Former "Real Housewives of Orange County" star Gretchen Rossi is a whole lot richer after winning a $523,000 defamation lawsuit against a man who claimed to be an ex-boyfriend.
The lawsuit had been going on for years.
According to The Blast, the former reality TV star sued Jay Photoglou in 2010. She initially sued him for defamation after he claimed that Gretchen cheated on her dying fiancé with him. She said that was a blatant lie.
Gretchen, who appeared on "Housewives" from 2008-2013, also claimed that he threatened her and released stolen nude photos of her online.
In 2012, a jury sided with Gretchen, awarding her $523,250 in damages ($500,000 for compensatory damages and another $23,000 for punitive damages.) She also got a restraining order against him. Jay, though, complicated matters by filing for bankruptcy and attempted to have the judgment discharged as part of the bankruptcy case.
Since then, the two have been battling in bankruptcy court. The Blast said Gretchen demanded that the judgement not be discharged. In fact, she said he had himself to blame for his financial distress, saying the debt was due to "willful and malicious injury" to another person.
After all these years, a judge has now sided with Gretchen.
"Gretchen is glad this case with Jay Photoglou is behind her," her rep told Page Six. "She is thankful the courts recognized the type of individual he is and provided justice. Even Photoglou's attempt at filing [for] bankruptcy to avoid paying the $523,000 judgment Rossi has against him didnt work.
"The BK Courts have ruled in Rossi's favor on all counts which included stalking and threats," her rep added. "She can now begin collecting on Photoglou whose debt to Rossi with interest is now above $800,000."