The model, the socialite and the 'human trafficker': Man, 34, sues 'obsessed' lover, 71, for defamation
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Model Trevor Dutch Shapiro, 34, has sued his "obsessed" former lover and socialite Trudy Jacobson, 71, for $1.8M after she claimed he was a "human trafficker." Shapiro was reportedly tailed by private detectives, as part of an elaborate plot Jacobson hatched to ruin his reputation online and in real life.
Shapiro alleged that Jacobson, who hails from Kansas, "defamed him, disrupted his business connections and intentionally caused him emotional distress." The model's complaint enumerated how he was stalked and harassed.
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Who is Trevor Dutch Shapiro?
Shapiro, a well-known model, received a folder from a stranger in New York City in March 2021, three months after breaking up with her. It contained photographs of him with a female friend, along with his personal information, including his Social Security number. Later, Jacobson informed him that she too had received a similar package. She added that it contained "graphic photos" of him with other women. When he asked if she was the one behind the pictures, Jacobson immediately blocked him. He said his his lawsuit that private investigators stalked, harassed and defamed him and his associates, which led to his career being besmirched.
The private detectives also hung posters around the city with Shapiro and his new girlfriend's photo along with the words, "Report human trafficking." He also filed a complaint against Law Enforcement Today (LET), a far-right conspiracy mouthpiece, for spinning fake stories about him. He alleged Jacobson hired a private investigators to track people as far away as Philadelphia and Florida, some of whom she had never even met.
In the filings, it was mentioned that the duo had a brief affair, and their relationship lasted till December 2020. During that time, Jacobson took him on trips, paid for pricey meals, and high-end designer clothing. In January 2022, Shapiro contacted Jacobson's husband, John, and asked for help. In an email, he detailed his alleged affair with Jacobson and mentioned all the harassment he went through. She has been married to John for the past 40 years and they have a premier trucking company, TransAm, which began in 1987.
In 2021, Shapiro reportedly confided in a fashion editor about Jacobson while attending attended a Brooklyn Nets game. The editor told The Daily Beast, “He told me that they had some affair, and she became obsessed. And I was like, ‘Why would this professional woman become obsessed?’ And his response to me was, ‘Because I’m good, because I’m that good.'"
What did Trevor Dutch Shapiro's letter say?
The letter reads, "My name is Trevor Shapiro. I'm sorry to write to you like this but it is time for me to reach out, since you are my last resort here. She helped me financially, which was a huge blessing, and we traveled to places I could only have dreamt about if it wasn't for her. I will be forever grateful for her," before writing about the darker side of their relationship, per Daily Mail. Shapiro also described in the mail that she was "having trust issues over friends that I was spending time with," adding that "Trudy has admitted to having me followed and photographed." He wrote, "I have no other choice than to reach out to you, asking for you to speak to her to put an end to this harrassment [sic] that me and my friends are having to deal with. Several police reports, even with all the evidence, have gotten us nowhere. Can you please help."
What do Trudy Jacobson's lawyers say?
Jacobson's lawyer, Alexander R, Klein, reportedly claimed, “The plaintiff is asking the court for permission to change his complaint. Whatever the merits were of his first version, he was wise to not include some of the new parties and claims he is trying to add now. We expect that the plaintiff will learn that lesson the hard way.”