{"id":202236,"date":"2025-10-30T19:15:50","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T19:15:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/30\/dr-phil-loses-major-ruling-in-bankruptcy-case-tv-personality-accused-of-deleting-incriminating-texts\/"},"modified":"2025-10-30T19:15:50","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T19:15:50","slug":"dr-phil-loses-major-ruling-in-bankruptcy-case-tv-personality-accused-of-deleting-incriminating-texts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/30\/dr-phil-loses-major-ruling-in-bankruptcy-case-tv-personality-accused-of-deleting-incriminating-texts\/","title":{"rendered":"Dr. Phil Loses Major Ruling In Bankruptcy Case; TV Personality Accused of Deleting Incriminating Texts"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Dr. Phil McGraw\u2019s latest business venture is not going according to plan.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, the once-beloved TV personality is now dealing with legal drama that could have major ramifications.<\/p>\n<p>In April of 2024, McGraw launched a\u00a0media company and television network called Merit Street Media, which filed for bankruptcy less than a year later.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><\/noscript><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2043093770-1-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"Dr. Phil McGraw visits SiriusXM at SiriusXM Studios on February 27, 2024 in New York City. \" class=\"wp-image-538968 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2043093770-1-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2043093770-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2043093770-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2043093770-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2043093770-1-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2043093770-1-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2043093770-1-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2043093770-1-scaled.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dr. Phil McGraw visits SiriusXM at SiriusXM Studios on February 27, 2024 in New York City. <span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Photo by Jamie McCarthy\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Now, a judge is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2025\/06\/dr-phil-divorce\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">accusing Phil<\/a> of attempting to deceive the court during bankruptcy proceedings.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-judge-blasts-dr-phil-amid-bankruptcy-proceedings\">Judge blasts Dr. Phil amid bankruptcy proceedings<\/h2>\n<p>Merit Street Media filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but this week, Judge Scott W. Everett of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled that the company only qualified for Chapter 7 liquidation and would therefore need to liquidate its assets.<\/p>\n<p>According to <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/business\/business-news\/dr-phil-loses-trial-media-startup-bankruptcy-1236412448\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Hollywood Reporter<\/a><\/em>, a trustee will oversee both the sale of Merit Street Media\u2019s media library and litigation over whether broadcast partner Trinity Broadcasting breached its contract with the company.<\/p>\n<p>The judge specifically singled out Phil for his alleged deletion of a text message that was part of discovery in the case.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1144856827-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Talk Show Host Dr. Phil McGraw visits SiriusXM Studios on April 24, 2019 in New York City. \" class=\"wp-image-538969\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1144856827-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1144856827-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1144856827-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1144856827-1638x2048.jpg 1638w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1144856827-864x1080.jpg 864w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1144856827-960x1200.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1144856827-scaled.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1144856827-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Talk Show Host Dr. Phil McGraw visits SiriusXM Studios on April 24, 2019 in New York City. \" class=\"wp-image-538969 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1144856827-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1144856827-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1144856827-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1144856827-1638x2048.jpg 1638w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1144856827-864x1080.jpg 864w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1144856827-960x1200.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1144856827-scaled.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1144856827-scaled.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Talk Show Host Dr. Phil McGraw visits SiriusXM Studios on April 24, 2019 in New York City. <span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Photo by Nicholas Hunt\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Everett claims that McGraw deleted an \u201cunflattering\u201d text message, a tactic he described as a \u201cgangster move.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMr. McGraw\u2019s actions violated not only the discovery order\u2026but also a broader principle that the debtors, board members, or de facto officers or agents should not destroy property of the estate to help them in pending litigation,\u201d Everett said.<\/p>\n<p>With a Chapter 7 trustee, he added, \u201cCreditors can have faith that the process will play out fairly and neutrally.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDismissal, on the other hand, would allow Mr. McGraw to pay his favored creditors and not pay his unfavored creditors, as his own deleted text makes clear he wants to do,\u201d the judge continued, adding:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDismissal would also allow the debtor or friendly creditors to file another bankruptcy case in a different jurisdiction to try to get different rulings that favor Mr. McGraw and his interests, including on the pending sanctions motion that I\u2019ve yet to rule on,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2212924002-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"U.S. President Donald Trump speaks alongside Dr. Phil McGraw during a National Day of Prayer event in the Rose Garden at the White House on May 1, 2025 in Washington, DC.\" class=\"wp-image-538970\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2212924002-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2212924002-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2212924002-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2212924002-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2212924002-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2212924002-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2212924002-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2212924002-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"U.S. President Donald Trump speaks alongside Dr. Phil McGraw during a National Day of Prayer event in the Rose Garden at the White House on May 1, 2025 in Washington, DC.\" class=\"wp-image-538970 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2212924002-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2212924002-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2212924002-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2212924002-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2212924002-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2212924002-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2212924002-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2212924002-scaled.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. President Donald Trump speaks alongside Dr. Phil McGraw during a National Day of Prayer event in the Rose Garden at the White House on May 1, 2025 in Washington, DC.<span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Photo by Alex Wong\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-s-next-for-dr-phil\">What\u2019s next for Dr. Phil?<\/h2>\n<p>A spokesperson tells THR that Phil and his company intend to appeal the judge\u2019s decision:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe take great exception to the court\u2019s improper assertions regarding the alleged destruction of evidence, which simply did not happen,\u201d the statement read. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe will not let this stand given all that Dr. Phil and Peteski Productions have done to protect Merit Street employees, distributors, and other interested parties and to resolve this unfortunate situation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2025\/10\/dr-phil-loses-major-ruling-in-bankruptcy-case-tv-personality-accused-of-deleting-incriminating-texts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Reading Time: 3 minutes Dr. Phil McGraw\u2019s latest business venture is not going according to plan. In fact, the once-beloved TV personality is now dealing with legal drama that could have major ramifications. In April of 2024, McGraw launched a\u00a0media company and television network called Merit Street Media, which filed for bankruptcy less than a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":202237,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-202236","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-hollywood"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202236","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=202236"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202236\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/202237"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=202236"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=202236"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=202236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}