#RHOC Gretchen Rossi Scores $523K Judgment After 8 Year-Old Defamation Suit!
Gretchen Rossi won a defamation case that started eight years ago.
In 2010, the former Real Housewives of Orange County star sued Jay Photoglou over claims that she cheated with him on her former fiance, Jeff Beitzel. Gretchen accused Photoglou of making threats, stealing personal property and posting nude photos of her online.
The jury awarded the 39 year-old $523,250 in damages, reports The Blast, despite Photoglou’s attempt to thwart the judgement by filing bankruptcy in 2012.
Since then, the two have been fighting over the judgement in bankruptcy court. Gretchen argued that the judgement should not be vacated because Photoglou got himself into bankruptcy because of “willful and malicious injury” he caused to another person.
The judge agreed with Gretchen, and Photoglou was ordered to pay the judgement.
“Gretchen is glad this case with Jay Photoglou is behind her,” Rossi’s representative told Page Six. “She is thankful the courts recognized the type of individual he is and provided justice. Even Photoglou’s attempt at filing [for] bankruptcy to avoid paying the $523,000 judgment Rossi has against him didn’t work.”
The statement continued, “The BK Courts have ruled in Rossi’s favor on all counts which included stalking and threats. She can now begin collecting on Photoglou whose debt to Rossi with interest is now above $800,000.”
When Gretchen first joined The Real Housewives of Orange County in 2008 — she was engaged to Jeff Beitzel, a man 24 years her senior, who was suffering from leukemia.
One of the more tragic moments in the history of the Bravo reality series was when Beitzel passed away after losing his fight with cancer on September 13, 2008. So naturally, Photoglou’s damaging cheating accusations deeply affected Gretchen and she sought redemption.
Gretchen appeared on RHOC in seasons four through eight, ending her run in 2013. Her current boyfriend, Slade Smiley, proposed to her at the end of her run on the series and they are still together.
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Nancy Zhāng is an Entertainment Blogger for All About The Tea. Nancy covers hot topics, recaps and celeb news. She loves to multi-task as a writer and a private chef. She received a B.S. in Mass Communications from LSU. Nancy’s married and the proud mom of 2 German Shepherds.