'RHOC' Star Jennifer Pedanti’s Boyfriend Ryan Accused of ‘Elder Financial Abuse’ by 82-year-old in Since-dismissed Lawsuit
Aug. 2 2023, Published 1:00 p.m. ET
Real Housewives of Orange County newbie Jennifer Pedanti’s controversial boyfriend Ryan Boyajian was slapped with a wild lawsuit accusing him of ruining a man’s life — but the case was dismissed earlier this year.
According to court documents, obtained by RadarOnline.com, last year, Boyajian was hit with a lawsuit by an 82-year-old man named Gordon Barienbrock for “elder financial abuse.”
Boyajian's lawyer, Mike Caspino, tells RadarOnline.com, "This was a real-estate deal that Ryan was involved in and he got out of the deal as quickly as he could when he found out this 86-year-old guy was a subject of a federal indictment.”
"Ryan wanted out of the deal immediately when he found out he was dealing with a person like that. Then he sued Ryan," he added.
The lawsuit claimed that in 2018 Boyajian agreed to purchase a 16.1-acre residential parcel owned by Barienbrock for $7.9 million.
The agreement said the deadline to pay the purchase price and close escrow was December 31, 2020.
Barienbrock said Boyajian planned to turn the large, single-family residence into seven separate and individual residential lots.
In the suit, Barienbrock said Boyajian failed to make the payment by the December 2020 deadline but has refused to remove a lien they agreed Boyajian could place on the property.
Barienbrock said he was dealing with the Federal Trade Commission regarding matters unrelated to the property. As a result, he said Boyajian could place a $926k lien on the property “to provide protection” for Boyajian in the event the FTC attempted to freeze certain assets, including the property at hand.
Barienbrock said the FTC never undertook to take possession of the home or otherwise freeze the property. “On the contrary, the FTC subsequently released all claims against Barienbrock and his entities, and did so prior to Buyer’s deadline for close of escrow,” the suit read.
The 82-year-old said despite Boyajian’s failure to close escrow, he has refused to remove the lien which has prevented Barienbrock, “an elder, from being able to sell this property, pay off debt, and obtain the funds which the sale would generate to meet other obligations and to provide comfort in his remaining years.”
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The lawsuit added, “This blatant refusal by Boyajian and the other Defendants to honor the express terms of the Agreement has resulted in the commission by Boyajian and the other Defendants of elder financial abuse and their joint and several liability for substantial damages, as alleged.”
Barienbrock said he’s been unable to sell his $7.9 million home and has been damaged in excess of $1 million.
In response, Boyajian denied all allegations of wrongdoing. He argued that he was “excused from having to perform its obligations, if any existed, as alleged by Plaintiff because certain conditions that were required to occur first, including but not limited to failure on the part of the County of Orange to issue necessary building entitlements.”
He asked the court to toss the entire lawsuit. In March, the lawsuit was dismissed by Barienbrock before it went to trial.
On top of that, Boyajian filed his own lawsuit against Barienbrock for fraud over the deal. His suit claimed, "Barienbrock is a notorious real estate swindler who has had brushes with the law for decades."
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Pedanti relationship with Boyajian has been a major storyline on this season of Real Housewives of Orange County.
Tamra Judge has questioned whether the relationship started before or after Pedanti ended things with her estranged husband William. The two are still in the middle of a divorce.