Judge: V. Stiviano Must Return Gifts To Wife Of Ex-Clippers Owner
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — A Los Angeles judge has ruled that the wife of the former Clippers owner is owed $2.6 million by a woman her husband showered with gifts.
Judge Richard Fruin Jr. ruled Tuesday in the lawsuit, awarding Shelly Sterling most of the nearly $3 million she had sought.
Sterling had claimed that money used to buy V. Stiviano a house, luxury cars and stocks was her community property and that her husband had no right to give Stiviano their shared assets.
Stiviano's lawyer had argued the gifts were made when Donald and Shelly Sterling were separated and that Shelly Sterling couldn't seek them from a third party.
Among the items disputed during the case were a $1.8 million Spanish duplex, several luxury cars, a Cartier bracelet valued at $5,333, and Manolo Blahnik shoes valued at $1,051.
Stiviano during the case repeatedly insisted she never had a sexual relationship with Donald Sterling. Instead, she said she was a friend and confidante.
The ruling comes nearly a year after Stiviano's recording of Donald Sterling making racially offensive remarks bounced him from the NBA and cost him team ownership.
Shelly Sterling's lawyers used other recordings to show he bought Stiviano those items.
"Shelly is thrilled with the decision," attorney Pierce O'Donnell said. "This is certainly a victory for the Sterling family whose funds were dissipated by Donald to lavish millions of dollars of gifts on a conniving mistress."
Meanwhile, in a statement Stiviano's lawyer said: "We are very disappointed. Judges are supposed to interpret the law not make them. Ms. Stiviano will definitely appeal."
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