A Florida businessman is suing a former “Price is Right” model, claiming she conned him out of more than $90,000 while claiming to be romantically interested in him.
Peter DeGeorge Sr. filed the lawsuit today in Los Angeles Superior Court against Gabrielle Tuite, who spent five years modeling for the CBS game show. The suit alleges breach of loan agreement, fraud, trespass and unjust enrichment.
DeGeorge wants at least $92,860 in damages.
A representative for the 36-year-old Tuite could not be immediately reached.
According to the complaint, DeGeorge is a 50 percent owner of the Florida-based management company PDM Investment Group LLC. He also is an investor in the entertainment and film industry and is an “active philanthropist,” the suit states.
A friend introduced Tuite to DeGeorge in January 2013 as a possible consultant and spokeswoman who could assist in his philanthropy, the suit states. He took into consideration her role as a model on the “Price is Right” and assumed she had experience as a spokeswoman, the suit states.
Tuite repeatedly contacted DeGeorge and asked for a meeting, the suit states. She also claimed she was in economic difficulties and asked for a loan, according to the suit. DeGeorge lent her $15,000, the complaint states.
DeGeorge eventually agreed to pay for her flight to Florida to meet him, according to the lawsuit.
“When Ms. Tuite arrived at Mr. DeGeorge’s home in Florida, she was immediately flirtatious and very provocative,” the suit states. “The day after Ms. Tuite arrived, Mr. DeGeorge found her sunbathing around his swimming pool while topless.”
Tuite continued to walk around DeGeorge’s home nude or semi-nude, expressed her interest in him and repeatedly asked him to loan her money, the suit states.
She also used a credit card DeGeorge gave her business use to run up more than $21,600 in personal expenses,” the suit states.
“It was clear from the outset that Ms. Tuite was more interested in a personal relationship from which she might benefit financially rather than an employment relationship with Mr. DeGeorge,” the suit states.
DeGeorge let Tuite stay in his vacation home in Los Angeles, but he found out one of her former boyfriends was sleeping there, the suit states.
“When asked why the ex-boyfriend spent the night, Ms. Tuite responded, `That is how I paid him,”’ the suit states.
DeGeorge told Tuite to get out, but she used a hidden key to come back and do photo shoots there without his permission, using his Ferrari as a prop, according to the lawsuit.
