Man Faces Legal Fees in Marital Fraud Case

An Anaheim banker who convinced a jury that his former wife duped him by concealing her lack of sexual passion, but later lost the case on appeal, must pay his ex-wife more than $89,000 in attorney’s fees, a Superior Court judge ruled Thursday.

The awarding of money to Bonnette Askew is the latest twist in a unique fraud case that began in 1992 when Ronald Askew sued his former wife of 11 years, said Bonnette Askew’s defense attorney.

Ronald Askew accused his former wife of fraud after she admitted during marriage counseling that she had hidden the fact that she felt no physical attraction for him before or during their marriage. He told the jury that he never would have married her or made her joint owner of four properties if he had known she considered him physically undesirable.

Last year, a Superior Court jury sided with Ronald Askew, ordering his ex-wife to give up her share of the jointly owned parcels of property valued at $242,000.

But the case was reversed on appeal in February when the 4th District Court of Appeal ruled that such matters are “best left to advice columnists than to judges and juries.” The appeals court also raised concerns that such lawsuits could have played havoc with California’s no-fault divorce system.

The appeals panel said Bonnette Askew was entitled to compensation for her costs in defending herself in the civil lawsuit and referred the case back to Superior Court to determine the amount.

Superior Court Judge Robert D. Monarch awarded the fees Thursday, Bonnette Askew’s lawyer, Richard W. Millar said.

Attorney Albert M. Graham Jr., Ronald Askew’s trial attorney, could not be reached for comment late Thursday.