Alina Habba is under investigation for possible hush money scheme [View all]
The issue stems from a widely-reported incident in which Alice Bianco, a waitress at Trump's Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club, reported sexual harassment by a fellow employee. Habba allegedly posed as an outside attorney advising her to accept a $15,000 hush money deal, when in reality she was operating on behalf of Trump's club to minimize the amount they would have to pay out.
Habba, who also represented Trump as a private citizen in various matters before he was elected, paid an undisclosed amount of money to Bianco to settle the matter last year, but it didn't end her legal troubles.
"The New Jersey Supreme Courts Office of Attorney Ethics has been looking into allegations that Habba mistreated the employee becoming her lawyer only to convince her to accept a hush money deal for a paltry sum, all to ingratiate herself with Trump," NOTUS wrote. "The complaint closely adheres to allegations already made in state court with a complaint backed by dozens of text messages that Habba befriended Alice Bianco in the summer of 2021 when the 21-year-old waitress had just found an employment lawyer to file a sexual harassment lawsuit. Text messages show that Habba privately disparaged the other lawyer and offered herself up instead, drafting a $15,000 nondisclosure agreement."
https://www.rawstory.com/alina-habba-investigation/
That was such a dick move. She should definitely be disbarred from doing this.
She allegedly pretended to be the woman's friend, persuaded her to drop her attorney and use Habba's services, persuaded her to take a paltry settlement, and when all was done Habba ghosted her. This is a NJ Dept. of Labor issue that was bypassed in this process, and NJ doesn't take kindly when that's done.