Virgin Airlines says former “Real Housewives of New Jersey” stars James and Amber Marchese are members of the frequent liars program.
In a countersuit filed Wednesday in federal court in New Jersey, Virgin America claims that the Marcheses not only fought during an April 2016 flight from Los Angeles to Newark, but lied about it afterwards.
The Marcheses filed suit against Virgin America in October, claiming that an alleged brawl that a Virgin America employee told the police about — and which caused the Marcheses to be removed from the flight — never happened. In their suit, the Marcheses alleged defamation, negligence and false imprisonment.
But Virgin America is sticking by its story in the countersuit, claiming that the airline employee heard James Marchese tell Amber, “If you want to be on equal f—ing playing fields, then carry the f—ing bags.” The airline also asserts that James Marchese closed his hands around his wife’s neck and told her, “Bitch, if you do that again, I will f—ing kill you” before releasing his grip around her neck.
Virgin America, which alleges defamation in its countersuit, claims that the Marcheses made “numerous defamatory statements” to the news media and on their social media accounts saying that the airline and the employee “lied to law enforcement and fabricated the domestic disturbance … for their own self-promotion and to attract publicity.”
Virgin America and its employee are seeking unspecified damages.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.