Dr. Phil Accused of Fraud as a $500 Million TV Deal Collapsed.
Less than a year after drawing headlines for his high-profile endorsement of Donald Trump, 
Dr. Phil McGraw now finds himself at the center of aq lol LP major legal battle. The television personality is facing accusations of fraud and mismanagement tied to the collapse of his new media company, Merit Street Media, in what has become a $500 million courtroom fight.
The dispute came to light this week after The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), Dr. Phil’s former partner, filed a lawsuit in Texas federal court on August 19. The Christian broadcaster alleges that McGraw misled them in a decade-long, half-billion-dollar deal, promising hundreds of episodes of new programming that never materialized while draining the company of millions.
According to TBN’s filing, McGraw, 74, approached the network in 2022 after ending his long-running partnership with CBS. He allegedly assured executives that relocating production to Texas and cutting union jobs would reduce costs, while also pitching the continued strength of his brand with advertisers. The lawsuit claims McGraw pushed for a $20 million upfront payment through his production company, Peteski, threatening to return to CBS unless his terms were met.
TBN says it ultimately invested more than $100 million into the venture, covering expenses that reached as high as $13 million per month. Despite the outlay, the network claims McGraw underdelivered, producing neither the audience numbers nor the advertising revenue that had been promised. The filing further accuses him of reneging on a $9 million obligation, refusing to hand over the library of past episodes, and later demanding $100 million for 50 percent ownership of those archives.
In a sharply worded statement, McGraw’s representatives rejected the allegations. They insisted that 214 new episodes of Dr. Phil Primetime were produced and aired on Merit Street Media, dismissing TBN’s claim that no new content was delivered as “absolutely false.”
Meanwhile, Merit Street Media, which has since entered bankruptcy, has filed its own lawsuit against TBN. That complaint paints a different picture, accusing the network of sabotaging the enterprise by blocking national distribution opportunities and forcing costly agreements that weakened the company. It also alleges that TBN provided “shoddy production services” while prioritizing its own financial interests.
The dueling lawsuits lay bare a partnership that quickly unraveled amid clashing visions, escalating costs, and questions about control of Dr. Phil’s lucrative archives. TBN’s case accuses McGraw of fraud, breach of contract, and mismanagement, while seeking clarity on who holds rights to his programming library and what obligations remain from the failed deal.
The legal showdown follows a tumultuous year for McGraw, who drew widespread attention in 2024 for a full-throated public endorsement of Donald Trump at a campaign rally. That move sparked both praise and backlash, with critics questioning the TV host’s political leanings.
As the lawsuits proceed, the fate of Dr. Phil’s media empire — once envisioned as a bold new chapter after two decades on CBS — remains uncertain. Requests for further comment from McGraw’s team have not yet been returned.
Doc had a good thing going. He had a solid fan base that respected his body of work. He could have remained bipartisan but somehow he sought a power position, and decided to stick his nose into grown folks business.
