My Unorthodox Life 's Julia Haart Sues Estranged Husband and Costar for $257M: 'Liar and a Fraud'
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Julia Haart is taking Silvio Scaglia to court for more than $257 million amid their divorce.
The My Unorthodox Life star, 51, filed a lawsuit Friday against her estranged husband, business partner and costar on Friday, claiming that Scaglia, 63, is a "liar and a fraud" who defrauded her out of their businesses, after she filed for divorce in February.
In court docs obtained by PEOPLE, which also names Elite World Group's Group Chief Executive Officer Paolo Barbieri and Jeffrey Feinman from accounting firm DDK & Company as defendants, Haart details an alleged plot on Scaglia's behalf to cheat her out of major stocks and earnings from their fashion talent management banner Elite World Group (EWG) and parent company Freedom Holding, Inc. (FHI).
Scaglia's lawyer, however, countered her claims in a statement to PEOPLE that Haart's claims of 50 percent ownership have already been rejected by one court. Representatives for Feinman and Barbieri did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
RELATED: My Unorthodox Life's Julia Haart Files for Divorce from Husband Silvio After 2 Years of Marriage
The 45-page lawsuit, which was filed in New York State Supreme Court, claims Scaglia "begged" his then-fiancée Haart to serve as EWG's CEO in June 2019. Instead of taking a salary from the company, she alleges that he convinced her EWG should pay a management fee of 2 percent of their annual revenue to the parent company, over which they would be equal partners.
"Haart reasonably relied on Scaglia's representations. Not only had they worked together for a number of years, but the two also were engaged to be married at the time," the lawsuit reads. "Haart agreed to this arrangement in part out of love for her fiancé, who she knew needed cash on a day-to-day basis, but also based on Scaglia's representation that the shares he was transferring would make her a full 50 percent owner of FHI.
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"Haart would not have agreed to this arrangement had she known that Scaglia would later take the position that he had total control over the money in FHI's account. Haart has since learned that Scaglia's representations to her concerning her ownership and control of FHI were all a pack of lies and that he never intended for Haart to be his equal partner or to share equal ownership and control of FHI," it continues.
Haart claims that Scaglia deceptively amended FHI's articles of incorporation to issue himself preferred shares of the company's stock before transferring 50 percent to Haart, making her control "purely illusory" and giving her "no ability to prevent Scaglia from taking all of the money paid by EWG for Haart's valuable services as CEO for himself."
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"Haart's indentured servitude must be remedied," the complaint argues. "It cannot be that a man can convince his wife to give up millions in dollars in salary and benefits, plus an employment contract at the peak of her career (along with the security and independence that come with those things) and then leave her with nothing when his bait-and-switch is revealed."
Scaglia's attorney, Lanny J. Davis of Davis Goldberg & Galper PLLC, contests the claim in a statement to PEOPLE. "She has refiled claims that have already been ruled on by a Delaware judge who rejected them — [who ruled] that she doesn't own 50 percent of Mr. Scalia, or Freedom or any of the company's assets," Davis says.
Shortly after filing for divorce in February following nearly three years of marriage, Haart claimed that she was wrongfully terminated from her CEO position at EWG as part of his "personal vendetta."
RELATED VIDEO: How Julia Haart Went From a Strict Religious World to Style Star: "It's Never Too Late to Change Your Life"
The lawsuit accused Scaglia of "egregious, bullying, unauthorized conduct" by blocking her access to the EWG office, cutting off her corporate cards, shutting off phone service at their home and terminating her assistants, in addition to using the press to plant false allegations about her.
Haart also alleged that he had "become increasingly volatile, abusive, and unhinged" toward her and her children in recent weeks.
Haart shares four kids, Batsheva Haart, Miriam Haart, Shlomo Haart and Aron Hendler, with ex-husband Yosef Hendler.)
