Marc Lasry's reps refute 'malicious campaign' in sexual misconduct suit
Fri May 9 6:11pm ET
Field Level Media
Former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry has refuted the latest statements made by an ex-employee who maintains the billionaire subjected her to years of sexual harassment and a smear campaign.
Lasry was hit by a countersuit seeking $100 million on Thursday from Gina Strum, an attorney and executive. Strum filed the suit in New York Supreme Court, with Lasry's Avenue Capital Group and its co-founder, Sonia Gardner (Lasry's sister), also named as defendants.
Strum maintains that "Lasry exploited his position as CEO of Avenue Capital to manipulate, harass, and retaliate against Strum after she refused his advances and reported misconduct."
The countersuit states that "Lasry engaged in a pattern of grooming and predatory behavior, using his authority, personal disclosures, and emotional manipulation to erode professional boundaries and cultivate inappropriate dependence. Strum asserts claims for, among others, sexual harassment, sexual assault, defamation, retaliation, breach of fiduciary duty, and fraud."
A statement issued Friday by Kekst CNC, which said it represents Lasry and Avenue Capital Group, said the "repackaging of the lawsuit with an amended complaint demanding $100 million is an attempt to create new headlines.
"Ms. Strum continues to attempt to use the media as part of her malicious campaign to ruin the reputations of Avenue, Marc Lasry, and Sonia Gardner for financial gain. Her new press release is one of several that she has issued in her efforts to generate publicity," the statement read.
"Further, it is important to note that the amended complaint Ms. Strum filed yesterday is essentially the same lawsuit that she filed on October 23, 2024. Since that time, she has cycled through multiple law firms and is now on her seventh law firm. As Avenue explained in prior court filings, ‘Ms. Strum's lawyers are either quitting to avoid sanctions, or are being fired by Ms. Strum for refusing to propagate her vicious falsehoods. Her rapid and repeated changes in counsel confirm that there is something fundamentally wrong with Ms. Strum's claims, threats, tactics and gamesmanship.' One of Ms. Strum's prior counsel in this matter ‘filed a ‘noisy' withdrawal citing ethical concerns.'"
In October, Lasry, Avenue Capital and Gardner sued Strum, accusing her of using harassment and blackmail in an attempt to gain $50 million. Strum denied the allegations.
Richard Roth, Strum's attorney and managing partner of The Roth Law Firm, said Thursday in a statement, "The complaint describes a disturbing pattern of physical and emotional misconduct. It asserts that Mr. Lasry exploited years of personal disclosures about his wife and daughters to foster an inappropriate emotional attachment, blurring professional boundaries and positioning Ms. Strum as an emotional surrogate.
"According to the complaint, this manipulation escalated into unwanted touching and ultimately a quid pro quo sexual harassment dynamic -- where Ms. Strum's professional opportunities and financial future were conditioned on tolerating Lasry's personal demands, misconduct, and predatory behavior. The complaint states that Ms. Strum reasonably believed that accepting his pressure to join Avenue internally would inevitably require her to submit to physical sexual demands."
Avenue's statement on Friday said the October countersuit is not a retaliation but, rather, it "lay bare Ms. Strum's long course of inappropriate and threatening conduct," and called it "a direct and appropriate response to hold her accountable for her defamatory actions."
The statement added that Avenue, Mr. Lasry and Ms. Gardner will be pressing their own claims as part of the litigation process.
"Mr. Lasry has never engaged in any inappropriate conduct towards Ms. Strum, and there was no abuse or sexual harassment by Mr. Lasry, as she claims," it read. "As Mr. Lasry's lawsuit against Ms. Strum makes clear, it was Ms. Strum who engaged in repeated inappropriate conduct towards Mr. Lasry. He has refused to give in to Ms. Strum's outrageous demands, choosing instead to litigate in court.
"Additionally, Ms. Strum spitefully sought to harm Ms. Gardner by publishing false information about her health -- statements by Ms. Strum that simply are not true. Ms. Gardner has always worked full time and is in fact in excellent health. Ms. Gardner, a lifelong advocate of women, and Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Capital Development Fund for Gender Equality in Access to Finance, stated: ‘Ms. Strum's allegations of harassment at Avenue, and her lies about my health, have been fabricated as a vindictive and strategic response to being told that her proposed business opportunity was not feasible. Her false claims undermine the legitimate claims of those women in other workplaces who have suffered abuse.'"
Lasry, 65, was part of the Bucks' ownership group from 2014-2023. Earlier this week, Sportico reported that Lasry and Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan are working to purchase a stake in the New York Giants.
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Cleveland Cavaliers forward De'Andre Hunter (thumb) will suit up for Friday's showdown against the Indiana Pacers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Hunter injured his right thumb in the series opener and did not play in Game 2. He was initially listed as questionable for Friday's matchup. The 27-year-old, who scored 11 points and grabbed four rebounds in Game 1, hurt the thumb on his shooting hand, which may still affect him on Friday night. Evan Mobley (ankle) and Darius Garland (toe) are also back for the Cavaliers on Friday, meaning fewer minutes for Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade, and Sam Merrill.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley (ankle) will play in Friday's Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers. He missed the second game of the series due to an ankle sprain but has made a quick recovery, with the team upgrading Mobley's status from questionable to available before tip-off. With him back in the lineup, Dean Wade will have to settle for a spot in the second unit. Mobley started the series well, posting 20 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and two steals in Game 1.
Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland (toe) will return to action on Friday against the Indiana Pacers. After missing four games due to a toe sprain, Garland has been upgraded from questionable to available and will start the contest. The first unit will also have Evan Mobley (ankle) back on Friday, giving Cleveland a much-needed boost after opening the series with two consecutive home defeats. Garland's return will move Ty Jerome back to the bench. He has been effective coming off the bench all year and should still be a factor in Friday's game.
Boston Celtics forward Sam Hauser (ankle) is not expected to rejoin the lineup for Game 3 against the New York Knicks on Saturday, as he has been listed as doubtful on the injury report. The 27-year-old sniper was limited to four minutes due to an ankle injury in the series opener and appears set for a second consecutive absence. Payton Pritchard will keep spearheading Boston's bench, yet the team might have to depend heavily on its starters after going down 2-0 in the series due to back-to-back home losses.
Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (hamstring) is unsure when he can make it back on the court. "This is new, and from all that I'm learning about how quickly you can get back, there has to be a healing process," Curry said on Thursday before Game 2 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. "You can't accelerate it more than what it's telling you. So it'll be one of those, after a week, really reevaluating every day to understand when it's safe just to even think about playing, let alone how much can you push it." On Wednesday, the Warriors officially ruled him out for one week, meaning Curry won't be able to help his team until at least Game 5 of the second-round series. Game 6 could be a more realistic return target for him, as there will be a three-day break after next Wednesday's Game 5, giving Curry a total of 12 days to recover from his first career hamstring injury.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward De'Andre Hunter (thumb) is listed as questionable on the injury report for Friday's matchup against the Indiana Pacers. The series had an unfortunate start for Hunter, as he injured his right thumb in Game 1 and may now be out for a second consecutive contest. Cleveland also lost Evan Mobley (ankle) for Game 2, giving Javonte Green an opportunity to rejoin the rotation. However, his role was very limited, and Green finished scoreless in 10 minutes. Isaac Okoro, whose playing time increased to 29 minutes in the second unit, did not provide much offensively either, going for five points. Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson may need to rely mainly on his starters to get back into the series if none of the injured players return for Friday's action.
Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland (toe) is considered questionable for Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. He is still nursing a toe injury, which has kept Garland sidelined for five games. Cleveland has used Sam Merrill and Ty Jerome in his spot in the starting lineup. Jerome got his big opportunity in Game 2 but failed miserably, finishing with two points on 1-for-14 shooting. This may prompt Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson to return to Merrill if Garland is not cleared to play on Friday. Merrill notched 14 points, four rebounds, and two steals on Tuesday, marking his best postseason performance by far.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley (ankle) has been listed as questionable on the injury report ahead of Friday's Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers. Cleveland hopes Mobley can return from an ankle sprain suffered in the series opener. With him out, Dean Wade received an opportunity to start in Tuesday's Game 2. The 28-year-old was among the game's leading rebounders with 10 boards but contributed only three points on 1-for-4 shooting. Wade also recorded three assists and one steal in 30 minutes. He will likely maintain an expanded role if Mobley cannot return on Friday.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic had a rare off night in Game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, tallying 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists, one steal, and one block before fouling out in the third quarter of an embarrassing 149-106 loss. The Nuggets struggled right from the off, which was probably one of the reasons for Jokic's lackluster effort, and the team was trailing by over 40 points when he picked up his sixth foul late in the third frame. Jokic finished with 6-for-16 shooting from the field. The three-time MVP will surely come out with a different spirit in Game 3 on Friday as the Nuggets try to reclaim the series lead on their home court.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward/center Chet Holmgren recorded his third double-double of the postseason on Wednesday night, notching 15 points and 11 rebounds in a 149-106 win against the Denver Nuggets. Additionally, Holmgren filled his stat sheet with two assists, two steals, and two blocks in 26 minutes, shooting 3-for-8 from the field, including 2-for-3 from beyond the arc, and nailing all seven of his free throws. Holmgren has been an imposing presence on the defensive end, averaging 2.8 blocks per game this postseason, but his offensive contributions often seem ineffective. Still, he made a well-rounded impact in Wednesday's game, helping the team bounce back from a heartbreaking Game 1 defeat.
Boston Celtics guard Derrick White nearly collected his second double-double in Wednesday's 91-90 loss to the New York Knicks, scoring 20 points on 6-for-17 shooting and grabbing nine rebounds. He also had five assists and a team-high two blocks in 40 minutes of action. White has been productive to start the series, but everyone on the Celtics roster appears to be struggling with their shooting at the moment, including him. He has nailed just 34.3 percent of his attempts from the field against the Knicks, while going 29.6 percent from outside. Despite his poor efficiency, White was tied for the most points on the team Wednesday night and is sure to play a big role again on Saturday, when the series continues in the Big Apple.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander registered a game-high 34 points on an incredible 11-for-13 shooting performance in Wednesday's dominant 149-106 victory over the Denver Nuggets. He was 1-for-2 from outside and 11-for-11 at the free-throw line, adding four rebounds and eight assists to his account. Gilgeous-Alexander finished a massive plus-51 over just 30 minutes of playing time. The series is now tied at one ahead of a pair of games in Denver, and Gilgeous-Alexander has, of course, been the main man for the Thunder. He has averaged 33.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 8.0 assists in the matchup, shooting 59 percent from the field.
