A Canadian billionaire heiress and her former reality television star husband are facing allegations that they defrauded a close friend out of $2 million, according to a newly filed lawsuit.
Brendan Fitzpatrick, 38, known for appearing on Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, and his wife, Chloe de Serigny, 31, granddaughter of the late Canadian financier Paul Desmarais, are accused in the filing of persuading their wealthy friend to provide a loan and then failing to repay it.
Max Jan Fowles-Pazdro, 46, alleges that Brendan “exploited their personal friendship” to secure $2 million for a United Kingdom real estate project in January 2025, according to the federal court lawsuit obtained by Our News Outlet.
“Following repeated and increasingly desperate pleas from [Brendan] – [Fowles-Pazdro’s] then-close friend, [Fowles-Pazdro] dug into his and his wife’s life savings and funded a $2 million bridge loan that Brendan promised to begin repaying within six weeks,” the filing stated.
“Two years have since elapsed – and not a penny of the loan has been repaid. With their nest egg gone, [Fowles-Pazdro] and his wife now teeter on financial ruin.”
In the lawsuit, Fowles-Pazdro claims the Fitzpatricks are “beleaguered on all fronts,” while still allegedly maintaining the image of an ultra-wealthy lifestyle and presenting themselves to others as living “in the lap of luxury.”
The court filing also referenced a recent social media post showing the couple aboard a yacht in the Mediterranean.
Fowles-Pazdro described the pair as appearing “devoid of any worldly cares while yachting through the Mediterranean.”
Brendan Fitzpatrick, 38, who starred in Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, and his wife, Chloe, 31, the granddaughter of late Canadian financier Paul Desmarais, have been accused of scamming their friend out of $2 million in an explosive lawsuit
Max Jan Fowles-Pazdro, 46, accused Brendan in a lawsuit of ‘exploiting their personal friendship’ to get $2 million for a real estate project in the United Kingdom in January 2025. Fowles-Padro is pictured with wife Parisa
The lawsuit claims that the couple has repeatedly promised to pay Fowles-Pazdro back, and even suggested they would ask Chloe’s mother for help with the repayment.
‘I am going to fix everything this week,’ Brendan allegedly texted Fowles-Pazdro, according to the lawsuit.
In another text, Brendan allegedly wrote: ‘We will absolutely have this resolved tomorrow [sic]; if not, I will be borrowing from my mother-in-law… We get funds by 2, or I will get them from her [sic]. I will say it’s life or death.’
At one point, Chloe allegedly told Fowles-Pazdro: ‘My mom had a serious conversation with Brendan; she said my [sic] March 10 we’re switching boats if nothing happens… and figuring out how to pay everyone back and get the f*** out.’
Chloe’s mother, Sophie Desmarais, is the trustee of her grandfather’s fortune. Paul Desmarais was chairman and chief executive officer of Power Corporation of Canada, a financial services company, until 1996.
The Desmarais family has an estimated net worth of $4.5 billion, and at the time of his death in 2013, Paul was Canada’s fourth-richest person.
Brendan and Chloe wed at a lavish ceremony in California’s wine country in 2023 which was featured in People magazine. They share one child, according to social media.
Fowles-Pazdro alleged that the couple had mutual friends while living in California, and they began spending more time together in 2024 while living in Miami.
Fowles-Pazdro alleged in the filing that instead of paying him back, the Fitzpatricks flaunted their lavish yacht trips on social media by posting this photograph
The lawsuit claims that the couple has repeatedly promised to pay Fowles-Pazdro back, and even suggested they would ask Chloe’s mother for help with the repayment
‘The parties grew close, bonding over their imminent toddlers and other shared commonalities. Brendan referred often to [Fowles-Pazdro] as his best friend, telling him that his family is “also my family,”‘ the court document stated.
Fowles-Pazdro and his wife spent the summer of 2024 at the Fitzpatricks’ rental in the South of France, and stayed at the Montreal home of Chloe’s mother that September.
The lawsuit stated: ‘During these lavish trips, [the Fitzpatricks] laid the groundwork to defraud and steal from [Fowles-Pazdro] and his family.’
Months later, in January 2025, Brendan allegedly claimed he needed the loan for the real estate project in the UK, and the Fowles-Pazdros paid up.
The Fowles-Pazdros lawsuit seeks damages, including all attorneys’ fees and the loan plus interest.
It comes as Brendan is facing a separate lawsuit accusing him of running an $80 million Ponzi scheme through his mining and resource management company, Carbonatik.
Brendan’s attorneys filed an answer largely denying many of the lawsuit’s claims and admitting some basic facts relating to agreements and certain communications.
Chloe’s mother, Sophie Desmarais, is the trustee of her grandfather’s fortune. Paul Desmarais was chairman and chief executive officer of Power Corporation of Canada, a financial services company, until 1996
They also filed a counterclaim accusing the plaintiff of failing to fulfill their obligations.
The case remains ongoing, and on September 3, Brendan filed a motion requesting to change his legal representation.
Our News Outlet contacted Fitzpatrick and his attorneys, as well as Fowles-Pazdro’s lawyer, for comment.
