A former employee of Jordan Belfort’s is suing Paramount Pictures, the studio that made The Wolf of Wall Street, claiming the movie ruined his professional reputation.
Andrew Greene, who claims the character Nicky "Rugrat" Koskoff - was played by actor P.J. Byrn – is based on him, has launched a lawsuit that aims to remove the film from showing in theaters. He’s suing both Paramount and the film’s producers for $25 million.
In the lawsuit, Greene stated he did not give permission to use his likeness and therefore demands compensation.
Koskoff has a small part in the film as one of the employees of Stratton Oakmont. His character wears a toupe in the film, which prompted Jonah Hill’s character to call him a “f---ing Rugrat” and “wig-wearing f-----.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the lawsuit reads, “The motion picture contains various scenes wherein Mr. Greene's character is portrayed as a criminal, drug user, degenerate, depraved, and/or devoid of any morality or ethics. In one scene, Mr. Greene's character is depicted shaving a woman's head after Jordan Belfort's character states the woman was offered ten-thousand dollars."
Greene claims the movie has “damaged” his career by depicting him as a "criminal and drug user with misogynistic tendencies."
He claimed that Belfort used his name in the memoir that inspired the film and that he was the head of Stratton Oakmont during the time period the movie is supposed to take place in.
image: Amazon