New York Knicks guard/forward Josh Hart emerged as a surprising top scorer in Game 2 against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, putting up 23 points on 9-for-15 shooting in a 91-90 victory. While most superstars struggled for efficiency, Hart was extremely effective, contributing in other areas as well. He recorded a team-high two blocks and grabbed six rebounds, while also delivering three assists. Hart, who went 3-for-6 from behind the arc, failed to extend his double-double streak to three games, but he will still be happy with his effort. The Knicks are now 2-0 in the series as they head home and must be confident about securing a spot in the Conference Finals, with Hart making an impact all over the court. He has averaged 13.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.4 steals in these playoffs.
Boston Celtics guard/forward Jaylen Brown finished Wednesday's 91-90 loss in Game 2 against the New York Knicks with 20 points, six rebounds, one assist, and two steals. The four-time All-Star had a hot start in the contest but completely cooled off in the second half. Brown only added three points to his tally in the second 24 minutes, shooting 1-for-7 from the field. Four of his six turnovers also came after halftime. The Celtics have seen both Brown and Jayson Tatum struggle to hit shots in the series, and the superstars definitely must improve for the team to avoid a second-round exit. On Wednesday, Brown shot only 8-for-23 from the field and 2-for-7 from downtown. The Knicks have restricted him to 35 percent shooting overall, and he has made only three of 17 attempts from three-point range.
New York Knicks guard/forward Mikal Bridges put up 14 points and had seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals in Wednesday's dramatic 91-90 Game 2 victory against the Boston Celtics. After making a big impact late in the series opener, Bridges once again played a pivotal part in another comeback win, scoring all of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, which the Knicks won by 13. Bridges, who shot 6-for-18 from the field and 2-for-8 from downtown, completed his 43-minute shift with a steal in the final seconds to deny Boston a chance to win the game. The 28-year-old has battled inconsistency in the postseason, but Bridges has been a big part of New York's success. He has averaged 14.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 1.9 steals in 40.0 minutes.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson had 17 points in the postseason win over the Celtics on Wednesday night. He added seven assists, three rebounds, and one block. The 28-year-old had 29 points in Game 1. While he cooled off in this one, he stepped up when it mattered the most, helping the Knicks come from behind to put New York up 2-0 in the series. Both clubs will head to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 on Saturday afternoon. With that in mind, Brunson averaged 31.5 points and 7.5 assists at home in two meetings with the Celtics during the regular season, so he's certainly worth considering for DFS lineups.
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns had a double-double in the win over the Celtics on Wednesday evening. After getting in foul trouble in Game 1 and finishing with only 14 points, KAT had 21 points in Game 2, adding 17 rebounds and one block. While Towns has been streaky throughout the postseason, he averaged 21.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in two meetings with the Celtics during the regular season, so it appears he has an excellent chance to keep things going on the scoring end in Game 3 on Saturday afternoon.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum scored 13 points in Wednesday's 91-90 loss to the Knicks. He added 14 boards, five assists, three steals, and one block. The former Duke Blue Devil had a tough time finding the bottom of the net in Game 1. Unfortunately, that trend continued in Game 2, with Tatum going 5-for-19 from the field and 1-for-5 from behind the three-point line. With the Knicks up 2-0, the series will head back to New York for Game 3 on Saturday afternoon. But on a positive note, Tatum averaged 36 points and 44% shooting from deep at Madison Square Garden during the regular season (two appearances), so there's reason to believe he may turn things around.
Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (illness) finished with eight points and four rebounds in Wednesday's loss to New York. The former Knick logged only 13 minutes in Game 1 before he was ruled out for the remainder of the contest. While he was able to suit up for Game 2, he's still dealing with the remnants of the illness that cost him time during the regular season, limiting him to only 14 minutes from off the bench. With only 27 minutes combined for Porzingis in the first two contests of the series, both teams will head to Madison Square Garden for Game 3. It's apparent the C's need Porzingis involved more than he has been. However, it's unknown how much action he'll see on Saturday, so DFS managers should consider keeping him out of the lineup.
Boston Celtics forward/center Al Horford will join the starting unit for Wednesday's Game 2 showdown against the New York Knicks. He is taking the starting spot from Kristaps Porzingis. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla will try to shake things up after his team missed a historic 45 three-point shots in Monday's Game 1 loss. Horford will make his fifth start of the postseason. He has averaged 7.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in the role. While Porzingis drops to the bench, he should still have a significant role to play in the contest. Given his struggles this postseason, he may even feel more comfortable as a member of the second unit.
