Dean Spanos, owner of the Los Angeles Chargers, is being accused by his sister of “misogynistic” behavior, “self-dealing” and repeated “breaches of fiduciary duty”.
The accusations come as Spanos’ sister, Dea Berbian, filed a lawsuit Friday afternoon demanding that Spanos be removed co-trustee and is seeking sole control of a family trust that constitutes more than one-third of the Chargers’ ownership.
In the lawsuit, Berbian accuses both Dean and their brother Michael that they “believe to their cores that, regardless of what their parents intended and their wills specified, men are in charge and women should shut up.”
The lawsuit follows Berbians petition for the Los Angeles County Superior Court to put the trust up for sale. Both Spanos and Berberian were left as co-trustees of the trust following the deaths of their parents in 2018.
Their father, Alex Spanos, bought the Chargers in 1984, with Dean taking over in 1994. The Chargers have made one Super Bowl and made nine playoff appearances since the son took over.
Berbian’s lawsuit also contends that Spanos moving the Chargers from San Diego to Los Angeles has been “disastrous” and that the family should sell the team to solve all family debts. Berbian contends the debts pile up to $358 million.
In 2017, after small debate over trying to get a new stadium, Spanos moved the Chargers to LA, leaving behind the San Diego fandom that had been rooting for the Chargers since 1961. Reportedly, only one stadium plan was given to the city which was rejected allowing for Spanos to look at LA as a possible destination.
The NFL and the Chargers were then sued by the city of San Diego for not properly following the relocation rules or “negotiating in good faith.”
It has been a tumultuous five years for the Chargers in Los Angeles. After initially being booed when first coming to LA, the Chargers have to routinely play in a stadium that is seemingly always occupied by the opposing traveling team’s fans.
Chargers are just the latest of NFL’s legal trouble
The NFL has been dealing with a lot of legal trouble this off-season. First the NFL has continued to investigate the financial records and office conduct of Washington Commanders owner, Dan Snyder.
Then in February, the league was sued by former Dolphins head coach, Brian Flores for what he believed was a racist hiring process and neglect of black coaches. Flores accusations Dolphins and Giants owners of improper behavior as well.
There is also the continued Deshaun Watson case that has taken a new turn this week after the New York Times has reported that the Browns quarterback saw over 60 women in a 17 month span for massages. The NFL is still investigating the Watson case and has not announced a punishment towards the quarterback.
The latest accusation from Dea Berbian is another power struggle going on between NFL owners after the Bowlen’s sold the Denver Broncos to the Walton-Walmart family, and Dan Snyder bought out all other minority shares of the Commanders after minority owners looked to remove him.
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