Getty Images Throwback photo of Mauricio Umansky goes viral.
Fans have dug up accusations of questionable business behavior levied against the husband of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Kyle Richards in 2018.
According to a Los Angeles Times article published in 2018, an insurance company accused real estate broker Mauricio Umansky of selling a home for “millions less than it was worth” for personal gain.
Here’s what you need to know:
Umansky Is Accused of Shortchanging African Charities ‘Out of Millions of Dollars’
According to the LA Times, Umansky was “accused of selling [a Malibu home] for millions less than it was worth because he had partnered with the winning bidder, allowing the pair to maximize their profits when they resold it less than a year later.”
The insurance company, Western World, sued “after it looked like it might be on the hook to pay $3 million as part of a potential settlement between Umansky and the original seller, the son of the president of Equatorial Guinea,” the Times reported.
The Justice Department alleged that the son, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, “bought the house and other assets by pilfering the proceeds of oil and natural gas sales in his country.”
As part of the settlement, some of the proceeds of the home sale were to be distributed to charities in Equatorial Guinea and “Umansky shortchanged charities in the Central African nation out of millions of dollars they should have received.”
At the time, Umansky denied the allegations against him.
“Mr. Umansky did exactly what he was retained to do,” attorneys for Umansky wrote in a court filing, according to the outlet. “He sold the Sweetwater property with virtually no publicity, under a strict deadline and at a price above the appraised value.”
The issue was settled in 2019 after both parties said they were “in agreement on the principal terms of a settlement that would resolve the case,” according to court documents obtained by The Blast.
But that didn’t stop fans from bringing up the matter on Reddit in July 2022.
Fans Slammed Umansky & Kyle Richards: ‘He’s Been Such a Douche Bag Since Day One’
In a Reddit thread, posted on Thursday, July 10, 2022, fans discussed the article, blasting Umansky.
“Lesson learned, never go on reality TV if you have skeletons even the ones you forgot. Piss of the internet and they will start digging and sending information to IRS and Federal agencies,” someone wrote. “I have a feeling this is just the beginning and there are some former/disgruntled employees who will start helping investigations.”
“I’ve never understood why people willingly sign up for these shows knowing they have secrets/marriage is in shambles. Seems very delusional to think the public won’t catch on,” another fan commented.
“So this franchise has all the scammers eh,” someone pointed out, alluding to fellow castmate Ericka Jayne’s lawsuits.
“A lot of these people are making Erika look less bad rn and that says something,” a fan said.
“How do you think they stay so rich?” someone asked.
“I feel like the extremely wealthy are usually involved in shady dealings, so I’d be more shocked if he wasn’t involved in something shady,” someone wrote.
“I don’t understand why people think Mauricio was one of the good guys lol,” a fan wrote. “He’s been such a douche bag since day one… not that being a douche screams criminality, but how tf did people think he was one of the good ones?”
“This is why Kyle and co go after one person every season and make all the drama about that, so they can hide what it actually happening in their lives/don’t have to talk about it,” a fan pointed out. “Remember a couple of reunions ago when Andy asked Kyle something about some lawsuit to do with Mauricio and she was like that’s to do with my husband we don’t talk about that (or something like that). They are trying to bury the real drama happening in their life, and if they don’t want to talk about everything then they shouldn’t be on reality TV.”
Heavy reached out to Umansky and Richards for comment but did not receive a response.