NBCUniversal files $35.8 million lawsuit against Group Black for unpaid advertising revenue
NBCUniversal filed a $35.8 million lawsuit against Group Black in late 2025, alleging the media collective failed to remit guaranteed payments and advertising revenue from their Peacock streaming partnership.
The litigation marks a critical fracture in the institutional effort to redirect $500 million in corporate ad spend toward Black-owned media entities. Reporting from Business Insider and AFROTECH indicates that while Group Black secured $30 million in advertising sales, the firm allegedly withheld contractually obligated splits from NBCUniversal. This fiscal dispute follows a pattern of internal instability characterized by leadership exits and competing claims of financial mismanagement.
Arrears in Programmatic Revenue Sharing
The partnership established in September 2023 granted Group Black exclusive rights to sell advertisements for Black-led content on the Peacock platform. Documents cited by Business Insider show Group Black shifted its revenue share to zero in 2024 to address internal capital shortfalls. NBCUniversal claims the collective ignored repeated payment demands despite generating significant sales volume. The contract terminated in September 2025 after two years of documented fiscal friction.
Structural Instability and Fiduciary Allegations
Internal governance issues surfaced alongside the NBCUniversal filing as co-founder Richelieu Dennis called for the removal of the board of directors. Dennis alleged that the remaining leadership, including Bonin Bough, engaged in exorbitant expenditures and failed to pay essential vendors. These claims mirror a separate October 2024 lawsuit from Essence Ventures seeking $20 million for alleged fund misappropriation. The company recently rebranded as Group Black Holdings to pivot toward AI-driven media services.
Capital Reallocation and Leadership Transitions
The original founding team of Richelieu Dennis, Travis Montaque, and Bonin Bough has largely dissolved. Montaque and Dennis exited their operational roles after the firm failed to meet its 2022 deployment targets. Group Black now operates under a consolidated model while disputing the NBCUniversal claims in court. The entity maintains that it remains focused on its mission to scale Black-owned media properties.
