The maestro strikes back: “I will defend myself!”
Tags: Bob Lappin, Jill Kaplan, Jose Lambiet's Page2Live, Lou Mrachek, Palm Beach Pops
| Thursday 11 February 2010 5:41 pm
Lappin
Hours after Page2Live posted this story about a former employee’s sex-soaked lawsuit against Palm Beach Pops conductor Bob Lappin, the maestro, through attorney Lou Mrachek, responded with this letter. It was edited by me only for brevity.
“Dear Mr. Lambiet:
Ms. Kaplan (former Pops General Manager Jill Kaplan) has threatened for months to sue me and The Pops. . . . Ms. Kaplan filed a complaint with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in August 2009. The Commission has yet to rule on the merits of Ms. Kaplan’s petition and has yet to rule if it even has jurisdiction over The Pops, which it does not.
“Ms. Kaplan’s court filing is wholly without merit and I will defend myself vigorously and if the case is tried, I will prevail.”
For the rest of Lappin’s letter, look below or click
Kaplan
“Ms. Kaplan voluntarily turned in her resignation from The Pops on January 16, 2009, effective May 4, 2009. She had worked for The Pops since December 2004. The Pops stood by her when she had a thyroid condition and paid for part of her medical treatment. The Pops stood by her when in 2005 she was arrested for DUI, lost her driver’s license and pled guilty to reckless driving. After her resignation, she continued to work for The Pops until March 30, 2009 where after an incident that called into question her judgment and behavior, she abruptly quit. After she quit and for some period of time we attempted to negotiate her severance package. Those negotiations continued all the way through June, 2009.
“In her resignation letter . . . there is not one mention made by her of any hostile work environment or sexual harassment. That simply was never an issue. It only became an issue on June 15, 2009, when I received a letter from (Kaplan’s attorney Craig) Zobel threatening an action against me and The Pops for sexual harassment and demanding $750,000 to settle the case. Now Mr. Zobel and Ms. Kaplan want $20 million. Again, although the discussions between The Pops and Ms. Kaplan over her leave taking had lasted for months with not one word of sexual harassment or one allegation of a hostile work environment, out of the blue, on June 15, 2009, those false accusations surfaced for the first time in Ms. Kaplan’s attorney’s letter demanding a huge settlement.
“I have retained well-qualified civil and employment attorneys who have assured me that Ms. Kaplan has no case. I regard the claims by Ms. Kaplan to be nothing but a form of blackmail.
“As to Robert Aronson, . . . (he) was discharged last week for incompetence and in the process of examining his employment, it was discovered that he embezzled approximately $200,000 from a company owned by me and not The Pops. Mr. Aronson admitted embezzling the money and has paid back around $16,000. There is no evidence that Mr. Aronson has embezzled anything from The Pops. There is a pending criminal investigation of Mr. Aronson. I anticipate that Mr. Aronson will be arrested shortly.
“As part of Mr. Aronson’s leave taking he has done everything he can to harm me and in the process to harm The Pops, which is an important and critical part of Palm Beach County’s cultural life.
Sincerely, Bob Lappin”
Since Lappin didn’t address whether he took a subordinate to swingers clubs, I asked Mrachek. His response: “You can ask me anything but that!”
While it’s very unfortunate, what about the use of the word “NO” didn’t she understand? This is a mature woman we’re speaking about.
Notice that nowhere in his letter does he deny being a very freaky boy when it comes to sex clubs, he only denies it was sexual harassment. Sorry Bobby she is gonna smoke yo azz. I’ll bet his lawyers are negotiating the settlement right now!
Kaplan’s a man baby!!
Lappin’s letter doesn’t answer Kaplan’s allegations. If he really did take advantage of a woman with cancer, whose need for the insurance coverage was more important than quitting her job, Lappin is toast.
great fodder for the radio show tomorrow on 1230 AM or http://www.wbzt.com on barry epstein live at 10:06.
Kaplan looks like a tranny but albeit she is going to be a rich tranny after lining her pockets with Creepy Bob’s money…..
Bob has been doin’ the nasty on company time and suspect he is going to do a “Tiger” and stop off at a sex rehab clinic in the near future.
Lapin is a complete HACK. The fools on Palm Beach have supported this amature and lets see if this finally brings him down. There is little, if any, quality classical music in South Florida.
Uh, S Fla. @#7, it’s the Palm Beach POPS, not the Palm Beach SYMPHONY. And if you haven’t found any quality classical music in South Florida, you haven’t been looking very hard.
ok agreed #8 - HE’S A HACK - thanks for agreeing with me. The fools in Palm Beach have been duped again. BTW - S. Florida lacks a major orchestra (Pops or otherwise) since the Fla Phil went under.
As one of others present prior to the incident noted as a ‘DUI arrest’ in Mr. Lappin’s letter, she was working as a committee volunteer, was obviously ill from the throid condition (cancer), fainted at the meeting yet continued to completion. Speculation was that she fainted again in her car, and per public record there is no guilty plea or conviction of any sort.
