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Celebrity Justice
Richard D: Daddy Screwed Me out of "Jaws" $$$

Posted Aug 8th 2008 7:05PM by TMZ Staff

Richard Dreyfuss is suing his father and his uncle, claiming they betrayed his trust by refusing to repay an $870,000 loan.
Read the docs
According to the suit, filed today in L.A. County Superior Court, Dreyfuss says back in 1984, daddy Norman and Uncle Gilbert had a partnership going. They allegedly went to Richard, who by then was a hugely successful and wealthy actor, and said they needed him to help "the family in a crisis." According to the suit, the crisis involved an office building the partnership owned in downtown L.A.

Richard claims he bit the bait and loaned them $870,000. He says for the next 24 years, he was jacked around. Gilbert, who is a lawyer, allegedly refused to pony up the tax returns and financial statements of the partnerships. It all came to a head in either late 2007 or early 2008, when Richard supposedly asked about repayment and Gilbert said, "You can't get it."

So it's Goodbye Dad. Richard is suing for the $870,000 loan, interest and punitive damages.

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(Page 3 of 3) Previous 15 Comments

31. It sounds like Richard is now broke and is looking for every dime he ever lent out. I know that $870,000 is an incredible sum but it's been 24 years and he has never actively pursued the matter until now. I am sure that this time frame exceeds the statue of limitations for debt collection in CA. I know if he was on Judge Judy she would say after 24 years and no payback or action that he has 'forgave the loan'. She would then call them all idiots and chide Bert to agree with her.

Posted at 2:42PM on Aug 9th 2008 by Grrrrrrrr

32. Dude he is your dad you can't sue him. Go on with your life and let it go...

Posted at 10:05AM on Aug 9th 2008 by onthefly

33. If this story is true, and he wins...dont you think that Richard should donate the money to charity!!! in the city i live in the food banks are running very low, he is a very rich man. It looks bad...taking your parent to court over money when he raised you with a good life! so i say donate the money! do whats right, at this point you look bad!...people are hungry in the USA! spread the wealth...that money can feed alot of people!

Posted at 11:13AM on Aug 9th 2008 by dawn

34. See, this is why you can't even trust family once they realize how much money you have....

Posted at 2:58PM on Aug 9th 2008 by Nicole

35. So much for the famous "Dreyfus" family connection huh? Dont you remember all the claims of Richard doing the research and proving that he and his family's lineage go straight to Captain Alfred Dreyfus? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Dreyfus Guess these days the French Jews are not sticking together as they once did.

Shame on the modern Dreyfuss name.

Posted at 3:45PM on Aug 9th 2008 by Idiot

36. what happened did you run out of momey for blow - get a real job and see what it's like in the real world

Posted at 6:16PM on Aug 9th 2008 by bondchick

37. Just because someone is your father doesn't make him wonderful. And business is business.

Posted at 4:34PM on Aug 9th 2008 by Christiana

38. What difference does it make if Richard is broke or not? He coughed up the money when it was asked of him, without even considering that he needed to bring in lawyers since his uncle was one and it was FAMILY. It's his money and he should get it back, with interest even.

Posted at 5:10PM on Aug 9th 2008 by dufus

39. Sue the partnership. Force the sale of the building. There is no statute of limitations on money he bought a building with. The money was used to purchase the building and I am certain the note and deed of trust reflects that. It doesnt matter if the father and uncle bought it. Even if the transaction was not processed as he was led to beleive the title company, the uncle, and everyone else will go down. This is also a perfect opportunity for the IRS to get involved in all of their personal finances. Open Pandora's box and show the world how someone cheated the IRS out of thier fair share of the $870,000.00 plus 10% per annum someone will be paying. Richard thank your lucky stars for the antiquated paper trail system of the 80's. Also for everyone else it is not uncommon to start collecting payments or a ballon payment 24 or 25 years later, usually they need to make thier first payment 99 years after the executiuon of the loan.

Posted at 8:17PM on Aug 9th 2008 by John Taylor

40. I love all the comments saying, "Let it go - it's your family." I bet if one their family members owed them $100 and didn't pay them back, they'd be pissy. But it isn't a $100 - it's almost a million dollars! His father and uncle should have had the decency to at least attempt to pay him back even if they couldn't pay it all back. Family sucks sometimes...

Posted at 11:31AM on Aug 11th 2008 by catnip

41. HE COULD TRY USING THE LAW FIRM OF DEWEY, CHEETHAM & HOWE TO GET HIS MONEY BACK. I UNDERSTAND WHY HE'S PISSED. ANY OF YOU GUYS LEAVING COMMENTS, YOU LOSE $870,000 AND TRY TO SHRUG IT OFF. IT'S REAL MONEY HE'S TALKING ABOUT AND IT'S A REAL INSULT WHAT HIS FAMILY DID TO HIM.

Posted at 12:04PM on Aug 27th 2008 by MAX_G_FORCE

42. Hey, WTF - he earned the money, it's his. I can see letting one's father off the hook, but ,definitely, not the uncle.

Posted at 9:19AM on Aug 28th 2008 by BostonKate

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