LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — “Pawn Stars” mom Joanne Harrison has asked for a temporary restraining order against her son, Rick Harrison, after suing him over family assets and ownership of the Las Vegas business featured on the long-running reality TV show, according to court records.
In documents filed Monday in Clark County District Court, Joanne Harrison, 81, seeks to block Rick Harrison from “siphoning” or stopping $25,000 payments, transferring or concealing cash or assets, or any other actions that would diminish her interest in the family’s businesses.
Her lawyers also said they would file for an injunction in the family dispute, which became public on Thursday, Feb. 24, when Joanne Harrison sued her son.
Details included in Monday’s court filing expose arguments that have been simmering for months, and lawyers have been involved since September when Joanne Harrison threatened to end her son’s involvement in the family trust.
Rick Harrison, 56, didn’t know about his mother’s move on Monday, but said again that he thinks someone is driving her decisions: “I think my mother is being manipulated by others who are not looking out for her best interests,” he said through a spokesperson.
“I’ve tried to reach her numerous times over the last several months and am unable to do so,” Harrison said. “In fact, one of the companies she is suing is owned 100 percent by my mother.”
Joanne Harrison appears to have one priority through all this legal action – she wants to know where her money went.
A flurry of emails between lawyers that started in September and continued through December show that Joanne Harrison wants more money – and she wants it more often – than the sporadic payments that totaled $85,000 in 2020. She is worried about paying for her medical care, which amounts to about $15,000 every month, including a 24-hour caretaker.
But just as important, she wants to know where all the money has been going since her husband – Richard “Old Man” Harrison – died in 2018. Documents suggest she thinks her son has been moving her money without her permission, and taking out a $3 million loan by using her assets as collateral.
Like other businesses, the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop took a big hit during the pandemic. Bottom-line figures revealed in the court documents show net income from the business for four years:
- 2017: $1.2 million
- 2018: $1.6 million
- 2019: $1.3 million
- 2020: $37,406
As the net income fell, her payments – $25,000 a month she began to expect every month – dried up. She points out that they dried up before the pandemic hit.
And although the family trust continued to receive a sizeable amount in 2020 – $790,083 – it was a lot less than the amount that went to Rick Harrison – $1,956,621. Joanne Harrison contends that she received only $85,000 in 2020. Throughout the documents, she makes it clear she expects payments that match her stake in the family business. And she’s sure she’s entitled to much more than what’s been coming her way. She says Rick Harrison’s share has been larger than his stake in the company.
Monday’s request for a temporary restraining order says, “While Rick enjoys his comfortable life as a celebrity firmly in control of all the family businesses and finances, Joanne is left frightened, and unsure of if she will have enough resources to pay for her considerable medical and personal expenses each month. More specifically, Joanne is 81 years old and suffers from a number of health issues which require twenty-four-hour care and supervision. If Rick were to again arbitrarily cut-off Joanne’s monthly income, it would place Joanne at immediate and serious risk of irreparable medical harm, which by definition cannot be remedied by money damages at the conclusion of this litigation.”
