The battle over one among Los Angeles’ most unique strip golf equipment is intensifying, as allegations of medicine, racism and demise threats have emerged within the newest lawsuit pinning the 2 business bosses towards one another.
Final week, The California Submit reported on a lawsuit that learn like an episode of HBO’s “Euphoria” — alleging Craig Franze, proprietor of the notorious Physique Store strip membership on Sundown Boulevard, engaged in a “fraudulent bait-and-switch” scheme to grab management of two rival golf equipment — 4Play and Plan B — out from below his former “finest buddy” Mike Galam.
Now, Franze is pushing again, submitting a counter swimsuit on Tuesday that alleges a shady enterprise historical past with Galam, and claims he agreed to buy solely 30% fairness curiosity in each golf equipment in alternate for a capital funding of $2.5 million.
All through the duo’s enterprise adventures, which started again in early 2014 and got here to a screeching halt in 2025, Galam embezzled membership funds, abused medication, skirted liquor legal guidelines, and made demise threats towards Franze, in response to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit claims the previous pals first went into enterprise collectively round early 2014, when Galam bought 4 nightclubs for Franze to co-own and handle in Florida, however the pair shortly had a falling out.
They rekindled their relationship throughout COVID, when Galam requested Franze to assist handle the Naked Class strip membership in Los Angeles, however once more, Franze walked away when Galam failed to fulfill his monetary obligations, in response to the lawsuit.
However Galam, who filed a lawsuit towards his former enterprise accomplice final week, claimed Franze was “systematically embezzling” funds whereas he was the supervisor at Naked Class estimated to be over $1 million to finance his lavish life-style.
Nevertheless, the 2 pals seemingly hashed out their variations in 2023.
Franze, who deliberate on buying the Physique Store, accepted a $1.2 million funding from Galam to assist solidify the deal “as a present of excellent religion” and to repay the debt he was owed, the lawsuit acknowledged.
Later the pair reached one other settlement that might assure Franze and his enterprise accomplice Archie Donovan a weekly wage of $2,500 so long as Naked Class was in operation in alternate for Galam to have the rights to spend money on 4Play and Plan B, in response to the lawsuit.
The settlement to switch minority possession of the 2 golf equipment finally failed, when Galam allegedly couldn’t provide you with the promised $2.5 million funding to Franze and Donovan.
The lawsuit later acknowledged Galam did ship the total quantity, however by no means fulfilled the obligations of the $2,500 weekly wage inflicting the pair to tug out of the deal, the lawsuit states.
“In mild of this conduct, it grew to become clear that Galam was on an uncontrolled and more and more damaging path,” in response to the lawsuit. “Plaintiffs had no alternative however to attempt to separate from him.”
The lawsuit goes on to element allegations of sexual abuse, heavy drug use and racism.
“His conduct included racial harassment of staff, the sale of medicine inside the venues, sexually abusing staff, efforts to intrude with Plaintiffs’ employment relationships, and makes an attempt to acquire confidential enterprise data by way of improper means,” the lawsuit states.
Franze additionally alleges Galam has made a number of threats towards his life, forcing his household to relocate to a gated group and rent personal safety.
“Each event on which Franze has encountered Galam in a public setting, Galam has been carrying the bag through which the firearm is hid,” the lawsuit states. “Within the context of Galam’s ongoing marketing campaign of threats and escalating conduct towards Franze, this apply constituted a direct and credible risk that considerably and fairly amplified Franze’s concern for his life and the lives of his relations.”
Galam stated the allegations “present their excessive desperation,” telling The Submit “I had a chuckle once I learn it, to be trustworthy.”
“He’s all the time responded to his issues by ignoring, fabricating ,distracting and deflecting, gaslighting, blaming different others,” he stated in an announcement to The Submit. “That’s what I noticed in his counter-complaint – making an attempt to get everybody to ‘take a look at this, not that.’”
Galam claims he has “mountains of proof” towards Franze that validate his case, telling The Submit that “quickly the reality will come out in courtroom.”
