The suicide was brought about after Dennis Ricca and Jay Leno were sued for pulling a fast one on the late Macy heir, John Straus. The two allegedly swindled Straus, who died last May, out of his two vehicles: a rare 1931 Duesenberg Model J and 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom convertible. The Duesenberg Model J, which ended up with Jay Leno, is estimated to be worth $1.2 million while the Rolls-Royce Phantom, which was taken by Ricca, is said to be valued at $500,000.
So how did Ricca and Leno get hold of the two vehicles? Well, according to the Manhattan Supreme Court filing, the two participated in an illegal auction that involved the sale of two of Straus’ vehicles. However, Bruce Bonster, lawyer of Jay Leno and the garage companies who sold the two cars, countered that they were sold to cover for the unpaid bills of the Straus. As per Bonster, Straus was unable to pay for the storage fees of the cars through the years and became delinquent. There were also attempts to make the account current but these were unsuccessful. As a result, the two vehicles were sold to cover for the said expenses.
However, Andrew Solomon, the lawyer of Straus’ daughter insisted that the senior Straus did not abandon the two vehicles or allow any sale to be made. Solomon said that Straus attempted to pay for the bills but the garage companies refused them and took the two cars. Both cars are said to family heirlooms and are in good condition despite its age.
Sources: 0-60 Mag: Self-Destruction, NY Post, 0-60 Mag: Jay Leno’s ultimate shunt?, Bloomberg
