Does Bethenny Know? Inside Boyfriend Dennis Shields' Past Million-Dollar Lawsuits!
Sept. 20 2016, Published 10:18 a.m. ET
After LuAnn de Lesseps accused her man of being married, Bethenny Frankel insisted he's separated and defended his honor. But does the Real Housewives of New York spitfire know everything about her new boyfriend?
RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned that Dennis Shields has been involved in multiple lawsuits.
According to New York Supreme Court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, the New York-based banker, 49, and his estranged wife Jill sued another couple and their attorney for refusing to refund their $75,000 deposit on the pair's Long Island property.
In the 1995 lawsuit, the now-single dad said they were unable to secure a million-dollar mortgage in 45 days, and argued that they were contractually entitled to the return of their funds.
However, the defendants claimed that the Shields did not follow the contract's demands to make a "prompt and diligent" mortgage application.
Moreover, the couple alleged, Dennis and Jill failed to show up to a deed signing at an attorney's office.
"Sellers were caused to suffer injury as a result of Purchasers' negligence," the defendants wrote in the court papers.
The Shields denied the other couple's allegations.
Eventually, the defendants' lawyer made a motion to return the $75,000 with interest to the plaintiffs, and the case was settled.
Years later, in 2009, Dennis and Jill filed a petition against a Long Island town to reduce their property's full market value to $1.8 million from $2.5 million in a challenge to tax assessments.
However, the petition was eventually dismissed from court.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, recent divorcee Bethenny, 45, began dating her high school pal's estranged husband in June.
The couple has gotten so serious, they're reportedly house hunting together.
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