When new age ‘Pretty Woman’ turned ugly in real-life

NEW YORK - It was certainly a ‘Pretty Woman’ story turning ugly, when a Manhattan real-estate developer tried to save a wayward escort by giving her over 100,000 dollars to start a new life, but got conned in return.

Unlike Richard Gere and Julia Roberts in the popular 1990 film, Robert Brot, 57, met Lindsey DeLeon, 26, on a dating Web site in October 2008,

Brot fell in love and wanted to marry her, instead, he got conned, as De Leon took the money but went back to her old tricks, he claims in a suit filed last week in Manhattan Supreme Court.

He knew she had two kids, was deep in debt and had turned to stripping and escort work to make ends meet, the lawsuit says.

But the divorced father of two- who runs the multimillion-dollar development firm the J Companies with his brother- wanted to help her.

“He’s got a really big heart, and he intended to help rescue her. He fell in love with a woman, and he thought he was helping her turn her life around,” the New York Post quoted his lawyer, Andrew Miltenberg as saying.

But the suit has charged that unlike those of the call girl with a heart of gold played by Roberts, DeLeon’s intentions were driven by greed alone.

“She had other ideas for him and his money,” the New York Post quoted Miltenberg as saying.

Overall, Brot said that he forked over 118,061 dollars to DeLeon during their brief affair- 105,380 dollars of which she still owes him.

He is suing for the return of the outstanding loan plus interest and legal fees.

On the other hand, DeLeon said: “I was not aware of the lawsuit. I can’t comment before talking to my attorney.”

She declined to say if she had ever worked as an escort. (ANI)