For almost ten years, Richard Frank served as the President of Disney Studios and, alongside Walt Disney Studios chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg, released some of Disney’s most iconic films, including The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), and The Lion King (1994). Mr. Frank left Disney when his contract expired in 1995 and is now pursuing some of his greatest passions, winemaking and restaurant ownership.However, Mr. Frank’s business ethics are being questioned by the widow of famed chef Michael Chiarello, who recently filed a lawsuit against Mr. Frank and his business associates, hospitality entrepreneur John Hansen, and investor John Crowley.Credit: Frank Family VineyardsRelated: Former Disney Exec Accused of Scamming Widow Out of Massive InheritanceEarlier this week, The New York Post obtained documents that Eileen Gordon — who married Chiarello in 2003 — was claiming that Mr. Frank, Mr. Hansen, and Mr. Crowley had concocted a “malicious” plan to “defraud the estate, seize assets and eliminate any association with Chef Chiarello, his estate, his family or his legacy.”Ms. Gordon has accused the trio of taking advantage of Mr. Chiarello’s sudden and expected death by taking control of his three Napa Valley restaurants, with Mr. Frank representing himself as the owner of the restaurants. She further alleged that Mr. Frank stopped selling Mr. Chiarello’s wine in the late chef’s restaurants and began selling his own.Ms. Gordon claimed that Mr. Chiarello trusted the men, and they took advantage of that trust.Credit: Jennifer Yin, FlickrRelated: Top Disney Executive Officially Drops Out of Race To Replace CEO Bob IgerMichael Chiarello died in 2023 after suffering from an allergic reaction that caused anaphylaxis. He was just 61 years old.After his death, Ms. Gordon claimed that Mr. Frank, Mr. Hansen, and Mr. Crowley sent her a letter saying that they would buy the restaurants, but she felt that the move was an attempted “hostile takeover.”Ms. Gordon refused to go through with the deal, and the two sides were forced into arbitration. The arbitrator sided with Mr. Frank, Mr. Hansen, and Mr. Crowley, giving them control over Mr. Chiarello’s restaurants, concepts, trademarks, recipes, and menus.Credit: Frank Family VineyardsRelated: Jury Makes HUGE Decision on Disney’s ‘Moana’ LawsuitDespite the decision made by the arbitrator, Ms. Gordon is continuing to fight and suing the three men for an undisclosed amount of money. However, Mr. Frank and Mr. Hansen are adamant that they did nothing wrong, and they are looking forward to proving their case.After news of the lawsuit broke, the PR firm representing Mr. Frank and Mr. Hansen reached out to ITM with the following statement:It is unfortunate that Ms. Gordon, who has been estranged from Michael for many years, is attempting to relitigate a legally binding agreement that Michael put in place to ensure the continuation of his legacy. In that agreement, Michael set the stage for his longtime friends and business partners of over 30 years, Rich Frank and John Hansen, to carry forward his vision.Michael had explicitly outlined that, in the event of his death, his restaurants were to be sold in accordance with an investor agreement. Rich and John—who invested in every one of Michael’s entrepreneurial ventures—exercised their legal rights under that agreement with court approval.Rather than respect the legal process and Michael’s clear intentions, Ms. Gordon has actively attempted to derail the transition. Over the course of several months, she disrupted restaurant operations, withheld vital financial information, and terminated key staff, undermining the business Michael worked so hard to build. Her lawsuit is baseless, frivolous, and reflects a troubling disregard for both the legal process and Michael’s wishes.Michael is profoundly missed. Over three decades of friendship, he was a constant presence in Rich and John’s lives—celebrating birthdays, weddings, and countless dinners at Bottega. Michael poured his heart into making each occasion special. Michael considered Rich “like a father” and “a friend who was always there.”Shortly before his death, Michael made a speech at Rich’s surprise birthday party, in front of more than 100 friends saying: “He has helped me my entire career. He has been a steward of every business he’s been in…steward of the community, making sure it was never about him; it was about the sanctity of what the business was. He has helped me my entire career. He knew my father was disabled my entire life; he’s been like a dad to me. Very few friends know you need something before you need something, who keep any eye on you closely to know what is going on in my life, not for himself, but to make sure I had what I needed. Without Rich in my life, my business life would be 1/2 of what it is today, and my life, 1/3.”Since the transition, Bottega’s senior management team has been rehired under the leadership of Frank and Hansen, ensuring continuity and honoring Michael’s vision.Credit: Ernest Bludger, FlickrMr. Chiarello and Ms. Gordon were married for sixteen years before he filed for divorce in 2019. However, the divorce was not finalized before his death in 2023. The two share one son, who was born in 2005.Inside the Magic will keep readers updated as we learn more about the lawsuit, a potential court date, or any settlement.Do you think Mr. Frank was trying to take advantage of the situation after the sudden death of Mr. Chiarello, or do you think Ms. Gordon is trying to get something that does not belong to her? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!The post Former Disney Executive Speaks Out After Being Accused of “Scamming” Widow appeared first on Inside the Magic.