Al Gore Files Suit Against Al Jazeera Over Current TV Deal

NEW YORK: Former U.S. VP Al Gore has filed a lawsuit against Al Jazeera America regarding money owed from the sale of Current TV.

The suit, filed by Gore and business partner Joel Hyatt, alleges that the Qatar-owned network has failed to make payments from the purchase of Current TV in 2013 for $500 million. Gore claims that Al Jazeera has withheld around $65 million in payments in an escrow account.

"Al Jazeera America wants to give itself a discount on the purchase price that was agreed to nearly two years ago," lawyer David Boies said in a statement. "We are asking the court to order Al Jazeera America to stop wrongfully withholding the escrow funds that belong to Current's former shareholders."

Gore and Hyatt each had a 20 percent stake in Current. The two founded Current Media as a youth-targeted news and pop culture channel about a decade ago. In early 2013, the partners sold the channel to Al Jazeera America Holdings for $500 million. The channel was rebranded as Al Jazeera America.