Erika Jayne used Secret Service agents and American Express to extort money from a Hollywood designer, ruining his life and career in the process, so says a new lawsuit.
via: The Wrap
Jayne was sued in federal court Tuesday by Marco Marco fashion designer Christopher Psaila, who says the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star used her husband’s Secret Service connections to swindle back nearly a million dollars in credit-card charges that were actually legitimate.
In court documents obtained by TheWrap, Psaila alleges that Jayne’s now-estranged husband Tom Girardi conspired with three Secret Service agents – Robert Savage, Steve Scarince and Kenneth Henderson – to maliciously prosecute Psaila.
The Marco Marco designer says the defendants leveraged their connections, including an American Express employee, to get $800,000-$900,000 in charges reversed by falsely claiming they were fraudulent without doing due diligence.
Psaila says Girardeau used his friendship with Scarince – then-head of the Secret Service in Los Angeles – and Savage to get charges made from 2015-2016 returned, even though the costumes, designs and other items had been delivered. American Express ultimately refunded Jayne and Girardi more than $787,000.
Psaila also claims American Express and its employee, Peter Grimm, also listed as defendants, aided and abetted malicious prosecution, claiming that the credit card company failed to investigate the case and deprived Psaila an opportunity to dispute the reversal.
The designer is seeking a jury trial and asking no less than $18 million in damages. Lawyers for Jayne did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Jayne joined the popular Bravo reality show in 2015, where she was depicted as a costume-clad pop star. She is currently separated but not divorced from Girardi, who is currently under federal indictment for defrauding clients and misappropriating clients’ settlement funds.
Jayne just kicked off a residency in Las Vegas and will appear on the upcoming 13th season of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”
