Ahmed Zayat, whose horse American Pharoah became the first since 1978 to win horse racing's Triple Crown this weekend, now finds himself facing yet another lawsuit.
Last year, Mr. Zayat was sued in federal court for breach of contract by Howard Rubinsky, who claimed that . Zayat failed to repay a $1.65 million gambling debt. Now, Mr. Rubinsky's attorney Joseph Bainton has brought suit in New Jersey court against Mr. Zayat for libel, alleging that the Egyptian-American thoroughbred owner knowingly made false, malicious statements about him after Mr. Rubinsky's federal suit went public.
According to the suit, when asked about the federal breach of contract suit, Mr. Zayat told the Associated Press: "It's a fraud. It's a scam from A to Z. It's a total fiction. It's a total lie. It is a case of blackmail by a criminal." These comments, says Mr. Bainton, damaged the sterling reputation he has cultivated over the course of a 40-year legal career. The suit seeks $10 million in damages.
by Chris Helsel
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