Photo Credit: Tony DiMaio/startraksphoto
The home of Kim Richards‘ oldest daughter, Brooke Wiederhorn, was raided in December amid a federal investigation into potential fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion committed by her father-in-law, Andrew Wiederhorn, the CEO of FAT Brands, which owns chain restaurants including Fatburger and Johnny Rockets.
According to a series of court documents, including a search warrant and a November 2021 affidavit, the 36-year-old, who is married to Andrew’s son, Thayer Wiederhorn, an executive of FAT Brands, has found herself in the midst of a legal scandal.
1/1 Continue watchingafter the adVisit Advertiser websiteGO TO PAGE
In a February 19 report, The Los Angeles Times revealed that FBI agents took phones, tax documents, storage devices, and other items from Brooke’s Beverly Grove home, which she shares with Thayer, who she wed in 2014, and their two children, Hucksley, 5, and Hunter, 2.
Brooke, who has been seen alongside Kim on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, was not named in court documents. And while feds also hoped to search Andrew’s Beverly Hills mansion, it’s unclear if they ever did.
In an affidavit filed in November of last year, an FBI agent said Andrew had “devised and executed a fraudulent scheme” to avoid paying his taxes and had received “millions of dollars in sham loans” through his companies. It was also noted that Andrew, his children, and other relatives made credit card purchases from accounts held by a FAT Brands affiliate, including a $183,500 payment to a London jeweler and an alleged $150,000 down payment for a Rolls-Royce.
While many items were taken from Brooke and Thayer’s home, charges have not been filed against either of them or any other person related to FAT Brands.
In response to the allegations against him, Andrew’s attorney, Douglas Fuchs, released a statement.
“Mr. Wiederhorn categorically denies these allegations and at the appropriate time we will demonstrate that the government has its facts wrong. These loans were completely legitimate and were independently reviewed and approved. In addition, Mr. Wiederhorn’s tax returns were prepared and approved by independent tax professionals and he has been making payments under a plan approved by the IRS. We are unable to comment more specifically on the allegations because despite our requests, the government has refused to provide us with a copy of the affidavit,” his statement read.
This isn’t the first time Thayer’s father has found himself in trouble with the law. Back in 2004, Andrew pleaded guilty to charges of paying an illegal fee to an associate and to filing a false tax return. In turn, he was forced to pay a $2 million fine and spent 15 months behind bars.
As for Thayer’s role in Andrew’s potential crimes, the Los Angeles Times revealed court documents suggested millions of dollars had been sent to a PayPal account in his name, possibly in an effort to generate rewards points for his father’s credit card.
Amid the legal drama, Brooke, as reported by the Best of Bravo fan page on Instagram, deleted her Instagram page.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is expected to return to Bravo this spring or summer for season 12.
