Woman Who Helped Build Hollywood Nightlife Empire Sues H.wood Group

One of Hollywood’s most powerful nightlife brands is facing a serious legal fight — and it’s coming from a woman who says she helped build it from the ground up.

Marsha Molinari, a longtime marketing and branding executive, has filed a lawsuit against The h.wood Group, the hospitality company behind celebrity-favorite venues like Bootsy Bellows, Delilah, The Nice Guy, and The Peppermint Club.

According to court documents, Molinari claims she was not just an employee or consultant, but a co-founder and equal one-third partner in the company alongside John Terzian and Brian Toll. She says she was treated publicly and privately as an equal partner for more than 16 years.

Molinari alleges she played a key role in turning The h.wood Group into a celebrity nightlife empire. The lawsuit says she used her personal relationships with major stars — including Katy Perry, Rihanna, Paris Hilton, Nicky Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, and Robert Pattinson — to bring attention and credibility to early h.wood venues starting in 2009.

The complaint makes clear that none of the celebrities are accused of wrongdoing. They are mentioned only to show how Molinari’s access and connections allegedly helped grow the brand.

Molinari also claims she worked for years without a salary, put her own money into the business during financial downturns, and believed her ownership stake would be her long-term compensation.

Things allegedly changed in 2024 and 2025, when The h.wood Group secured a major outside investment reportedly worth around $160 million. Molinari claims Terzian and Toll received “substantial liquidity payouts,” while she received nothing.

According to the lawsuit, she was then told she was entitled to less than 1% of the company — and claims Terzian told her he “never” promised her an equal share.

Molinari says she has text messages from Terzian that support her claim that she owned an equal share of the partnership. She is now asking the court for her portion of the proceeds from the investment, a full accounting of the company’s finances, and additional damages.

The lawsuit sets up a high-stakes battle over ownership, promises, and who really built one of Hollywood’s most exclusive nightlife empires.