Biz Partner Accuses Eve Longoria of Usury

LOS ANGELES (CN) - A business partner accuses actress Eva Longoria of usury in a $1 million loan involving a Las Vegas nightclub. Beso, the nightclub, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy 2 weeks ago. In his complaint in L.A. Superior Court, Mali Nachum claims that Longoria loaned Beso $1 million in 2006 for 2 years at 8 percent. He says Longoria also got 23.3% of Beso for the loan, in violation of California usury laws.

Beso LLC listed debts of $5.7 million and assets of $2.5 million in its bankruptcy filing, according to the Las Vegas Sun. The Sun reported that Longoria owns 32 percent of Beso.

The Sun describes Beso as a restaurant-nightclub, the nightclub being called Eve. Eve "projected ongoing losses of $76,000 per month," and reported gross income of $14.6 million in the previous 12 months, the Sun reported on Jan. 6.

Longoria is listed as a creditor, "owed $375,000 for legal fees paid on behalf of Beso and another $1 million for a cash loan," according to the Sun.

Mali and Ronen Nachum sued Longoria in June 2010, claiming they had loaned Beso $280,000 and then were pushed out. Longoria and Beso then countersued on several claims, including mismanagement. Motions and counterclaims in that lawsuit, in Clark County Court, are continuing; on Dec. 30 the Nachums asked that $280,000 that Ronen Nachum deposited into a Beso construction trust account be garnished, according to the Sun.

In his complaint in Los Angeles, Mali Nachum claims that he did not learn until December 2010 that the 23.3% percent ownership that Longoria allegedly obtained along with interest on the loan was usurious under California law.

He claims that when they made the deal on the loan, Longoria's membership interest was worth about $4.6 million.

He demands $4 million in damages, treble damages and costs. He is represented by Mark Rabinovich.

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