Key Takeaways
• Proforma (asi/300094) has sued co-founder Greg Muzzillo, alleging he made false claims about the distributor’s sales and franchise count.
• The lawsuit says Muzzillo overstated Proforma’s revenue and number of franchises while promoting his new venture, Dream Big Ventures.
• Proforma is seeking damages and an injunction, alleging Muzzillo falsely implied he remained affiliated with the company.
Proforma (asi/300094) is taking one of its co-founders to court.
The Counselor Top 40 distributor filed a lawsuit Tuesday in Cuyahoga, Ohio, via its parent company PFG Ventures, alleging co-founder Greg Muzzillo repeatedly and knowingly made false statements about the company’s sales and the number of Proforma franchisees.
“In effort to maintain the integrity of our organization and the standards of transparency we operate under, Proforma has filed a complaint against former Co-Founder Gregory Muzzillo Sr. due to escalating, willful false claims and misrepresentations regarding his prior business interests with Proforma,” a Proforma spokesperson told Counselor in an email statement. “We take our responsibility seriously to ensure that material claims about Proforma’s business, including its history, financials, and leadership, are accurate and grounded in fact.”
Proforma also alleges that Muzzillo portrayed himself as being associated with the company, even though he is no longer with the firm in any capacity.
Social media posts from Muzzillo to promote his new undertaking, Dream Big Ventures, present Proforma’s sales at nearly $1 billion, while Proforma says it reached approximately $650 million in sales. Proforma adds in the lawsuit that it has close to 500 franchises, while Muzzillo claimed it has more than 900.
According to the suit, Proforma is seeking monetary damages, a declaratory judgment and injunctive relief to prevent “ongoing and irreparable harm.”
“This matters to us not only for legal and ethical reasons, but because we value honesty in how we communicate with our team, our clients, and the public,” the Proforma spokesperson continued in the statement. “As detailed in the complaint, Mr. Muzzillo has knowingly misrepresented material data, financials, and his involvement in Proforma’s business to many audiences for personal gain. We look forward to resolving this matter through the proper legal channels and ensuring that the facts about Proforma’s business, reputation, and mission are clear.”
David B. Weinstein, an attorney at Greenberg Traurig, is representing Muzzillo in the case. Counselor reached out to Weinstein for comment via email but did not immediately hear back.
Muzzillo is a former Counselor Power 50 member and the 2010 Counselor Person of the Year along with Vera Muzzillo, who now serves as CEO. He founded Dream Big Ventures in 2025 and retired last year. Proforma ranks fifth on Counselor’s most recent list of largest distributors in the industry based on 2025 North American promotional products revenue of $668 million.
