Billionaire fund manager Bill Gross has suffered a humiliating defeat in a ridiculous tit-for-tat legal spat with his Laguna Beach neighbor, tech entrepreneur Mark Towfiq. Judge Kimberly Knill ruled on Wednesday that Gross and his girlfriend, Amy Schwartz, had harassed Towfiq by repeatedly blasting loud music on repeat at all hours—including the theme to Gilligan’s Island—in an attempt to get Towfiq to drop a complaint about an intrusive glass sculpture in Gross’ yard. Gross, at one point during the trial, tried to blame some of the music on his property manager. He then tried to offer an olive branch but Towfiq branded it a “stunt.”
Knill shredded Gross and Schwartz on Thursday as giving implausible testimonies. She said Gross clearly knew that the music—which she found was intentionally blasted on repeat just feet away from the property line—was bothering Towfiq. She said there was also “strong evidence” that nightly concerts on Gross’ property—including one featuring Kenny Loggins—were staged in retaliation for Towfiq’s complaints. She granted a restraining order that requires Gross and his girlfriend to stay five yards away from Towfiq, and not to play music that violates local codes.
Gross had counter-sued Towfiq, claiming he was the original harasser and a “peeping Tom” who spied on Gross and Schwartz. But Knill threw that suit out on Thursday, saying evidence of the harassment was “nonexistent.”
Read it at Bloomberg
