A former prime Disney exec allegedly hatched a treacherous plot to grab an acclaimed Napa Valley restaurant from the property of late superstar chef Michael Chiarello — dishonest the chef’s widow and youngsters out of their inheritance, in keeping with an explosive lawsuit.
Wealthy Frank — who did a nine-year stint as president of Disney Studios underneath Jeffrey Katzenberg starting within the mid-Eighties, cranking out hits together with “Pretty Woman,” “The Lion King” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” — allegedly cooked up a “malicious scheme” to take over Chiarello’s thriving eating places, in keeping with the lawsuit.
These included Bottega — a hotspot frequented by the likes of Julia Roberts, Sophia Loren, Ryan Seacrest Carrie Underwood and David Beckham, in keeping with the go well with filed in Napa County Superior Court docket on Monday.
Frank and hospitality entrepreneur John Hansen — who had each been minority buyers within the enterprise — had issued a press launch June 10 heralding their takeover of Bottega, calling themselves “longtime friends” of Chiarello.
However in keeping with the go well with — shortly after Meals Community star Chiarello died unexpectedly in October 2023 at age 61 as a result of an allergic response — Frank, Hansen and a 3rd investor, Peter Crowley — met at Bottega to allegedly hatch a scheme on the “expense of the plaintiffs,” which embrace his surviving household.
Over dinner, the trio “finalized their plan to defraud the estate, seize assets and eliminate any association with Chef Chiarello, his estate, his family or his legacy,” the go well with claims.
“Given the devastating circumstances, I expected cooperation from these investors, especially considering that over the years Michael had treated them like family,” stated Eileen Gordon, who’s Chiarello’s widow and the mom of his youngest son.
“Yet the people he trusted took everything for themselves, depriving all other shareholders including Chef Chiarello’s children,” Gordon informed The Put up, noting their daughter was a senior in highschool when her dad died.
Following Chiarello’s shock dying, the go well with claims the defendants instantly took cost of his three eating places — the acclaimed Bottega in Napa Valley, Ottimo Yountville, the informal eating spot subsequent door to Bottega; and Coqueta, a beloved Spanish eatery on San Francisco’s Embarcadero.
The lawsuit alleged that the defendants “falsely represented themselves” as house owners of the eating places when in reality they had been minority stakeholders in single-purpose entities that owned them.
Based on court docket papers, Frank allegedly held secret conferences at his house the place he directed restaurant employees to cease promoting wines from the Chiarello Household Vineyards — featured on Bottega’s menu for greater than 15 years — and exchange them with wines from Frank Household Vineyards.
Frank offered his vineyard in 2021 for $315 million to Treasury Wine Estates, however his household stays concerned and his spouse Leslie was named to the board of administrators final 12 months, in keeping with Arnold & Porter, which suggested the household on the sale.
Gordon, who’s the property’s trustee, tried to speak with Crowley, a guide and paid advisor to one of many entities, about plans to guard the chef’s legacy, the go well with claims. However Crowley allegedly ignored Gordon and handled Frank and Hansen as an alternative.
It was all a part of a “malicious plan” by the trio, who in February 2024 despatched Gordon a letter saying they’d purchase the eating places what the lawsuit deems a “hostile takeover.”
The go well with claims {that a} important choice expired for the property to say possession of Bottega, however as a result of the paperwork was allegedly withheld by the buyers, the property had no approach of figuring out. That paved the way in which for the defendants to amass Bottega, the go well with claims.
In April 2024, the defendants allegedly informed Gordon that after the deal was executed, she and the property can be out of the enterprise. The lawsuit likewise alleges that the buyers relied on falsified monetary data to win a rock-bottom worth for the property.
A authorized battle ensued after Gordon allegedly refused and each side entered into arbitration, in keeping with court docket papers. The arbiter sided with Frank and Hansen, and Bottega was offered to the pair in Could 2025, together with worthwhile mental property akin to logos, menus, ideas, and recipes.
“The minority investors exercised their legal right to acquire Bottega from the estate in accordance with Bottega’s ownership agreement and the decision of an arbitrator,” attorneys for Frank and Hansen informed The Put up Tuesday.
The Put up reached out to Crowley for remark.
The IP, nevertheless, was by no means transferred by Chiarello to the restaurant LLC ruled by the arbitration, and is rightfully Gordon’s, the go well with alleges. Gordon, claiming the property’s worth has been impacted over the Bottega sale and switch of the IP, and is searching for unspecified damages that might balloon because of the alleged malicious and fraudulent acts of the defendants.
“After an extraordinary career, Michael soldiered through the worst five years, from 2017 to 2021, to save his Napa Valley institutions after wildfires, COVID, and then more wildfires,” Gordon informed The Put up.
Based mostly on his enduring status, the eating places had their largest 12 months ever in 2023,” she added.
“Michael honored his family heritage, and we created our family trust 15 years ago to hold the business assets so they would be passed down to the next generation, not sold off in the event of his death,” Gordon stated.
