A team foul has been called on Nick Lachey, A.J. DiScala and a handful of other big names.
The ex-hubbies of Jessica Simpson and Jamie-Lynn Sigler have been named as defendants in a million-dollar breach-of-contract lawsuit filed by a woman who claims she was entitled to a piece of the American Basketball Association team that Lachey and a host of other celebrity investors snatched up last summer.
According to court documents filed Mar. 22 in Los Angeles Superior Court, Laura Brau entered into a contract with DiScala last June giving her a 10 percent stake in the Hollywood Fame franchise and a $100,000-per-year salary as president of the team.
Per the complaint, however, DiScala never had any intention of fully compensating Brau under the terms of their written arrangement and then squeezed her out of the business by selling off 100 percent of the team's shares to other buyers, including Lachey, former baseball star Brady Anderson, NFL quarterback Kyle Boller and 7th Heaven actor Geoff Stults, all of whom were named as defendants.
Fellow backers Stacey Keibler and Wilmer Valderrama were not mentioned by name in the suit, but Brau did sue the Hollywood Fame collectively.
Brau calls the company that DiScala conducts business under, Brax Group LLC, "a mere shell and sham without capital, assets, stock or stockholders" and that he operated the company "to suit his personal convenience and for the purpose of evading duties and obligations, both monetary and non-monetary."
The disgruntled would-be Fame executive is seeking at least $1.25 million in damages, including the $250,000 that she says is the current value of 10 percent of the team.
Lachey, who got in the game with DiScala & Co. in August, is also a co-owner of the Tacoma Rainiers, the Seattle Mariners' Triple-A affiliate.