A former Proxima Media manager sued the film production company Monday, alleging he is owed back wages and stock after he was abruptly let go in 2022 about three months before his contract was set to expire.
Tuhin Roy’s Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit also names Triller as a defendant. Proxima Media held a controlling stake in the video-sharing social networking service from 2019-22. He alleges breach of contract and seeks unspecified compensatory damages with interest.
Proxima Media was founded by movie producer Ryan Kavanaugh, who together with his executive team, have produced more than 200 films, which have grossed over $25 billion at the box office.
Triller users can create and share short-form videos, including videos set to or automatically synchronized to music using artificial intelligence technology. A Triller representative could not be immediately reached for comment.
Roy was hired in November 2020 a senior portfolio manager and was employed by both Proxima Media and Triller, the suit states. He earned $500,000 annually and was granted the option to buy shares of common units in Triller as well as stock grants in two other Proxima companies, all vesting monthly over the course of the two-year term of the agreement that was good through Nov. 1, 2022, the suit states.
However, Proxima Media and Triller terminated Roy’s employment agreement “without cause” last July 31, the suit alleges.
Roy is owed $125,000 in wages and his common units continued to vest and are worth $2.86 million, according to the suit, which further states that Roy’s multiple demands that Proxima Media and Triller pay what he is owed have been ignored.