But even by the standards of the tony North Shore, the bitter courtroom battles between the children of the late property developer Aaron Israel stands out.
The Israel brothers — Harvey, Alan and David — have been fighting on and off in court with their sister, Diane, and their late father over the family fortune for 25 years.
Now David Israel is suing his sister for more than $1 million, alleging she hired a private eye who bugged his Northbrook office with a recording device hidden inside a teddy bear.A recently filed federal complaint includes a photo of the scarf-wearing pink bear, which David says he received from a cancer charity. According to the lawsuit, David cut open the bear and found a listening device inside it after he was taunted by an anonymous text-messager who told him about his office being bugged and said there was “a big surprise” inside the bear.
The taunting text and other creepy anonymous messages (including one telling him “A bit hot to be wearing that shirt don’t you think David?”) were sent by a private eye hired by Diane, according to David’s lawsuit, which also alleges that a listening device was installed in a plant pot, and that his Highland Park home and Gold Coast condo were bugged along with his cars.
Though the private eye, Michael Bucon, in April pleaded guilty to planting the bugs, Diane denies the allegations and wants U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood to throw out the lawsuit... more
