Mega-investor Bill Gross testified Tuesday that an embarrassing video of him that became public during a court case last year led him to recently refuse to get out of a pool at his Laguna Beach home to talk to police officers investigating a noise complaint related to a much-litigated battle with his oceanfront neighbor.
Gross – the billionaire Pimco founder and bond industry legend – described feeling “like in a prison” in his own home thanks to an allegedly high-decibel feud with a tech-entrepreneur neighbor that led a judge to issue a restraining order against Gross and his wife last year.
Gross also lamented the public release during a previous round of court hearings of a video of him crouching down and appearing to dance to “In Da Club” by rapper 50 Cent while clad in shorts. Gross, now 77, said he wants to be remembered for his business acumen and philanthropic largess, not the highly-publicized dispute between two wealthy neighbors.
“I’ve been trying to have a reputation to die with, and this is not constructive,” Gross said.
Gross and his wife, former professional tennis player Amy Gross, are accused by their neighbors – Mark Towfiq and his wife, Carol Nakahara – of violating a court order by playing loud music on their property on July 7. That order was put in place as a result of allegations that Gross was playing loud loops of music, most notably the “Gilligan’s Island” theme song, after Towfiq complained to the city about a large, un-permitted lawn sculpture installed on the Gross property.
Gross and his attorneys argue that Towfiq has “weaponized” the court order to micromanage what they can do on a property they purchased as an escape from their primary Newport Beach residence. Gross’ attorneys have accused Towfiq of being “unusually interested” in Gross and of improperly videotaping Bill and Amy Gross on their property.
“I fear going into my backyard because I am being watched 24-7 or recorded,” Amy Gross said. “This neighbor has driven me out of my own home.”
Despite the tension with his neighbor, Bill Gross testified that he has no intention to give up what his wife described as a “dream home.”
“It is a very special house, and yes, it is a privilege to have a special house,” Bill Gross said. “We don’t want to leave. We won’t leave.”
Last week, Towfiq testified that on July 7 he and his wife were relaxing in their bedroom when they heard loud rock music coming from Gross’ yard. Body camera footage from officers called to the scene captured them commenting on being able to hear the music over the traffic din on the adjacent Coast Highway, and one officer saying “that is the type of people they are” after Gross and his wife refused to talk to them.
Bill and Amy Gross testified that the night of the noise complaint they had dinner at their home with a close friend who had officiated their recent wedding, then decided to go for a swim. The couple said the outside music was momentarily too loud when they first turned it on, but contended they dropped the volume within seconds.
Since Gross is being accused of violating a court order, the potential stakes of the hearing have been raised, along with the burden of proof. If a judge agrees that someone committed contempt of court, they have the discretion of fining them or even potentially ordering them to serve short stints in jail.
Once again presiding over the case is Orange County Superior Court Judge Kimberly Knill, who oversaw the previous round of civil hearings and issued the current restraining order.
Gross’ testimony occasionally turned testy, particularly after he referred to one of Towfiq’s attorneys as “dude” and accused the attorney of laughing during Amy Gross’ time on the stand. Judge Knill quickly put an end to the exchange.
Gross in a statement to his financial followers shortly after the restraining order was issued took a public swipe at Judge Knill, reportedly describing her as a “bona fide ‘hanging judge’ at the shore.” Knill on Tuesday indicated she is aware of the comments, but didn’t allow an attorney representing Towfiq to question Gross about them.
“I don’t need to hear from Mr. Gross why he wrote those things about me,” the judge said.
The judge ordered the attorneys back to court on Friday for closing arguments in the latest round of hearings, and indicated she plans to issue a ruling a week later.
Source: Orange County Register
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