Former 'Windy City Rehab' host Donovan Eckhardt drops a zinger in feud with Alison Victoria In an affidavit filed last week, Eckhardt tucked six seemingly pointed words inside a parenthesis. To prove embezzlement, a prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt to a moral certainty that the defendant had a specific intent to defraud the victim of property entrusted to the defendant through the fiduciary relationship. Eckhardts attorney declined to comment beyond the suit. An 80s-style penthouse apartment presents design and construction challenges, including conflicts with the construction manager. During the rehab, she saves one-of-a-kind architectural features while updating the design with her usable luxurious style. By Mitch Dudek Jun 9, 2021, 3:20pm PST Former 'Windy City Rehab' host Donovan Eckhardt drops a zinger in feud with Alison Victoria Pocket Flipboard Donovan Eckhardt was Alisons right-hand man on the HGTV show, but hes no longer a cast member. What you need to live your best life now. But construction projects don't always go as planned, and a lawsuit filed in Cook County on December 30 alleges that the Windy City Rehab team defrauded James and Anna Morrissey. Me, my businesses, my show and my network have nothing to do with them, Gramenos said in an email to the Tribune. The property at 612 W. Stratford Pl. Donovans lawsuit stated that he spoke with Alison several times a day and she was intimately involved in the creation of every budget., A post shared by Donovan Eckhardt (@donobro). Renovation of an old home comes with many unexpected construction problems. Read |Who is Medina El Aidi? The third lawsuit might have hurt far worse than the other two as it came from Michael Ward Jr. who was a former friend of Donovan. Once construction is completed, the house is staged and prospective buyers are invited to visit to see the renovated interior and exterior. ga('ads.send', { Chicago /. Alison and Donovan also had to stop the work due to some licensing issues. All seemed well on the surface until the middle of season 2 when Donovan left the show after falling out with Victoria on-screen over their projects finances as per People. Windy City Rehab has been a ratings success for HGTV, drawing more than 20 million viewers since its season two premiere. Read |Who is Fathia Youssouf? Attorney Telly Stefaneas blamed Eckhardt for the money issues and said there was no overlap between the two renovations and Windy City Rehab projects. Windy City Rehab: With Alison Victoria, Donovan Eckhardt, Ari Smejkal, Kristy Yarbrough. Hes also been cut off from the $3,500 per episode he made on Windy City Rehab, according to the outlet. hitType: 'event', It stars Alison Victoria, an interior designer who does home renovation projects in Chicago, Illinois, with contractor Donovan Eckhardt (season one and the early part of season 2). UPDATE: A Cook County, Illinois judge has dismissed former Windy CIty Rehab cohost Donovan Eckhardt's defamation claim against the program's showrunners. Do. Where did the money go? It stars Alison Victoria, an interior designer who does home renovation projects in Chicago, Illinois, with contractor Donovan Eckhardt (season one and the early part of season 2). Windy City Rehab returned for its second season this year and the show has been in the media spotlight following allegations against its star Donovan Eckhardt. The Morrisseys also complained about a leaky roof, poorly installed windows, and a host of other issues with they were facing with luxury home. Despite the three perilous lawsuits, audiences did get to see Windy City Rehab season 2. Shane and Samantha had reportedly also dealt with "construction and warranty defects, including water damage, cracking concrete columns and a problematic garage. The couple claimed that their garage which required more than $100,000 in repairs. Two contractors from the first season of Windy City Rehab committed fraud by diverting money from other projects to help fund work done on the popular HGTV show, according to a lawsuit filed last week in Cook County court. Judge Patricia O'Brien Sheahan. Interestingly, this is not just any home reno show but the one where vintage homes are revived by her and her crew, keeping true to their origin and authenticity. " The Chicago Sun Times reported on April 15th, 2022 that Donovan's defamation case was dismissed. A kitchen Alison Victoria renovated in Season 2 of "Windy City Rehab" (HGTV) I love a fresh coat of paint on a front door. The defamation lawsuit is for $2.2 million and was filed this past January (via the Chicago Tribune). ga('ads.send', { Eckhardt's attorney has already filed an appeal in the hopes of having the decision overturned, but we don't know right now if the plan is to re-file the lawsuit in California should the appeal prove unsuccessful. A third season began broadcasting in April 2022. His original lawsuit in Cook County said, Nothing in this carefully scripted, choreographed, and edited scene is true, the outlet reported. They dont understand theres a distinction between reality and TV, even when the TV