Jeanie Buss took legal action against her siblings’ attempt to sell the family’s remaining stake in the Los Angeles Lakers, filing a petition in which she blasted them as “devious.”
Jeanie, who was tapped by her father, famed Lakers owner Jerry Buss, to succeed him and run the franchise, filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court, where she asked a judge to block her five siblings from being able to offload their shares.
Additionally, Jeanie, who labeled her siblings as “devious” in a filing obtained by TheWrap, accused them of trying to ousts her as Lakers governor by secretly brokering the deal in question.
“The devious behavior of the co-trustees, Janie and Joey, as well as James, Johnny, and Jesse, is highlighted by the fact that they never revealed their scheme to Jeanie, who was blindsided by an alleged statement of the ‘family’ published by ESPN that declared, ‘We have decided as a family to sell the remaining Buss Family Trust shares to the Bob Iger group as part of the ongoing transaction,’” the document stated. “That alleged ‘family’ statement was knowingly false: Jeanie never agreed to any sale, was never consulted and was never even informed. The statement came just days after media reports of a proposed sale by majority owner Walter of his Lakers shares to the group led by Iger and Kushner.”
Elsewhere in the filing, Jeanie called for her siblings to be held in contempt, as well as be held “liable for damages.” She specifically called out her siblings, Janie and Joey, who she demanded be removed as co-trustees from the trust that holds the Buss family’s remaining stake in the team.
“Janie and Joey have now brazenly, knowingly and intentionally violated the 2017 Order and the express provisions of the Jo Ann 2006 ESBT by secretly signing a purported resolution—void on its face—to sell a portion of the Jo Ann 2006 ESBT’s 17.82% stake in the Lakers,” the filing noted.
Jeanie’s legal team also argued that a sale of the Lakers did not make sense, citing its “continuously skyrocketing value.”
“Indeed, other owners of stakes in the Lakers have expressed their support for Jeanie remaining Controlling Owner,” the document added. “And have voiced their intent to hold, not sell, their stakes in the Lakers.”
Per the filing, a court hearing has been set for Nov. 5.
Jeanie’s legal move came over a week after she denounced her siblings’ announcement regarding the family shares, in which they planned to sell their remaining Lakers stake to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner following their $12.5 billion acquisition.
“Shams Charania of ESPN falsely reported that the six Buss siblings voted to sell the 17.8% ownership stake in the Lakers to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, and that my client, Jeanie Buss, is ‘out’ as controlling owner,” Jeanie’s attorney Adam F. Streisand wrote to the legal teams of her respective siblings. “This is just the latest instance of a years-long pattern whereby Joey and Jesse Buss leak false, defamatory and pernicious ‘information’ to Mr. Charania for the malicious purpose of doing harm to the Los Angeles Lakers so long as Dr. Buss’ chosen successor, Jeanie Buss, carries out her father’s wishes.”
“No sale of the JAB Trust’s 17.8% ownership interest in the Los Angeles Lakers, Inc. can be effectuated without approval by the current co-trustees, i.e., Jeanie, Janie and Joey Buss,” the letter continued. “On behalf of Jeanie Buss, I demand that your clients make clear publicly that Jeanie Buss is the Controlling Owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and that your clients shall take no action on this supposed ‘vote’ to sell the 17.8% stake.”
Yet, Jeanie’s siblings doubled down on their decision, noting in a follow-up statement, “Johnny, Jimmy, Janie, Joey and Jesse have made the decision to sell the family’s remaining stake, and we remain united in that decision. We intend to move forward thoughtfully, respectfully and through the appropriate process.”
A representative for the Buss family did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
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