Among Yari's accounting procedures decried by [Superior Court judge Daniel J. Buckley] were inappropriately deducting costs from the film's $33.8-million in gross receipts. That shrank the pool from which Haggis, Moresco and Fraser could Bob Yari claim their share of the movie's revenue. The ruling noted that Yari attempted to deduct the $1,300 cost of his tickets to the Academy Awards ceremony, $8,300 for a personal ad in trade publication Daily Variety, among other inappropriate expenses, and $35,000 for legal fees and expert testimony related to this case.
Buckley also found that Yari improperly attempted to deduct $150,000 paid to co-star Sandra Bullock to settle a separate claim related to the film.
Richard L. Charnley, the plaintiffs' attorney, said he was confident that his clients are owed more than $5 million and that once the court rules on a precise figure, "we will continue to be aggressive to collect from those people responsible."
In spite of the ruling, Buckley said that he could not yet determine the damages that should be paid to Haggis, Fraser and Moresco.
This is not the only lawsuit Yari has been involved with related to Crash. In 2006, Yari -- who has also produced Laws of Attraction, The Illusionist and The Accidental Husband -- was sued by producers Cathy Shulman and Tom Nunan for funds allegedly withheld from them; the same year, Yari unsuccessfully sued for official producer credit on Crash, which went on to win three Oscars. Last year, Crash cast member Matt Dillon sued Yari and other defendants for more than $100,000 that he alleged was owed to him for his work on the film.
ยท Judge rules for Paul Haggis, Brendan Fraser in 'Crash' lawsuit [LAT]