Tony Robbins split was in the works for months, RIA now says

A week after it was reported that Creative Planning had severed ties with self-help guru Tony Robbins in the wake of a string of sexual misconduct allegations against him, the RIA is now claiming it was in the works for months before those charges came to light.

“We’ve been negotiating an exit for six months,” said Peter Mallouk, owner and CEO of Creative Planning, in a statement.

“The parting between Tony and Creative Planning was imminent regardless and it was a mutual decision and amicable,” said the statement, which was issued Wednesday.

The statement included the confirmation that a forthcoming book coauthored by Mr. Robbins and Mr. Mallouk, “The Path: Accelerating Your Journey To Financial Freedom,” has been postponed.

“While the book was in the works, contractual terms were never reached nor finalized with its planned publisher,” according to Mr. Mallouk’s statement.

Creative Planning was given a chance to explain the circumstances of its parting with Mr. Robbins last week, but declined a request for comment.

According to BuzzFeed.com, the other shoe dropped on the brief relationship between Creative Planning and Mr. Robbins when Simon & Schuster said it would no longer publish the coauthored book.

Creative Planning, a $38 billion advisory firm based in Overland Park, Kans., hired Mr. Robbins three years ago as a chief of investor psychology.

The RIA officially severed ties with the 59-year-old life coach by filing an updated form ADV last week stating that it has “eliminated the position of chief of investor psychology, and consequently Anthony Robbins is no longer associated with Creative Planning nor serves on the firm’s advisory board.”