Dan Laikin

Daniel S. Laikin is an American business executive. He was chief operating officer and chief executive officer of National Lampoon, Inc. from 2002 to 2008.

Laikin was co-chairman of Indiana-based real estate development company Biltmore Homes, Inc., until 2000. He also was a managing partner of technology investment firm Four Leaf Partners, LLC.[citation needed]

In 2001, Laikin's group moved to buy a majority stake in J2 Communications Inc., the owner of the moribund National Lampoon properties.[1][2] From 2002 forward they built media businesses around the brand, becoming active in film, television, radio, and print, as well as building the largest Internet-based comedy network in the world.[citation needed]

Laikin was the largest shareholder of National Lampoon, Inc. In December 2008, the SEC alleged Laikin conspired to inflate the company's stock price. In 2010, a federal judge sentenced Laikin to 45 months in prison.[3] (Laikin was replaced by Tim Durham, who himself was arrested in 2011 for looting more than $200 million from National Lampoon, Inc.)[4] Laikin was released from prison in 2012.

  1. ^ "Chief of J2 Communications to Resign, Sell His Shares". Los Angeles Times. Bloomberg News. March 7, 2001. Archived from the original on Dec 8, 2015.
  2. ^ "Laikin group grabs controlling stake". Indianapolis Business Journal. Archived from the original on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2012-12-01 – via NewsBank.
  3. ^ "Dan Laikin sentenced to 45 months in Lampoon fraud". Indianapolis Business Journal. Sep 8, 2010.
  4. ^ Wallace, Benjamin (2017-05-01). "Can Anyone Repair National Lampoon's Devastated Brand?". Vanity Fair.