Five-Hour Energy Drink Founder Manoj Bhargava has not wasted any time attempting to get probably the most out of a few of Sports Illustrated’s most prized assets.
Months after he signed a deal to purchase SI publisher Arena Group, which still has not closed, he met the 2024 swimsuit models at an SI event.
Billionaire Bhargava then invited Detroit Lions Quarterback Jarred Goff’s fiancé Christen Harper, Rob Gronkowski’s girlfriend Camille Kostek, actress Brooks Nader, Nicole Williams English and Katie Austin to fly on his private plane to his 5-Hour Energy campus in Michigan, sources said.
He arranged the trip which occurred around Oct. 10 with Hillary Drezner, the overall manager of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, who together with others on the SI Swimsuit staff went with them, sources said.
Katie Austin arrives at SI The Party at XS nightclub at Encore Las Vegas on February 10, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Getty Images
Nicole Williams English attends Clarins Galentines cocktail party at Delilah on February 05, 2024 in West Hollywood, California. Getty Images for Clarins
“Manoj asked the models to work on selling his energy drink,” the source near the situation said.
The trip also included flying to Minnesota where they toured Bhargava’s recently acquired ShopHQ network, sources said.
A few of the models have their very own jewelry and clothing lines and Bhargava was pitching them on the concept of selling their brands on ShopHQ where they’d share profits with the network, sources said.
“He had just bought ShopHQ and saw a possibility to get famous well-known models to assist him,” the source near the situation said.
Soon after, he sent the swimsuit models boxes of lab-grown diamonds from an organization he invested in, Peace Jewelers, in order that they could wear and promote them at a Dec. 7 Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino event in Hollywood, Fla. celebrating sports betting.
Camille Kostek on the SI Super Bowl Party on February 10, 2024. Getty Images for SiriusXM
“They wore the diamonds but he didn’t pay them,” the source near the situation said.
Meanwhile, Arena’s license to publish Sports Illustrated was terminated in January after it didn’t make a scheduled payment to magazine owner Authentic Brands.
Bhargava is now attempting to win back the license with a recent deal bidding against suitors including Player’s Tribune Owner Minute Media.
Authentic Brands is anticipated to call a winner in a matter of days, and Arena remains to be publishing SI on an interim basis.
Brooks Nader went along for the ride on Bhargava’s plane. Getty Images
Manoj Bhargava has been courting among the Sports Illustrated swimsuit models. Str/EPA/Shutterstock
Sports Illustrated, which publishes its annual swimsuit calendar in May, has been promoting models in recent times which can be sometimes older and don’t have traditionally classic physiques.
But Bhargava seemed more enthusiastic about the previous cheerleaders models and fit the more traditional view of physical beauty.
Bhargava declined to comment, and Arena didn’t return calls.
