The billionaire owner of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons hired a woman half his age to work on his private jet while the two were “in a romantic relationship,” but she didn't have the talent for the job. Two other stewardesses who were unqualified were also forced to work unpaid overtime to make up for it, according to an explosive lawsuit.
The family office of Arthur Blank, who made his fortune as a co-founder of retail giant Home Depot before acquiring the Falcons for $545 million in 2002, has partnered with two flight attendants, Adele Pearson and A lawsuit has been filed by Samantha Carlyle.
The pair claim they were not paid overtime after working long, grueling hours on a blank luxury plane. Part of the reason is that the family office, Aviation Group, is a “dysfunctional and poorly run company that hired and kept incompetent employees just because they had sexual relationships with Blank and their bosses.” It was a sufficient business unit.'' ” the lawsuit alleges.
According to a complaint filed Oct. 18 in federal court in Atlanta, Mr. Blank, 82, who is three times divorced and has six children, was in a relationship with Christy Buis, 42, who was employed as an airline flight attendant. They were in a romantic relationship. AMBFO, a family office of a major powerhouse.
The complaint alleges that Buis “provided only limited support” because AMBFO “allowed Ms. Blank to board the flight only if she was the only person on the flight.” There is. Business Insider reported and Law 360.
As a result, flight attendants Mr Pearson and Mr Carlisle are “regularly required to cover up” and are “regularly required to work well over 40 hours a week due to heavy workload”. insisted. [Buice’s] Correct defects and handle the majority of AMBFO flights. ”
The two flight attendants also alleged that AMBFO kept another employee on the payroll who was “equally incompetent” while “having a romantic relationship with the flight director.”
According to the complaint, the flight attendant was “completely unqualified for the position” and that “her employment would reduce Plaintiffs' workload by performing her duties and familiarizing her with the company's operations.” It only increased it.”
Pearson and Carlisle also claimed that in addition to their flight-related duties, such as handling dry cleaning and selecting restaurants and hotels, they also had to “manage various personal errands for Blank and his family.” .
Blank, whose net worth is Recognized by Forbes magazine As of Monday, it was valued at $9.3 billion, but did not respond to requests for comment. The newspaper also reached out to Mr. Bews and two other employees mentioned in the lawsuit for comment.
Carlisle, who was hired by AMBFO in March 2022, informed his superiors of his resignation in July of this year.
Ms. Pearson was hired by January 2021, but her employment status is unknown. Pearson's attorney declined to comment when contacted by the Post.
The two flight attendants claimed to have worked “more than 70 hours a week, and in some cases 90 hours a week,” and complained of having “little personal time” and “being unable to continue working.” The number of hours that AMBFO regularly required her to work. ”
Pearson and Carlyle were paid annual wages of $160,000 and “approximately $158,000,” respectively, and worked 26 days a month for several months last year, according to the complaint.
The two flight attendants accused AMBFO of “falsifying their attendance records'' to make it appear as if both had eight days off in a month. They claimed they were “inundated” with texts and phone calls from Ms Blank's family office over the holidays about travel plans.
According to JetSpy data, he owns two private jets: a Bombardier Global Express and a Bombardier Global 7500.
