Leno Sued
Filed under: Legal Matters > Jay Leno
Jay Leno is being sued by a dead man.
Over a car!
Leno, who's a known rare car collector, bought a 1931 Duesenberg at a NY auction back in 2005.
But, now, the estate of the late John W. Straus, the heir to Macy's, is suing Leno. The estate claims that the car was purchased illegally at a sham auction.
The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in a Manhattan court and claims that the Duesenberg and a 1930 Rolls Royce were sold during a time when Straus was ill. Another buyer took home the Rolls Royce.
According to the court papers, it was claimed that Straus paid everything he owed to store the two cars, which were kept in a garage for over 50 years.
However, the garage owners claimed they were due money and auctioned the cars off in May 2005. The lawsuit claims they believe the auction was a sham done to sell the cars while Straus was sick.
How come the estate isn't suing the people that sold Leno the car instead???
The suit claims that Leno "knew that the purported auction was conducted in violation" of state law but bought the Duesenberg anyway for only $180,000.
They say the car was actually worth over $1.2 million!
Even more interesting is the fact that the lawsuit claims Leno knew about the car for years and kept trying to buy it from Straus, but he wasn't willing to sell it.
A quote from a 2007 book about car collecting, titled The Hemi in the Barn, was used in the lawsuit. It claims that Leno wanted the car so badly he tried to discourage others from buying it by spreading fake rumors that the car couldn't even be moved from the garage where it had been parked for so long.
Straus died this past May at the age of 88.
As for Leno's people, they had no comment.
Shady. Shady.
What do U think of the lawsuit?
[Image via Buzz Foto.]
Leno? He's not dead?
OH THOUGHT IT WAS RUMER!
People are so quick to sue. Why not talk it out and come to agreement??
Re: LettyB – LOL
that's b/s. they need to go after the auctioneers or w/e. and it's 3 years later….a little late dontcha think?!
DAUMMMNNNN give the damn car back! sounds like leno got greedy
Re: LettyB – YOU ARE SO FUNNY LETTY!
In NY, you have 4 years to sue on a contract, plus any time he was incapacitated (ill). Leno is being sued because he possesses the car, no other reason. The suit is most likely to undue the sale, so if plaintiffs win, Leno gets his money back and they get the car back, plus damages from the shady garage owners. Leno isn't at risk of losing any money unless they can prove he knew the auction was a sham.
There are so many problems in the world and all they can worry about is a stupid car….
Leno seems like a good guy. I don't see him being deceitful in this transaction.
Sounds like Leno screwed over a dead guy.
Just your average bullshit.
BOO!AHHHH!
They sued Leno because he is the one with the deepest pockets. Read closely - they don't just want the car back. They say he knowingly defrauded them out of money. Them's punitive damages, boys!! Leno will sue the garage owners (and maybe the other buyer if he can find some valid reason and, believe me, for what he pays his lawyers, they will find one). Long live the American legal system.
Anytime you leave anything in any storage and don't pay the bill, the place is required by law to post notice in a newspaper of the auction……I'm sure that as famous as this guy was, that at least one of his friends noticed the auction notice……….and I would be willing to be his family was told about it…..I would think they would go after the storage company first, Leno second.
JAY LENO FUCKING SUCKS
yeah they just want some of jay's money. they probably don't even care about the car… this is boring… next?
Don't know enough about the laws to know for sure, but it does sound like the one being sued should be the seller, not the buyer.
Shame on you Jay! Sell them back the car.
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Sounds like a waste of time and energy! Maybe they r just trying to cash in on Leno! If I was the judge I would throw the whole thing out! I cant think of a better person for that car to have as an owner! GO JAY! COUNTER- SUE!