Bill Block hits back at lawsuit

Martin Singer issued a statement disputing claims in a filing earlier in the day by QED Holdings co-CEOs Sasha Shapiro and Anton Lessine, asserting that Block never acted without the knowledge of the principals.

In a brief statement Block (pictured) said he had always acted in the interests of QED, its employees and filmmakers and associates and expressed confidence he would be “completely vindicated.”

The statement by Singer read as follows:

“The claims asserted against Bill Block by QED are ridiculous and have no merit, and we are confident that my client will prevail on QED’s specious claims.

Nothing was done by Bill Block without the knowledge of QED’s attorneys and principals.

The fact is that since 2014 QED did not have the financial wherewithal to finance films and in July 2014, its principals directed Block to shut down the company, release all executives and extract the company from its office lease.

Bill Block went ahead and secured outside financing for, and packaged, Dirty Grandpa with QED’s knowledge and consent. The claims related to Birth Of The Dragon are also false since Mr. Block does not have any money on that film and QED is aware of that fact.

In October of 2014, Josh Grode, attorney for both QED and Mr. Block, approved Mr. Block going to work at a new company (Merced Media) and was listed as Mr. Block’s lawyer in the press release for that transaction.

This is contrary to the allegations in QED’s lawsuit. At the same time that QED wanted to shut down its operations, it was reported in the media that a US Senator wrote to the Attorney General of the United States in requesting that the Department of Justice investigate Mikhail Lesin, the father of one of QED’s principals, for alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and Anti-Money Laundering statutes.

Then, it was reported in the media in December of 2014 that the US Assistant Attorney General had referred the request for investigation of the QED principal’s father to the FBI and to the Criminal Division of the US Justice Department.

Also, in December of 2014, the deal for Mr. Block’s separation from QED was finished and confirmed by all parties.

The Russian principals of QED subsequently tried to renegotiate their deal with Mr. Block. When they could not do so on terms to their satisfaction, this absurd lawsuit resulted.”

Bill Block stated: “I have all along been acting in the best interests of QED, our filmmakers, our production partners and the employees of the company I founded. I’m confident that I will be completely vindicated in this litigation.”