Revlon Tycoon Forced To Pay Up

Filed Under: Legal Matters

Revlon tycoon Ron Perelman is still entrenched in his divorce from actress Ellen Barkin, despite filing all the way back in 2006.

Now, the cosmetics bigwig has been ordered to pay his ex's production company $4.3 million as the result of a contractual agreement he'd made prior to the divorce. Apparently, Perelman filed for divorce just before an escalation clause in their prenup took effect and then tried to go back on his word to put money into her start-up company after they broke up.

Kinda skeezy!

Perelman's spokeswoman, Christine Taylor, said,

"The lawsuit brought at the behest of Ellen Barkin has never been anything more than a desperate last grab for further undeserved monies following her very substantial settlement with and release of Ronald Perelman."

Well, not quite.

Barkin did receive a very healthy $60 million in the divorce after six years of marriage, but it was Ron who filed and it was all in accord with their prenup. What's more, Barkin started her company in the belief that she had significant financial backing. Barkin's lawyer, Jacob Buchdahl, said, "When you sign your name to a contract, you have to live up to the contract, no matter who you are."

Perelman is trying to argue that the agreement is null and void because Barkin violated their divorce agreement by speaking publicly about their relationship and failing to get a Jewish religious divorce.

What does that have anything to do with the contract??

Apparently Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Debra James felt the same way, and ordered Mr. Revlon to pay up.

Good!

Sounds like this is just sour grapes at this point, and apparently Perelman's still not ready to relent: his spokeswoman said, "The decision will be vigorously appealed."

We think he should just pay up and move on!

Team Ellen!

[Image via AP Images.]

Posted: January 8, 2010 at 12:30 pm