The Tonight Show host Jay Leno and Dennis Ricca are being sued by the estate of deceased Macy’s heir John Straus for unlawfully auctioning off two of his cars. Just days after receiving the news, parking garage maintenance director Ricca, 55, shot himself in the head and died. His mourners are saying that the lawsuit did him in.
Straus, 88 years old at the time of his death in May 2008, had been storing his vehicles in Ricca’s garage for 50 years and reportedly was $20,000 behind in storage fees – a claim that Straus estate lawyers deny. In the estate lawsuit, the legal team contends that the two men “knowingly participated in certain unlawful purported auctions and sales”.
Leno, who had lusted after the classic automobile for many years, made the transaction in 2005. The Tonight Show host had been attempting to talk the ailing Straus into selling him the vehicle on numerous occasions and even discouraged other interested parties by initiating rumors of problems with the Duesenberg.
Straus bought the car from his mother in the early 1950’s and put it in the Windsor Garage on the upper east side of NY. The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in Manhattan Supreme Court alleges that the auction was a sham that unfolded after Ricca refused to accept a $36,000 check for storage fees and then held an auction citing non-payment. Straus lawyers contend that he took advantage of the elderly man’s failing health.
Leno claims to be an innocent bystander who simply purchased his dream car. Straus lawyers don’t buy that. They believe that he was well aware that Straus had no intention of selling the car to anyone. He considered it a family possession that he would not part with and told this to Leno on more than one occasion.
Leno purchased the 1931 Duesenberg, valued at $1.2 million. The now deceased Ricca purchased a Rolls valued at $500,000.
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