Charles Saatchi Sues Former Gallery Assistant Rebecca Wilson For Damages

Rebecca Wilson who was Charles Saatchi’s closest assistant and director at the Saatchi Gallery, in London, is being taken to the High Court accused of trading on his name. The case broke out over a trivial £10,000 drinks sponsorship fee for The New Sensations, art exhibition,held during Frieze week. The advertising Mogul is now seeking £300,000 in damages from the company, Saatchi Online in Los Angeles.

The Telegraph reported in December 2014 that, “Drinks company Pernod Ricard was allegedly invoiced in August by Saatchi Online for £10,000 after it sponsored an exhibition called New Sensations but Mr Saatchi claims the money should have been paid to Marchill Investments, which runs the Saatchi Gallery. He claims that as a former employee, had managed the exhibition for his gallery and should have known the money should be paid to his company and is accusing Saatchi Online of not acting in “good faith” and says its actions have “undermined his trust and confidence” in it.” This seems to be a get out clause for Mr Saatchi to finally distance himself from the Saatchi Online Brand. 

Ms Wilson who is now chief curator with Saatchi on Line is accused of trading on the Saatchi name. Mr Saatchi is seeking a permanent injunction to stop SOL, from using his name. Last September, Mr Saatchi instructed his solicitors to terminate the ‘intellectual property agreement’ that the firm had negotiated. Saatchi alleges the firm has continued to trade under his name.

Saatchi on Line formed in 2008 as a sales platform showcasing emerging art. It is uncurated and impossible to navigate and artists who number several hundred thousand, have become increasingly dissatisfied and have defected to smaller more professional web platforms.

This latest court case comes 18 months after Mr Saachi was cautioned, after being photographed throttling his former wife, the TV chef Nigela  Lawson, 54, in a London restaurant. They later divorced after a 10 year marriage. During the trial Sattchi was accused of subjecting his ex-wife to “intimate terrorism” and he accused her over drug taking. The case simultaneously occurred during the fraud trial of their former personal assistants Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo  accused of using their personal credit card and spending £685,000 on luxury goods and first class holidays.

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