Mark Pogachefsky is planning to retire, but this is not the case.
The veteran indie film spokesman and president of MPRM Communications was working on a deal to sell the company to senior leaders. But when it fell, he believed they were low balls on him – he began looking for other offers.
These plans were thrown into the loop last week when his entire leadership team left at 42West and took clients from many companies, including Disney, NBC and National Geographic.
Pogachefsky is currently suing 42West and his former employees, accusing him of crippling his company and giving up his speech in order to sell the company.
In a complaint filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, MPRM allegedly plotted Sylvia Desrochers and other former employees steal clients while still working for the company.
“The defendant’s strategy in assaulting MPRM employees and customers and using MPRM’s trade secrets and/or ownership and confidential information is malicious and aims to cripple MPRM, the direct competitor of 42West,” the lawsuit alleges.
Earlier this year, Pogachevsky will be in negotiations with Deathlocker and both executive VPS Kaitlyn McGee Swartz, over options to buy the company. However, in June he rejected the highest offer, saying it reached just 10% of the company’s true value.
“He further explained that MPRM was established for continued success with the possibility of a significant increase in future cash flow,” the lawsuit states. “He will make it clear that he is willing to accept real offers from McGee and Deathrochards and will put his retirement on hold until something goes well.”
At that point, he began to recruit other offers, “we were able to protect serious interest from a large number of potential buyers,” according to the lawsuit.
However, last Monday, the VPS and five other employees announced they would be leaving immediately to go to work at 42West.
“Pogachefsky was shocked, not only because former MPRM employees didn’t notify the separation, but it was clear that MPRM leaving was hostile and has been working for quite some time, and that it would wreak havoc by stealing key personnel to MPRM and its existing clients,” the lawsuit states.
Two days later, Desrochers said in an email that six major clients would leave with them, the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit includes breach of loyalty, interference in contracts, and allegations of unfair business practices. 42West did not immediately return a request for comment.
