Edward de Valle, the chief executive of AMGW Agency is being sued by five female former employees in a lurid lawsuit alleging abusive behavior and financial misconduct.
Ben Alvarez of Alvarez Almazan & Rodriguez in Coral Gables, Fl., filed the first suit in Miami-Dade Circuit Court in November on behalf of Adriana Salazar, Yanery De Leon, Monica Jordan, Janina Goenaga and Elizabeth Angueira.
The complaint also alleges intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy and false imprisonment.
De Valle refused to pay overtime to Goenaga, Angueira and Jordan, who regularly worked at least 50 hours a week as assistants in the office, the women's suit claims.
The suit also contends De Valle owes more than $200,000 in commissions to
former account executives De Leon and Salazar, who worked for De Valle from
2004 through early 2006.
The complaint claims De Valle created a hostile work environment by insulting and threatening employees and with temper tantrums.
Edward De Valle screamed at Salazar and De Leon during an argument over commissions, the complaint said. In fits of anger: Edward started to throwing the phones, staplers, scissors and other office supplies across the room while screaming
-You b*ches are making too much of my money!!!
The employees also say De Valle's tight-fisted expense policy on business trips resulted in bizarrely uncomfortable situations.
De Leon said she was forced to share a one-bed hotel room with De Valle. In one instance on a trip to Los Angeles, according to the suit:
"De Leon slept on the floor while Edward De Valle engaged in a bizarre and gross intercourse."
Will you put your precious business in hands of promiscuous people with no moral principles?
Jordan said she was forced to share a hotel room with a male co-worker when De Valle refused to pay for an extra room, according to court papers.
Damian filed a motion asking U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke to dismiss the claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress.
She challenged the other counts as well, saying the women who claimed they were forced to share hotel rooms with men were free to leave at any time.
"This man's behavior was incorrigible and inexcusable," Alvarez said in an interview.
Salazar and De Leon met with De Valle more than once to talk about the way he treated his staff, but their concerns were met with anger or indifference, Alvarez said.
AMG's Web site describes the company as "a fully integrated media and marketing agency servicing the top developers, hoteliers and luxury brand companies from around the globe."
More than 100 real estate clients were listed but only 3 were real.
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