Jeff Shell, the president of Paramount Skydance, has accused R.J. Cipriani, a "fixer" who has demanded $150 million from Shell for crisis communications, of trying to extort and defame him by creating an "utterly false tale" that Shell had disclosed confidential details about Paramount's business. Shell was sued March 9 by R.C. for 18 months, alleging that he had a relationship with Shell and shared non-public information with him about Paramount’s plans. Shell's counterclaim seeks unspecified monetary damages and an injunction restraining Ciprieani from further defaming Shell. The counterclaims were filed in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles.