https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20060518005061/en/Mark-Bethea-Idea-Theft-Case-Mark-Burnett

In August 2000, Mark Bethea, age 44, conceived a reality television show entitled "C.E.O." which had contestants competing against one another in a corporate environment for promotions, perks and benefits and which proposed Donald Trump as its host. Bethea registered a 5-page treatment of his idea for "C.E.O." with the Writers Guild of America in Los Angeles on August 30, 2000. In February 2001, Bethea created a 12-minute PowerPoint presentation of "C.E.O." which included text, video images, narration and music to facilitate marketing and pitching his idea.

In June 2001, Bethea was put in contact with Conrad Riggs, who is Mark Burnett's business manager and accepts pitches on Burnett's behalf. Bethea met with Riggs at his Santa Monica, CA. office and pitched him all three of his reality television ideas: "Air Combat," "Speed Demons" and "C.E.O." Bethea also gave Riggs treatments for all three shows and a copy of the "C.E.O." PowerPoint presentation. Riggs informed Bethea that they were not interested in "C.E.O." Throughout all of their communications, it was understood that all three of the projects that Bethea presented were to be kept confidential and that Defendants would not use any of Bethea's ideas without fairly crediting and compensating him.

On April 2, 2003, "The Apprentice" was announced to the public, and that it would be produced by Mark Burnett Productions, Inc. in association with Trump Productions, LLC., with Mark Burnett, Donald Trump and Jay Bienstock as Executive Producers and Conrad Riggs as Co-Executive Producer of the show. Bethea's efforts to contact the Defendants to be given screen credit and compensation for his original work were repeatedly rebuffed prior to the initial airing of the show

Plaintiffs Mark Bethea and Velocity Entertainment Group are represented by Browne Greene, Scott Carr and Michael J. Avenatti with the Santa Monica, CA law firm of Greene Broillet & Wheeler; Tel: 310-576-1200 and Ronald W. Makarem

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/suits-against-apprentice-settled/

A man who claims NBC Universal, Donald Trump and the creator of NBC's "The Apprentice" stole his idea has settled his lawsuits in state and federal court, his attorney said.
Mark Bethea alleged he and Velocity Entertainment Group came up with the idea for an unscripted series called "C.E.O." that would have been hosted by Trump and set in a corporate office environment.

Bethea claimed he pitched the idea to Mark Burnett, producer of "Survivor," and his partner, Conrad Riggs, in 2001 and they later lifted "substantial and integral material" from the proposal.

NBC and Trump were named as defendants because they profited from the show.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Avenatti

Since 2010, Avenatti has raced as a driver in approximately 34 professional sports car races, including various American Le Mans Series, FIA World Endurance Championship, Porsche Supercup and United SportsCar Championship races in the United States and in Europe.