Antiques Roadshow Star Sues Sisters for $165M After $6M Jewelry Theft Accusations Explode
A celebrity from Antiques Roadshow, who found himself in legal trouble due to accusations by his sisters that he had stolen $6 million worth of valuable jewels, has addressed the sensational claims made against him.
Kevin Zavian, aged 67 and frequently seen on PBS evaluating jewelry and timepieces, has initiated a $165 million legal action against his sisters Ellen (age 61) and Robin (age 66). He alleges that instead of him, they are the ones involved in deceitful activities.
In February, the sisters submitted a police complaint claiming that Kevin had stolen jewelry items from Cluster Jewelry, which is a store that was established by their grandfather and great uncle.
However, Kevin claims he was merely acting as an intermediary for their elderly father Berj (age 95), stating that the jewels he took were either owned by himself, Kevin, their father Berj, or William Doyle Auction House – which Berj had started a jewelry department within back in 1974.
In his lawsuit, he contends that he’s given back many of the jewels to the Manhattan shop, but the accusations made against him have irrevocably damaged his standing in the community.
Simultaneously, Kevin and Berj assert that the sisters allegedly embezzled over a million dollars’ worth of diamonds and jewelry from Cluster Jewelry without keeping accurate records or providing any supporting documents for their transactions.
According to them, the accumulated losses have left the landlord with no choice but to decline extending the lease for their family business situated in New York City’s prestigious Diamond District.
The lawsuit, submitted in the New York State Supreme Court on Friday, states that the shameless exploitation of the family legacy reveals just how far the Defendants are prepared to stoop in their relentless effort to amass wealth by undermining their own brother and aging father.
As per the court documents, it was Berj’s plan that his three kids would each hold an equal share of ownership in Cluster, since he is listed among the joint plaintiffs.
In 2014, Ellen is reported to have persuaded Berj, who was 84 then, to legally transfer ownership of the jewelry business to herself and Robin.
The lawsuit suggests that Ellen didn’t make it clear to Berj that Kevin wasn’t an owner in the document, even though she knew better due to her legal background and her father’s trust in her.
Lawyers for Kevin and Berj contend that her actions, which violated her father’s trust in an appalling manner, show a reprehensible abuse of the sacred bond between parents and children. Moreover, these actions displayed a troubling readiness to undermine her brother’s legitimate position within the family business and a deliberate plan to cut Kevin out of inheritance without his knowledge.
Yet Kevin was allegedly left unaware for more than a decade that he was no longer a co-owner.
In early February, everything appeared to shift when his sisters implicated him for theft within the family business, resulting in his apprehension.
Approximately a month past, the grievance asserts that Ellen and Robin penned a missive alleging Kevin had pilfered from the store. Moreover, they stated that he was never the proprietor of Cluster Jewelry and hadn’t been an employee there for numerous years.
He had instead taken over for Berj as the senior appraiser at William Doyle Galleries in 2010.
As an ardent admirer putting this into my own words, I’d say: “I firmly believe that the defendants deliberately lied when they spoke those words, and it’s evident that Ellen, who authenticated the tax returns, explicitly claimed Kevin as a one-third owner while knowing full well that these statements were untrue.
Then, it is mentioned that the sisters spread their letter across the Jewelry District of New York City – famed for its jeweler shops, leading to significant harm to Kevin’s reputation.
According to Kevin, he’s lost clients due to this situation, and many professionals in his field have chosen not to collaborate with him since then.
This harsh assault on Kevin’s professional standing, carried out by his very own sisters, showcases an appalling lack of respect for familial ties and fundamental human kindness.
Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that both Ellen and Robin secretly and methodically misappropriated jewels and diamonds valued over $1 million from Cluster Jewelry Company Inc., not just the inventory mentioned earlier.
Additionally, it alleges they’ve been using funds improperly – and so far, they’ve declined to provide the necessary financial reports, itemized inventories, or any other required documentation that Kevin and Berj have asked for.
The shameless act of exploiting the family fortune, as stated in the lawsuit, vividly illustrates just how far the defendants are prepared to go in their relentless pursuit of self-enrichment, even if it means harming their own brother and elderly father financially.
In a startling claim made within the lawsuit, it’s asserted that Robin physically attacked not only Kevin but also Berj.
It is said that an assault on Kevin was captured on video from a security camera outside their jewelry store belonging to the family, and in another instance, it is claimed that Robin struck their parent on the head, causing them discomfort and anguish.
‘Kevin and Berj point out that it’s extremely distressing and shows a severe lack of morality when a daughter harms her elderly father, who has spent his life growing a business for his children’s advantage. This Court should consider this moral deficiency when evaluating the trustworthiness of the Defendants.’
Despite the accusation, it is alleged that Ellen and Robin attempted to secure a protective order against their brother; however, this request was eventually discarded due to insufficient grounds.
The lawsuit concludes that the sisters’ behavior resulted in Kevin experiencing emotional turmoil, embarrassment, and sleeplessness.
Meanwhile, it’s said that Berj experienced deep anguish upon witnessing his son’s character tarnished, bodily hurt due to an attack, worry about the future of his family business he created, and the emotionally crippling shock of discovering his daughters had broken his trust.
The lawsuit alleges: ‘At 95 years old, Berj has been compelled to observe his daughters’ unkind efforts aimed at dismantling the inheritance he painstakingly created over a lifetime for all his children – a heartrending setback for a man nearing the end of his days who deserves tranquility and the assurance that his family will abide by his desires.’
The pair consisting of a father and son are seeking for the New York State Supreme Court to issue an order that prevents the sisters from issuing further defamatory remarks, requests that they retract any prior statements, and acknowledges Kevin as having a one-third share in the family business by formal declaration.
They aim to recover a total of $165 million, which includes $15 million per incident (across 11 different cases), along with additional costs such as court expenses and legal fees.
DailyMail.com has requested a response from Ellen, but we couldn’t find contact details for Robin.
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2025-05-13 06:19