COMING UP LIGHT
‘Taxi’ wife sells ‘stolen’ fixtures for a mere 13G
The estranged wife of city “taxi king” Gene Freidman sold two crystal chandeliers — said to be worth a total of more than $300,000 — for a paltry $13,000 after allegedly swiping them from their Upper East Side town house, court papers state.
“I was simply seeking to monetize the limited assets that accrued to me pursuant to our prenuptial agreement,” Sandra Freidman, 25, said in a Manhattan Supreme Court affidavit.
In their divorce settlement, Sandra gets a $5 million payout, $31,000 a month in support and the contents of their Versailles-style house on East 65th Street.
She admits in court papers to selling the Baccarat light fixtures for $13,000 to a Russian investor who lives in Great Neck, LI.
Gene has claimed she stole the chandeliers, but she argues they belonged to her under their prenup, which entitles her to the contents of their marital home.
She also claims they’re worth only about $13,000 based on estimates from the Upper East Side auction house Doyle New York.
But Gene’s lawyer, Rhonda Ores, said the Doyle estimates do not take into account that the fixtures were part of Baccarat’s “iconic Zenith collection and were both 48light chandeliers.”
The clear crystal chandelier retails for $147,600 on Baccarat’s Web site, Ores said.
The other, in “clair de rouge,” sells for $192,700, according to Baccarat consultant Ramina Raiford, the papers state.
Gene wants Sandra held in contempt of court for the alleged theft, which also included wall sconces and other light fixtures. He said their removal left unsightly exposed wiring throughout his 4,000squarefoot home.
His lawyers argue that light fixtures are not part of the home’s contents and want the value of the “stolen” property deducted from her settlement.
A contract of sale reveals that Sandra sold 14 other items, including a “pair of gold and marble cigarette side tables” and a “gilded gold Louis XVI mirror” for $25,930 to businessman Michael Vasinkevich.
In the papers, Sandra claims Gene has hired private investigators to follow her.
In August, Gene copped to harassment as part of a plea deal for allegedly slamming Sandra into a wall weeks before she filed for divorce.
The couple is battling over custody of their 2yearold daughter, Leyla.
Gene, who owns 900 taxi medallions, more than anyone in the city, has recently seen his fortune plummet due to competition from livery apps such as Uber and Lyft.
He filed for bankruptcy to protect some of his medallions and creditors have threatened to seize others for defaulting on millions of dollars in loans.