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Actor Erik von Detten Sued Over $2.1M Gold Investment Fraud
· Confirmed
In Short: Actor Erik von Detten, known for his roles in 'The Princess Diaries' and 'Brink!', is facing a lawsuit alleging elder abuse and fraud over a $2.1 million gold investment with Rosland Capital, a precious metals company.
According to court documents, Sheila Greenberg, 85, and her husband, Norman Greenberg, 97, filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court on May 11, 2023.
The couple claims they were initially connected with von Detten, who had joined Rosland Capital in 2018, after seeing a television ad for the company.
They told von Detten they had approximately $2 million available to invest but lacked knowledge about gold investments.
On October 19, 2020, the Greenbergs followed von Detten’s recommendations and purchased more than $999,000 worth of Lady Liberty gold coins, according to Fox News.
The lawsuit alleges that the total value of the coins was only $1.3 million, meaning the couple lost $900,000 on their investment.
In August 2021, the Greenbergs allegedly used their family trust to purchase nearly $200,000 worth of additional gold coins. The lawsuit claims they paid $135,487 for 109 PAMP British Museum Lewis Chessmen coins that were worth approximately $48,832.
They also allegedly paid $64,300 for 50 PAMP F1 Abu Dhabi coins that were worth about $22,420.
The couple did not realize they had been overcharged until 2025, when they began investigating the value of their holdings.
Sheila Greenberg used AI to research Rosland's business practices and uncovered what she described as unethical conduct.
The lawsuit accuses von Detten and Rosland Capital of financial elder abuse, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, constructive fraud, and conversion.
The couple claims they paid the equivalent of $3,009.56 per ounce when the spot price of gold was approximately $1,903 per ounce.
Rosland Capital reported $151 million in revenues in 2021, but the company suffered net losses of $24 million from 2022-25, according to Variety.
What this adds
The lawsuit alleges that the total value of the coins was only $1.3 million, meaning the couple lost $900,000 on their investment.
Background
Actor Erik von Detten, known for roles in 'The Princess Diaries' and 'Brink!', is facing a lawsuit alleging elder abuse and fraud over a $2.1 million gold investment with Rosland Capital.
What's confirmed
- According to court documents obtained, Sheila Greenberg, 85, and her husband, Norman Greenberg, 97, filed the lawsuit against von Detten and Rosland Capital, which buys and sells precious metals.
- According to the couple, they told the actor they had about $2 million available to invest but knew little about gold.
What's still developing
- Erik von Detten built his early fame as the lead of the Disney Channel movie ‘Brink!’ in 1998, where he played Andy ‘Brink’ Brinker.
- Former Disney star Erik von Detten is being sued by an elderly California couple who claim he convinced them to invest more than $2.1 million of their retirement savings in overpriced gold coins.
- The plaintiffs, Sheila and Norman Greenberg, identified in the complaint as 85 and 97, respectively, accuse von Detten and the precious-metals company of misconduct surrounding their purchases.
- The 44-year-old actor, best known for his roles in The Princess Diaries, Brink! and Toy Story, is being sued alongside precious metals company Rosland Capital.
- Once put in touch with von Detten, one of the company's top advisors, the couple disclosed that their combined traditional IRA accounts contained more than $2 million.
- The financial figures raise a question that deserves closer examination.
- Erik von Detten, the former Disney star known for his roles in “The Princess Diaries” and “Brink!” is facing a lawsuit alleging elder abuse and fraud after an elderly couple claimed he persuaded them to invest more than $2 million of their retirement savings in significantly overpriced gold coins.