Hilary Sues Her Mother

Hilary Rhoda

HILARY RHODA is involved in a legal dispute with her mother - and former manager - Marianne Rhoda, claiming that she stole a six-figure sum from the model. The lawsuit - which was filed in 2014 - has come to light now as Marianne is countersuing her daughter, denying all the allegations and claiming breach of contract.

Hilary and Marianne Rhoda

The Victoria's Secret model's case claims that her mother "manipulated her familial role to improperly seize - and then abuse - enormous power over Hilary's finances," according to Page Six, which reports that "the suit claims Marianne forged Hilary's signature, diverted 'substantial funds' for her retirement, refused to provide accounting records and used a company credit card 'for hundreds of thousands of dollars' in personal expenses - including 'divorce attorneys', a 'pool vendor' and shopping trips." She is also accused of withdrawing and transferring $2.9 million from her daughter's account to her personal account - in moves allegedly unrelated to her daughter's modelling career.


Hilary on her wedding day

In the countersuit, the former manager cites Hilary's husband, NHL player Sean Avery, as a key figure in the breakdown in communication between herself and her only child, stating that she was "concerned" for Hilary's financial future after "Avery prevailed upon Hilary to refrain from seeking a prenuptial agreement and embarked on a concerted effort to estrange" her from her mother. She also claims that after leaving the NHL his work was "sporadic" and "prospects for employment were highly speculative".
The model announced her engagement to Avery in 2013 and they married in a small Hamptons ceremony in October 2015, which her mother is said not to have attended.