The son of a billionaire known for American Eagle Outfitters has allegedly been recorded belittling his then-pregnant wife by saying she is “not worthy of her mother.”
Jeffrey A. Schottenstein and Ariella Schottenstein have been in a legal dispute since May 15, when they both filed documents related to their marriage in Manhattan Supreme Court.
This week, 40-year-old Jeffrey faced a setback, being dismissed in his own lawsuit against 38-year-old Ariella.
Initially, their relationship had a fairytale beginning. Jeffrey, who is the chairman of DSW and American Eagle Outfitters, proposed to Ariella in March 2022 via a message displayed on a Times Square billboard.
A few months later, they married at Cipriani 25 Broadway, with none other than LeBron James in attendance, as evidenced by various social media posts.
However, by May 2024, things appeared to deteriorate. Jeffrey reportedly made a derogatory remark about Ariella during a recorded conversation with her former bodyguard.
Ariella recently terminated her employee, Lock Pereira, shortly before urging Jeffrey to contact him.
According to records taken from Pereira’s lawyer, Schottenstein remarked, “It’s inappropriate to go to an appointment as a doctor three weeks before she gets pregnant and become a mother in my eyes.” He further stated, “After the baby is born, I have to make — I won’t let my kids see this fight,” referring to previous accusations of substance abuse from 2019 that had been suggested against him.
Pereira, who is 46, has filed a complaint with the state’s human rights department after being let go, but it is unclear what the current status of his case is.
The Schottenstein family was reported to have a net worth of $2.7 billion in 2015, which places them among the wealthiest families in America.
Neither Jeffrey nor Ariella’s legal representatives responded to requests for comments immediately.
