Amazon Studios is being sued by a post-production vendor who claims he was blackballed for refusing to pay kickbacks to Amazon employees.
Unbreakable Post owner Joe Eckardt claims he has been denied at least $1 million worth of work since refusing to participate in the scheme in 2023.
Eckerd has worked on “Temptation Island,” “Selling Sunset,” and many other reality shows. The complaint alleges that in July 2023, he had lunch with Frank Salinas, head of post-production for Amazon Studios’ unscripted division, and he offered to make him one of the company’s “approved vendors” who could bid on the project.
According to the complaint, Mr. Salinas told Mr. Eckerd the studio’s post-production budget and allowed him to bid slightly below that number, effectively guaranteeing that he would win the contract. In that case, Mr. Eckerd would have to direct the percentage to All Star Media Inc., a company registered in Mr. Salinas’ name, the complaint alleges.
“My client was not happy about it at all,” said Eckerd’s attorney, James Bryant. “In the end, the story never went forward. What happened next was that Frank cut him out of the Amazon Studios project.”
Salinas did not respond to voicemail messages, and Amazon Studios did not respond to requests for comment.
The lawsuit, filed May 6, alleges that Eckardt was recommended to appear on Season 3 of the Amazon Studios show “Coach Prime,” starring Deion Sanders. But it was ultimately rejected — because of Salinas’ intervention, he claims.
He was also denied an appearance on the Amazon show “Good Sports,” co-hosted by Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson, and was also denied appearances on “Temptation Island” and “LOL US,” according to the suit.
Mr. Eckerd filed an anonymous complaint with Amazon in June 2025, nearly two years after the lunch meeting, alleging that Mr. Salinas retaliated against him for refusing to pay him a kickback. He then disclosed his identity and details, including documents, to Amazon’s ethics attorneys, the complaint alleges.
In December, the company notified him that an investigation concluded his claims were “unsubstantiated.”
The lawsuit lays out allegations of conspiracy, negligent supervision and interference with economic interests.
