By Paul Gores of the Journal Sentinel. One side alleges attempted sexual coercion and unwanted touching. The other side suggests the dispute really is about a friendship and business relationship gone bad. Whatever turns out to be true in a lawsuit against Eau Claire home improvement chain magnate John Menard Jr. A suit filed in Hamilton County, Ind. The lawsuit, filed May 29 by Tomisue Hilbert, portrays Menard as vindictive after a long friendship and partnership with Stephen and Tomisue Hilbert quickly eroded when she rejected his overtures.
The lawsuit contends Menard's removal this year of Stephen Hilbert as manager of a private equity fund that managed Menard's investments was part of Menard's plan to make the couple suffer "financial consequences" for turning away his sexual advances in Menard's attorneys, in a previous lawsuit in Wisconsin, have contended Hilbert's removal as manager was sought for "reckless" fund management.
The answer is no," attorney Kevin Tyra said in an interview Tuesday. Hilbert alleges in her complaint. The relationship between Menard and the Hilberts goes back to , when Tomisue Hilbert was introduced to Menard by Stephen after the insurance company he ran at the time β Conseco Inc. Their business relationship grew from there, as did their personal and family friendship, the lawsuit states. In , Menard took the first of many trips to the Hilberts' home on the Carribbean island of St.
It was there, Hilbert alleges, that Menard began to "take advantage of his relationship" by letting others pick up the tab for many of his expenses, even though he is a billionaire. Stephen Hilbert and Tomisue owned the firm that was put in charge of managing the fund.
On their second visit to the Hilberts' St. Martin home over the Memorial Day weekend, "Mr. Menard seemed to 'snap' and became a different person," the lawsuit alleges. Menard became increasingly and overtly sexual towards Mrs. Hilbert and touched her body several times without her consent and despite her obvious reluctance," the lawsuit by Tomisue Hilbert alleges. The lawsuit says during that stay, Menard "demanded Mrs. Hilbert join both him and his wife for sex after her husband went to bed.
