The Dubai-based reality TV show starring US hotel heiress Paris Hilton has been embroiled in law suits in both the UAE and the US, it was revealed on Thursday.
V Producers, a division of Abu Dhabi-based Viola Communications, were originally contracted in 2009 by Uniqon Emirates to handle the day-to-day production of the filming of the Dubai-based version of “Paris Hilton’s My New BFF”.
On Thursday, V Producers said in a statement that “Uniqon Emirates was subsequently unable to fulfill their financial obligations so V Producers financed some of the final production costs in order to save the show.”
“Despite continuous efforts to resolve the matter Uniqon Emirates was unable to meet the payment deadline and V Producers were left with no other option but to pursue a lawsuit which they subsequently won.
“The managing director of Uniqon Emirates, Ehab Habib, received a one year prison sentence following this lawsuit. Other legal claims are in progress and further information will be released at a later stage,” the statement added.
The revelations came after it was revealed on Tuesday that Lionsgate Television, the US producers of the MTV show, had filed an $8m federal suit against Uniqon Emirates in the US District Court in Los Angeles for breach of contract.
According to US reports, the law suit claims that Uniqon Emirates failed to honour a deal to pay more than $4.7m to cover the production and distribution costs of the Dubai show and the programme has subsequently not been shown by MTV.
The hotel heiress filmed the reality TV show in Dubai in the summer of 2009 and Liongate are seeking compensatory damages against Uniqon Emirates for the failed deal.
