Taja Abitbol, the longtime partner of former Yankees pitcher and current YES Network commentator David Cone, has been ordered by a New York County Supreme Court judge to cover the legal expenses of her neighbor, Daniel Rice. This ruling, reported by the New York Post, comes in the wake of a complex legal dispute involving allegations of arson and defamation.
The controversy began when Rice accused Abitbol of deliberately setting fire to her Manhattan apartment in 2019, allegedly in an attempt to secure a spot on the reality TV show “The Real Housewives of New York.” Abitbol denied these claims and countersued Rice for defamation.
On July 9, the judge dismissed Abitbol’s case against Rice and mandated that she pay all of Rice’s legal fees. The court’s decision cited evidence of Abitbol seeking publicity from the fire incident, including her discussions about it on talk shows and social media posts.
The ruling also referenced a New York Page Six article from three months before the fire, which described Abitbol as being intensely focused on joining the cast of “Real Housewives of New York,” reportedly having failed four auditions for the show.
Rice, an Army veteran, had initially filed a lawsuit against Abitbol after his apartment suffered water damage from sprinklers activated during the fire in Abitbol and Cone’s residence.
Abitbol, 52, has been in a relationship with Cone since 2012. Cone, a Yankees legend, pitched a perfect game for the team and now works as a commentator for the YES Network.
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In a previous statement to The Post, Taja Abitbol recounted the events of November 9, 2019. She described lighting a sage candle for her morning meditation in the dining room of the four-bedroom apartment she shared with David Cone in Lincoln Square. According to Abitbol, the candle unexpectedly ignited, triggering the building’s sprinkler system.
Abitbol reported that emergency services were promptly alerted, and the incident was subsequently classified as accidental by both the NYPD and FDNY. A fire department report corroborated this assessment.
The day following the incident, Abitbol made an appearance on the “Tamron Hall Show” to discuss the event.
Daniel Rice, residing in the apartment below, filed a lawsuit alleging that Abitbol and Cone had intentionally or recklessly caused the fire. Rice’s legal claim suggested that Abitbol’s actions were motivated by a desire to create a talking point for her television appearance and to enhance her prospects of joining the cast of “The Real Housewives of New York City.” The lawsuit characterized Abitbol as having a well-known aspiration for fame and notoriety.
Rice’s ongoing lawsuit seeks at least $320,000 in damages, claiming that the water from the sprinklers necessitated a complete renovation of his 12th-floor apartment.
In response to the recent court decision dismissing her case, Abitbol has filed an appeal.
Following the incident, Abitbol and Cone did not return to reside in their Upper West Side apartment.
Abitbol, who maintains friendships with some cast members of the Real Housewives, refuted allegations that she intentionally started the fire for publicity. She emphasized that the incident was caused by a faulty candle and was purely accidental, asserting no connection between the fire and her television aspirations.
In response to Rice’s statements, Abitbol filed a defamation lawsuit against the Army veteran. Her legal action targeted comments Rice made to the “I Love The Upper West Side” blog before his lawsuit, as well as subsequent statements to the FDNY and The Post. Abitbol contested Rice’s claim of an ongoing fire investigation, which she asserted was inaccurate.
Following the dismissal of her lawsuit by a judge, Abitbol has initiated an appeal process. She currently divides her time between Miami, where she operates her wellness center, Taja Drip, and New York City, where she resides with Cone and their 12-year-old son, Sammy.
Abitbol’s attorney, Eric Lerner, expressed confidence in the appeal, stating his belief that the higher court would overturn the lower court’s decision, which he described as erroneous. Lerner also confirmed that Abitbol had undergone a polygraph test, the results of which were submitted to the court.
Additionally, it was reported that Abitbol is pursuing legal action against the rental building for alleged failure to properly manage its sprinkler system. A separate case is also ongoing against the manufacturers of the candle involved in the incident.
This legal outcome highlights the intersection of celebrity, reality TV ambitions, and neighborly disputes in a high-profile Manhattan setting.
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