As noted by ‘wondering’, Lappin’s letter does not address any of Kaplan’s allegations.
What on earth is going on in the Palm Beaches? A once-pleasant area has deteriorated into a low-end bastion of dreadfully boring and cliche folks with no self-control or manners of any kind. Therapy is indicated. Etiquette training is advised. A moratorium on plastic surgery should be instituted. Is there a single woman left on the island who can eat soup without dribbling it out of over-injected lips on those poorly-pulled faces? The faces look like bamboon butts! Did Palm Beach outlaw mirrors? And what’s with the bottled water and chewing gum? It is very low-end to walk around clutching a bottle of water. For goodness sakes; if one is that thirsty, pop into Taboo and order a drink. And as for the chewing gum; you all look like pack-llamas climbing a mountain range with all that chewing. CHEERS!
Not surprised. MOST if not all men with means in the area are sex and drug addicts, and heavey drinkers. These people have so much money they get bored and are always pushing for a greater high. My prediction is that others will come out to to file complaints. What is his 6 ft long time gal pal saying about this? The guy is a pig and I hope this woman takes him to the cleaners.
The Palm Beaches are a disease riddled over indulged narcissistic hole that is the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah. 15-20 people in one bed getting their freak on? These old heads? Yikes, the thought makes me physically ill.
# 12 is the 6ft a brunette that plays in this circle as well?
The 6ft gal pal is a blonde that can be found in the 2nd row of the shows and used to be lappins secretary.
As for the picture of Ms. Kaplan, she was still recoving from her thyroid condition at the time it was taken.
Having delt with Jill & bob in the past I can tell you that JILL KAPLAN IS A VERY STAND UP & DO THE RIGHT THING type of person, where bob is someone who thinks hes god. bob has no problem using anything he has to take power away from another person just to get what he wants! he is scum and I hope he has to pay big!
John Edwards, Tiger, Gov. Sanford, and now Lappin has been lapping. What is the world coming to? Bosses and workers is a definite no-no.
There are several past female employees that would join in the legal action if given the change. Check is books for the Pops…that public information. His whole respondes is full of lies. He has lied to his board, his donors, his staff and the coummity. He has stolen money from the “pops” with his trips, meals,clothing, someone should due a study of the books.
GEEZE LOUISE…the spelling on some of these comments is atrocious. Sad state this country is in when adults cant even spell basic words. Sad.
All the letters and jargon can’t make up for the fact that this type of behavior is getting out of hand. I am tired of turning on the news and seeing these sleezy people.. I have to agree that money and power are fueling this insanity. My kids have gone to his shows that he puts on for the schools. Never again.
I also can’t believe that this woman is a total victim. From what I understand she enjoyed having some of this money spent on her.. Why would you go to these type of clubs??? Disgusting.. Disgraceful.. Sad…
If i had a manly looking woman like that, I would also try and take her to a swingers club and swap her for someone else.
Nobody is allowed to call Bob by his name, you must all bow down to him and call him “Maestro”. The dude is a dirtbag, plain and simple. I believe Jill over Bob…sorry…”Maestro” in this story. His statement above seems to be avoiding some pretty straigtforward allegations. Did you go to a swinger’s club, Mr. Lappin? Did you bone Jill? What does your fiance think of all these things? Oh Bobby, being the center of the universe must be rough.
I knew this day would come! I do believe I get to say “told you so” on this one! As a former employee, I worked very closely with both of these people and I can tell you, the relationship was consentual for quite some time! These two had a ‘interesting’ relationship even though Mr.”Maestro” Lappin was engaged to another woman, who I cannot for the life of me, figure out what she ever saw in him! One lesson to be learned here is that just because you have money, does not ‘entitle’ you to respect and loyalty. Respect is EARNED and loyalty is GIVEN out of RESPECT. Both of which he deserves NONE. As for Ms.Kaplan, I am sorry to hear that she has some unfortunate medical problems, I certainly wish her the best with that. However, no job, position or money is worth sacrificing yourself, your self respect or your dignity to for a dried up, bitter, senior citizen!You allowed yourself to be used, what did you really think you would gain in the end? Even if you win the lawsuit and get money, you cannot buy your SELF RESPECT back! You still have to live with yourself and the choices made. Good Luck with it all! And, Bob… you’re a legend in your own mind buddy!
STealing money? the guy doesnt need to steal money- he is a multi millionaire . You should stop spreading lies, you are never truely anonymous on the Internet
SeenFirstHand
You say you know he was engaged but for the life of you, cant figure out what she saw in him?
$$$$$$$$$……….thats what she saw
True! And obviously that would have to be the only thing that anyone would find remotely ‘attractive’ about that man. Honestly, I can’t imagine they had much luck at a swingers club, unless maybe they were both cleverly disguised! Both of them have to sneak up on the mirrors!
SeenFirstHand
EXACTLY