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Larry Flynt's Brother Sues Him for $20M Over Porn Empire

By Cynthia Hsu, Esq. on October 20, 2011 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Jimmy Flynt, Larry Flynt's brother, has sued the Hustler magazine publisher. Jimmy is accusing Larry of wrongfully terminating him from his $250,000 position at Flynt Management Group LLC.

Jimmy is now seeking more than $20 million in damages.

Just goes to show there is big bucks to be made in porn.

Jimmy says that he was behind the Hustler retail operations. He owns a Hustler-branded retail store in downtown Cincinnati. In Jimmy's complaint, he alleges that the retail operations resulted in newfound growth for the company.

Also, he claims that he came up with Hustler's tag line, "Relax... it's just sex!"

Genius marketing tool, no?

Unfortunately, it seems it wasn't enough for Larry to keep him around.

Jimmy's complaint says that he stopped getting paid in early 2009. He also claims that his brother Larry, along with the law firm of Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria LLP, worked together to edge him out of the Hustler business.

Was he wrongfully terminated? It all depends on the wording of his employment contract with Hustler. Employers can typically fire employees for any reason, so long as it's not an illegal reason like discrimination. Employers also can't fire employees if doing so would be breach their employment contract.

And while Jimmy Flynt's complaint certainly paints a rosy picture of his role in the Flynt porn empire, his past legal cases against the company have fallen short. 

This isn't the first time Larry Flynt's brother has sued Hustler. Previously, he filed a lawsuit alleging he was a "partner" in the company which he lost in court. The store that he boasts of is also facing a trademark infringement lawsuit as Larry tries to stop Jimmy from using the "Hustler" moniker. Perhaps Jimmy's just hoping this newest suit will fare better.

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