"Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" cast member Lisa Vanderpump was included in a lawsuit, alleging, fraud, breach of contract, deceit and unfair competition
The LuLu Restaurant Group filed a lawsuit on Wednesday seeking to stop the 52-year-old star of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" and her husband from building the lounge in West Hollywood, California.
According to the Daily Mail, Vanderpump, 52, and her husband, Ken Todd, were named as defendants in a lawsuit filed by bar entrepreneurs Ryan Allen Carrillo and Andrew Gruver, who are claiming the reality star couple unfairly snatched the West Hollywood venue where they were planning to open a business.
According to the documents filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, Carrillo and Gruver said they made a deal to open a casual dining gay sports bar, Bar Varsity, with defendant Elie Samaha as a partner.
According to the Daily Mail, Samaha owned the lease on the venue. Samaha allegedly placed a $500,000 investment fee and it was agreed they would split profits 50-50. According to the MailOnline, the plaintiffs claim they quit their jobs, because the opening date was scheduled for 2013.
They met with architects, filed permits with the city, and met with contractors who would renovate the space. However, when construction was to begin, Samaha "failed to make the monetary investment that was agreed upon," according to Yahoo News.
It was later learned that Vanderpump and Todd leased "their" venue out from under them. The lawsuit alleges the reality TV couple knew that there was an agreement in place, but "intended to disrupt the performance of the Agreement."
Vamperpump denies all the charges.
"We had no prior knowledge of Ryan Carrillo and Andrew Gruver or their claim," she and her husband said in a statement to Omg!. "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."
The LuLu Restaurant Group was seeking at least $4 million in damages for breach of contract and also was asking for the court to prevent the P.U.M.P. Lounge from opening or renovating the spot.
