What’s a little extortion plot between friends?
There’s a stunning development in one of the ugliest divorces to hit the social scene in recent years.
Giovana Stephenson had accused her New York real estate mogul husband Abe Haruvi of assaulting her — then Haruvi sued Stephenson, her son from a previous marriage, and her mom, accusing them of cooking up a plan to squeeze as much out of him in a divorce as possible by concocting the assault story to exploit a clause in their prenup.
But now Page Six has learned that Stephenson and Haruvi are back together — but Haruvi hasn’t dropped the lawsuit against her and her family!
The Post reported that on Dec. 9 2021, police were called to their 9,700-square-foot, Regency-style Palm Beach, Fla. mansion just four blocks from President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, and they arrived to her awaiting with their two children. She then showed them scratch marks that left “redness” on her chest, and she accused Haruvi of scratching and hitting her, according to a police report. The police arrested Haruvi and he was charged with misdemeanor battery.
In 2022, Haruvi sued Stephenson, accusing her and her son Jonathan Stephenson of fabricating the assault claims, and accusing Giovanna’s mom of “falsely reporting to the police” that Haruvi planned to kidnap the kids.
The couple’s prenup gave Giovanna $8,000,000 in cash “plus 100 percent of the marital home free and clear of debt” if Haruvi was found guilty of “any battery that qualifies as a misdemeanor of the first degree or greater,” or “if he is guilty of kidnapping or other crimes.” The couple’s primary residence was worth approximately $50 million in 2021, so she was set to receive nearly $60 million in assets if he had committed battery or kidnapping, according to Haruvi’s lawsuit.
A source close to the situation told The Post at the time that a divorce could force Haruvi to sell his stake in his and his brother’s $200 million New York real estate empire because “he does not have a lot of cash lying around.”
We caught wind that the couple were back together because it was “the talk of the wedding” when Jonathan married Kelly Hennessy last month. Social types Hilary Musser, Jane Scher, Lee Majors and “tons of billionaires” were in attendance, according to a source.
But despite Giovana’s reconciliation with her alleged abuser, Haruvi wasn’t there to watch the happy couple cut the cake. “Abe wasn’t invited because he filed the lawsuit against her and John,” said our source.
Giovana confirmed to Page Six, “My son does not talk to my husband because of the lawsuit.”
“I’m back with him. I don’t want to cause a problem,” she told us. Giovana told us they’ve been back together for “over a year” and attributed their reconciliation to “love, children and family.”
“He’s still taking me to court. It’s strange. It’s very weird,” she said.
We can’t help but agree!
Haruvi’s lawyer could not be reached by deadline.
Read the full article here
