Saturday, May 1, 2010

Jay Wins in Court

Gretchen Rossi

from the oc register

Gretchen Rossi, cast member of “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” paid a check for $22,375 Friday at Harbor Justice Center in Laguna Hills.

The cashier’s check was made out to Jay Photoglou, the law offices of Orlando Castaño, and the California Franchise Tax Board. Photoglou, 40, claims he was Rossi’s secret ex-boyfriend when she was engaged to another man, now deceased.

Rossi, 32, paid the check to cover Photoglou’s attorney’s fees. She originally owed him $18,900, but that amount increased due to filing costs, interest and additional attorney’s fees.

A judge ordered Rossi to pay the fees because an earlier civil lawsuit against Photoglou, which included a temporary restraining order, was dismissed with prejudice.

“I’m very pleased. He’s very pleased,” Castaño said about his client, Photoglou. “We got just what we wanted. We got our judgment paid.”

When asked if he was happy with Friday’s payment, Photoglou said, “Absolutely.”

And here’s an interesting tidbit: E! Online is reporting that Rossi wanted to donate the money to a children’s charity instead of paying Photoglou, but the offer was declined.

Castano said he learned that Rossi’s attorney is on the board of directors of that charity, and so “it seemed very shady.”

Rossi and her lawyer, Gregory Brown, could not be reached for comment on Friday.

By no means is the drama over. Both Rossi and Photoglou still have competing civil lawsuits against each other. Rossi’s suit alleges assault, battery, defamation (slander and libel), stalking and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

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