show represents itself as reality.. Alison Victoria is an interior designer and host of HGTVs Windy City Rehab. Shes also appeared on both seasons of Rock the Block, Tye Breakers, Windy City Flip, Flipping Across America and on the DIY Networks Kitchen Crashers.. According to Deadline, the 2nd season of "Windy City Rehab" had a heavy focus on the lawsuits, with Alison Victoria often dropping Donovan Eckhardt's name as the reason for her troubles. Victoria returned to her hometown of Chicago to restore homes for the series, alongside lead contractor Donovan Eckhardt (via HGTV). The city issued a stop-work order in May 2019 for the Orchard location, which was one of 13 properties the Chicago Department of Buildings cited when it temporarily suspended Greymarks general contractor license last year for a slew of alleged violations. In the episode, which was filmed over a year ago, Victoria does not mention why she is being sued. let gads_event; However, it's not yet known if the lawsuit will be re-filed in California. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), During the season, the lawsuit against the two came to an end, however, Donovon decided to leave the show right in the middle and even file a lawsuit alleging defamation and emotional distress based on his portrayal in the second season of the show. A lawsuit over the home's renovation was filed in April 2020 and dropped in December 2020 after a settlement was reached. After taking a longer hiatus between seasons one and two to address multiple lawsuits, the second season has brought its fair share of drama. }); Together, the pair made some of their clients' dreams come true. Windy City Rehab is getting an extended second season. pg.acq.push(function() { The Chicago Tribune shares that Donovan's suit also claims that statements suggesting Donovan misappropriated, embezzled, or wrongfully derived money from past projects are false. Donovan also says that he was painted as the villain, while Alison was portrayed as the unknowing, innocent victim., A post shared by Donovan Eckhardt (@donobro), Unfortunately for Donovan, it appears that his lawsuit has officially been dismissed. What to watch. Baby Mia Jade Riley: Parents Lani and Tom Riley speak out after dog attack killed their 5-week-old infant, 'We have lots to reveal': Madeleine McCann lookalike Julia Wandelt posts footage of meeting with PI probing claims, Kyle Sambrook: Hiker falls 100ft to death while carrying his dog in one hand through 'appalling' weather, Killer mom Lindsay Clancy was suffering from drug withdrawal and had 'worst side effects,' says friend, Bruce Willis's mom Marlene 'not sure if her son still recognizes her' as 'aggressiveness' creeps in. The third lawsuit was also the most severe one, as the Ward family made accusations against Donovan and Alison claiming that the duo had fabricated a fraudulent scheme to misappropriate funds. The Wards had reportedly invested $3 million in projects which were featured on the show. . Windy City Rehab, HGTVs popular show featuring remodels of Chicago homes, feels more like a legal drama these days. Fans of the reality show Windy City Rehab were shocked when clients from the show filed multiple lawsuits against its hosts. Donovan's lawsuit filed in California reveals that his business, Greymark Development Group, has taken a big hit. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). What evidence is needed for embezzlement? TV . Alison Victoria and Donovan Eckhardt have previously made headlines over legal and financial troubles which led to the end of their relationship as friends and business partners. (Tracy Swartz / Chicago Tribune). Renovation of a house in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago. Donovan left Windy City Rehab in the middle of season two. 2530 N. Orchard St. in the Park West neighborhood is photographed on July 5, 2019. This time it came from the homeowners Shane Jones and Samantha Mostaccio, who also filed the lawsuit making similar claims about Donovans negligent construction. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. 'Rock the Block': Twins Leslie and Lyndsay win home revamp challenge, 'Fix My Flip': Page Turner turns cozy lake cabin into a luxury stay. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ HGTV representatives announced in February 2019 the network ordered a second season. } Alison also appeared to blame Donovan for a lot of the issues. Alison and Edward renovate their oldest (Civil War era) house yet. eventAction: 'click_image_ads' While Alison Victoria will continue to star, fans will not see Eckhardt appear in future episodes of the show (via House Beautiful). Judge Patricia O'Brien Sheahan. Alison and Donovan were seen working together once again. }); Attorneys for HGTVs parent company and Big Table Media did not immediately return a Tribune request for comment. ET Viewers got the best of both worlds when home renovation experts Alison Victoria and Donovan Eckhardt teamed up for the series premiere of the HGTV series Windy City Rehab. 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