Former Child Star Erik von Detten Sued by Elderly Couple: Lawsuit Alleges Gold-Coin Fraud and Elder Abuse, Seeks $900,000
An elderly couple has sued former child star Erik von Detten and the precious-metals company he works for, Rosland Capital, alleging fraud and elder abuse in the sale of gold coins, TMZ reported on October 20, citing court documents it obtained. Neither von Detten nor Rosland Capital had responded in the TMZ report.
The lawsuit was filed by Sheila Greenberg, 85, and Norman Greenberg, 97. The couple say they called Rosland Capital after seeing a television advertisement in 2020 and were put in touch with von Detten. According to the suit, they told him they knew little about gold but had about $2 million ready to invest, and von Detten said he was very knowledgeable about gold and could help them.
The suit says the couple made two purchases of Lady Liberty gold coins of about $1 million each, investing about $2.1 million in total, and that the coins were not delivered to them but were instead sent to a warehouse for storage. The Greenbergs say they later learned the coins were worth only about $1.3 million. They claim $900,000 in damages and are also seeking punitive damages. The suit further alleges that Rosland Capital marketed to senior citizens by appealing to their fears and vulnerability.
TMZ reported that Rosland Capital filed for bankruptcy months after the lawsuit was filed. Von Detten, born in 1982, acted as a child, appearing in The Princess Diaries and voicing a character in Toy Story; public profiles show he has worked at Rosland Capital since around 2018. The allegations in the complaint have not been adjudicated, and the case will proceed through the courts.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：陈列中的22K金币资料图，含自由女神图案金币，与诉状所涉 Lady Liberty 金币同类（非涉案金币）。Wikimedia Commons 文件「China - 5732268423 - Goldmunzen」，CC BY-SA 2.0。Photo: 22K gold coins on display, including Lady Liberty designs similar to the coins named in the lawsuit (file photo; not the coins in the case). Via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
