Michael Kassan, CEO of MediaLink, the strategic advisory firm acquired by UTA in 2021, is out following an investigation.

“Michael Kassan was terminated for cause by UTA on March 7th 2024, following a thorough and exhaustive third-party investigation into misappropriation of company funds,” an UTA spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday night. “We filed a lawsuit against him today and look forward to presenting the facts in court.”

UTA purchased the MediaLink from UK-based Ascential PLC for around $125 million. As part of the transaction, Kassan became a partner in UTA while retaining his CEO post at MediaLink, the company he founded in 2003.

MediaLink’s clients have included blue chip companies of the likes of Disney and AT&T. Following the acquisition, UTA Marketing was retitled as UTA Entertainment & Culture Marketing, and became a part of MediaLink.