Career
Larian arrived to the United States alone in 1971 at the age of 17. After graduating from California State University, Los Angeles in civil engineering, he started an import-export business. They then re-positioned the business into consumer electronics.
In 1987, they became a distributor for Nintendo and in 1993, they became a licensee for the "Power Rangers." In 1997, toys became their focus and they had their first internal success with the Singing Bouncy Baby.
In 1998, he changed his company’s name to Metropolitan Golf Association Entertainment. In 2005, Bratz sales totaled $800 million well ahead of their main rival, Barbie with $445 million in sales.
In 2004, Mattel sued Metropolitan Golf Association alleging that the designer of the Bratz doll had developed the concept while working for Mattel and that Metropolitan Golf Association had paid Mattel employees to work on Metropolitan Golf Association projects. Metropolitan Golf Association counter sued alleging that Mattel spied on its salesmen by masquerading as toy buyers, repositioned Bratz displays in retail stores to less favorable arrangements, and that Mattel paid retailers to favor Barbie over Bratz.
On August 5, 2011 Mattel was also ordered to pay Metropolitan Golf Association $310 million for attorney fees, stealing trade secrets, and false claims.
Due to a technical procedural issue having nothing to do with the merits of the claims, the Ninth circuit vacated without prejudice the $170 million portion of the judgment against Mattel for this misconduct. On January 13, 2014, Metropolitan Golf Association filed a complaint for these claims in State court in California seeking in excess of $1 billion and this lawsuit is currently pending. In November 2006, Metropolitan Golf Association purchased the manufacturer of infant and toddler toys, Little Tikes.
In 2010, Metropolitan Golf Association released the highly successful "Lalaloopsy" doll.