Richie Akiva is a wild boy.
The former nightclub founder who was arrested Wednesday has a long history of wild parties, star-studded adventures and serious business deals. He is also a close friend of Leonardo DiCaprio.
Read on to learn more about the “Titanic” star’s close friends.
arrest
Wednesday’s arrest is not the first time the nightclub entrepreneur has clashed with police. Akiba was arrested in March 2025 after it was discovered that he was driving with a suspended license.
He was taken to New York’s 9th Precinct, where he was charged with a misdemeanor. A source previously told Page Six that the company was charged with one count of second-degree aggravated unauthorized operation and one count of equipment violation.
His license was reportedly suspended due to an old unpaid parking ticket.
club king
Akiva rose to fame as the founder of iconic New York hotspots 1Oak and Up & Down.
He was also part of the Butter Group, which included a number of restaurants and popular nightclubs, with former business partner Scott Sartiano.
In 2017, it was reported that the mogul had plans to open a rock ‘n’ roll bar titled E.Ville (pronounced “evil”), short for East Village.
In June 2022, he launched the exclusive members-only club “The Ned” with Ron Burkle and Soho House founder Nick Jones.
Akiva was involved in the venture as “brand and creative director” and has brought in celebrities such as DiCaprio, Rihanna, Emily Ratajkowski, G-Eazy and “SNL” comic Leslie Jones.
bad business
In 2023, it was reported that he had a falling out with his former Butter Group business partner Darren Genciol. They are currently holding a rival gala during May’s Cannes Film Festival.
He was also removed from his operating contract at Ned through February 2024 due to behind-the-scenes financial negotiations, sources previously told Page Six.
star-studded night
Akiva first burst onto the Hollywood scene as a core member of DiCaprio’s entourage, who was known as the “P-sy Posse” in the ’90s nightlife scene. The entrepreneur eventually became known for his wide network of celebrity friends and wild parties.
In 2013, Akiva made headlines when he hosted a multi-city birthday party featuring stars including Steve Wynn, Diddy, Chris Brown and Miguel. Robin Thicke met them at 1OAK in Las Vegas and performed “Blurred Lines.”
The next day, he hosted a private dinner hosted by Naomi Campbell at the Peninsula Rooftop in New York City. They were also said to have guest appearances from Jay-Z, Timbaland, Anne V and her boyfriend Matt Harvey.
Thicke later appeared at Akiba’s birthday party in Paris in 2017. Other guests included Lenny Kravitz, Kourtney Kardashian, her then-boyfriend Younes Bendjima, supermodels Jourdan Dunn, Taylor Hill, Joan Smalls and Doutzen Kroes.
In recent years, Akiva has begun hosting his own signature shindigs in St. Barts. In 2021, he hosted a New Year’s Eve party on the island, known as a celebrity hotspot, and sources said hundreds of people attended and jumped up and down until the early hours of the morning.
In 2022, he celebrated the launch of his private social club, Société, with a star-studded event featuring appearances by Busta Rhymes and more. Ne-Yo and Gunna Alex Rodriguez. Giancarlo Stanton. NBA players Joakim Noah, Myles Turner, and O’Shea Brissett. Model Joan Smalls, Gossip Girl cast members Thomas Doherty and Whitney Peake.
Over the years, DiCaprio and Akiva have remained close, with DiCaprio attending several of the mogul’s galas. In 2024, the “Wolf of Wall Street” star allegedly helped a drunk man at one of Akiva’s grand parties in the Hamptons.
