Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the most bankable stars in the world.
The playboy actor is so bankable, he’s demanded one of the highest salaries in the film industry for the last couple of decades.
But controversy involving DiCaprio’s Wolf of Wall Street forced the actor to give up a prized Oscar.
Financing movies is a huge business.
And Leonardo DiCaprio’s name alone is guaranteed profit and worldwide theatrical distribution, which is extremely rare.
There are only 30 actors in the world who have that same pedigree.
But sometimes where the financing comes from can be highly controversial and borderline illegal.
When Red Granite financed the $100 million production of Wolf of Wall Street, nobody questioned where the money came from.
And that’s why DiCaprio was forced to give over a gifted Marlon Brando Oscar originally gifted by Red Granite to him because the production allegedly embezzled money from the Malaysian government.
Breitbart reports:
“Leonardo DiCaprio has handed over to the federal government an Oscar originally won by Marlon Brando that he was gifted by Red Granite Pictures for his work on The Wolf of Wall Street, as the Department of Justice closes in on the production company’s alleged involvement in a massive Malaysian embezzlement scheme.
According to Deadline, the DOJ filed an asset seizure request Thursday in a California court against Red Granite, the film production company that has been accused of using millions of dollars stolen from a fund intended to benefit the people of Malaysia to pay for its productions.
In the filing, the government reportedly argued it should be entitled to seize the Red Granite films Dumb and Dumber To and Daddy’s Home as well as precious artwork purchased by the production company with what DOJ claims is stolen money.
The filing reportedly includes a request to seize real estate, valuable artwork by Van Gogh and Picasso and an original poster for the 1927 Fritz Lang film Metropolis, said to be worth $1.3 million, that reportedly hangs on the wall at Red Granite’s office.
An August expose in the Hollywood Reporter detailed the link between DiCaprio, his eponymous environmental foundation and 1MDB, the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund at the center of the scandal.
The DOJ alleges that Malaysian businessman and 1MDB advisor Jho Low funneled millions of dollars stolen from the fund into the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, including for the purchase of artwork that was later auctioned off at the actor’s annual environmental charity gala in St. Tropez, France.
The DOJ also alleges that hundreds of millions of dollars (of the more than $3 billion reported to have been misappropriated from the fund, in what could be the world’ largest-ever embezzlement scheme) went to Red Granite Pictures to fund its productions, including The Wolf of Wall Street, the 2013 financial crime dramedy for which DiCaprio won a Golden Globe in the starring role.
Red Granite — co-founded by the prime minister of Malaysia’s step-son, Riza Aziz, himself a central figure in the DOJ investigation — was reported to have given DiCaprio the Oscar won by Marlon Brando for his role in the 1954 classic On the Waterfront as a gift for his work on Wolf of Wall Street.”
DiCaprio appears to be innocent of these allegations and the DOJ has praised him for being fully cooperative in their investigation.
In fact, the Oscar winner actually reached out to the DOJ last summer to help cooperate with the investigation and hand over all the gifts and donations he received from Red Granite.
Not only did he receive a $25 million salary but his charity foundation also received huge donations.
His foundation’s statement read:
“In keeping the ill-gotten money, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation is acting in complete contradiction to its mission statement, which is to be ‘dedicated to the long-term health and wellbeing of all Earth’s inhabitants… while restoring balance to threatened ecosystems and communities.”
The irony is that a movie about gross embezzlement also embezzled its funding.
LOL, I wonder if we will learn of snowflakes melting.
Proof positive,, a ~~?~~ pretty face sure as Hell, does not make a pretty person~~~~~~~~~~
I’ve always thought he was ugly.
Hollywood is so full of both male and female jerks that I have not been to a movie in several years and do not want to start going now.
Apparently you are not the only one. They said Hollywood had its worst year ever this year. I can’t remember the last time I went to a movie, or what the last movie was about, so apparently it did not make too much of an impression.
They should tell their “employees” (movie stars if you’re under 30 years of age) to keep their mouths shut. Saw a preview of a movie today that I thought I’d like to see, but Johnny “kill the president” Depp was in it. Yesterday crossed one off because Simple Sarah Silverman was in it. Yahtzee, anyone?
YUP..No more Depp movies..and I now shut off any Madonna music. Now what we need to do is make people in Make Believe Land hear us..
Hollywood no longer has original material or imagination. Look at how many remakes of a “old” successful movie but so “rewritten” they should just rename it something else because it no longer has any trace of the original. How many more Marvel movies are going to sprout up, or a new remake with progressive agendas that frankly not every one is interested in, because it doesn’t have anything to do with the plot, just to check the block and reinforce some kind behavior as normal.
Similar to the HillBilly Clit ons taking $100s of thousands from the Chinese Communists, used to fund their campaigns. Then, after getting caught, return the money after the election, and paying it back with subsequent donations.
DO NOT INSULT THE HILLBILLYS IN REFERENCE TO THE FILTH OF THE CLINTONS…….
Good point.
I have no use for him. He goes to a Climate Control Meeting in a private plane. Why does Mr. Wonderful not think he is leaving his giant carbon foot print on the world? He is just another Hollywood Hypocrite.
