Jon Gosselin Slapped With TLC Suit for Breach of Contract
Ex-nanny sparks new Gosselin feud with e-hackery claims
By DANIEL MACHT
Updated 2:16 PM EDT, Sat, Oct 17, 2009
TLC filed a lawsuit in Maryland court against Jon Gosselin for breaching his contract.
The cable network alleges the ex-reality TV dad hasn't stuck to the deal he struck when he signed on to "Jon & Kate Plus 8" by getting paid for appearances on other shows and making unauthorized disclosures about the show, according to court documents.
The news comes as Gosselin and estranged wife Kate have found themselves in a kind of nanny state.
The reality TV parents are said to be fuming after ex-nanny Stephanie Santoro told RadarOnline.com that Jon once bragged to her about hacking into estranged wife Kate’s emails, phone records and bank accounts, according to reports.
Santoro previously said she had a fling with Gosselin while employed to look after his brood of eight, a claim Jon denies.
Kate Gosselin’s law firm said Thursday that the octomom was “profoundly disturbed” by Santoro's latest allegations.
"Under the circumstances, Ms. Gosselin is carefully considering all of her legal options regarding this matter, and she will pursue them if and when the time is right," the firm, Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis said in a statement.
Jon’s lawyer also fired back, telling People that Gosselin “unequivocally told me that he's never illegally invaded Kate's electronic privacy in any way."
"He also finds it a little disappointing that Kate would give credence to an uncorroborated statement made by an individual who clearly has a motivation to tell stories about Jon that might result in financial (compensation)," lawyer Mark Heller said.
The nanny diaries are the latest twist in the celebrity couple's very public fall from grace since announcing in June they would divorce and put "Jon and Kate, Plus 8" on a brief hiatus.
TLC has reportedly decided to end filming new episodes of the reality show next month amid declining ratings. The network had earlier announced it would rename the show “Kate Plus 8” to reflect a reduced role for Jon, who then scuttled the arrangement by banning TLC from filming his children.
After trading repeated jabs through the media, Jon and Kate called a temporary truce earlier this week.
On Tuesday, a judge ordered Jon Gosselin to return $155,000 to a joint account he shares with Kate. He said he now plans to do so.
The couple's next court date is on Oct. 26.
First Published: Oct 16, 2009 2:48 AM EDT
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