‘RHOC’ Vicki Gunvalson Claims Advisor Sparked Elder Abuse Lawsuit in New Countersuit

Vicki Gunvalson is fighting back as the Real Housewives of Orange County star faces a financial elder abuse lawsuit.

Gunvalson, 64, has filed a countersuit against financial advisor Gary Vyneman, accusing him of disparaging her to a mutual client and encouraging that client to sue her, according to a report the Daily Mail published on Monday, July 13. The Coto Insurance CEO claims Vyneman’s comments cost her business and helped trigger the multimillion-dollar lawsuit she’s currently fighting.

As In Touch previously reported, that original suit came from Diane Field, who accused Gunvalson and her business partner, Ali Hashemian, of fraud, negligence and elder abuse tied to a series of life insurance and annuity deals dating back to 2019.

Per the Daily Mail report, Field claims she was misled about the true cost of a policy she was told was a “one and done” $300,000 transaction, when in fact the fee was recurring annually. She says she signed on while dealing with “anguish and trauma” as her husband’s health declined, and ultimately paid multiple six-figure premiums before later claiming she felt “uninformed” about the transactions, according to the filing.

In her new countersuit, Gunvalson maintains she exercised good judgment with Field’s money and says it was Vyneman who convinced Field that Gunvalson had steered her wrong, sparking the original case, per the Daily Mail. The reality TV personality had not responded to the outlet’s request for comment by the time the story was published.

Gunvalson has consistently denied any wrongdoing. Her attorney previously released a statement to In Touch stating, “Victoria Gunvalson is a well-respected insurance broker with more than 34 years of experience. She has helped more than 7000 clients. She vehemently denies each and every allegation set forth against her by Diane Field in this lawsuit.”

Both matters remain ongoing. The legal dispute coincides with Gunvalson’s return as a full-time Housewife for The Real Housewives of Orange County‘s 20th season, which premiered Thursday, July 9, marking her first full-time season back since leaving the show in 2020.