Buyer Barred From Dakota Alleges Board Wined & Dined Him

In another turn to the bizarre $55 million lawsuit unfolding at the Dakota, a buyer who alleges he's been barred from moving into a duplex he purchased within the building in 1999 has filed court papers elaborating on the tactics he says the co-op board used to delay his lawsuit. The Post reports that developer Robert Siegel of Metropole Realty Advisors, who filed a suit against the Dakota's notoriously tony co-op board in early July, now alleges that the board wined and dined him to ensure that Siegel wouldn't file a lawsuit before the six-year time limit for fraud. The new allegations come after the board's lawyer responded to Siegel's lawsuit saying it didn't hold water because it was filed far after the legal threshold for a statute of limitations defense.

The Post elaborates on Siegel's new allegations,

Siegel, CEO of Metropole Realty Advisors, now claims in court papers that devious board members plied him with booze—and even juicy building gossip—to make him think they were all on the same side and delay his lawsuit. The board 'studiously pursued a plan to intentionally and deceitfully string me along and lull me into not suing until enough time passed to permit a statute-of-limitations defense,' he says in a sworn statement. 'The Dakota's officers also actively and deceptively led me to believe that a camaraderie and trust had developed between us. They even disclosed personal and inappropriate discussions between other board members to demonstrate their trust in me,' he says, referring to some board members as 'schemers or con artists.' The co-op's lawyer, of course, denies all of this.
· Board at famous NYC building tried to thwart suit with booze: docs [NYP]
· Buyer Sues After Being Barred From Dakota Pad For 16 Years [Curbed]
· 131-Year History of the Iconic Dakota Chronicled In New Book [Curbed]
· All coverage of The Dakota [Curbed]