NEW YORK, May 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Avenue Capital Group today issued the following statement in response to a press release issued by Gina Strum, a former Avenue employee and consultant:
Ms. Strum continues to attempt to use the media as part of her malicious campaign to ruin the reputations of Avenue, Marc Lasry, and Sonia Gardner for financial gain. Her new press release is one of several that she has issued in her efforts to generate publicity.
Further, it is important to note that the amended complaint Ms. Strum filed yesterday is essentially the same lawsuit that she filed on October 23, 2024. Since that time, she has cycled through multiple law firms and is now on her seventh law firm. As Avenue explained in prior court filings, “Ms. Strum’s lawyers are either quitting to avoid sanctions, or are being fired by Ms. Strum for refusing to propagate her vicious falsehoods. Her rapid and repeated changes in counsel confirm that there is something fundamentally wrong with Ms. Strum’s claims, threats, tactics and gamesmanship.” One of Ms. Strum’s prior counsel in this matter “filed a ‘noisy’ withdrawal citing ethical concerns.”
Having now found a seventh law firm, Ms. Strum has repackaged her lawsuit in an amended complaint demanding $100 million in an effort to create new headlines.
Avenue, Mr. Lasry and Ms. Gardner sued Ms. Strum on October 18, 2024 after she made defamatory statements about Ms. Gardner’s health. These bold-faced lies were designed to harm Ms. Gardner and Mr. Lasry, and must be viewed against the backdrop of her previously threatening false claims against Mr. Lasry if she was not paid the extortionate amount of $50 million. Avenue’s court filings lay bare Ms. Strum’s long course of inappropriate and threatening conduct.
Mr. Lasry has never engaged in any inappropriate conduct towards Ms. Strum, and there was no abuse or sexual harassment by Mr. Lasry, as she claims. As Mr. Lasry’s lawsuit against Ms. Strum makes clear, it was Ms. Strum who engaged in repeated inappropriate conduct towards Mr. Lasry. He has refused to give in to Ms. Strum’s outrageous demands, choosing instead to litigate in court.
Additionally, Ms. Strum spitefully sought to harm Ms. Gardner by publishing false information about her health – statements by Ms. Strum that simply are not true. Ms. Gardner has always worked full time and is in fact in excellent health. Ms. Gardner, a lifelong advocate of women, and Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Capital Development Fund for Gender Equality in Access to Finance, stated: “Ms. Strum’s allegations of harassment at Avenue, and her lies about my health, have been fabricated as a vindictive and strategic response to being told that her proposed business opportunity was not feasible. Her false claims undermine the legitimate claims of those women in other workplaces who have suffered abuse.”
Avenue’s lawsuit against Ms. Strum is not retaliation – rather, it is a direct and appropriate response to hold her accountable for her defamatory actions. Avenue is determined not to accede to Ms. Strum’s threats and remains entirely confident in its position. Avenue, Mr. Lasry and Ms. Gardner will be responding to her false allegations – and pressing their own claims – as part of the litigation process.
Contact: Todd Fogarty, Kekst CNC, [email protected]
SOURCE Avenue Capital Group
