‘Lurid allegations’: Ex-Tony Hsieh associates accused family of “sensationalized” claims

Tony Hsieh speaks throughout a Grand Rapids Economic Club luncheon in Grand Rapids, Mich. on Sept. 30, 2013. (Cory Morse/The Grand Rapids Press by means of AP).
Former business associates of Tony Hsieh have implicated the household of the late Zappos' CEO of making "sensationalized" allegations in recent court filings.

" In its desperation to keep its meritless action alive, the Estate goes to terrific lengths to paint a graphic portrait of Mr. Hsieh's final months, consisting of lurid accusations of Mr. Hsieh's substance abuse, and denigrate his vision and actions in its publicly-filed pleading," attorneys composed in a motion submitted Wednesday.

The motion was filed in response to allegations from Hsieh's family that Hsieh's previous attorney, Puoy Premsrirut, and business partners Andrew Donner, Todd Kessler and Thomas Spiegel made the most of Hsieh by pushing him to purchase the Zappos headquarters in downtown Las Vegas. The estate declared that Donner told Hsieh that the structure, which is also the previous Las Vegas City Hall, deserved $70 million.

Hsieh's family has actually declared that he was experiencing mental health issues and abusing laughing gas when the structure was acquired. In April, lawyers for Hsieh's family composed in court files that Donner experienced Hsieh when he was "emaciated" and "drug addled," and that Donner understood Hsieh was in "no condition" to acquire the Zappos structure.

The filings were made in a suit Premsrirut filed in January 2022 looking for legal costs versus Hsieh's estate.

Attorneys for Donner, Kessler and Spiegel declare in Wednesday's filing that Hsieh's team obtained a third-party appraisal of the Zappos headquarters, a building across the street and a tract of land in the location. The appraisal put the price of the Zappos building at more than $71 million, according to court files.

" Any alleged misrepresentation by Mr. Donner that the properties deserved $70 million is insignificant where the Estate sought and received an independent appraisal," lawyers composed in Wednesday's filing.

Attorneys for Hsieh's household and Premsrirut did not instantly react to request for comment on Friday.

The filing specifies that Hsieh bought the building with the assistance of Premsrirut, Tony Lee, his monetary advisor, and "monetary managers" Connie Yeh and Chrissie Yim. All have actually been captured up in the ongoing battle over Hsieh's estate, where both his household and inner circle of business partners have implicated each side of taking advantage of Hsieh financially prior to his death.

Lee reached an undisclosed settlement with Hsieh's estate in March.

Hsieh was 46 when he passed away on Nov. 2, 2020, from injuries he suffered in a Connecticut house fire, following months of unpredictable habits declared in court files. Hsieh stepped down as Zappos CEP in August 2020, but began negotiating the purchase of the Zappos building months later on, according to the motion submitted Wednesday.

The motion required claims against Donner, Kessler and Spiegel to be dismissed. Attorneys wrote that the estate has not made any claims versus Kessler or Spiegel that might be dealt with by the court procedures.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.