"Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Lisa Vanderpump are the targets of a lawsuit alleging they defrauded their business partners over a planned gay sports bar in West Hollywood.
Vanderpump and her husband, Ken Todd, were named defendants of a lawsuit filed by would-be empresarios Ryan Allen Carrillo and Andrew Gruver, accusing them and producer Elie Samaha of fraud, breach of contract and deceit.
Carrillo and Gruver claimed they had a deal to partner with Samaha to open a gay sports bar and restaurant called Bar Varsity on the site of the shuttered Java Detour, which is owned by Samaha and his brother.
The duo said Samaha promised to invest in the project and convinced them to use the Java Detour location, but then leased the property to Vanderpump and Todd for P.U.M.P. Lounge instead. Samaha also allegedly agreed to pay $4,000 per month in rent, on top of a lump investment of $500,000 after acquiring all necessary permits.
Related
- LeAnn Rimes, Eddie Cibrian get VH1 show
- Teresa Giudice, Joe Guidice go on beach vacation following indictment
- Real Housewives indictment: Teresa Giudice faces 50+ years in prison for tax evasion
- Kim Zolciak's two daughters adopted by Kroy Biermann
- Brandi Glanville exposes breast, underwear: 'It's not murder!'
Carrillo and Gruver said Samaha's failure to follow through on his investment caused other potential investors to back away. They are seeking millions in damages, including compensation from Vanderpump and Todd, who they accuse of knowing they were swiping the property from Carrillo and Gruver.
“Defendants’ misconduct was so blatant, deliberate, intentional, malicious, and with reckless disregard for the rights of the Plaintiffs,” the lawsuit says.
Vanderpump and Todd denied knowing anything about the deal Carrillo and Gruver's deal and entered into their lease with Samaha "in good faith."
"We had no prior knowledge of Ryan Carrillo and Andrew Gruver or their claim," Vanderpump and Todd said. "We took the lease in good faith seven months ago and all of our applications and notices have been posted publicly. Any issue will be between them and the property owner."
