. Cabanas says executive producer Kenneth La Grave failed to come through with promised cash. La Grave says, “Gino Cabanas is a scam artist” who owes him a cool half mil.
Cabanas' response to the legal heat: “Every director in Hollywood has been sued.”
The unpaid crew members started a Facebook page called “Work of Genius – PAY YOUR CREW.” On it one poster notes that Cabanas has a website that welcomes investors.
Good luck with that.
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.