Steve Files A Lawsuit Against Danielle-RHONJ

From The Daily Record.

Photo: Bravo

By ELIZBETH SAUCHELLI

A lawsuit was filed in Morris County against "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Danielle Staub by her former boyfriend Stephen Zalewski, who accuses Staub of making false statements that he "recorded her in sexual acts without her knowledge or consent."

"There's an episode that aired amount a month ago where, essentially, Danielle is telling a bunch of people that Steve had made tapes of her engaging in various sexual activities without her knowledge or consent," said Zalewski's attorney Nace Naumoski. "All the tapes were made with her knowledge and her consent. Most of the tapes were made by her and sent to him."

Staub's attorney, Bob Cherry, declined to comment.

Zalewski said he began dating Staub in May 2008. Their relationship ended in December 2008, before Staub appeared on "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" in Spring 2009.

Naumoski said that Zalewski, a Lincoln Park resident, has video messages and e-mails that Staub sent to him.

"She knows perfectly well that he did not make the tapes without her knowledge or consent," Naumoski said. "When and if the case the goes to trial we'll be able to prove that she made statements in the past that she had knowledge of the tapes."

Zalewski is suing Staub for defamation, invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, harassment and punitive damages. The case was filed through the Superior Court of New Jersey in Morris County.

"First of all there's the fact that the things that she's saying he did are actually crimes in New Jersey. That's a third degree crime in New Jersey," Naumoski said. "She's essentially calling him a criminal while in reality...she made the tapes."

Zalewski said that the satatements caused harm to his "reputation and well-being." Naumoski said that his client's construction business may have been hurt by Staub's statements.

"I think that as the case goes to trial and proceeds that his business also dropped off by the harm done to his reputation by Ms. Staub's statements," Naumoski said.

In the lawsuit, Zalewski said that during his relationship with Staub, she "recorded herself engaging in various sexual acts by herself and with Plaintiff." Zalewski also claims that Staub sent the videos to him from a cell phone as video messages and e-mails.

Zalewski said once their relationship ended, Staub began telling mutual friends, as well as various media outlets, that he recorded her without her consent. He also said that she made statements on "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" about it. In each count of the lawsuit, Zalewski is seeking the award of compensatory damages, punitive damages, cost of suit, attorneys' fees, injuctive relief and "such other relief as the court deems just and equitable."