Emmy-award winner accuses auction company of 'shady' tactics during sale of luxurious $6 million mansion
An Emmy award-winning journalist claims she was ripped off by an auction company that allegedly sold her $6 million Puerto Rico mansion without her permission.Cathleen Trigg-Jones says she was scammed by Concierge Auctions in an act of 'blatant misogyny' when an agent put her and her husband's luxurious beachfront town house up for bid without her signature, according to a lawsuit filed on May 8.
The 57-year-old iWoman TV founder and her spouse, Michael Jones, purchased the stunning four-bedroom, four-bath property in the high-end Bahia Beach Resort & Golf Club in 2014.
Michael had inquired about selling the 4,204-square-foot home, reaching out to the agency online for more information on its value, the document, filed in Manhattan Federal Court, claims.
The global auction company allegedly enticed Michael with the millions he could make off scoring a deal - but Cathleen was always skeptical of what she described as the 'shady and murky' agency.
Due to her hesitance, Michael told Concierge, based in Florida, he had to wait for his wife to consult her lawyers before making a final decision.
Michael had emailed Concierge agent Frank Martorano on March 14 and allegedly told him Cathleen had not signed the auction papers.
But Cathleen claims Martorano put the property up for auction anyway, selling it undervalue to hedge fund founder Michael Nachmani a few days later.
She allegedly tried to intervene multiple times, but her attempts were unsuccessful.
'Apparently, this auctioneer doesn't think a woman should have the right to review a contract separate and apart from her husband,' the filing reads.
'Now, a purported buyer is claiming a right to Mrs. Jones' home for millions of dollars less than it is worth.'
According to the complaint, the house was sold for $4.2 million.
Adding to the chaos, Cathleen alleges Nachmani, the Chief Operating Officer of Rubric Capital, has threatened to sue if she resists closing on the deal.
DailyMail.com has reached out to Nachmani for comment.
Cathleen is demanding at least $10 million from Concierge for slander, asserting that her reputation has been tarnished by the situation.
'Mrs. Jones, a former news anchor, public figure, actress, and media executive, has spent decades building a reputation/persona which Concierge has damaged through its false and misleading accusations disseminated in the marketplace,' the document states.
She claims real estate professionals and neighbors believe she stubbornly went against an agreement she entered, even though she never entered one.
'These allegations being disseminated have caused and continue to cause serious reputational harm to Mrs. Jones,' according to the filing.
She also wants a statement released, publicly acknowledging she 'never entered into an agreement with Concierge for the sale of her property.'
'I have dedicated my life and career to fighting for women's rights and equality. When Concierge Auctions tried to bypass me, and sell my home without my signature, my consent, or legal review, I was shocked,' Cathleen wrote to the outlet.
'Even as an equal owner, I was treated as if my voice and my rights don't matter. This is not just illegal, it's unethical — misogyny, plain and simple, and it is an insult to every woman who's ever had to fight for respect.'
DailyMail.com reached out to Cathleen for further comment. DailyMail.com has reached out to Concierge for comment. The company told the New York Post her husband had signed an auction agreement.
According to her online bio, Cathleen is a 'social entrepreneur and accomplished executive with a diverse background in journalism, multi-media production, public relations, marketing, public speaking, and executive coaching.'
She earned an Emmy in 2003 for her New York City education reporting for the Fox-affiliated WWOR station.
IWoman TV, a New York City-based media company, was founded in 2018 as 'the first global news and entertainment streaming network and broadcast studio created by, for, and about women,' according to Cathleen's description.
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