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Real Estate tycoon Donald Trump recently sued to get his name off of two troubled Atlantic City casinos, the Trump Plaza and the Trump Taj Mahal. This wouldn’t be the first time the Donald has been embroiled in lawsuits to disassociate himself with properties that feature his name.
Trump had previously aligned himself with one Jody Kriss, licensing his name to a failed development in South Florida, The Trump International Hotel & Tower.
That lawsuit turned ugly though a judge eventually found Trump “not guilty” of deceiving potential buyers.
While a Florida jury found Donald Trump “not guilty of deceiving buyers” in the gorgeous and beautiful The Trump International Hotel & Tower, it is quite interesting to note what wasn’t revealed in the court.
While we are on the subject of Kriss, another suit was filed against him this past Friday.
Michael Beys, representing a tenant in the case of Joseph Brun v. ERP Park Slope, LLC & Jody Kriss, Index No. 158668/2014, filed on Friday in New York Supreme Court said in filings that:
“Jody Kriss and his real estate company, East River Partners ("ERP"), are continuing their egregious attempts to drive tenants from their homes in order to increase profits, with complete disregard for the law. As set forth in the complaint, "As soon as ERP purchased the building," it "filed plans with the City," falsely "claiming it was vacant." ERP then "began interior and exterior modification, renovation and demolition … [that] rendered Plaintiff's Apartment dangerous to inhabit if not completely uninhabitable." The "Work resulted in the release of heavy and excessive dust" which contained "highly elevated levels of lead [and] asbestos."
These conditions "present a risk to the life, health, and or safety of Plaintiff and others present in the Building,” the complaint continued.
As for Trump Entertainment Resorts, that firm was actually founded by Trump but he no longer has a controlling interest (hence the reason he wants his name off).
Trump is not on the group's board, but was given stock in the company for its use of his name and likeness. The attempts at getting his name off the two Atlantic City casinos are moot since the Plaza is already shutting down and the Taj Mahal might not be too far behind.
- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com