I think he thinks he is Al Gore…who spews climate control, etc. etc. and has so many gas guzzling toys, its not funny – and then find out that the so called climate control grid they tried to set up in Chicago, Gore had I believe 10% equity in it…but you really had to look and search to find that out. Why? Because his “private mutual fund” is set up outside the US and is by invitation only. It’s all hush hush.
HE STILL USES HIS JET TO DIFFERENT PLACES AND TAKES HIS BUDDIES FOR A PARTY TIME AND CARES NOT ABOUT THE POLLUTION HE IS SPREADING.
hay you know his shit dont stink,he is better then us. he can burn up gas and polute the air .but its okay because he he is higher class.but he still has to seat on toliet the same as everyone else.
so true amber. and the climate control is just a ploy for the rich to have a place to hide there money.they can fool some people but not all of us. he is nothing more then a 2 bit lier. the weather man cannot tell you tomorrows weather correctly. how can they tell you what is so called climate change. BS
Stop paying for these idiots lifestyle, don’t go to their movies. That works very well.
0 STARS
Wonder maybe if he’s giving back his loot to 1.) Save his hide?, and 2.) Give a plug about the “goodness” of the Foundation with his name on it?
As an aside:
Funny how all these leftists spawn Foundations with their names on them (while they’re still alive) … is that not the epitome of narcissism? I guess, for the gay ones and the ones who abort their kids, it could be their way of assuring they have a legacy that’s painted the way they want it to look.
You couldn’t pay me to watch him, much less ask me to pay.
Specially when he claims to see Global Warming happening
in front of him. It’s called a “Chinook”, by the way.
“INTENDED TO BENEFIT THE PEOPLE OF MALAYSIA TO PAY FOR ITS PRODUCTIONS.,”.,, so much for the phony rhetoric about saving the polar bears. So typical for these elitists. All caring, portraying the love of humanity, while these corrupt pathetic liars build their wealth off of them. Typical moonbat, Lib. I’m glad he was forced to return it!
Another Hollywood Bubblehead who thinks the world of himself! Now where’s the DOJ investigation of the Clinton Crime Syndicate’s Clinton Foundation established to fund the lifestyle of the Clinton family versus serious international Health and Development.
This guy, is he really a guy. What we do know is he is a leftist prick.
don’t ever believe dicaprio didn’t know where the money and gifts came from …and as long as he was getting them he wasn’t about to bite the hand that was feeding him …the only reason he’s corp.is he’s caught and he’s doesn’t want to go down with them …he sell the other guy out and he walks away scott free
I have not been to or bought A movie in years and that person is not of high list of actors that I want to watch in a movie
dicrapio is just another hollywierd ass the only movies I go to any more are ones done by D’Sousa he is more of a patriot than ALL holly wierdos put together
Leo is a hollo-woofer meathead who cant act and has no common sense!
Then he hops in his private jet, to further pollute the air, as he further pollutes the minds of gullible liberals in another city, as he tells them to “do as I say, not as I do!!” What a bearded phony!! This is why I’ve boycotted most of the Hollyweirdos!!
IN MY OPINION,THERE ARE VERY FEW “STARS” LEFT IN HOLLYWOOD.THEY ARE OUT OF THEIR MIND,LATELY.GOING TO LEAVE,IF TRUMP WINS THE ELECTION AND NOT A DAM ONE HAS LEFT FOR GOOD.GEORGE LEFT FOR AWHILE,BUT HE DIDN’T FEEL SAFE IN ENGLAND,NOW HE HAS BROUGHT FAMILY BACK.DON’T WATCH ANY OF THEIR T V SHOWS,IT IS A WASTE OF MY TIME.WHOOPIE MAKES ME SICK TO MY STOMACH.AND OLD ROSIE.KARMA WILL GET EVER ONE OF THEM.WHEN THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING A STRIKE,I SAID GREAT,WE DON’T NEED THEM BUT SURELY NEEDED US.GOOD NIGHT.I PRAY FOR A PEACEFUL NIGHT FOR EACH OF YOU.
The “Celebrities” demonstrate one thing: they all put their mouths in motion before their brains are engaged.”
And, most of them think they are way more important than they really are; maybe, in some cases, they believe good acting transforms the person with intelligence—-better start looking and listening in front a mirror. And, if any of us decide not to support for their movies/shows, who would they be???? Humble is not a choice in their case.
HOLLYWOOD IS KNOWN AS THE PERVERT PLACE OF MEXIFORNIA………THEY AREN’T HAPPY UNLESS THEY GIVE THEIR BODIES TO EVERY TOM, DICK, HARRY, MARY, SARAH, OR HANNAH……TOO MANY CAN’T EVEN ACT THEIR WAY OUT OF A WET PAPER BAG………..
THE PLAYBOYS LIKE TO WORK THEIR WAY THRU EVERY MARRIED EAGER STARLET, AND THE ACTRESSES CAN’T WAY TO GIVE IT…………..
i think his demand days are comeing to a end.i dont care to watch movies anymore or go out to a pay movie. there not getting my nickel.