Avatar star Sam Worthington and his wife, Lara, are now being accused of trashing a loft they were renting and destroying a table designed by late Modernight architect Charles Gwathmey.
The Worthingtons previously lived in a rental loft in the Chelsea neighborhood in New York City. sued their former landlord, Eric Steel, after he refused to return their security deposit when they left the property after a year of subletting. The lawsuit was filed in a Manhattan Supreme Court earlier this month.
In response, Steel---Gwathmey's stepson---accused the couple of causing significant damage to the loft. He also claimed the Worthingtons destroyed his stepfather's table, valued at around $115,000, as first reported by the New York Post.
What Damages Were Found in the Property?
In the lawsuit filed by Worthington, the couple admitted to causing "normal wear and tear" as well as "some damage" that was allegedly beyond their control. These damages included water intrusion from the building envelope, a broken cupboard, and nicks on the walls.
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The Worthington's lawyer, however, argued that the damages they left could not have exceeded "a couple thousand dollars." The lawyer also noted that his clients had offered to pay Steel more than the cost of repairs.
For perspective, Steel is demanding a payment of $300,000 in damages. That includes:
$6,500 for "supervision, service, and coordination"
$21,000 for redoing the apartment's floors
$15,000 for refurbishing the metal sinks and shelves in the loft
$120,000 for four months of lost rent
Other Lawsuits
Steel had previously also accused media mogul Arianna Huffington of destroying his stepfather's table as well as the loft. In a lawsuit he filed against Huffington, Steel said she had used the apartment to host large parties, which were a direct breach of their sublease.
Furthermore, Steel claimed Huffington left the property with broken dishwasher racks and stove knobs. He asked for $275,0000 in damages.
Huffington denied Steel's allegations and accused him of fabricating the damages. She also accused Steel of refusing to give back $93,000 in deposits.
