We present the opening paragraphs of a civil case presented at an Illinois court, citing the successors of Bein & Fushi for alleged fraud.
Plaintiffs Eric Langman and Claude Langman (collectively, “Plaintiffs” or the “Langman
Family”), for their complaint against Defendants P&G Rare Violins, Inc. as successor in interest
to and d/b/a Bein & Fushi, Inc., Ben-Dashan Inc., Gabriel Ben-Dashan, and Paige Ben-Dashan
(collectively, “Defendants”), allege as follows:
NATURE OF ACTION
1. This action arises out of many years of deceit, self-dealing, and fraud by Defendants
related to Defendants’ role as an agent and trusted advisor to the Langman Family in connection
with the family’s investment in tens of millions of dollars of fine violins, violas, cellos, and bows,
which has resulted in the payment to Defendants of millions of dollars while the Langman Family
realized little or no profit from its investments.
2. This action specifically involves Defendants’ misconduct relating to and unlawful
possession of the following instruments and bows (collectively, the “Instruments and Bows”),
which are owned in whole or part by the Langman Family and collectively valued in the range of
$30 million:
a. a violin by Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù, circa 1740, which is commonly referred
to as the “Russian” (the “Guarneri del Gesù Russian Violin”);
b. a violin by Nicolò Amati, circa 1651, which is commonly referred to as the
“Antoncich” (the “Amati Antoncich Violin”);
c. a violin by Antonio Stradivari, circa 1728, which is commonly referred to the
“Thunis” (the “Stradivari Thunis Violin”);
d. a violin by Giovanni Grancino, circa 1693 (the “Grancino Violin”);
e. a violin by Giuseppe Guadagnini, circa 1797 (the “Guadagnini Violin”); and
f. violin bows by Leonard Tourte, Jean Grand Adam, and an unidentified maker
(the “Three Bows”).
3. The Langman Family is the sole owner of all of the Instruments and Bows except
the Stradivari Violin, in which the Langman Family has a majority ownership interest.
4. Each of the Instruments and Bows has been unlawfully held and/or sold and/or
otherwise disposed of by Defendants. There are no written agreements between any of Plaintiffs
and any of Defendants regarding the terms of Defendants’ possession, sale, or disposition of any
of the Instruments and Bows.
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