Vanderpump Villa has only just started, but it’s already been hit with its first controversy. The report comes in relation to cast member Eric Funderwhite, the chateau manager, and comes from an ex.
The ex, who was in a five-year relationship with Eric, accused him of abuse and assault. The two were together between 2017 and 2022 according to reports. The identity of the alleged victim was kept anonymous.
Reports of abuse and a restraining order against Eric from an ex
Court documents obtained by The U.S. Sun show the alleged abuse going back as far as 2018 when the victim reported that Eric “grabbed” her neck outside of their car because she didn’t want to drive. “I left him there and when I returned he had thrown my clothes out on the driveway and it was raining so they were all damaged or destroyed.”
In November 2019, in another alleged incident, after asking why Eric was gone all day, she wrote that he “jumped on” her neck. A month later, Eric allegedly tried to “strangle” her after she was “attacking him with a pillow” according to the docs. When the victim tried to “escape,” Eric “strangled” her again, letting go when she threatened “to start yelling.”
The police got involved in late February 2020. After another alleged incident, police took photos of the victim’s injuries. Eric was gone by the time they arrived. The victim would have sought a restraining order but the pandemic left her with nowhere to go. Moreover, the victim claimed that Eric’s mother “intervened and convinced me to not continue with the case.”
With other reported incidents in the docs, a temporary restraining order went into place. This was effective between November 13, 2020, and December 28, 2020. It was dissolved after no appearances in court. At that point, the victim was able to move away with the help of family.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or chat at thehotline.org.
